UNICEF Yutopia Intrapreneur Fellowship Program

UNICEF Yutopia Intrapreneur Fellowship Program 2026: Empowering the Next Generation of HR Leaders to Drive Youth-Centered Workplace Transformation

Organizations around the world are increasingly recognizing the importance of building workplaces that empower young professionals, encourage meaningful participation, and foster productive collaboration across generations. To accelerate this transformation, UNICEF YuWaah has launched the Yutopia Intrapreneur Fellowship Program, a unique six-month workplace-based leadership initiative designed specifically for emerging HR professionals who are committed to creating positive organizational change.

The fellowship provides young HR leaders with the opportunity to develop advanced leadership capabilities while designing and implementing practical, organization-specific initiatives that strengthen youth engagement and promote intergenerational collaboration in the workplace.

Unlike traditional training programs, the Yutopia Intrapreneur Fellowship combines leadership development, mentorship, organizational consultation, and project implementation into a single transformative experience. Participants will work directly within their organizations to identify challenges, gather evidence, consult stakeholders, and develop pilot-ready solutions capable of creating lasting impact.

What is the UNICEF Yutopia Intrapreneur Fellowship Program?

The UNICEF Yutopia Intrapreneur Fellowship is a six-month professional development program that supports promising young HR professionals in becoming change-makers within their organizations.

The fellowship focuses on:

• Building collaborative leadership capabilities
• Promoting youth engagement within organizations
• Encouraging intergenerational collaboration
• Supporting evidence-based workplace innovation
• Developing practical organizational solutions
• Strengthening consultation and stakeholder engagement skills

Through structured learning, mentorship, and guided implementation, fellows will transform ideas into actionable workplace initiatives that can be adopted and scaled within their organizations.

Program Goal

The primary objective of the fellowship is to help emerging HR leaders design and develop a workplace initiative that improves youth participation and strengthens collaboration between younger and more experienced employees.

By the end of the program, each fellow will have created a company-endorsed and pilot-ready initiative that addresses real workplace needs and contributes to a more inclusive, youth-centered organizational culture.

Fellowship Duration

The fellowship runs for:

Six Months

During this period, participants will engage in leadership learning experiences, organizational consultations, mentoring sessions, and initiative development activities.

What Fellows Will Gain

Participants will benefit from a comprehensive professional development experience that goes beyond traditional classroom learning.

Key benefits include:

1. Leadership Development

Fellows will strengthen their ability to:

• Lead organizational projects
• Collaborate across teams
• Influence stakeholders
• Drive organizational change
• Navigate workplace challenges

2. Mentorship and Guidance

Participants will receive:

• Expert advisory support
• Practical coaching
• Troubleshooting assistance
• Access to office hours
• Ongoing mentorship throughout the program

3. Evidence-Based Decision Making

The fellowship teaches participants how to:

• Collect workplace insights
• Conduct consultations
• Analyze findings
• Translate evidence into action
• Develop practical recommendations

4. Enhanced Communication Skills

Fellows will gain experience in:

• Stakeholder engagement
• Organizational consultation
• Conflict resolution
• Facilitation techniques
• Strategic communication

5. Real Organizational Impact

Unlike many development programs, participants will deliver tangible outcomes that can directly benefit their organizations.

Why This Fellowship Matters

Benefits for Organizations

Organizations participating in the fellowship gain a structured pathway to move from intentions to implementation when it comes to youth-centered workplace practices.

Organizations will benefit from:

• Greater understanding of how young employees experience workplace policies
• Evidence-based workplace improvement recommendations
• Enhanced youth engagement strategies
• Stronger collaboration across generations
• A practical and implementable workplace initiative
• Improved employee participation and inclusion

The fellowship enables organizations to create meaningful change while empowering young professionals within their workforce.

Benefits for Fellows

For participants, the fellowship offers a highly visible organizational assignment that develops critical career-building skills.

Benefits include:

• Leadership experience
• Increased visibility within the organization
• Project management capabilities
• Communication and consultation expertise
• Professional growth opportunities
• Experience implementing organizational change
• Exposure to senior leadership decision-making processes

Program Structure

The fellowship is built around four interconnected components.

