Pathy Foundation Fellowship Candidate Handbook

Pathy Foun dation Fellowship Can didate Han dbook

The Pathy Foundation Fellowship is hosted at the Coady Institute, located in Nalikitquniejk (“the place where the branches are torn off”). This territory is known as Mi’kma’ki, the unceded, ancestral, and present homelands of the Mi’kmaq (Lnu’k). Everyone on this territory lives under the Peace and Friendship Treaties, a covenant chain of treaties first signed in 1725. These treaties do not deal with the surrender of land, but rather aff irms continued, guaranteed and inherent Indigenous rights, and outlines agreements between nations.

Treaties across Turtle Island were often signed under duress and have been broken by the colonial government and settler populations over the past few centuries through various forms of colonial violence. Indigenous peoples have existed and tended to the lands across Turtle Island in reciprocity since time immemorial, and continue to do so today. Our program is hosted in Mi’kma’ki at the Coady Institute, but Pathy Fellowship projects are also implemented across Turtle Island and the world on many Indigenous territories. As a program, and as a community of learners in youth leadership and community change, we recognize that the complex social, environmental, and other issues we work to address are byproducts of colonization. The Pathy Foundation Fellowship recognizes that land acknowledgements are only a small part of disrupting colonial structures. “Canada” is a settlercolonial state built on stolen land, pursued and formalized through ongoing attempted assimilation and violence against Indigenous Peoples across Turtle Island. We are all Treaty Peoples. What is your relationship to the land?

Table of Contents About the Pathy Foundation Fellowship........................................................................................3 Implementing Partners............................................................................................................................. 4 Eligibility Requirements.............................................................................................................................5 Program Timeline...........................................................................................................................................7 What Does a Pathy Project Look Like...............................................................................................9 3-Legged Stool and Application Guidance.................................................................................. 11 Worksheet.......................................................................................................................................................... 13 Resources........................................................................................................................................................... 17 Most Common FAQs...................................................................................................................................19

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about the pathy foun dation Fellowship Are you ready to lead?

The Pathy Foundation Fellowship is an intensive experiential learning program designed to amplify your leadership potential. Since 2015, the Pathy Foundation Fellowship has been supporting emerging leaders in delivering impact in their communities, while building tangible personal and professional competencies that will serve them for life.

You’ll begin your Fellowship journey with state-of-the-art training, where you’ll be introduced to leading principles, practices, tools, and philosophies of youth leadership, project management, and community development.

A hybrid education model will balance on-campus learning at the Coady Institute in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, with periods of home-based online learning. Throughout the program, Pathy Fellows plan, design, and implement an innovative project in a community they have a meaningful connection with. As a Fellow, you will have access to international professional networks, gain technical project support f rom leading development practitioners, be provided with generous funding, participate in building and maintaining robust peer support systems, and receive dedicated, ongoing, and individualized support through one-on-one leadership coaching and other resources.

The Coady Institute’s innovative approach to asset-based communitydriven development is integrated throughout the program. The program’s educational methods also incorporate a participant-focused, flexible learning agenda underpinned by strong adult education principles, technical expertise, and various supports to optimize project impact, and personal and professional learning and growth.

Does this sound like a dream come true? Read on for more information on how to submit a competitive application!

We can’t wait to see the change you’ll create!

Want to learn more?

Access our Application Form and more information on our website!

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im plementing partners The Pathy Foundation Fellowship began in 2015 as a partnership between the Pathy Family Foundation and the Coady Institute to invest in Canada’s future leaders and strengthen resilient communities.

ABOUT THE PATHY FAMILY FOUNDATION The Pathy Family Foundation supports organizations that provide critical aid to meet basic human needs, and that empower individuals and communities to generate and sustain positive social change. The Foundation works hand in hand with partners to build vibrant communities and promote equal opportunities for all, investing in people, organizations, and ideas that empower marginalized groups in Canada and globally. Their philanthropic interests lie in community development and engagement, social entrepreneurship and inclusive economies, education and leadership, and rights and empowerment. For over 15 years, their work and support has helped strengthen organizations and communities in their pursuit of social change.

ABOUT THE COADY INSTITUTE Established in 1959 at St. Francis Xavier University to honour the legacy of the Antigonish Movement, the Coady Institute works in collaboration with partners across Canada and the globe to reduce poverty and transform societies by strengthening local economies, building resilient communities, and promoting social accountability and good governance. The Coady Institute is committed to accompanying generations of global leaders skilled in the application of citizen-led, asset-based, and community-driven leadership for economic and social change. Through relevant adult education programs, effective partnerships, and applicable research, Coady Institute is equipping community leaders and their organizations with the knowledge and practical tools needed to bring about the change they want for themselves.

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eligibility requirements Thinking of applying? Let’s confirm your eligibility!

Do you attend one of our partner universities?

