The Atlas Corps: Pakistan Emerging Leaders Initiative is a dynamic collaboration between Atlas Corps and two Atlas Corps Alumni-led organizations: Accountability Lab Pakistan, and CaterpillHERs. The goal of this Initiative is to build community across emerging professionals in Pakistan by building the capacity of local leaders and community-based initiatives.
This collaboration will engage a total of 100 emerging professionals from Pakistan in one of three unique leadership development programs implemented by one of the partner organizations:
- Leadership Program #1 – Atlas Corps will engage 50 Pakistani Scholars between 22-35 years of age in our Virtual Leadership Institute. Scroll down to learn more and to apply.;
- Leadership Program #2 – Accountability Lab Pakistan will engage 30 Pakistani university and madrassah students in the Pakistan Youth Peace Incubator. Click here to learn more;
- Leadership Program #3 – CaterpillHERs will engage 20 Pakistani female entrepreneurs in the CaterpillHERs Accelerator program. Click here to learn more.
Note to Potential Applicants: Applications for each leadership program are unique and administered by the organization leading the program. Individuals may apply for more than one initiative but we anticipate that individuals will only be accepted for one.
Leadership Program #1: Atlas Corps Virtual Leadership Institute
Our application is open!
We are currently reviewing applications that were submitted by our priority deadline of December 15, and we continue to accept applications through December 31, 2022.
Overview
The Atlas Corps Virtual Leadership Institute is an online learning community for global social change professionals based on our established leadership development curriculum. Atlas Corps will engage 50 Pakistani Scholars in our Virtual Leadership Institute. Participants, known as Atlas Corps Scholars, enhance their professional skills, build their global networks, and prepare for leadership in their home communities.
Format
The Atlas Corps Virtual Leadership Institute takes place over five months of online engagement and consists of five learning modules: Orientation, Developing Self, Developing Others, Leading Movements, and Reflection.
During the program, Scholars will:
- gain a better understanding of their strengths and leadership style;
- explore diverse forms of addressing, navigating, and promoting positive community-building;
- increase their skills in supporting and communicating with individuals and teams during transitional periods.
Atlas Corps Virtual Leadership Institute activities include:
- Interactive Workshops: monthly virtual workshops designed and facilitated by leading professionals in the social change sector;
- Self-Led Activities: a series of virtual activities focusing on cultivating self-compassion and emotional intelligence, self-awareness in addressing change, methods for change management, and team conflict resolution, among others;
- Peer Coaching Groups: a small group collaboration guided by trained coaches;
- Community Projects: a participant-developed project to advance a personal or community-based activity with the possibility of applying for up to $1000 to support its implementation;
- Networking and Intercultural Exchange: connect with other Pakistanis and professionals from around the world for increased mutual understanding across borders.
All participants will design a Community Impact Project—activity, training, and/or venture—that contributes to building community resilience and development in Pakistan. Participants will be encouraged to work collaboratively on the implementation of their Community Impact Projects. A Community Impact Fund will be established to support the implementation of the most promising Leadership Projects.
Benefits
— Engagement in approximately 100 hours of FREE professional development training that will enhance your knowledge, skills, and abilities;
— Peer coaching and eligibility for funding to develop your leadership project in your community;
— Publicity on Atlas Corps external communication channels;
— Access to additional Atlas Corps trainings and opportunities;
— Engagement in the local and international networks of our partner organizations, Accountability Lab Pakistan and CaterpillHERs;
— Lifetime enrollment in the global Atlas Corps Community (of 1,500+ social change leaders from 115+ countries) upon successful completion.
Basic Eligibility Requirements
— Be a citizen of Pakistan;
— Be aged 22-35 years old;
— Possess a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent;
— Be proficient in English (oral, writing, reading);
— Be committed to applying the knowledge gained to multiply the impact of their Atlas Corps experience in Pakistan;
— Be available to commit to approximately 3 hours of online activity and assignments per week for approximately 5 months;
— Have the technological capacity to participate in video calls which may be during working hours (1-2 per month); and
— Special consideration will also be given to Pakistanis who reside outside of major metropolitan areas.
Application Process
Applicants must fill out this shortened application form to be considered for the Atlas Corps Virtual Leadership Institute. Atlas Corps anticipates notifying selected candidates for the Atlas Corps Virtual Leadership Institute in December and launching the Virtual Leadership Institute in February 2023.
Please note that this application form is not for the Atlas Corps Fellowship or any other programs within this Initiative. If you’re interested in applying for the Atlas Corps Fellowship separately, please visit apply.atlascorps.org. Accountability Lab Pakistan and CaterpillHERs will open applications for their unique initiatives at a future date. Stay tuned!
Questions? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions page. If your question isn’t answered there, please email apply@atlascorps.org
PARTNERS | LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS 2 & 3
Leadership Program #2: Accountability Lab Pakistan Youth Peace Incubator
NOTE: Accountability Lab Pakistan will open applications for its unique initiative at a future date. Stay tuned!
Overview
Accountability Lab Pakistan will engage 30 university and madrassah students in the Pakistan Youth Peace Incubator. Learn more here.
About Accountability Lab Pakistan
Accountability Lab is a think tank, committed to support social change through capacity building of vulnerable communities while working towards accountable, transparent and responsive governance systems. We support change-makers to develop ideas for integrity, human rights and peace and feedback in their communities. By enabling people to use information and knowledge to hold those in power to account, we help to unleash positive social and economic change. Lab has quite an inspiring portfolio of working with academia and the institutions of higher education on various initiatives. Our recent work with three leading public sector universities of Karachi was aimed at building community resilience to violent extremism. We have also established Youth Peace Incubators at 10 public sector universities across Pakistan with an aim to provide spaces for youth orientation around basic ideas of conflict mapping and conflict resolution, early warning systems, lobbying for peace, and leadership for peace promotion. Lab has reached more than 50,000 young students and faculty members through the YPI program including 40% female. Lab now has over 1000 young peace ambassadors directly volunteering to support our activities around peace promotion, conflict resolution and accountability drives.
Leadership Program #3: CaterpillHERs Accelerator program
NOTE: CaterpillHERs will open applications for its unique initiative at a future date. Stay tuned!
Overview
CaterpillHERs will engage 20 female entrepreneurs in the CaterpillHERs Accelerator program. Learn more here.
About CaterpillHERs
CaterpillHERs is an online accelerator that helps women build and scale their businesses and careers. In entrepreneurship space, CaterpillHERs designs distinctive accelerator programs for women-led startups tailored to the stage of development of their businesses. For past two years, CaterpillHERs has accelerated more than 35 startups in more than 8 cities of Pakistan, helping them become investment-ready. All of the organizations accelerated by CaterpillHERs have positively impacted more than 1.2 million lives in Pakistan. Women’s economic empowerment through entrepreneurship and career acceleration programs is the core mission of CaterpillHERs. The organization also actively promotes gender training, diversity workshops, and initiatives that benefit women.
