Beginning in 2020, early education and health professionals from across the state will have the opportunity to develop leadership skills, engage with thought-leaders and policymakers to advance quality early learning and health, and take steps to create state-, local-, and community-level change for young children in Ohio. Fellows will engage in a hybrid curriculum designed to build upon leadership and communications skills, expand knowledge around the landscape of Ohio’s early childhood systems, and empower participants to take on leadership roles in their communities and the early education and health professions across the state.
The Fellowship will incorporate in-person sessions, expert presentations, online learning experiences, and small group regional exercises designed to drive change in local communities. By the end of the year, Fellows will have gained the knowledge and tools needed to enhance their capacity to influence healthy development and early learning policies that will improve outcomes for Ohio’s youngest children and their families.
Applications must be submitted by 5 PM on December 13, 2019.
Early Childhood Leadership Fellowship Program Details
Applicant Qualifications
Groundwork is currently seeking applications for the first Early Childhood Leadership Fellowship cohort from passionate early education and health professionals to include home-, school-, and center-based early educators, home visitors, early childhood mental health providers, higher education professionals in the early learning and health fields, and other early learning and health professionals. Not sure if you’re qualified? Email Us!
Time Commitment and Expectations The program will consist of four, mandatory in-person sessions in Columbus from 10:00 am – 3:00 pm on the following dates:
Saturday, February 8, 2020
Wednesday, May 13, 2020
Saturday, August 8, 2020
Saturday, November 14, 2020
In addition to the sessions listed above, Fellows will be required to:
Participate in a minimum of three (3) webinars. Mandatory webinars will be hosted during weekday evening hours. Fellows will have access to recorded versions of any webinars they are unable to attend live.
Attend a meeting with their state legislator(s) in Columbus during the May 13th session;
Host a site visit at their place of employment with their state legislator(s); and,
Create an actionable plan with other Fellows in their region.
Questions about the time commitment and expectations? Email Us!
Program Costs The total program tuition fee for selected Fellows is $1,500. Groundwork Ohio is working to secure funds to offer scholarships for Fellows that request financial assistance. We encourage ALL interested early education and health professionals to apply for this program. Applicants will have the opportunity to indicate whether they will need financial assistance for the program on the application. This will not impact the selection process. Questions about program tuition or other anticipated barriers to participation? Email Us!
Application Process To be considered for the program, simply fill out our application form—where you will need to complete all mandatory fields including applicant information, one essay question, and a completed Employee and Employer Statement of Commitment. All completed Statement of Commitment forms will need to be uploaded in the application form. If you are unable to provide a PDF version of the form, a high-quality picture will suffice.
To download a Statement of Commitment form, please choose one of the following options:
If you are not self-employed, please complete the Employee and Employer Statement of Commitment form. Both you and your employer must sign this form.
If you are self-employed, please complete the Self-Employed Statement of Commitment form.
Questions about the application process? Email Us!