Are you a full-time graduating student in your final year of studies in a certificate, undergraduate, or masters program?

Are you a Canadian citizen or permanent resident?

Do you have a meaningful connection to a community anywhere in the world and an idea of how to strengthen that community?

U ARE YO E LIG LE IB 5

Broadly, applications are considered from candidates who meet the following criteria: Hold Canadian citizenship or permanent residency Are a graduating, full-time student who will complete their final course requirements within this year’s eligibility window. To check annual program start dates, please see the program schedule on our website Will be under 30 years of age by the program’s start date Attend one of our partner universities Have a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree

There are additional specific considerations on eligibility. To learn more, and confirm your eligibility, visit our website.

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program Timeline Applications open every year at the start of the school year, and close in early Winter. Following the review of applications, shortlisted candidates will be invited and funded to attend a Selection process in Montréal. Selection consists of participatory and interactive activities with other candidates and an individual interview with the Selection Committee. All shortlisted candidates must make themselves available to attend the Selection Days (and potentially travel days on either side). Selected Fellows will participate in a year-long Fellowship, including comprehensive training and a community project implementation period.

Please refer to our website for this year’s application, interview, and program dates as well as the number of Fellowships being awarded this year.

Pre-Community Phase

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FOUNDATIONS FOR COMMUNITY CHANGE

TRANSITION PHASE

COMMUNITY PHASE

DEBREIF

Coady 4 weeks

Home Locations 4 weeks

In Communities 10 months

Montréal 1 week

Each cohort of Fellows will participate in the following Fellowship phases: Foundations for Community Change (FCC) is an experiential learning component on-campus at the Coady Institute. During this training, Fellows are introduced to topics such as: the Coady approach to development; self-analysis of leadership styles and interactions with others; introduction to Fellows’ personal coaching sessions; working equitably with communities; participatory project planning and management; Fellowship finances; and monitoring, evaluation and learning. Additional training content is selected annually to provide targeted topics of interest based on Fellows’ learning desires and project topics. Fellows can expect a range of facilitation techniques, an active peer-learning environment, and robust supports.

During the Transition Phase (TP), Fellows return home and further develop their initiatives based on learning from FCC. TP includes regular check-ins with peers and Coady, along with further distance-based learning and planning before beginning the Community Phase.

The Community Phase is when Fellows will work in and with their identified communities. During this phase, Fellows will receive ongoing support and distance learning from Coady, as well as regular sessions with the Fellows’ personal coach. This phase is experiential in nature and is guided by our philosophy of supported autonomy.

A Debriefing will be held in Montréal. During this f inal Fellowship component, Fellows will evaluate personal and professional growth, outcomes from the community phase, and identify next steps. Fellows will celebrate their Fellowship year, and complete a visioning of possibilities in their journey as change-makers. * Each Phase of the Fellowship incorporates project reporting, reflective assignments, and continual learning touch-points. *Please note that the program only covers travel within Canada for candidates and Fellows.

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what does a pathy project look like Your project can be anything related to social, environmental, cultural, or economic change, and any variations of overlap between all of those categories. If your project works to address your community’s priorities in an innovative or entrepreneurial way, then your project is most likely eligible.

However, to help you conceptualize what past Pathy projects have looked like, here are some Alumnx stories.

Lauren Sobot Proud Pairs: Mentorship for 2SLGBTQIA+ Youth – Halifax, Nova Scotia Lauren created a one-on-one mentorship program connecting 2SLGBTQIA+ youth (ages 15-23) with 2SLGBTQIA+ adults (ages 24+) in the Halifax Regional Municipality. The initiative aimed to foster a generation of confident, secure, and thriving individuals by pairing them with adults with a similar lived experience.

In addition to one-on-one mentorship, Proud Pairs facilitated group programming with all mentors and mentees to foster an intergenerational 2SLGBTQIA+ community in the Halifax region. Following the Fellowship, Lauren went on to pursue Medical School at the University of Toronto to pursue her dream of supporting 2SLGBTQIA+ patients in health care.

Nanda Kishore Daggupati Educational Development Through Research, Consulting, and Policy – Chennai, India Kishore led an educational development project in Chennai, India with a key focus on institutionalizing change through a government partnership.

Working with over 20 schools, the project focused on improving learning retention in mathematics at the middle school level, introducing and creating innovative educational technology, and recruiting low-income students to promote their pursuit of education and meaningful employment. After his Pathy Fellowship, Kishore completed a Master of Education in Policy & Analysis at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He also led the creation of a learning ecosystems platform, turning cities into spaces of intergenerational and decentralized learning.

