About this opportunity
This mentorship programme is built around a simple idea, that young people who understand what green careers actually involve are far better placed to pursue them. The Ban Ki-moon Foundation runs it with support from Dubai Cares and in collaboration with Plan International and Unbounded Associates, and the third iteration will take 50 participants aged 14 to 20 from all over the world. The learning is entirely online, so the only real requirements are your motivation, upper-intermediate English, a stable internet connection, and the ability to attend the virtual sessions.
The programme follows a clear arc between December 2026 and June 2027. It opens with an online kick-off ceremony in December 2026, moves into virtual expert workshops from January to March 2027 covering project management, pitching, presentation skills, and themes such as education, gender and climate, and then gives each participant several months from February to June 2027 to design and carry out a Changemaker Project in their own community, supported by regular one-on-one meetings with their mentor and check-ins with the Foundation. A graduation ceremony in June 2027 closes the year. Selection results and the first emails to successful applicants are expected in November 2026.
A central element is the Your Future in Green Jobs Online Course, which introduces learners to green career pathways and connects their interests and skills to the green economy. Completing the course is listed as a participation requirement, but the organisers make it clear that applicants who have not finished it yet are not shut out, you can complete it before the kick-off event, and having the completion certificate strengthens your application. This design means the mentorship is not passive, participants put what they learn into practice through a real project that responds to one or more of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
For young applicants in Nigeria and across Africa, the programme is open on the same terms as everywhere else, since it welcomes applications from anywhere in the world provided you can take part online. The Changemaker Project is especially well suited to a local context, because it asks you to identify a challenge in your own community and build a practical response to it, with guidance from a mentor and the programme team. Interested applicants can write to the programme team at maja.markus@bankimoon.org for questions about the entry requirements, the supporting documents or what taking part involves.
What you receive
- One-on-one mentorship from a professional working in a green career, with regular online meetings throughout the programme
- Virtual expert workshops from January to March 2027 on project management, pitching, presentation skills, and topics such as education, gender and climate
- The chance to design and implement your own Changemaker Project addressing one or more United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, with support from your mentor, the Ban Ki-moon Foundation and programme trainers
- Practical experience in planning activities, working toward deadlines, and communicating ideas to a community
- Professional networking with mentors, trainers, experts and other young participants from around the world
- Help turning your interests into an actionable career plan with concrete next steps
- An online kick-off ceremony in December 2026 and a graduation ceremony in June 2027 to open and close the year
- No cost to apply or to participate
Who can apply
- Be aged between 14 and 20 years old
- Have successfully completed the Your Future in Green Jobs Online Course, or be willing to finish it before the kick-off event, since a completion certificate strengthens your application
- Show keen motivation and a proven interest in sustainable development and green careers
- Have a passion for bringing about change at a local and global level
- Have upper-intermediate English language skills
- Have access to a stable internet connection
- Be able to take part in the online meetings, you can apply from anywhere in the world
Who should not apply
- This is a mentorship programme, not a funding award, it does not provide a cash grant, stipend or tuition
- Applicants must fall within the 14 to 20 age range, older and younger applicants are not eligible
- Participation is entirely virtual, so anyone who cannot join the online workshops and mentor meetings cannot take part
- Only 50 candidates are selected worldwide through a competitive process, so applying does not guarantee a place
Documents to prepare
- Personal and educational details, including full name, contact information, date of birth, residential address, citizenship, education background, language competence, and a short profile description
- A portrait photograph in JPEG or PNG format
- A short introduction video of no more than one minute, in MP4 or MOV format
- A curriculum vitae, optional, only if you have one to add
- Confirmation that you have completed, or will complete before kick-off, the Your Future in Green Jobs Online Course
How to apply
- Read the official programme page at https://bankimoon.org/our-work/your-future-in-green-jobs/ and confirm you meet the age, language and online-participation requirements.
- Complete the Your Future in Green Jobs Online Course, available through the Ban Ki-moon Foundation, and keep your completion certificate if you have it, this strengthens your application.
- Open the official application form at https://bankimoon.submit.com/show/31 and create your account on the Ban Ki-moon Foundation application portal.
- Fill in your personal and educational details, then describe your green career interests, long-term aspirations, the challenges you care about, why you want to join, and your initial Changemaker Project idea.
- Attach the required portrait photograph (JPEG or PNG) and your one-minute introduction video (MP4 or MOV), and add an optional CV if you have one.
- Save your application as a draft if you need more time, but make sure you formally submit it before the deadline, since a saved draft is not a submitted application.
- Submit before Sunday 25 October 2026 at 11:55 PM Central European Time, and watch for the selection results expected in November 2026.
Selection process
- All applications are reviewed through a competitive recruitment process
- 50 candidates aged 14 to 20 are selected from around the world
- Selection results and the initial email exchange with successful participants are expected in November 2026
- Selected participants then join the programme activities from December 2026 to June 2027
Sources and verification
Questions applicants ask
Who can apply?
Young people aged 14 to 20 from anywhere in the world. The programme is fully virtual, so the real requirements are motivation for green careers, upper-intermediate English, a stable internet connection, and the ability to join the online sessions.
Does it cost anything?
No. There is no cost to apply and no cost to participate. This is a mentorship programme, so it does not pay a stipend or grant, the value is the mentorship, workshops, networking and project support.
Do I have to finish the online course first?
Completing the Your Future in Green Jobs Online Course is listed as an eligibility requirement, but the organisers say applicants who have not finished it are not discouraged, you can complete it before the kick-off event, and having the certificate boosts your chances of selection.
What is the Changemaker Project?
It is a practical community project you design and carry out during the programme, from February to June 2027, with guidance from your mentor and the programme team. It should respond to a challenge you care about and contribute to one or more Sustainable Development Goals.
When does the programme run?
The activities run from December 2026 to June 2027. Selection results come out in November 2026, the kick-off is in December 2026, workshops run January to March 2027, project work runs February to June 2027, and the graduation ceremony is in June 2027.
What documents do I need for the application?
You will provide personal and educational details, a portrait photograph in JPEG or PNG, and a one-minute introduction video in MP4 or MOV. A CV is optional.
When do applications close?
The deadline is Sunday 25 October 2026 at 11:55 PM Central European Time. Remember to submit through the official application portal before that time, since a saved draft does not count as a submitted application.
Important disclaimer
Nextali researches and curates useful opportunities to make discovery easier. Before applying, verify every timeline, requirement, fee and application link on the official provider website. Do your own research into the organisation, its background and the authenticity of the offer. Nextali does not guarantee selection, funding or the conduct of third party providers.
