Emerging Leaders of Color - Indiana Youth Institute

Emerging Leaders of Color Fellowship

Update on Youth Worker Well-Being Project Program

The Indiana Youth Worker Well-Being Project is designed to support the well-being of Hoosiers who work with youth so that they can increase positive outcomes for our youth. Indiana is ranked 27th for child well-being, with children struggling with issues ranging from feelings of sadness and hopelessness to food insecurity, and homelessness. The Youth Worker Well-Being Project provides well-being resources to Indiana youth workers and youth-serving organizations, including telemedicine and virtual mental health services and Peer Support Groups, grants, and professional development opportunities.

Like many organizations across Indiana doing crucial work to invest in Hoosier youth, the Youth Worker Well-Being Project is focused on understanding and following changes happening at the state and federal levels. As a result, the Youth Worker Well-Being Project is pausing applications for the Emerging Leaders of Color Fellowship and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging grants to ensure compliance with state and federal guidelines. It is our obligation to confirm these programs will not impact other government funding sources secured by youth-serving organizations. Their work remains essential in creating an environment where Hoosier youth can thrive. The Youth Worker Well-Being Project will continue offering all other programming; applications for trauma-informed workplace grants will remain open through the March 7, 2025, deadline.

When youth workers see themselves reflected in leadership, they establish a stronger sense of belonging within their organization.

Investing in emerging leaders of color is key to ensuring youth organizations increase and sustain progress toward improving workplaces to better serve Indiana’s youth.

The Indiana Youth Worker Well-Being Project recognizes clear disparities between white nonprofit leaders and nonprofit leaders of color and has identified closing leadership gaps as a priority.

The Emerging Leaders of Color Fellowship will identify emerging leaders of color and help them build on their existing leadership skills and community networks required to lead and grow effective youth-serving organizations.

Download the Emerging Leaders of Color Overview here.

Upon completing the application, you will be directed to a webpage verifying that your application was received. No further action is necessary.

Required Items for Submission:

Before beginning the online application, please ensure each document required for upload is accurate and complete. We strongly recommend preparing responses to the narrative questions in a separate document before beginning the online application.

Applicants will be required to submit the following items during the online application process:

Basic contact information about the applicant and the organization the applicant works for.
Responses to narrative questions. Download the Narrative Prep Template
Contact information for two (2) references who can attest to the applicant being a good candidate for the Emerging Leaders of Color Fellowship.
Confirmation that the applicant’s immediate supervisor has been made aware of the opportunity and supports the applicant’s participation in the Emerging Leaders of Color Fellowship. Download the Statement of Commitment Template

Indiana youth development professionals of color who are employed with youth-serving organizations that support the educational, social, emotional, and physical development of Indiana youth (ages five to 18) may be eligible. This includes out-of-school time professionals, mental health counselors, child welfare professionals, Youth Services Bureau staff, family support clinicians, and clinical treatment staff.

Additional eligibility:

Is committed to a career in youth services.
Currently or aspires to lead a youth-serving organization.
Includes government or school-based youth workers.

Has at least 1 year of experience working with a youth-serving organization.

If accepted, participants will be required to: 

Fully participate in 100% of the fellowship sessions on the dates listed in the Timeline below (All in-person sessions will be held in Indianapolis). NOTE: If selected, attendance at the Opening Session is required. Participants unable to attend the Opening Session are not eligible for the fellowship.

Complete periodic assignments to ground the learnings from the sessions. 

Invest the time and effort in a peer learning community by actively contributing knowledge, skills, and insights.

Actively work to set and achieve learning goals and periodically report updates to the Youth Worker Well-Being Project.

Contribute to a safe and trusting learning environment for self and peers.

Provide baseline, mid-point, and post-fellowship data and participate in session and program evaluation.

Permit IYI to use photographs on the website. This includes a headshot and candid photos from events, and quotes regarding program experiences and participation.

We believe in fostering opportunities that recognize and value the contributions of all individuals. Compensation acknowledges the additional time and effort that the fellows are committing to outside of their work time and the systemic barriers that often hinder access to leadership roles and opportunities.

Fellows will receive a $500 participation stipend, along with travel stipends for each in-person gathering that will be issued to the employing youth-serving organization. Organizations should ensure that these stipends are issued to the fellows. Additionally, fellows will have the opportunity to apply for an additional $500 scholarship for further professional development opportunities. All meals and hotel accommodations will be covered by the project.

Participants engage in a six-month fellowship cohort that focuses on advancing their leadership and management skills. Monthly sessions cover topics like equity-driven leadership, navigating crucial conversations, community building, and sustainability and strategic direction from a diverse team of highly-qualified facilitators and speakers, equipping the cohort to lead and grow thriving youth-serving organizations.