1. Training Modules

Participants will take part in three structured workshops:

• Two in-person workshops
• One virtual workshop

Training areas include:

• Leadership development
• Consultation practices
• Evidence gathering
• Evidence-to-action methodologies
• Organizational problem-solving
• Collaborative leadership

2. Advisory Support

Throughout the six-month fellowship, participants will receive:

• Regular check-ins
• Office hours
• Mentorship opportunities
• Expert guidance
• Implementation support

This support ensures fellows can successfully navigate challenges encountered during their workplace projects.

3. Fellow-Led Consultations

Participants will conduct workplace consultations focused on understanding employee experiences and identifying opportunities for improvement.

These consultations will:

• Explore youth-centric practices
• Gather employee feedback
• Identify organizational challenges
• Inform initiative design

Importantly, all consultation processes must receive company approval before implementation.

4. Initiative Co-Creation

Using insights gathered from consultations, fellows will co-create an organizational initiative designed to strengthen:

• Youth engagement
• Workplace participation
• Intergenerational collaboration
• Organizational culture
• Employee inclusion

The initiative will be developed in partnership with organizational stakeholders and reviewed for feasibility before final approval.

Expected Program Outputs

Upon successful completion of the fellowship, participants will produce:

A Pilot-Ready Initiative

The initiative will be:

• Organization-endorsed
• Evidence-informed
• Feasible to implement
• Focused on youth engagement
• Designed to improve intergenerational collaboration

Workplace Consultation Findings

Participants will develop insights drawn from employee consultations, helping organizations better understand existing strengths and opportunities for improvement.

Completed Workplace Assignment

Certification will be based on successful completion of the workplace project rather than attendance alone.

Responsibilities of Participating Organizations

Organizations nominating fellows are expected to provide support throughout the duration of the fellowship.

Organizations Must:

1. Nominate one eligible fellow.
2. Secure line-manager approval.
3. Assign a senior HR sponsor.
4. Approve consultation scope before data collection begins.
5. Review consultation plans and data arrangements.
6. Support initiative development and feasibility reviews.
7. Sign off on the final initiative.

Time Commitment

Organizations should expect fellows to dedicate approximately:

• Five workshop days
• An additional 12-14 hours spread across the six-month fellowship period

Program Cost

One of the most attractive features of the Yutopia Intrapreneur Fellowship is that:

• There is no participation fee.
• There is no required financial contribution from participating organizations.

This enables organizations to invest in leadership development and organizational innovation without incurring program costs.

Data Protection and Responsible Use

UNICEF YuWaah places strong emphasis on responsible data management and participant privacy.

Key principles include:

• Consultations are voluntary.
• Data is anonymized.
• Results are aggregated.
• Information is securely managed.
• Findings are not shared without company review and approval.

These safeguards help ensure ethical participation and protect organizational confidentiality throughout the fellowship process.

Certification

Participants who successfully complete their workplace assignment will receive certification from UNICEF YuWaah.

Certification is awarded based on:

• Completion of the workplace initiative
• Validation by the company’s senior HR sponsor
• Successful fulfillment of fellowship requirements

Attendance alone does not qualify participants for certification.

Visit here for more information on this opportunity.

Application Deadline

Interested organizations should ensure that their fellowship nominations are submitted before the official deadline:

Deadline: 30 October 2026

To apply:

Organizations interested in nominating a fellow or obtaining additional information can contact:

ngogoi@unicef.org

Conclusion

The UNICEF Yutopia Intrapreneur Fellowship Program represents an innovative investment in the future of workplace leadership. By equipping emerging HR professionals with the skills, mentorship, and practical experience needed to drive organizational change, the program helps bridge generational gaps and strengthen youth participation within workplaces.

Through leadership training, organizational consultation, mentorship, and initiative development, fellows gain an opportunity to make a measurable impact while accelerating their own professional growth. At the same time, participating organizations benefit from valuable insights and pilot-ready solutions that can improve employee engagement, inclusivity, and collaboration across generations.

For organizations committed to empowering young talent and creating future-ready workplaces, the Yutopia Intrapreneur Fellowship offers a unique pathway from intention to meaningful action.

Click here for similar fellowship opportunities at the Opportunities For Youth (OFY) website.