Call for application to Design and conduct a training course on Writing Effective Policy Briefs Under the AWF-Wall Policy Fellowship
About AWF
Founded in 1961, the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) is the oldest and largest African-based and African-focused conservation non-governmental organization with a mission to ensure wildlife and wildlands thrive in modern Africa. AWF’s 2020-2030 strategy sets out to forge a uniquely Africa-led conservation agenda and narrative that safeguards biodiversity, secures ecosystem services, and delivers economic and social benefits to communities as well as to local and national economies. Under this vision, AWF recognises the need to build the capacity of Africans, especially young people under the age of thirty-five (35), who make up 70% of the African population, to champion conservation and sustainable development.
Program Overview
Africa is home to approximately 25% of the world’s biodiversity, but this rich natural heritage is increasingly under threat. Pressures such as land and sea use change, climate change, invasive species, and illegal wildlife trade are driving widespread biodiversity loss. The value of this biodiversity goes beyond ecological significance. It is central to Africa’s food and water security, contributes to national and local economies through sectors like tourism, and plays a crucial role in climate regulation through carbon storage.
Given its local and global importance, protecting Africa’s biodiversity is not only essential for the continent’s future but also for global sustainability. Recognizing that environmental threats often cross national borders, countries around the world have come together through Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) to address shared challenges such as biodiversity loss and climate change. Among these is the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which aims to Conserve biological diversity; Ensure the sustainable use of its components; and Promote fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic resources.
The success of these global efforts depends heavily on strong, sustained leadership from regions like Africa. This includes building an intergenerational pipeline of conservation leaders who can influence policy and articulate Africa’s priorities in international fora.
In response, AWF launched its 10-year Strategic Plan to accelerate African-led conservation and build the continent’s leadership capacity. A key initiative in implementing this strategy is the AWF-Wall Policy Fellowship; a nine-month pan-African training program on international biodiversity governance delivered in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Each year, the fellowship selects 15 young professionals who are already active in conservation and committed to shaping policy. Through a combination of structured learning, mentorship, and real-world engagement, the program equips them with the skills to contribute effectively to policy making, including how to craft and communicate policy recommendations through both writing and public engagement.
Who is this fellowship for
The fellowship is designed for:
✅ Emerging African conservation professionals who are actively engaging with environmental policy and aspire to shape international environmental governance with real-world impact.
✅Young leaders seeking to amplify African voices in global decision-making spaces by championing regional priorities and driving strategic influence.
✅Professionals eager to deepen their policy expertise through a supportive network, hands-on learning about policy implementation at home, and exposure to intergovernmental negotiation processes.
The fellowship attracts a diverse pool of professionals in the conservation sector from ecologists, conservation biologists, government officials, agronomists, policy leads, activists, communication practitioners and experts, community leaders, health experts, monitoring and evaluation leads, researchers, youth leaders, finance leads, human resources experts etc.
Learning Objectives
By the end of the fellowship, each fellow is expected to:
Build Foundational Knowledge in Environmental Governance: Develop a comprehensive understanding of international environmental governance systems, key multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs), and Africa’s role in global environmental policy arenas.
Strengthen Policy Engagement and Negotiation Skills: Gain practical tools, language, and strategies to participate effectively in intergovernmental negotiations, with a focus on real-world processes such as the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
Translate Knowledge into Actionable Policy Influence: Learn to analyze policy issues, craft impactful policy briefs, and communicate evidence-based recommendations that contribute to informed environmental decision-making at national and international levels.
Fellowship structure and delivery approach
The fellowship is designed as an immersive, practice-oriented learning journey that integrates theoretical foundations with hands-on application. The selected consultant will support the delivery of specific training elements within this broader framework. Below is an overview of the program’s structure and key components:
Duration: The fellowship runs for nine months, from April to December.
Learning Format: Fellows engage in a series of virtual and in-person learning modules. These include structured in-person and online sessions, a negotiation simulation, a policy brief bootcamp, and participation in live policy events. The program blends interactive instruction with coaching, peer learning, and real-world exposure.
