Voices 24/25 Fellowship: Frequently Asked Questions

All the details about our new programme….

1. What is the Voices 24/25 Fellowship?

Quote This Woman+ is a non-profit company working with gender and the media to ensure all voices get an equal chance to be listened to in the media and in public conversations.

Over the next six months, we will be running our first ever Voices 24/25 Fellowship , working with 30-40 South African change-agents from marginal constituencies to build the communication skills they need to better use their voices to challenge discrimination and oppression.

The fellowship focuses on empowering women and other marginalised groups (women+) to act in society. It also builds practical skills for talking to the media and speaking up about issues and projects.

2. What is QW+?

Quote This Woman+ (QW+) is a non-profit organisation dedicated to increasing the representation of women+ in the media. QW+ achieves this by promoting women+ experts as credible voices on a variety of topics. QW+ believes that increasing the prominence of women+’s voices is crucial for creating a just and inclusive society.

3. Why is this fellowship important?

Women+ are significantly underrepresented in South African media. Currently, women+ only represent 20% of sources. This lack of representation means that a variety of perspectives are missing from discussions about important issues. The Voices 24/25 Fellowship aims to address this gap by providing women+ with the skills and platform to share their stories and make their voices heard.

4. Who is the fellowship for?

The fellowship is for women+ civic leaders, activists, and change-agents from rural and low-income communities across South Africa. The fellowship especially encourages applications from women+ who are underrepresented in the media, including:

Women+ living with disabilities
Women+ in rural areas
LGBTQI+ community members

Unfortunately, the fellowship is only open to women+ in South Africa this year, due to the current funding agreement for the fellowship.

5. What does the fellowship involve?

The fellowship includes:

Building inner confidence around speaking up on difficult subjects
Media training, including how to do radio/podcast/TV interviews and how to engage with online and print media.
Public speaking training.
Conflict management training.
Training in networking skills, personal branding and social media.
Personalised coaching/mentorship and peer-mentoring
Opportunities for media exposure and networking.
Creating mini advocacy projects.

6. What are the eligibility criteria for the fellowship?

To be eligible for the fellowship, applicants must:

Identify as a woman+.
Be a civic leader, activist, or change-agent.
Live in a rural, low-income or otherwise marginalised community in South Africa.
Have existing digital competency and the ability to access online training. This includes basic familiarity with devices (e.g. smartphone, tablet, or computer) and internet navigation.
Be proficient in English.
Demonstrate an awareness of the challenges marginalised groups face in media representation.
Be interested in expanding their media engagement and advocacy skills.
Be open to learning more about feminist intersectional frameworks.
Be able to set aside 6-8 hours a month (flexi-time) to participate in the learning programme.

7. Is there a cost? And does the fellowship offer financial support?

The fellowship is funded by the Canadian Fund for Local Initiatives; there is no cost to applicants, other than their data costs, and their device costs (Tablet or computer.) QW+ can, in special circumstances, offer limited financial assistance to cover costs such as data or tablet devices, but applicants should know that this is not guaranteed..The fellowship has limited resources and therefore requires participants to have a baseline ability to navigate online platforms independently.

8. How will the fellowship support participants with disabilities?

The fellowship is committed to supporting participants with disabilities on a case-by-case basis.

9. How do I apply for the fellowship?

Information on how to apply for the fellowship is available on the QW+ website – click here to find the information. You can keep up to date with the application process by following QW+ on social media.

10. What is the application process?

The application process will involve:

Submitting an application form, with your details and some written questions about your experiences and aims for joining the Fellowship.
Submitting a short voice note or video explaining why you want to join the fellowship.

11. When can I apply for the fellowship?

The application process for fellowship opened on November 11, 2024 and closed on November 18., 2024.

12. When will the training start?

On December 11, 2024.

13. How are fellowship participants selected?

Fellowship participants are selected through a multi-stage selection process. Applications are first reviewed by the QW+ internal team to check eligibility. Shortlisted applicants are then reviewed by a selection panel. The panel will include QW+ staff, board members, and a previous Voices winner.

14. When will I know if I have been selected?

Applicants will be informed of the outcome of their application towards the end of November 2024.

15. How do I submit my voice note, video, or written response

You can upload it via a link on the application form or via Whatsapp to Rene Sparks on +27 73 923 5588.

16. Who should I contact if I have more questions?

If you have questions about the fellowship you can email our Fellowship Manager, Rene Sparks: renesparks@quotethiswoman.org.za.