ILO/Japanese Consumers’ Co-operative Union (JCCU) African Cooperative Leaders’ Study Tour (Funded) 2019 – Japan

The International Labour Organisation in association with the Japanese Consumers’ Co-operative Union (JCCU) have opened applications for its African Cooperative Leaders’ Study Tour to explore possible areas of collaboration particularly in supporting African cooperative development.

Application Deadline: 25th June 2019.

Eligible Countries: African countries

To Be Taken At (Country): Tokyo, Japan

About the Award: Since 2010, the ILO and the Japanese Consumers’ Co-operative Union (JCCU) have collaborated on a study tour to support the African cooperative leaders to strengthen their capacities through exchanging knowledge and experiences with Japanese cooperatives. As the participants of the previous study tours were mostly from Anglophone countries, this year five African cooperative leaders from Francophone countries will be invited to Japan to participate in the study tour.

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The study tour programme will include the below components:

1. Introduction of various kinds of cooperatives and their activities in Japan such as consumers’, agricultural, financial and workers’ and university cooperatives;
2. Lectures on consumers’ cooperative activities, and the Cooperative Principles (shared capital, use, and management by the members);
3. Lectures on Japanese agricultural cooperatives, and their activities;
4. Study visits to agricultural, financial, and consumers’ cooperatives offices/ distribution centres/stores; and
5. Lectures on Japanese laws and legislation relevant to various cooperatives.

Type: Fellowship (Career),Short course

Selection Criteria: This year, five francophone African cooperative leaders will be invited to Japan to participate in the study tour. The participants will be selected based on the following criteria:

• Strong engagement in agricultural production, retailing & marketing and mutual cooperative activities;
• Leadership position in a cooperative enterprise, preferably in cooperative unions or federations/confederation (i.e. NGOs, government officials are not considered as the primary target group);
• Good/Fair education degree and/or proven experience in the cooperative movement;
• Results-oriented and proven record of achievements;
• Commitment from the institution sending the candidate;
• Strong willingness to share any lessons learned from the study tour within their cooperative and the cooperative movement as a whole back home;
• Ideally gender balanced; and
• Fluent in both spoken and written French. Good knowledge of English would be an asset.
• Qualified women and young people complying with the above mentioned criteria are highly encouraged to apply.

Number of Awards: 5

Value of Award: JCCU will provide five fellowships covering domestic costs: accommodation, transportation and lecture fee in Japan. In the event of participants not being able to cover their own international travel costs, the ILO might consider providing air tickets but priorities will be given to candidates with secured financial commitment from their respective organizations.

The ILO is also providing administrative and technical support.

How to Apply:  Interested participants must submit the following documentation in French:

• A Curriculum Vitae (CV) of the candidate;
• A brief outline of the organization, explaining the mission, the main location and activities, the annual turnover, the size of organization, the number of staff, the achievements and challenges, and governance structure (including a description of its board);
• A cover letter, including the rationale for the participation in this study tour and the selection of the candidate, the challenges and future visions of the organization for which the study tour is needed
• A description of post-course follow-up activities to share the knowledge, idea and experience gained through the study tour with cooperative colleagues (especially with the board and management); and
• A commitment letter from the organization, including the commitment to support travel costs, air tickets, airport transfers and DSA, as well as the practical way forward envisaged by the organization and the participants as a consequence of the learning acquired during the study tour. In the event that, thereafter, the organization does not honour its financial commitment the ILO reserves the right to disqualify the participant and replace him/her with  another candidate.

The applications should be submitted by email before 5 August 2018 to:
Cooperatives Unit
ILO Headquarters, Switzerland
[email protected]

Visit Programme Webpage for Details

Award Providers: ILO, JCCU