Key Modules and Activities:
APRIL- Module 1: Foundations in Conservation
Introduces fellows to Africa’s biodiversity landscape, challenges and opportunities in conservation, and the need for a unified African voice in global environmental discourse.MAY- Module 2: Introduction to International Environmental Governance (IEG). Covers global governance mechanisms, multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs), and Africa’s engagement in platforms like the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
JUNE- Module 3: Intergovernmental Negotiation Processes. Equips fellows with foundational knowledge of negotiation processes, key terminology, and legal frameworks supporting international negotiations.
JULY- In-Person Negotiation in Nairobi. Fellows participate in a five-day immersive simulation, acting as negotiators in a mock CBD COP. The simulation serves as a practical application of content from previous modules and offers real-time feedback and mentorship.
AUG- NOV- Policy Brief Bootcamp. A three-month virtual learning series in which fellows develop impactful, evidence-based policy briefs. The bootcamp involves guided sessions, expert coaching, and peer collaboration. Fellows work on real-world policy issues and produce briefs tailored to decision-making audiences.
AUG- DEC- Policy Conference Participation. Fellows attend an environmental policy conference (e.g., CBD COP, UNFCCC, CITES, or AMCEN) as part of the AWF delegation. This provides direct exposure to live negotiations, leadership dialogues, and high-level decision-making.
Networking and Leadership Dialogues. Ongoing peer learning, coaching, and structured networking opportunities with conservation experts and policymakers are embedded throughout the fellowship.
Scope of Work
AWF is seeking a training consultant to design and deliver the Policy Brief Bootcamp component of the AWF-Wall Policy Fellowship. This module plays a key role in building the capacity of early-career African conservation professionals to influence environmental policy through the development of high-quality, evidence-based policy briefs.
The consultant will be responsible for the following:
1.Curriculum and Training Design
a. Collaborate with AWF’s Senior Youth Officer to co-create a curriculum that helps fellows understand how policy briefs function as tools for policy influence and advocacy.
b .Design interactive and engaging training materials, including presentations, exercises, templates, and case studies, that reflect best practices in policy writing and align with adult learning principles.
2,Training Delivery
a. Facilitate the virtual sessions across the three months (August to November), guiding fellows through the process of identifying a policy issue from the provided topics, conducting background research, drafting, refining, and finalizing their briefs.
b. Lead interactive discussions, group activities, and real-world application exercises that integrate theory with practice.
c. Disseminate and analyse session evaluations to assess learning impact and inform real-time improvements.
3. Coaching and Learning Support
a. Provide one-on-one and group coaching to support fellows in the development of their assigned policy briefs.
b. Help fellows overcome common writing challenges and strengthen their ability to communicate policy recommendations clearly and effectively.
4. Coordination with Policy Brief Sponsors
a. Engage with external partner organizations that sponsor the policy brief topics to ensure fellows’ work aligns with thematic priorities and contextual realities, while maintaining analytical rigor.
5. Policy Brief Presentations
a. Coordinate a final presentation session in which fellows present their completed policy briefs to a panel of policy and subject-matter experts.
b. Scout, identify, and engage relevant experts to form the panel, ensuring representation from conservation, policy, and advocacy spaces.
c. Support fellows in preparing for the presentation, including refining messaging, slide content (if applicable), and delivery.
6. Faculty Collaboration
a. Participate in monthly learning exchanges with other faculty members to share insights, strengthen the coherence of the overall fellowship curriculum, and align learning approaches across modules.
7. Monitoring and Reporting
a. Track fellow progress and document key milestones, challenges, and success stories throughout the bootcamp. Prepare a final report evaluating the effectiveness of the training, highlighting the impact on fellows’ policy engagement skills, the quality of briefs produced, and outcomes from the presentation session.
Overall, the consultant will work closely with the senior youth officer to ensure alignment with the fellowship’s broader objectives and to integrate the Policy Brief Bootcamp smoothly into the full learning journey.
Consultant Qualifications
The ideal training consultant (team or institution) should possess both technical expertise in policy writing and advocacy and strong training and facilitation skills. The consultant should be able to deliver an engaging, interactive learning experience that empowers fellows to develop high-quality policy briefs. The following qualifications are required:
1.Policy Writing and Advocacy Expertise
Demonstrated experience in designing and delivering training on policy analysis and policy brief development.
