The GoodNews Community Outreach Professional Fellowship Programme in Partnership with Commonwealth Scholarships will take place from 15 February 2027 to 11 May 2027 in United Kingdom. Hosted by GoodNews Community Outreach, the programme is delivered under the priority theme of Strengthening Resilience and Response to Crises.
GoodNews Community Outreach is organising this immersive three-month Professional Fellowship Programme for mid-career professionals from eligible Commonwealth countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. The fellowship is designed for professionals with at least five years of relevant experience who are committed to strengthening communities, improving services, and creating sustainable impact in their home countries.
Applicants are encouraged to read the full candidate guidance and application details on the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission website:
Commonwealth Fellowships Information for Candidates →
The programme will focus on strengthening peace, security and governance, strengthening resilience and response to crises, and promoting access, inclusion and opportunity. Through structured learning, professional exchange, mentoring and community-based engagement, Fellows will develop practical skills in inclusive leadership, community mobilisation, safeguarding, crisis response, advocacy, monitoring and evaluation, and sustainable development.
On returning home, Fellows are expected to apply their learning to strengthen local organisations, influence policy and practice, support vulnerable communities, reduce inequalities, and develop community-led initiatives that promote resilience, inclusion and long-term social impact.
Programme Breakdown
Induction and Orientation
Fellows will begin with a structured induction at GoodNews Community Outreach Program in partnership with the COMMONWEALTH SCHOLARSHIPS. This will include an introduction to the organisation, its community work, safeguarding procedures, equality and inclusion expectations, fellowship objectives, individual learning plans and baseline skills assessment.
Fellows will also receive orientation on Walsall's local community context, including social inequality, poverty response, youth and family support, community cohesion, safeguarding practice and partnership working.
Core Learning and Professional Development
Fellows will take part in structured workshops and learning sessions covering key fellowship themes. These will include peace, security and governance, crisis resilience, access and inclusion, safeguarding, community mobilisation, project planning, media advocacy, stakeholder engagement, monitoring and evaluation, theory of change, and sustainable development.
The sessions will be delivered through seminars, case studies, group discussion, reflective practice and practical exercises. Fellows will be supported to connect the learning to real challenges in their home countries and professional sectors.
Practical Placement and Community Engagement
Fellows will take part in supervised practical engagement with GoodNews Community Outreach programmes and relevant local partner organisations.
Activities will include observing and supporting community support initiatives, food distribution, youth and family engagement, health and wellbeing awareness, volunteer coordination, community events, outreach planning and service user engagement.
Fellows will also undertake professional learning visits to selected UK charities, public bodies and community organisations whose work aligns with resilience, inclusion, safeguarding, community development and crisis response.
Mentoring, Leadership and Applied Project Development
Each Fellow will receive one-to-one mentoring from GNCO programme leads and external professionals. Mentoring will focus on leadership, governance, ethical decision-making, inclusive service delivery, advocacy, partnership building, fundraising, organisational resilience and sustainable project delivery.
During this stage, Fellows will begin developing a return-home action plan. This will identify a practical project, policy improvement, advocacy initiative or service improvement they can implement within their organisation or community after the fellowship.
Presentation, Peer Learning and Refinement
Fellows will present their draft return-home action plans to GNCO staff, mentors, community partners and peers for feedback.
This stage will include peer review, problem-solving clinics, risk assessment, sustainability planning, monitoring and evaluation support, and refinement of each Fellow's proposed project. The aim is to ensure that each action plan is realistic, measurable and relevant to the needs of the Fellow's home country.
Final Review, Reporting and Reintegration Planning
The final week will include individual review meetings, final presentations, completion of learning portfolios, evaluation of fellowship outcomes and preparation for return home.
Fellows will agree post-fellowship communication arrangements, including follow-up mentoring and progress reporting after their return. This will support continued learning, accountability and long-term collaboration between Fellows, GNCO and relevant partners.
Specialist Training and Learning Activities
During the fellowship, Fellows will also take part in specialist learning activities, including:
Facilities and Support
Throughout the programme, Fellows will have access to workspace, internet facilities, meeting rooms, presentation equipment, safeguarding guidance, training materials, community project templates, monitoring tools and mentoring support.
The programme will be flexible enough to reflect the professional background of each Fellow while remaining focused on strengthening resilience and response to crises, peace, security and governance, access, inclusion and opportunity.
Eligibility
Eligible applicants must be mid-career professionals from eligible Commonwealth countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, with at least five years' relevant professional experience.
Applicants should be working in charities, NGOs, civil society organisations, community development organisations, public sector bodies, educational institutions, health and wellbeing organisations, media advocacy organisations, or private organisations whose work clearly aligns with peace, security and governance, crisis resilience, access, inclusion and opportunity.
Priority will be given to applicants in roles where they can apply the fellowship learning to improve policy, practice, service delivery or community impact on return home.