Social Action Projects

The Faiths Act Fellowship aims to mobilize interfaith action to end global poverty by connecting outstanding young interfaith leaders with leading NGOs working to fight global poverty.

In the inaugural year of the Fellowship (2009–2010), thirty young people motivated by their different faith backgrounds from the US, UK, and Canada worked together to fight global poverty and help eradicate malaria. In 12 cities around all three countries, Faiths Act Fellows worked in interfaith pairs to hold events, raise awareness, and fundraise to fight extreme poverty, while mobilizing young volunteers of different faiths and world views around common values. Together, they reached 40,000 people with their message about the power of multifaith action, directly inspired over 10,000 people to take action, raised nearly $300,000 for charities providing health services for African families, and spread their message throughout the world through hundreds of media appearances in television interviews, local and national newspapers, online news sources, blogs, and radio pieces.

The Fellowship recruits 30 stellar young leaders from different faith backgrounds to work in year-long full-time Fellowships across the US, UK, Canada, India, and multiple countries in Africa. The Faiths Act Fellowship is a program of the Tony Blair Faith Foundation (TBFF), implemented by Interfaith Youth Core (IFYC). The program’s goal is to train a young generation of leaders who build partnerships across faith lines and show the world how faith can be a positive force for global equity in the world. Fellows are young leaders chosen from a highly competitive pool of applicants based on their interfaith expertise, experience in global poverty issues, skills, character, and leadership potential. Fellows work in interfaith pairs on specific work plans and assignments outlined by their Host Organization and the Fellowship program. All Fellows attend a month-long training in London at the start of the year and receive ongoing interfaith leadership coaching and support from expert IFYC staff and former Fellows over the course of the year. Fellows will connect to one another as a cohort to share expertise and grow as leaders.

Watch this short film below to see how Faiths Act Fellows Erin and Katie have inspired young people in Portland to take action against malaria.

Training and Mentorship

All Fellows complete a rigorous month-long training and orientation program consisting of coursework on interfaith leadership, global poverty and the Millennium Development Goals, and skills such as recruitment, fundraising, and communications. Expert mentors at the Interfaith Youth Core will coach the Fellows throughout the year on interfaith leadership and connect them to one another to share expertise.

In the coming weeks we'll be adding lots more about how to get involved in the Faiths Act Fellowship so make sure you sign up for updates here.