EU Youth Sounding Board Kenya 2026 – Second Cohort for young Kenyans.

Application Deadline: 31 August 2026, 11:59 p.m. (Nairobi Time)

Applications are now open for the EU Youth Sounding Board Kenya 2026 – Second Cohort. The European Union Delegation to Kenya, through the Meaningful Engagement – Transformative Action (META) for Structured CSO Dialogue in Kenya project, invites applications for the second cohort of the EU Youth Sounding Board (YSB).

The EU Youth Sounding Board brings together 15 young people from across Kenya to advise the European Union Delegation to Kenya on youth participation and empowerment. Members contribute to structured dialogue between young people, civil society, and the European Union, helping to ensure that EU partnership with Kenya is inclusive, relevant, and responsive to the needs and aspirations of young people.

Specific Objectives
● Improve and strengthen structured, inclusive, and regular dialogue between Kenyan civil society actors, local authorities, and the EU, facilitating meaningful and sustained engagement.
● Enhance the skills, knowledge, and resources of Kenyan civil society actors including youth and women’s rights organizations to address common development priorities and promote effective governance.
● Increase information sharing, joint planning, and implementation of initiatives among Kenyan civil society actors to maximize the impact of EU-Kenya cooperation

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants should meet the following eligibility criteria:

• Be a Kenyan citizen
• Be between 18 and 30 years of age during the project implementation period, ending in March 2028.
• Be residing in Kenya and available to actively participate in Youth Steering Board meetings and related activities throughout the duration of the mandate.
• Have a good command of English and/or Swahili.
• Demonstrate active engagement and experience in youth participation, civic engagement, advocacy, volunteerism, or community organizing through a youth-led organization, civil society organization, community-based organization, network, movement, or other recognized collective platform.
• Demonstrate collaborative leadership, the ability to work effectively with diverse stakeholders, and a commitment to representing the interests of broader youth constituencies throughout the mandate.
• Possess effective communication skills, including writing skills and appropriate use of social media.
• Demonstrate an interest in policy advocacy, governance, and the EU–Kenya partnership.

Benefits

Being part of the EU Youth Sounding Board will be a transformative experience, offering a
blend of personal growth, professional development, and opportunities to make a meaningful
impact in Kenya. The benefits of being part of the YSB will include but are not limited:

1. Experience in Youth-led Advocacy and Policy Influencing: Members of the YSB will have the opportunity to advise the EU Delegation to Kenya by sharing insights and perspectives that will contribute to making EU programming, EU Communication campaigns, the EU Youth Action Plan, and policy design more participatory, relevant, and effective for young people in Kenya.
2. Voice and Representation: The board members will have the opportunity to represent the views of a diverse range of young people, and engage with youth networks and initiatives at the local, national, regional, and global level fostering connections and exchange.
3. Networking Opportunities: YSB members will come from diverse backgrounds and representation and interact with diverse stakeholders ensuring a rich exchange of ideas and perspectives and offering an opportunity for members to connect with peers, mentors, and professionals from various fields.
4. Capacity-strengthening: Participating in YSB will allow members to enhance their leadership abilities, communication skills, strategic thinking and planning, knowledge, and understanding of the EU-Kenya partnership.

Selection Criteria

• Submit your application on this Google Form. The application deadline is Monday 31 August 2026, 11:59 p.m. (Nairobi Time).
• First stage: Applicants will be informed of the outcome of the shortlisting process by 30 September 2026.
• Second stage: shortlisted candidates will be invited for interviews between 16 October 2026.
• Reference checks and verification: Following the interviews, shortlisted candidates will undergo reference checks and verification of applicants’ organizational affiliations, leadership experience, and engagement with youth-led initiatives, networks, movements, or civil society organizations between 21—30 October 2026.
• Final selection: Successful candidates will be notified of the outcome on 2 November 2026.
• Onboarding: Formal onboarding of selected members and an inception meeting to introduce the YSB framework, expectations, and engagement with the EU Delegation and consortium partners. From 9-13 November 2026.

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the EU Youth Sounding Board Kenya 2026 – Second Cohort