(RRSSJ)
(OSISA)
Le Centre de leadership africain (ALC), invite les chercheurs et les praticiens travaillant dans les organisations de la société civile (OSC), mais aussi les organisations non gouvernementales (ONG) à assister à un cours de 10 jours sur le Leadership et la société. Ce cours est organisé par le Centre du leadership africain en partenariat avec le King College de Londres, et l’Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA). Prière de trouver l’appel à candidatures en pièce jointe et de partager avec vos réseaux respectifs. Notez que la date limite pour le dépôt des candidatures est fixée au 25 juillet 2014.
Cordialement,
The African Leadership Centre (ALC) invites applications from scholars and practitioners working in Civil Society Organizations (CSO’s) including but not restricted to Non-Governmental Organization’s (NGO’s) to attend a 10-day course on Leadership and Society. This course is convened by the African Leadership Centre in partnership with King’s College London, and the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA). Please find the call for applications attached and fell free to share with your respective networks. Note that the deadline for submission of applications is 25 July 2014.
Best regards,
Call for Applications
Training Course on
Leadership and Society
19th – 29th August 2014*
{The Nicol Hotel, Bedfordview, Johannesburg, South Africa}
The African Leadership Centre (ALC) invites applications from scholars and practitioners working in Civil Society Organizations (CSO’s) including but not restricted to Non-Governmental Organization’s (NGO’s) to attend a 10-day course on Leadership and Society. This course is convened by the African Leadership Centre in partnership with King’s College London, and the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA).
The African Leadership Centre
The ALC is an educational trust based in Nairobi, Kenya. It aims to build a new community of leaders working toward peace, security and development in Africa. The idea of an African Leadership Centre was conceived to generate innovative ways to address some of the challenges faced on the African continent, and to facilitate the participation of a new community of leaders in national, regional and international efforts to achieve transformative change in their communities, countries and the continent. To learn more about the ALC visit www.africanleadershipcentre.org.
Leadership and Society Course
It is evident that different leadership contexts pose a myriad of challenges in Africa. In these contexts, leadership issues such as culture, governance and human (personal) security affect society in general. In addition, issues of personal empowerment and effective communication shape leaders and impact on their effectiveness. These common challenges call for developing the ability to apply key leadership themes to particular leadership contexts and the ability to connect formal knowledge about leadership to lived experiences of people. By identifying the
essential tools for practicing evidence-based leadership, the training aims to facilitate the development and demonstration of the above abilities among emerging African leaders across the continent.
While the importance of leadership has been emphasised among analysts and policy actors, its essential role in building and maintaining good institutions is often taken for granted. It is in fact assumed that a strong institution will promote good leaders; however, experience suggests that this is not the natural order of things. ALC’s position is that the presence of a leadership agenda, which provides the ideas and vision that invariably builds good and effective institutions is as important as the existence of such institutions. Addressing the gaps identified above requires a wholesale examination of leadership at both conceptual and operational levels. In addition, a focus on problem solving is needed in order to find sustainable solutions. The subject of leadership is perhaps one on which almost every actor in society has deep interest (as evidenced in the attention devoted to it in both the scientific literature and the popular press) and assumes some knowledge and almost certainly has an opinion. The literature on leadership is extensive and immensely rich in content and demonstrates the complexity of the subject and phenomenon of leadership. It is immediately evident that leadership, conceptually and practically, is employed at various levels of analysis and within various contexts. Any study about leadership therefore requires a fundamental interrogation of the concept and the meanings ascribed to it in whatever context or level of analysis in which it is to be employed. By examining leadership decisions and processes that promote or hinder development in these contexts, ALC aims to develop a knowledge base for evidence-based leadership that facilitates security and development in African societies.
This course explores the mutually reinforcing links between Leadership and Society in the developing world at various national, regional and continental levels.
Course Aims and Objectives:
This course aims to expand participants’ thinking about leadership and the process of leadership thus exposing them to the complexity associated with leadership. In this regard, it looks beyond organisational leadership and explores the phenomenon of leadership across society.
It also seeks to expose participants to useful ideas, observations and insights to inform their leadership decisions and help them develop some of the skills required to practice evidence based leadership to advance development and human security.
The objectives of the course are to:
- Equip a critical group that will enable them to substantively participate in institutional, national and regional networks on decision making and governance in Africa;
- Result in an active network of practitioners with specialized training in transformational leadership that will network and share ideas.
Specifically, the course will:
- Expand participants’ thinking about leadership and the process of leadership thus exposing them to the complexity associated with leadership. In this regard, the course looks beyond organisational leadership and explores leadership across developing societies;
- Assist participants in building an important understanding of key components that define the complex phenomenon of leadership;
- Expose participants to useful ideas, observations and insights to inform their leadership decisions;
- Help participants develop the skills required to practice evidence-based leadership to advance development and human security. Thus, many of the case studies will be drawn from developing contexts;
- Enhance learning by connecting participants’ lived experiences with formal knowledge.
By the end of the course, participants will have undergone an intensive ten (10) day period of training, and will be able to demonstrate the following:
- Ability to understand the complexities of leadership and identify key leadership themes as well as being able to relate them to particular national and regional contexts.
- Ability to identify critical leadership processes and questions in developing countries and draw lessons for their specific national and work contexts
- An understanding of contemporary challenges facing young Africans (particularly women) in positions of political and societal leadership.
- Ability to connect formal knowledge about leadership with their lived experiences
- Ability to identify essential tools for practicing evidence-based leadership
The ALC utilizes a training methodology that combines rigorous academic training with a mentoring element. As part of the course, participants can expect to benefit from sessions on Personal Mastery and Effective Communication.
Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible to attend this course, candidates must meet the following minimum requirements:
- Hold a Master’s Degree in the Social Sciences with an Africa focus, or have a minimum of 5 years working substantively on issues of development, as they relate to the African continent. Candidates without a Bachelor’s Degree will not be considered eligible.
- Applications from candidates based in civil society including but not restricted to non-governmental organizations in Southern Africa will receive priority consideration.
- Women candidates are encouraged to apply
OSISA is the chief sponsor of this course and will sponsor:
1. Full workshop costs, including all reading material, bed and breakfast during the training period, and tea and lunch on workshop days.
Participants are expected to:
- Fund their travel to the venue (both air and ground)
- Allow for a daily subsistence allowance (DSA) of approximately USD 20.00 (+/- ZAR 200.00) per day to cover meals not covered and other incidentals
- Take out adequate personal and health insurance. The course conveners will not be held liable in the event of a health or other personal emergency
- Applications will only be accepted from nationals of – Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe
2. Participants are expected to arrive by Monday, 18 August 2014.
Admission Criteria
Prospective participants are expected to meet the following criteria:
1) Possess an undergraduate degree
2) At least 5 years work experience in a civil society, or public sectors
3) English proficiency (as the course will be delivered in English)
4) Be from the SADC region.
The application form can be found on:
http://www.osisa.org/apply/training-course-leadership-and-society
or
bit.ly/1qUMuNu
The application will require the submission of:
- A one-page application letter detailing your relevant experience and qualifications;
- A one-page statement outlining your understanding of leadership as a concept, and how this links to African contexts;
- A letter of recommendation;
- A recent Curriculum Vitae.
Deadline for the submission of applications is 17h00 on Friday 25th July 2014
