Young civic leaders and democracy practitioners across West Africa have an opportunity to strengthen their leadership and community organizing skills through the 2026 Regional Community Organizing Institute (COI), a flagship capacity development programme hosted by Yiaga Africa with support from the National Endowment for Democracy (NED).

Applications are now open for the 2026 edition of the Institute, with interested candidates required to submit their applications by July 14, 2026. The fully funded programme is designed to equip emerging leaders with practical tools to advance democracy, governance, community engagement, and policy reform across the region.

Formerly known as the Youth Organizing School, the Community Organizing Institute has become one of West Africa’s leading leadership development programmes for practitioners working to promote democratic values, economic reform, and the rule of law in environments where governance and civic freedoms remain under pressure.

About the Community Organizing Institute

The Regional Community Organizing Institute brings together approximately 30 to 35 mid-career practitioners from West African countries for an intensive training programme focused on community organizing, leadership, and democratic development.

The initiative responds to the growing demand for stronger civic leadership across Francophone and Anglophone West Africa while fostering collaboration and solidarity among community organizers working in different national contexts.

Participants are selected based on their demonstrated contributions to democratic governance and their potential to create greater impact within their communities after completing the programme.

Since its establishment, the Institute has built a network of more than 400 alumni from:

Cameroon
The Gambia
Ghana
Ivory Coast
Liberia
Nigeria
Sierra Leone

Graduates of the programme have gone on to serve as civic activists, youth leaders, community organizers, campaign strategists, democracy advocates, and leaders of civil society organizations across the region.

Yiaga Africa also continues to encourage strong participation from women leaders and individuals working to drive positive change within their communities.

Programme Dates

The 2026 Regional Community Organizing Institute will take place in August 2026.

Applicants must be available to participate throughout the entire programme and should ensure they can be absent from their professional responsibilities during the training period before accepting admission.

Who Can Apply?

The programme is intended for practitioners actively working in democracy, governance, development, and the rule of law.

Eligible applicants may include:

Leaders of non-profit organizations
Community advocates
Civic activists
Social campaigners
Policy reform advocates
Journalists
Political party leaders
Community and student leaders

Applicants should currently play influential roles in promoting political, economic, or social development within their respective countries and have demonstrated both professional achievement and leadership potential.

Eligibility Requirements

To qualify for the 2026 programme, applicants must meet the following requirements:

Be a citizen and current resident of one of the eligible West African countries.
Be 30 years old or younger at the start of the programme in August 2026.
Be actively working in democracy, development, governance, or rule of law.
Demonstrate practical leadership experience rather than purely academic achievements.
Possess strong written and spoken English or French language skills.

Eligible countries include:

Benin Republic
Burkina Faso
Cape Verde
The Gambia
Ghana
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Ivory Coast
Liberia
Mali
Niger
Nigeria
Senegal
Sierra Leone
Togo

Yiaga Africa strongly encourages applications from women and persons living with disabilities.

Selection Criteria

Due to the highly competitive nature of the programme, applications will be carefully reviewed against specific selection criteria.

Priority will be given to applicants who:

Have demonstrated practical experience in democracy and development.
Hold leadership positions within civil society or community organizations.
Show strong commitment to democratic governance.
Have the potential to influence positive change within their communities.
Meet all eligibility requirements.

The Institute emphasizes practical experience over academic qualifications, making it particularly suitable for practitioners already engaged in civic leadership.

Programme Curriculum

The curriculum is inspired by the Harvard Kennedy School’s renowned Leadership, Organizing and Action course and combines theory with practical organizing strategies.

Participants will receive training in areas including:

Community and political organizing
Leadership development
Policy advocacy
Non-violent civic action
Scenario planning
Power mapping
Coalition and network building
Gender mainstreaming
Online organizing
Negotiation techniques
Transnational organizing
Managing effective civic organizations

The programme also aims to strengthen youth-led and women-led organizations by enhancing their technical capacity to promote democratic values across West Africa.

Fully Funded Participation

Yiaga Africa will cover all costs associated with participation in the Regional Community Organizing Institute, making the programme fully funded for successful applicants.

Application Process

Interested candidates are required to complete the online application before July 14, 2026.

The application package includes:

Applicant information
Essay questions
English or French language proficiency assessment
Video submission
Letters of recommendation
Personal certification

Applicants are advised to submit their applications as early as possible due to the anticipated high number of submissions. Successful candidates are expected to be notified during July 2026.

Through the Regional Community Organizing Institute, Yiaga Africa continues to invest in the next generation of civic leaders committed to strengthening democracy, promoting accountability, and advancing sustainable development across West Africa.

VISIT OFFICIAL WEBSITE TO APPLY

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Disclaimer: Global South Opportunities (GSO) is not the organization offering this opportunity. For any inquiries, please contact the official organization directly. Please do not send your applications & CVs to GSO, as we are unable to process them. Due to the high volume of emails, we receive daily, we may not be able to respond to all inquiries. Thank you for your understanding.