DPU welcomes applications for DPU/ACHR/CAN Fellowship – Wave V

As part of a long-standing partnership between the Asian Coalition of Housing Rights (ACHR), the Community Architects Network (CAN) and The Bartlett Development Planning Unit (DPU), the Junior Professional/DPU Alumni programme aims to offer experience and on-the-job-training for junior development practitioners throughout Southeast Asia. The present call for Junior Professionals represents the fifth wave in this partnership. The present call for Junior Professionals represents the fifth wave in this partnership. The details and previous experiences of the programme can be found on: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/bartlett/development/programmes/dpu-fellowship-schemes/dpuachrcan-fellowship-programme

The primary purpose of this initiative is to support the development and use of methodologies and tools in community-driven processes urban transformation. The Junior Professionals will work with CAN members, community organizations and members of ACHR in different spheres of city wide upgrading strategies that involve mapping, planning, design, management, communication and so on.

Three candidates will be selected to work with partner organisations for 6 months, starting from beginning of January 2019.  

Successful candidates will work with either:

•    Women for the World in Yangon, Myanmar, on housing upgrading and livelihood generation for urban poor in Yangon and other area in Myanmar. It will involve community-based survey, data analysis, facilitation of community architect network, participatory mapping and community-led housing process.
Or
•    Sevenatha Urban Resource Center in Colombo, Sri Lanka, focusing on housing policy in Sri Lanka and the impact of the current wave of housing ‘verticalisation’, as well as community-led waste management processes in the context of city-wide upgrading. The candidates will work on data analysis and support community mobilization in housing policy and waste management.
The partnership is envisaged as a collective learning process with the aim of encouraging knowledge-sharing and innovation in development, grounded in the partners’ collaborative interventions and local experience. One output of the collaboration is a series of mechanisms for feedback and public learning, including the documentation of the experience.

Candidates for the fellowship programme must submit an updated CV and a letter of motivation outlining desires, competences and skills (max 1000 words).

Eligible candidates should have the following essential characteristics:

•    Be a DPU alumni either in a MSc or a MPhil/PhD
•    Have a related degree and/or experience in planning, geography, development studies, sociology, international studies, environmental science or architecture, with a strong interest in community-driven initiatives, housing, water, waste management and international development issues
•    Demonstrate a clear intent to learn and work with a local organizations in supporting community-driven processes
•    Ability to work independently but also possess a clear disposition to work collectively within a team
•    Ability to work towards deadlines, with an eye for detail
•    Excellent oral, written and visual communication skills and IT skills
•    Being open, practical, operational and collective

In addition, eligible candidates should have the following desired characteristics:
•    Experience in urban design and architecture practice or in housing or upgrading projects in other capacities;
•    Experiences in writing and documenting (e.g. electronically, through video, drawing, etc.)
•    Experience of working in a multi-cultural environment.
•    Experience of working or researching in South East Asia is a bonus.

DPU will support 3 selected Junior Professionals with up to £5000 (the amount will vary according to the living cost in each city), aimed at covering:
•    Round-trip travel from participant’s home city or UK to the host country.
•    Successful applicants are required to pay their round-trip travel in advance and the cost of travel will be reimbursed. Living allowance to cover housing, meals and incidentals.
•    The host organization will provide support to find accommodation for the participant. The host country and organisation will confirm the accommodation arrangements once applicants are accepted.
•    Necessary VISA and fees must be arranged and covered by the participant.
Candidates should cover the cost of their insurance themselves, and make it a pre-condition to show proof of payment before they are granted the award.

Key dates:
Launching new call for fellows: October 8th
Deadline for application: November 5th
Short list publication: November 12th
Interviews: November 19th
Fellows announced: November 23rd
Online Inception workshop: November 28th (tbc)
Start of the fellowship: First week of January 2019 (precise dates will be arranged according to visa procedures)
Monitoring - research workshop : tbc

Applications

For further details, or to apply, contact Dr. Catalina Ortiz (catalina.ortiz@ucl.ac.uk), Azadeh Mashayekhi (a.mashayekhi@ucl.ac.uk) and Tim Wickson (t.wickson@ucl.ac.uk).  

Candidates should cover the cost of their insurance themselves, and make it a pre-condition to show proof of payment before they are granted the award.