Applications for 2018 are now closed 

Future Leaders Connect - The global network for emerging policy leaders

Are you a future leader for Northern Ireland? We are pleased to offer an exciting opportunity to those aged 18-35, that will enable them to connect with exceptional individuals from around the globe who have big ideas and want to change the world through policy making.

We are looking for individuals with ideas, energy and ambition who can passionately articulate their vision for global change and explain the role of policy making in helping them to achieve this.

Future Leaders Connect will give fifty young people from around the world the opportunity to meet and collaborate, and to develop policy making expertise, make valuable connections and gain skills to have real impact. 

Together they will discuss major global policy issues, engage with inspiring leaders, visit some of the UK’s leading institutions and collaborate to produce innovative policy recommendations. 

The skills, experience and connections made through Future Leaders Connect will help ambitious young people seize their leadership potential. 

How to apply

You must be an age between 18-35.

The deadline for applications is Sunday 13th May 2018, 23.59 (UK time) 

Follow Future Leaders Connect activity on social media using #FutureLeadersConnect  

To ensure equal access the costs of taking part are covered by the British Council and the programme is fully accessible. We are looking for exceptional individuals with the ideas, energy and commitment to work collaboratively with all members of Future Leaders Connect and with senior global leaders. You must also be able to travel to the UK between 22st October until 1st November 2018. For those who do not gain one of the 50 exclusive places on the programme, you will be invited to be part of the Future Leaders Connect Community where you can access a range of free online professional development policy and leadership resources. 

In the interests of equal access, the costs of participating in Future Leaders Connect will be covered by the British Council. We are looking for exceptional individuals with the ideas, energy and commitment to work collaboratively with all members of Future Leaders Connect and with senior global leaders. You must also be able to travel to London between 18th to 27th October 2017.

Future Leaders Connect 2017 

Fifty Future Leaders Connect 2017 members were chosen from 11,000 applications from around the world – two of whom were from Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland members

Jonathan Buckley

Jonathan Buckley is a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for the Upper Bann constituency. Prior to this he served as a Councillor on the former Craigavon Borough Council and then on Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council. He has also worked as an adviser and personal assistant to an MLA.

Jonathan’s vision for global change is to open up educational opportunities for all, to tackle a lack of education and educational underachievement through fostering a collaborative approach between political leaders, charities, NGOs, educational leaders and the private sector.

Katherine McCloskey

Katherine McCloskey is a Public Affairs and Policy Co-ordinator for NIACRO (formerly the Northern Ireland Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders). She focuses on supporting frontline staff, overseeing public consultations and policy formulation, as well as the management of the communications and public affairs arm of the organisation. She has policy experience in criminal justice, mainstream advice services and housing, having previously worked for Citizens Advice and the Northern Ireland Federation of Housing Associations (NIFHA). Katherine is a member of the board of trustees of two third sector organisations – AWARE, and Training for Women Network (TWN). She played a key role in the CIPR-nominated Let’s Keep Supporting People campaign in Northern Ireland, to protect funding which provides housing-related support to help vulnerable people to live as independently as possible. Katherine’s vision for global change is an improvement in mental healthcare services within the criminal justice system so people can re-integrate into, and contribute to, a safer society.

During October 2017, the Future Leaders Connect members met for the first time in the UK for a nine-day leadership and policy skills programme.  

Members travelled from Egypt, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, Tunisia, USA and across the UK to be a part of the global network of emerging policy leaders.

They met with world leaders, and ambassadors and had the opportunity to visit 10 Downing Street and the UK Houses of Parliament. The members discussed major global policy issues and collaborated to produce innovative policy recommendations. 

While at the UK Houses of Parliament, the members took part in discussions and debate with UK politicians and policy makers to address some of the world’s most urgent issues. 

There was also a special event with the Elders, who are an independent group of global leaders working together for peace and human rounds, which was founded by Nelson Mandela a decade ago.

Find out more about the Future Leaders Connect 2017 agenda and members 

External links