Deadline: January 25, 2026
Applications are open for the INSPIRASI Indonesia Young Leaders Programme 2026. INSPIRASI is a capacity building programme for emerging young civil society leaders from East Indonesia. Each year, ten participants are selected to further develop their knowledge, skills and confidence so they can enhance their contribution to the sustainable development of their community and the wider East Indonesia region.
The programme offers young leaders the opportunity to explore new ideas and approaches to sustainable development both in East Indonesia and New Zealand, inspiring them to think creatively about the challenges in their own communities. Participants follow a group programme and work together on an inclusive, cross-ethnic and cross-religious basis. Each young leader will explore a specific development challenge affecting their community, develop and refine a research question on this topic, and prepare a proposal for a participatory action project to address the challenge.
Funding
- INSPIRASI is funded by the NZ Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade as part of its International Development Cooperation programme in Indonesia. The programme is managed and run by UnionAID in collaboration with Bursa Pengetahuan Kawasan Timur Indonesia (BaKTI) and Auckland University of Technology (AUT).
Eligibility
Applicants must:
- be aged 20-30 years be living and working in East Indonesia (East and West Nusa Tenggara, Maluku and North Maluku, all Papua provinces and all Sulawesi provinces)
- be working for a community-based organisation or NGO such as a women’s organisation, labour union or environmental group
- intend to continue working for their organisation for a minimum of one year after completing the programme
- have support to participate in the programme from the organisation they represent or work for, including flexibility to attend online study sessions during office hours
- have English language proficiency equivalent to ≥4.5 IELTS or > TOEFL 32-34 (test certificate not required)
- be available to participate in a full-time residential of 2 weeks from 2-12 June
- not be enrolled in any other full-time courses of study or a similar scholarship/fellowship during the SDC
- talk to UnionAID before enrolling in any other part-time courses during the SDC
- hold, or be able to obtain, a passport issued by the Government of Indonesia valid until 1 July 2027
Selection Criteria
In selecting participants, the following criteria will also be considered
- demonstrated leadership and future potential commitment to development and community work
- identification of a clear and relevant development challenge or area of interest that they wish to explore through the programme
- commitment to working with other ethnic and religious groups
- open-mindedness and maturity
- ethnic, faith and gender mix of the group
Application
For more information, visit INSPIRASI Indonesia Young Leaders Programme.
