Voice Up Gap Year Fellowship 100% Remote 100% Flexible

Job Overview

Job Description

GAP YEAR FELLOWSHIP LEADERSHIP & INNOVATION INCUBATOR
Applied Purpose Science Research Lab Voice Up
A Purpose-Centered Gap Year Fellowship in Leadership Development, Innovation Practice, and Real-World Problem Solving

OVERVIEW
The Leadership & Innovation Gap Year Incubator Fellowship is a purpose-centered, applied leadership experience designed for emerging adults who want to build leadership capacity, creative confidence, and innovation skills before committing to a fixed academic or career path. This fellowship treats innovation not as technology alone, but as the ability to see problems clearly, work with others, and design humane solutions.
Fellows operate inside a living innovation incubator, where leadership is practiced through responsibility, experimentation, and reflection not titles. Purpose is treated as the stabilizing force that allows innovation to be ethical, inclusive, and sustainable.
This fellowship prepares fellows to enter higher education, entrepreneurship, public service, research, or the workforce with real leadership experience, not just aspiration.

FELLOWSHIP DURATION OPTIONS
Participants may choose the fellowship length that best matches readiness and goals:
4-Month Fellowship Leadership foundations and innovation exposure
6-Month Fellowship Leadership practice with applied innovation projects
9-Month Fellowship Full incubator cycle with team leadership and portfolio development
12-Month Fellowship Deep immersion with advanced innovation leadership and launch planning
Each duration is designed to be complete, respected, and outcome-ready.

CORE INCUBATOR DOMAINS
Purpose-Centered Leadership Development
Innovation & Human-Centered Design
Ethical Problem-Solving & Systems Thinking
Team Leadership & Collaboration
Creative Confidence & Experimentation
Research-as-Practice & Prototyping
Community-Based Innovation
Universities of Practice & Innovation Partnerships

WHAT FELLOWS LEARN
How leadership is practiced through responsibility, not authority
How innovation begins with understanding people and systems
How to move from idea experiment learning iteration
How to work productively with uncertainty and complexity
How ethical restraint improves innovation outcomes
How to lead teams without hierarchy or coercion
How to translate curiosity into contribution

FELLOWSHIP STRUCTURE (SCALED BY DURATION)
Phase 1: Orientation & Leadership Foundations
(All Durations)
Introduction to Applied Purpose Science and leadership practice
Personal leadership assessment and purpose reflection
Ethical guardrails for innovation and experimentation
Cohort formation and mentorship engagement
Phase 2: Exploration & Innovation Skills
(4 6+ Month Tracks)
Exposure to innovation methods (design thinking, systems mapping, rapid prototyping)
Skill development in facilitation, communication, and collaboration
Low-risk experimentation without performance pressure
Phase 3: Applied Leadership & Innovation Practice
(6 9+ Month Tracks)
Placement on an applied innovation project or challenge
Leadership practice within small teams
Ongoing coaching, reflection, and iteration
Phase 4: Integration & Launch
(9 12 Month Tracks)
Synthesis of leadership identity and innovation capability
Creation of a leadership & innovation portfolio
Transition planning into education, startups, research, or the workforce

FELLOWSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES
Engage actively in incubator learning and cohort collaboration
Practice leadership through reliability, contribution, and care
Participate in innovation experiments and applied projects
Document learning through reflection and portfolios
Uphold ethical standards of dignity, consent, and accountability
Support peers and collective problem-solving

WHO SHOULD APPLY
This fellowship is designed for individuals who are:
Recent high school graduates
Students taking a purposeful gap year
Early college leavers seeking direction
Aspiring entrepreneurs, innovators, or change-makers
Young adults curious about leadership but not yet defined by a role
Ideal fellows are:
Curious rather than certain
Comfortable experimenting and learning from failure
Interested in people, systems, and real-world problems
Motivated to lead without needing a title

PARTICIPATION DETAILS
Duration Options: 4, 6, 9, or 12 months
Time Commitment: 20 30 hours per week
Format: Remote-first with optional in-person innovation sprints
Credentialing: Certificate in Leadership & Innovation Practice
Pathways: College credit, entrepreneurship, employment, or advanced fellowships

ALIGNMENT WITH LEADERSHIP & INNOVATION STANDARDS
This fellowship aligns with:
Human-centered design principles
Ethical innovation frameworks
Experiential leadership development models
Universities of Practice applied-learning structures
Applied Purpose Science principles

FELLOWSHIP DETAILS
Start Dates: Rolling cohorts
Location: Global / Remote
Support: Mentorship, coaching, peer cohort, innovation labs
Email:
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The Purpose Games
One of the most accessible ways Voice Up supports the public is through the Purpose Games interactive, game-based experiences designed to make purpose exploration engaging, social, and real. The Purpose Games are built for individuals and groups and can be used in schools, universities, workplaces, and community settings.
The games help people:
Clarify values and motivation in a way that feels approachable
Strengthen confidence through reflection and small wins
Build belonging by sharing stories and learning from others
Turn purpose into action through challenges, prompts, and collaboration
For many people, the Purpose Games are the first time purpose feels tangible something you can explore with others, name with more clarity, and connect to real decisions.