Ujima Fellowship Program

About the Program

The Ujima Fellowship—a collaboration between Africa Centre, Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) and Edmonton Chamber of Voluntary Organizations (ECVO)—is a leadership development program that aims to address structural racism and inequity by creating opportunities for diverse representation within advisory or decision making entities.

This fellowship aims to support African descent and other BIPOC (Black, Indigenous or a Person of Colour) aged 16 - 30 who demonstrate the willingness to develop their leadership skills and want to serve on advisory or policy-making platforms.

The fellowship is named Ujima (oo-JEE-mah), after the third principle of Kwanzaa. Kwanzaa is a week-long cultural celebration that honors African American and African culture. Ujima means collective responsibility and work. Ujima focuses on the foundation of community building and collaboration as a means to solve problems and stepping away from the individual mindset and moving towards a collective approach.

Program Participants

Program Framework

The Ujima Fellowship is a program consists of the following:

35 hours of in-class leadership training
Three-month placement with a volunteer agency, board, commission, or committee (ABCC)
20 hours of volunteer work.

All classes will be in person instruction.

Participants who successfully complete all NAIT coursework, host placement, and volunteer components will receive a joint Leadership Development certificate from NAIT and Africa Centre.

A transportation stipend is available throughout the fellowship, and participants are selected through a competitive application process led by Africa Centre.

ABCCs serve as community host partners, each providing a dedicated supervisor to support and guide participants throughout their placement.

Eligibility Requirements

Identify as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous or a Person of Colour)
- Indigenous and under-served youth* includes: Indigenous youth; Black and racialized youth;
- Youth with disabilities; 2SLGBTQI+ youth; newcomer youth; youth from an Official Language
Be between the ages of 16 – 30
Must be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or have refugee status in Canada
Reside in Edmonton or Calgary throughout the duration of the fellowship
Have experience with or interest in civic engagement and volunteerism
Demonstrate a commitment to community leadership and personal growth

Program Schedule

Community Partners

Partnership Overview

The Ujima Fellowship program relies on the willingness and collaboration of existing agencies, boards, commissions, and committees (ABCC) for the success of this program. As a Community Partner, you will have the opportunity to actively participate in supporting diversity and inclusion in your organizations by providing opportunities for young BIPOC leaders to gain first-hand experience of the inner workings of ABCCs.

Each ABCC placement will require a designated person to support and provide guidance for the program participant. Host ABCCs must be able to accommodate and guide the program participants during the placement.

Duties and Responsibilities

Host ABCCs will be responsible for providing support and guidance to the program participant. Some duties include the following:

Provide the participant with an overview of your mission, goals, rules & regulations, etc.
Provide an environment for the participant to learn the framework of your agency, board, commission, or committee.
Provide opportunities for the participant to observe and participate (if possible) at agency, board, commission, and committee meetings
Encourage and engage the participant in your planning efforts, activities, or events, etc
Provide an agenda and if appropriate, supporting materials for meetings to the participant

Potential Benefits

The Ujima Fellowship program will benefit your ABCC in the following ways:

Bring in fresh and diverse perspectives
Bring in passionate BIPOC youth with demonstrated civic engagement experiences who what to be active and engaged in community-building
An opportunity to recruit diverse members into your organization and boards
An opportunity to utilize the various skills and talents of the program participants
An opportunity to strengthen the community by creating strong BIPOC future leaders

If your agency, board, commission, or committee is interested in being a part of the Ujima Fellowship Program please contact us at ujima.fellowship@africacentre.ca

intake form

Information package

How to Apply

All applicants must complete the submission form according to the specified deadline above and provide the following documents:

CV / Resume highlighting community and volunteer work
One letter of intent: A 500-word letter explaining the applicant’s interest in civic leadership, their motivation for joining the Ujima Fellowship, and what they hope to gain from the experience.
One reference letter (optional): A reference letter can be from a professor, teacher, employer, co-worker, or volunteer supervisor.
Government Issued ID

If you have any questions, please contact us at ujima.fellowship@africacentre.ca

For more information about the program check out our Program Participants Information Package.

Apply Here

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Ujima Fellowship Program

About the Program

Program Participants

Program Framework

Eligibility Requirements

Program Schedule

Community Partners

Partnership Overview

Duties and Responsibilities

Potential Benefits

How to Apply

Program Stories

Youth Leadership – A foot in the door, a seat at the table

Ujima Exchange Podcast

2024 Testimonials

2023 Testimonial

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