Google Policy Fellowship Program 2018 for Sub-Saharan Africa

Application Deadline: November 1, 2018. Google is pleased to announce the commencement of application for the Google Policy Fellowship for West Africa (Nigeria), Eastern Africa (Kenya, Tanzania), Southern Africa (South Africa, Zambia) and Francophone Africa. The Google Policy Fellowship program offers undergraduate, graduate, and law students interested in Internet and technology policy the opportunity to spend the summer contributing to the public dialogue on these issues, and exploring future academic and professional interests. Fellows will have the opportunity to work at public interest organizations at the forefront of debates on broadband and access policy, content regulation, copyright and creativity, consumer privacy, open government, government surveillance, data security, data innovation, free expression and more. Fellows will be assigned a lead mentor at their host organizations and will have the opportunity to work with several senior staff members over the course of the summer. Fellows will be expected to make substantive contributions to the work of their organization, including conducting policy research and analysis, drafting reports and white papers, attending government and industry meetings and conferences, and participating in other advocacy activities. Requirements: Google is looking for students who are passionate about technology, and want to spend the summer diving headfirst into Internet policy. Students from all majors and degree programs who possess the following qualities are encouraged to apply:

• Demonstrated or stated commitment to Internet and technology policy
• Excellent academic record, professional/extracurricular/volunteer activities, subject matter expertise
• First-rate analytical, communications, research, and writing skills
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and efficiently, and to work smartly and resourcefully in a fast-paced environment

Fellows will receive a stipend of USD 7,500 in 2018. Successful applicants to the program will have the opportunity to work at public interest organizations at the forefront of debates on internet policy issues. They will be assigned a mentor at their host organizations and will have the opportunity to work with senior staff members. Fellows will be expected to make substantive contributions to the work of their organization, including conducting policy research and analysis, drafting reports and white papers, attending government and industry meetings and conferences, and participating in other advocacy activities. The work of the fellows is decided between the individuals and the organizations. Google provides a small stipend during the period of the fellowship, but is not involved in defining or conducting the research. Typically, the fellows are young graduates who are in the early stage of their career. The organisations in the program are looking for individuals who are passionate about technology, and want to gain experience of working on public policy, irrespective of their course of study. Applicants must possess:

•         Excellent academic record, professional/extracurricular/volunteer activities, subject matter expertise
•         First-rate analytical, communications, research, and writing skills Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and efficiently, and to work smartly and resourcefully in a fast-paced environment.

The program will run for six to twelve months, with exact duration varying by organization. Fellowship will commence by December 1, 2018. Beneath is a list of organization and locations for the fellowships. Country: Nigeria Name  Public and Private Development Centre Description: PPDC has a mission to activate and sustain the emergence of empowered citizenship participation, through which good governance, sustainable development and a life of dignity can be attained by all. At the PPDC, we educate, empower, and mobilize for integrity in Governance. Our vision is a society with its people fully empowered, realizing their full potentials and readily asserting the full measure of their citizenship under the most transparent and accountable governance possible. The Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC) is a non-governmental organization created to increase citizens’ participation in governance processes in a way that improves the integrity of public and private sector processes.  We do this primarily through two main program areas: Procurement Monitoring and Nigeria Integrity Film Awards (Homevida). Country: Nigeria Name: Ventures Platform Foundation Description: Ventures Platform Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation with a vision to create inclusive and sustainable wealth in Africa, by building the capacity of African Entrepreneurs and Innovators to create sustainable solutions to the most urgent problems on the continent, leveraging technology. It also supports entrepreneurship development by driving the formulation and implementation of policies that boosts innovation and entrepreneurship in Africa. Country: South Africa Name: ALT Advisory Description: ALT Advisory is a dynamic legal advisory firm based in Johannesburg, South Africa that offers legal advisory, commissioned research, technology innovation, and training across four practice areas: (i) public law; (ii) emergent technology; (iii) media law; and (iv) data privacy. ALT Advisory explores the intersection of law and technology, and envisages a future in which fundamental rights are protected and promoted, both on- and offline, and rights-based technology innovation underlies inclusive information societies. Country: South Africa Name: ReCreateZA Description: ReCreateZA exists to promote the interests of South African creatives with regards to copyright legislation. As much as we are creators, we are users of existing cultural products. Currently, our work can be blocked through censorship by those who claim to own our culture. Moreover, we often do not own the work we create. And many of us have been disadvantaged by an exploitative system which fails to pay us for our work. Growing the digital economy requires innovation. South Africa is at a disadvantage to other countries with flexible copyright laws that support creativity. Country/Region: Eastern/Southern Africa & Francophone Africa Name: Paradigm Initiative Description: Paradigm Initiative is a social enterprise that builds an ICT-enabled support system and advocates digital rights in order to improve livelihoods for underserved youth. Our programs include digital inclusion programs – such as the Life Skills. ICT. Financial Readiness. Entrepreneurship (LIFE) training program and Tertiary program – and a digital rights program, Magoyi. Across our offices in Nigeria (Aba, Abuja, Ajegunle, Kano, Yaba), Cameroon and Kenya, we work to connect underserved youth with improved livelihoods through our digital inclusion and digital rights programs. Country: Kenya Name: ARTICLE 19 Description: Eastern Africa is a regional human rights organisation duly registered in 2007 as a non-governmental organisation in Kenya. It operates in 14 Eastern Africa countries (Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia, Sudan, Djibouti, Seychelles, Madagascar and Comoros) and is affiliated to ARTICLE 19, a leading international NGO with 8 regional offices based around the world that advocates for freedom of expression collaboratively with over 90 partners worldwide. Apply Now for the Google Policy Fellowship Program 2018 For More Information: Visit the Official Webpage for the Google Policy Fellowship Program 2018]]>