Call for applications – Accountability Incubator 2024 Cohort
Accountability Lab Zimbabwe is currently accepting applications for its 2024 cohort of the Accountability Incubator, commencing in January 2024. The 2024 Accountability Incubator is looking for the very best ideas from young people for accountability, participation, and open government. The Accountability Incubator is Accountability Lab’s (www.accountabilitylab.org) flagship program for young changemakers to build sustainable, effective tools for change.
The Accountability Incubator is looking for young innovative changemakers aged 18 – 35, working on accountability in the following themes:
Specifically strengthening participation in democratic processes, including through access to the right information, media freedoms, and electoral processes.
With a specific focus on strengthening inclusive governance of natural resources and land, climate adaptation, and resilience programs, and a just and equitable energy transition.
Specifically the voices of women, young people, people with disabilities, and those who might be most excluded from decision-making due to language, geography, religion, or other issues.
Including leveraging technology to enhance good governance, disinformation, digital rights and data protection/privacy, and digital surveillance.
What does the Incubator offer?
The incubator provides a non-prescriptive, yet supportive environment for creative, enterprising individuals who bring innovative ideas to inspire accountability in their communities.
Selected Accountability Entrepreneurs (Accountapreneurs) receive a year of hands-on, comprehensive support including training and knowledge building, mentoring, network building, and media outreach support. The support is designed to help young change-makers bring their ideas to life and scale-up up their work.
Who can apply?
- Are you between 18 – 35 years old?
- Are you a citizen of Zimbabwe and ordinarily resident in the country?
- Do you have an idea to promote accountability linked to the four themes of climate justice, digital governance, inclusion, or civic agency?
- Can you work on your idea for at least four hours per week?
Women, people with disabilities, and other minority groups are encouraged to apply.
What are we looking for in pitched ideas?
The pitched ideas should be:
- Context-specific – does the idea demonstrate an in-depth understanding of the community it will support?
- Feasible – How likely is it that the idea proposed will be achieved over time?
- Creative – Is the idea for accountability truly innovative?
- Sustainability – Does the candidate have a plan for how the project can continue over time? Is the idea designed for long-term impact?
- Scalable – Will the idea create an accountability model that could be expanded to other communities?
*The applicant/idea/project must not be grounded in or focused on a political agenda or advance the interests of a political party or politician.