Applications Invited for IOC Young Leaders Programme

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About the Organization

The International Olympic Committee is the guardian of the Olympic Games and the leader of the Olympic Movement.

A truly global organisation, it acts as a catalyst for collaboration between all Olympic stakeholders, including the athletes, the National Olympic Committees, the International Federations, Organising Committees for the Olympic Games, the Worldwide Olympic Partners and Media Rights-Holders. It also collaborates with public and private authorities including the United Nations and other international organisations.

The vision of the International Olympic Committee is to Build a Better World through Sport.

About the Fellowship

Launched in 2016, the IOC Young Leaders Programme empowers young talents to harness the power of sport to drive positive change in their communities. Since its inception, the programme has supported 145 IOC Young Leaders from 77 countries and territories, who have collectively delivered over 160 projects, positively impacting more than 55,000 individuals worldwide.

This initiative directly contributes to Olympism365, the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) strategy to strengthen the role of sport in advancing the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By fostering innovative solutions, the programme equips young people to lead social change through sport. As messengers of Olympism, IOC Young Leaders promote Olympic values, advocate for sport as a force for good and sustainable development and generate innovative solutions that meet the needs of their communities.

Through this programme, IOC Young Leaders benefit from a four-year, tailored capacity-building journey, which includes:

• Expert guidance and coaching
• Access to a global sport and sport-for-development network
• Seed funding of USD 10,000, provided by the IOC, to transform their ideas into impactful, sustainable initiatives.

Programme Structure:

The four-year programme is divided into four key phases, each with dedicated funding:

• Phase 1: Ideation, research, and development (USD 1,000)
• Phase 2: Project design and launch (USD 5,000)
• Phase 3: Sustainable execution (USD 3,000)
• Phase 4: Project scaling (USD 1,000)

Every two years, 25 new IOC Young Leaders are selected for a four-year term, ensuring a continuous cohort of 50 active participants at any given time who require ongoing support and engagement.

This is the current structure of the programme, which is open to proposals and discussion during the RFP process.

Service Provider Requirements:

The International Olympic Committee is seeking a Service Provider/Supplier to operate and enhance the IOC Young Leaders Programme by:

• Developing a comprehensive and sustainable strategy to ensure the long-term success of the programme
• Overseeing the operational delivery of the programme to support IOC Young Leaders in implementing their sport-based social initiatives
• Designing and delivering the selection process (up to 10’000 applicants), the programme curriculum (up to 50 pax) and overall technical support in alignment with the strategic direction
• Managing Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) utilising the IOC’s shared measurement system with the objective of understanding impact, generating insight and learning on youth-led sport-for-development initiatives and supporting advocacy
• Engaging and supporting 50 active IOC Young Leaders on a regular basis
• Facilitating engagement and speaking opportunities for both active and alumni IOC Young Leaders

The IOC is considering a five-year contract starting in 2026; however the final duration will be determined during the RFP stage and remains at the IOC’s discretion.

Eligibility

Organisations applying to operate the IOC Young Leaders Programme should demonstrate expertise in the following areas:

• Programme Management & Leadership Development
• Proven experience in designing and managing international leadership or social impact programmes, ideally in sport-for-development sector.
• Ability to develop and execute long-term strategic plans ensuring programme sustainability and impact.
• Expertise in capacity-building, mentorship, and coaching young people to drive social change.
• Sport for Development & Social Impact
• Strong understanding of sport’s role in sustainable development and alignment with the UN SDGs.
• Experience supporting sport-based social projects at grassroots and international levels.
• Ability to advocate for sport as a tool for social change.
• Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL)
• Experience implementing shared impact measurement frameworks to track progress and ensure programme effectiveness.
• Ability to collect, analyse, and report on key programme outcomes, generate insight and synthesise learning.
• Ability to develop high-quality reports, presentations, and digital content.
• Stakeholder & Community Engagement
• Strong ability to engage and manage a global network of young leaders, alumni, and collaborators.
• Experience facilitating mentorship and peer-to-peer learning initiatives.
• Capacity to build and maintain strategic partnerships.
• Operational & Financial Management
• Experience managing programme logistics, budgeting, and financial planning.
• Ability to oversee programme administration, event coordination, and reporting.

Preferred Experience:

• Prior work with international organisations, NGOs, or sport governing bodies.
• Experience with youth leadership development and engagement, entrepreneurship, or sport and/or social business development programmes.
• Familiarity with the Olympic movement, Olympic values and principles and Olympism365 strategy

How to Apply

Organisations with relevant expertise and capabilities are invited to express their interest by contacting olympism365@olympic.org.

Submission Steps:

• Submit a one-page outline detailing your organisation’s relevant expertise and experience, together with a signed version of the Confidentiality Agreement for RFP [IOC-Confidentiality-Agreement-for-RFP.pdf] and International Olympic Committee (“IOC”) General Terms & Conditions of Purchase (GTC) [IOC-General-Terms-Conditions-of-Purchase-English.pdf]. These documents will support determining eligibility for the next stage.
• A limited number of qualified candidates will receive the Request for Proposal (RFP) documentation for further submission.

Deadlines:

• RFEI Submission Deadline: 7 April 2025 (midnight CET)
• RFP Submission Deadline: To be communicated directly to selected applicants with the RFP brief/template.

For more information please check the Link

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Tags Skill Development Leadership Social Change Others