World YWCA Leadership Cohort 2025 – Applications Now Open
- Omran Aburayya
- Sep 15
- 3 min read
If you are a young woman passionate about advancing women’s rights and intergenerational leadership, the World YWCA Leadership Cohort 2025 is your chance to make a global impact. This six-month paid internship (October 2025 – March 2026) will give you the opportunity to work closely with the World YWCA team, gain hands-on leadership experience, and join the delegation at the 70th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70) in New York in March 2026.
🎓 Programme Summary
Location: Remote (home country) + in-person participation at CSW70, New York, USA
Organizer: World YWCA (Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland)
Programme Type: Leadership internship / training programme
Target Group: Young women (18–30) actively engaged in local, national, or regional YWCA associations
Fields of Focus: Women’s rights, gender justice, leadership development, fundraising, and intergenerational advocacy
Value & Coverage: Paid internship with stipend, visa and airfare for CSW70 travel, accommodation and meals provided during CSW70
Duration: Six months (October 2025 – March 2026, part-time: 25–30 hours/week)
Application Deadline: 28 September 2025, 11:59 PM CET
Start Date: End of October 2025
Eligible To: Young women aged 18–30 endorsed by an affiliated World YWCA member association
🧭 Programme Overview
The World YWCA Leadership Cohort is a unique leadership development initiative designed to empower dynamic young women leaders across the global YWCA movement. Cohort members will:
Contribute directly to implementing the Strategic Framework 2024–2027.
Gain practical experience in fundraising, donor engagement, and advocacy.
Receive training in Feminist Consultation Methodology (FCM) and other tools.
Conduct research on the YWCA Leadership Cohort model, analyzing past successes, challenges, and lessons for future improvement.
🧩 Structure & Activities
Cohort interns will dedicate their time to three main areas:
Learning & Training – Orientation and ongoing capacity building, including use of World YWCA’s feminist tools.
Leadership Cohort Research – Applying FCM to study and strengthen the cohort model, mapping history, and gathering input from past participants.
Fundraising & Donor Engagement – Supporting grant research, donor storytelling, proposal development, campaign creation, and major events like the World YWCA Leadership Summit.
The programme culminates with in-person participation at the CSW70 in New York (March 2026), where interns will contribute directly to YWCA’s global advocacy efforts.
🎁 Benefits
Financial Support: A modest stipend (adjusted by location and time commitment).
Travel Coverage: Round-trip airfare to New York for CSW70, plus visa fee reimbursement.
Accommodation & Meals: Provided during CSW70 participation.
Professional Growth: International exposure, training in advocacy, leadership, fundraising, and digital tools.
Networking: Collaboration with global colleagues, donors, and stakeholders.
Long-term Impact: Interns bring back skills to their home YWCAs, strengthening grassroots leadership across the movement.
✅ Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must:
Be 18–30 years old at the time of application.
Have at least two years of active engagement in a local, national, or regional YWCA (as member, staff, volunteer, or participant).
Possess a basic working knowledge of English (Spanish/French are strong assets).
Show commitment to women’s rights and intergenerational leadership.
Be independent, motivated, and able to commit 25–30 hours per week from October 2025 to March 2026.
Be endorsed by a YWCA affiliated member association that agrees to support and engage them during and after the internship.
📝 Application Process
Applicants must submit their application online through the online application form by 28 September 2025 (11:59 PM CET).
📂 Required Documents:
CV/Resume (max 2 pages, English/French/Spanish).
Signed endorsement letter from a YWCA affiliated member association.
Confirmation of availability (hours/week, flexibility).
🔍 Selection Process
Applications screened by the World YWCA Secretariat.
A youth-led review team will shortlist and assess candidates.
Final decisions announced by 20 October 2025.
📆 Key Dates
Call for Applications: 3 September 2025
Application Deadline: 28 September 2025
Results Announcement: 20 October 2025
Internship Duration: October 2025 – March 2026
In-Person Participation: March 2026, CSW70 in New York
ℹ️ Extra Information
The programme is conducted primarily in English, but multilingualism is valued, and digital tools will be used to support inclusivity.
Interns are expected to share skills and insights with their home YWCAs, ensuring a domino effect of leadership capacity building across the movement.