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Simone Cavanaugh Human Rights-Based Approaches to Family Disability Advocacy – Nicaragua Simone worked to gather input from various community partners and stakeholders to develop a series of workshops envisioned to empower families of children with disabilities in rural Nicaraguan communities. Employing adult education principles, advocacy and education theories, and human-rights based approaches, these workshops dispelled myths and prejudices about disability, explored human rights and legal frameworks around disability justice and care, and facilitated the development of advocacy skills and strategies. Following her Fellowship year, Simone continued to work in spaces of disability advocacy, and later joined McKinsey & Company as a Senior Manager in Social, Healthcare and Public Entities Practice.

Faduma Gure Somali Interdisciplinary Health Network – Ottawa, Ontario Faduma developed the foundation for an interdisciplinary health network in Ottawa’s Somali community. She conducted interviews with key stakeholders in the community, held group meetings, attended community wide forums, functions, and other relevant events, conducted research on the development of networking platforms, and developed resources to solidify network development. Her Pathy Fellowship culminated with the formation of a steering committee for the health network, as well as the acquirement of funds to hire a full-time project coordinator based in Ottawa. Following her Pathy Fellowship, Faduma became a registered Midwife, and pursued research on multiple topics within the field. Later, Faduma founded LISS Technologies, a health organization that provides easy-to-use, low-cost, solar-powered breast pumps to mothers in Somalia.

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3-legged stool an d application guidance The Selection Committee looks for three main components in a strong application. We call this the three-legged stool, with the analogy being that you want all three legs of your “stool” to be equally strong.

The strength of your project idea You as a candidate

The strength of your connection to community

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More about your project idea The Selection Committee looks for four main elements in a strong project idea: nature: does it address community priorities in a new, 1. Innovative innovative, creative, or entrepreneurial way? can it be done within the time and budgetary constraints of 2. Feasibility: the Fellowship? what will happen to the project after your time as a 3. Sustainability: Fellow? In what ways is it inherently sustainable? In what ways are you planning towards sustainability? What are the lasting outcomes as a result of your project? scalability: Is it something that could potentially grow within 4. Potential your community, or be replicated elsewhere? What’s the scale of impact?

General Application Guidance As you complete your application, you’ll be asked to elaborate on the threelegged stool elements! We know applications can be a daunting process. Here are some tips to set you up for success for your Pathy Fellowship application: Tell us what your community means to you and why you want to work with this specific community.

Show us how your project idea is creative and addresses community priorities in a new and innovative way.

Explain what you’re hoping for out of the Fellowship experience, not just the funding.

Be authentic in your application! Personal growth and development is a core objective of the Fellowship. We embrace vulnerability and are looking for Fellows who have the desire and readiness to learn and grow.

Let us see the real you, not just your professional persona.

Choose references who know you well and can speak in-depth to your professional experience, academic achievements, and community involvement. With few exceptions, your references should not be family members or friends, but they should know you well enough to provide insightful and supportive written responses to our reference questions. Ensure that you reach out to your references early on to confirm their availability.

Respond to each question and sub-question in the application directly and completely and be sure to optimize the character count.

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worksheet Use the following pages to get a head-start on your Pathy Application. The following questions are designed to support you in developing a strong application that is grounded in personal self-awareness, innovative thinking, and community connection. For more application supports, be sure to visit our website, or contact our Program Assistant!

A. What is your why?

What is your purpose, your calling, your cause? What are your core values?

What motivates you to want to impact the world, or your community? Why do you want to contribute to a better world? Take some time now to make some notes or write out a few sentences that outline what drives you to make change.

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B. Identifying your Assets The Pathy Fellowship is underpinned by an Asset-Based Community-Driven philosophy, meaning we value existing skills, opportunities, assets, and potential as our starting place for individual and social change. Using the table below, identify any skills, strengths, and talents that you are confident in, working on, and want to learn or develop further. Where do these skills come from? How do they influence who you are and how you show up in the world?

What do you have to contribute to the world that you are most proud of?

What I’m Confident In (Strengths)

What I’d Like to Learn (Areas for Development)

Influential Experiences Connected to My Personal Assets

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C. Combining your Strengths and Passions for Social Change What communities do you belong to that would benefit from the gifts and strengths that you carry? What experiences (personal, work, volunteer) have helped you to build community connections? What are you passionate about that you would want to dedicate a year of your life to building? If you could create anything to benefit your community, what would it be? Use the space below to begin connecting your personal strengths and passions to an idea for change in a community you are connected to.

The Communities I Am Most Connected to Are…

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The Things I Am Most Passionate About Are…

The Ideas for Change I Have Are…

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resources Looking for additional application support? We’ve got you!

At Pathy, we believe in supporting candidates to shine your brightest in your application. We have a host of resources available to you as you work to develop your project idea, select your references, learn about the Fellowship, and write your passions on paper.

We want to support you in creating the strongest application possible, reflective of all that you are and will bring to the program!

