CALL OF INTEREST
FOR ILC MEMBERS ONLY
Apply now for the ILC Interregional School for Young Pastoralists 2026, a shared learning journey grounded in pastoralist realities and ways of life, where leadership is built collectively through mutual trust and cross-regional connection. The School is part of ILC’s Youth and Leadership Programme, a global initiative designed to equip young leaders within the ILC network with the skills, knowledge and networks to drive people-centred land governance and strengthen collective action.
About
In the framework of the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP), ILC is opening the Interregional School for Young Pastoralists 2026, a space for learning, connection and leadership.
The School 2026 is an 8-months learning journey from April to November that brings together 30 ILC young pastoralists from different regions to learn from one another, share experiences rooted in their territories, and strengthen leadership that serves their organisations, communities and movements.
Through a blended format combining online learning and sharing, and an in-person immersive exchange, the school fosters co-creation, solidarity, and collective action for sustainable pastoralism. Its most vibrant moment will unfold in Kyrgyzstan in July, where participants will meet for one week to bring their stories to life, strengthen bonds across regions, and engage in global and local conversations shaping the future of pastoralism. Participation in the in-person exchange is reserved for participants who complete at least 75% of the overall learning activities.
Within the framework of the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP), ILC is launching the Interregional School for Young Pastoralists 2026 — a space for learning, connection and leadership.
This initiative aims to advance the core goals of the IYRP by ensuring that pastoralist youth and women are at the forefront of global advocacy.
🌿 A safe space for young women pastoralists.
Gender justice runs through every aspect of the programme, ensuring women’s full participation and a gender-balanced cohort. We strongly encourage applications from young women leaders.
🌿 The School is about collective leadership rooted in pastoralist struggles and aspirations, and about building relationships across regions that continue well beyond the programme itself.
Through the School, participants will:
- strengthening relationships among young pastoralists and contributing to a peer network engaged in dialogue, learning and collective advocacy.
- strengthening collective leadership rooted in pastoralists’ own knowledge, experience and realities, while advancing gender-responsive leadership within organisations and communities.
- through youth-led creative storytelling that documents experiences, learning and perspectives from pastoralist territories.
WHO CAN PARTICIPATE
We are looking for a gender-balanced cohort of 30 motivated young women and men pastoralists from ILC People’s Organisations who wish to be part of this experience — check whether you meet the criteria and apply.
You may apply if you fall under all the following criteria:
- You are a young pastoralist aged between 18 and 35.
- You have worked or volunteered for at least the past six months with an ILC member organisation, an ILC National Land Coalition, or an ILC Regional Platform.
- Your organisation or platform supports your participation in all stages of the programme (only one nomination per organisation is accepted).
- You demonstrate passion and leadership within ILC People’s Organisations, or show strong potential to take on leadership roles within such organisations.
- You have a sufficient level of English or French to take part in discussions, group work and learning activities (Russian interpretation/translation will be available for some materials and the in-person phase; most of the programme is conducted in English and French). .
- Young women pastoralists are strongly encouraged to apply.
Estimated time commitment:
You are expected to dedicate on average 10 hours per month (distributed across 3-4 slots/days) over the 8 months school period. There will be weeks of low intensity and other more intense times that will require your active engagement. You will also need to:
- Complete at least 75% of the online thematic modules and the two online trainings.
- Meet the minimum participation requirement (75% of all activities) to be eligible for the in-person learning exchange in Kyrgyzstan (12–18 July 2026).
- Participate in follow up or peer-learning meetings.
- Complete the final reflection or activity in the closing module.
- Stay engaged with your nominating organisation throughout the programme and be an active ILC ambassador.
(*) ILC will cover travel expenses, including flights, visa fees, vaccinations, travel health insurance (if required), and local transport from home to the airport, in accordance with the visa processing requirements of each region/country of origin. Participants are responsible for covering personal and incidental expenses, as well as any costs incurred during transit or travel within their country of origin. If a member organisation wishes to cover these costs, ILC is willing to accept this contribution in lieu of membership fees for 2026.
Please be sure to upload the following to the form:
- A motivation statement (a 1-minute video/audio, or similar format).
- A short CV (1 page)
- An endorsement letter from your ILC organisation or platform (using this format)
Shortlisted applicants and their organisations’ leaders will be interviewed by the ILC Selection Committee (or a recruitment lab: group discussion)
📅 Deadline: 23 March, 2026
For any inquiries, please contact:
Carla Donayre c.donayreoropeza@landcoalition.org and copy Serena Gentile s.gentile@landcoalition.org
This 2026 cycle of the youth leadership programme is brought to you by:
Pastoralist organisations and networks:
- Central Asia Pastoralist Alliance (CAPA)
- South Asia Pastoralist Alliance (SAPA)
- Africa Rangelands Initiative
- National Land Coalition Kyrgyzstan
Technical partner:
- Civil Society Academy