A deep understanding of African and global environmental policy processes, particularly related to biodiversity, climate change, and sustainable development.
Proven ability to mentor, coach and guide young professionals in translating complex policy issues into clear, actionable policy briefs.
2. Relevant Experience and Institutional Capacity
At least 5 years of experience in delivering training programs focused on policy engagement, writing, and/or advocacy.
Prior experience working with fellowship programs, leadership initiatives, or youth-focused professional development, ideally in the conservation or development sectors.
Ability to mobilize experienced facilitators, coaches, and subject-matter experts as needed to support fellows throughout the bootcamp.
3. Training Delivery, Facilitation & Session Management (Critical Requirement)
The consultant must have strong facilitation and training delivery skills. This includes the ability to:
Develop and disseminate high-quality training materials in engaging and digestible formats.
Use varied learning methods to cater to different learning styles
Ensure dynamic facilitation by blending teaching, coaching, and interactive learning approaches suited for adult learners.
Seamlessly conduct virtual training sessions (e.g managing Zoom functions like breakout rooms, polls, and interactive features).
Use appropriate support tools (e.g. worksheets, templates, case studies, interactive collaborative tools) to reinforce learning and application.
Coordinate, moderate and project manage sessions, including the final policy brief presentations, ensuring fellows are not only presenting but also engaging in peer-to-peer feedback and learning.
Be self-sufficient in preparing and running training sessions without needing constant oversight or co-facilitation from AWF Staff.
Demonstrated expertise in adult learning methodologies; not just content expertise but the ability to facilitate meaningful engagement, interaction, and practical application of concepts to ensure learning transfer.
4. Stakeholder Engagement and Program Alignment
Experience working with conservation organisations, government agencies, or similar initiatives.
Ability to collaborate with external partners who sponsor policy brief topics, ensuring fellows' work is relevant and impactful.
Comfortable working closely with AWF staff to ensure that the Policy Brief Bootcamp aligns with the fellowship’s broader learning objectives.
5. Presentation Coordination and Expert Engagement
Demonstrated ability to plan, coordinate, and moderate the final policy brief presentation session, including identifying and engaging relevant experts for the panel.
Experience preparing fellows for presentations, ensuring they are ready to communicate their policy recommendations clearly and effectively.
6. Monitoring, Evaluation & Impact Reporting
Ability to design and implement tools to assess the effectiveness of training and monitor fellows’ progress.
Experience tracking learning outcomes, capturing success stories, and identifying challenges.
Ability to produce a final report on the training’s impact, including recommendations for continuous improvement.
Commitment to providing training support (e.g., follow-up coaching, learning reinforcement strategies).
Proposal Submission:
Please submit a detailed proposal including, but not limited to:
Cover letter demonstrating understanding of the scope of work
Proposed curriculum and methodology, i.e. Outline of training topics, learning outcomes, and delivery format.
Budget. Transparent cost breakdown (fees, materials, logistical expenses etc)
References. At least two professional references from similar projects.
Evidence of prior work. Samples of training materials, past impact reports, or testimonials.
Submission Deadline: 30th May 2025
Send proposals via email to youth@awf.org and procurement@awf.org
Subject Line: Name of consultant_Proposal Submission – AWF Wall Policy Fellowship_Policy Bootcamp
Selection Process and Evaluation Criteria
30th May- Deadline for receiving proposal
2nd – 13th June- Review of proposals
20th June- Shortlisted proposals are contacted for further enquiries, including providing additional information where necessary.
23rd – 25th June- Reviewing further information and making a final decision.
27th June- Contacting selected proposal
Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
Category | Weight |
Expertise & Experience: Experience in developing and delivering training on policy brief development. | 40% |
Proposed Approach & Methodology: The effectiveness of the proposed curriculum and methodology for guiding learning transfer of the relevant skills | 30% |
Budget Feasibility – Cost transparency & reasonableness. | 20% |
Past Work & References – Quality of previous training engagements. | 10% |
Contact Information
For inquiries or additional information, please contact Mbaire Kamau, Senior Youth Officer, AWF Youth Program at youth@awf.org copying procurement@awf.org