We highly recommend engaging with the following supports before you submit your application:

Attend a Pathy event Info Sessions, Application Prep Sessions, Q&As, Alumnx Meetand-Greets, and other events are on offer throughout the year. Register to attend one of these sessions to gain detailed information on the Fellowship experience, so that you can make an informed decision about your post-graduate steps.

Book a one-on-one Candidate Hours meeting with our Program Assistant Did you know that the Pathy Program Assistant is a former Pathy Fellow? Book a candidate hours appointment today to gain nuanced insights into the application process, support in project ideation, application writing, and general guidance.

Meetings with the Program Assistant are confidential, and NOT assessed. This is a neutral point of contact for you to utilize to help strengthen your application.

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Over 80% of our Selected Fellows were candidates who engaged with Application Supports.

Give it your all, and register today!

Liaise with your University Representative Work with your very own university designated resource person! University Representatives are knowledgeable about the Fellowship program and processes, and can refer you to university-based writing, interview, and career resources. They are an exceptional additional support person available to you during the Application and Selection Phase.

Check out our website resources Have you read through our application resources on the website? Visit www.pathyfellowship.com to read through our comprehensive list of Frequently Asked Questions (including detailed trends on past successful applications!). You will also find past project information from all previous Fellows on our website.

Not sure what you want to do in your community yet? Check-out our Thematic Areas page to assist with project ideation, and to see what kinds of projects we’ve taken on in the past.

Connect with us to stay up to date with program deadlines and new resources Follow us across social media to keep up with our current Fellows, find up-to-date information, and access additional resources and events!”

Find all of these resources and more here!

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frequently asked questions I’m seeking grant funding for my project. Is this a grant?

The Pathy Foundation Fellowship is not a grant; it is a holistic learning program requiring full participation of Fellows. We are looking for people who want the Fellowship experience as a whole, not solely the funding.

The Fellowship experience includes personal coaching, dedicated support, comprehensive training, project management guidance, reflective reporting requirements, and other supports. In the application, we need to see how the candidate sees the Fellowship supporting the development of their initiative and/or their own personal learning journey.

Is this an internship?

The program is not an internship, nor may a candidate apply for the program with a specif ic internship position in mind. Rather, the program aims to empower Fellows to develop their own ideas or to provide a new and innovative element to an existing initiative or organization. Candidates should see the program as a hands-on leadership development program, and as such, it is essential that Fellows have some level of collaborative autonomy in their communities to direct their project ideas.

Define “community”?

Your community can be defined geographically (domestic or international), or by commonality (i.e., a group of people sharing a sense of belonging, identity, particular goal, characteristic, interest, experience, etc.). Some examples of past communities have included: “Rickshaw drivers in Lagos, Nigeria,” “L’Arche, Antigonish,” “Indigenous youth interested in pursuing STEM fields,” and “2SLGBTQIA+ youth and adults in Halifax.” Your community connection can be with an individual, a group, or an organization. If your connection to your community is not through a partner organization, you should be able to demonstrate interest for and receptivity of your project within the community at large through your relationships and networks.

Can I apply to work in a community literally anywhere in the world?

Yes! The only exception to this is that we are unfortunately unable to consider applications for projects that will take place in areas where the Government of Canada has issued an ‘avoid non-essential travel’ or ‘avoid all travel’ advisory.

Please consult current Government of Canada travel advisories to learn about the status of the country and region where your community is situated.

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How can I apply and when is the deadline?

Applications open annually on our website in early Fall. All relevant dates can be found on our website. Applications will only be considered if submitted before the deadline.

How developed should initiatives be at application stage and how do they change and grow through the Fellowship?

Great news! Candidates do not need to develop a complete initiative plan at application stage. At application stage, we’re looking for the core idea behind an initiative. While you should demonstrate that there’s been significant thought into your idea, you don’t have to develop a full “project proposal” for your application. During the program’s training, you will be introduced to concepts and tools related to participatory project planning and management.

As you engage in peer learning and complete your training, we will work with you to develop your idea into a full initiative.

While in community, do Fellows have any other responsibilities?

Yes. As this is a learning program, there are several expectations of Fellows whilst in community. These include participation in regular check-ins with peers and program staff, any resultant work f rom these, regular sessions with the Fellows’ personal coach, and completion of periodic reflections and reviews that will document Fellows’ learning throughout the program.

Specifics of these requirements will be provided during the initial on-campus training component.

What does the personal coaching entail?

During Fellowship training, each Fellow will have the opportunity to explore their individual leadership style and set intentions for areas in which they would like to learn and grow personally. Throughout the Fellowship, Fellows will have periodic one-on-one virtual sessions with a coach to support them as they move toward their personal growth intentions. The coaching offers supportive and non-prescriptive guidance to allow the Fellow to process their personal learning at their own pace, in parallel with their experiences in community.

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Access our Application here!

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