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Program Description
ZERO TO THREE's Leaders for the 21st Century is the nation’s oldest national fellowship program for infant-family professionals and policymakers and has over 250 alumni around the country. The program works to meet the nation’s growing need for dynamic leaders and a strong, multi-disciplinary network of professionals and policymakers who are dedicated to improving outcomes for infants, toddlers, and their families.
The Fellowship’s overall goal is to strengthen the ability of committed, talented professionals and policymakers to implement policies and practices that promote the healthy development of babies and families. Throughout the Fellowship, participants experience new ways of thinking and open themselves to profoundly new ways of viewing the world and their work. The Fellowship program offers Fellows career-expanding opportunities by enhancing their knowledge of the science of early child development, their leadership skills, and their professional networks.
ZERO TO THREE seeks people who are:
- Courageous, willing to take risks, and self-aware;
- Knowledgeable and open to learning;
- Critical thinkers;
- Willing to work together with other disciplines and organizations;
- Holistic in their approach to infants and families; and
- Passionate, visionary, and able to exercise creative leadership on behalf of infants and families.
- ZERO TO THREE’s target audiences in the fields of mental health, early care and education, early intervention, child welfare, policymaking, and pediatric health care;
- Any of the wide array of disciplines that touch the lives of infants and toddlers (including, but not limited to: pediatrics, nursing, early care and education, psychiatry, psychology, child development, allied health professions, special education, social work, public policy, journalism, law, philanthropy, business, economics, and community organizations);
- A wide variety of educational backgrounds;
- All types of workplaces, including the private and public sectors, the for-profit and the nonprofit worlds, clinical and child care settings, policy and advocacy organizations and government, and research and academic settings; and
- Diverse racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds.
We welcome applicants from U.S. jurisdictions.
In order to strengthen the nation’s capacity to do its best for babies, toddlers, and families, we are particularly seeking applications from states that have had one or no Fellows in any previous cohort. These are:
| Alabama | Montana |
| Alaska | Nebraska |
| Arkansas | Nevada |
| Idaho | New Mexico |
| Iowa | North Dakota |
| Kansas | South Dakota |
| Maine | Vermont |
| Mississippi | West Virginia |
| Missouri | Wyoming |
| Minnesota |
In order to further deepen the capacity-building work done in conjunction with regional philanthropies, we are also particularly seeking applications from the states of North Carolina, South Carolina, and New Mexico, and from Philadelphia, PA, Camden, NJ, Atlanta, GA, and Long Island, NY, and other areas as new funders commit to supporting the Fellowship program.
Funding
Leaders for the 21st Century receives national funding from the Irving Harris Foundation.
Program Activities Gatherings: During the Fellowship program, Fellows meet 4 times over 2 years for 3 to 4 days at each meeting.
The Project: Each participant makes a contribution to the early childhood field by completing an individual project during his or her tenures as a Fellow. The project is part of his or her present work or moves the Fellow in a new direction.
Leadership Education: Through training in leadership skills, including media management and policy advocacy, the Fellowship program seeks to enhance each Fellow’s ability to address difficult challenges that arise in workplaces, in their professions and the infant-family field, and in organizations.
Writing Opportunities: Members of each class of Fellows may elect to work collaboratively to produce a special issue of the journal, Zero To Three, usually the issue published in the spring or summer after the Fellows’ second NTI.
Program Benefits
ZERO TO THREE makes a significant investment in each Fellow by providing:
- Funding to cover expenses associated with traveling to and attending the 4 meetings in 2 years.
- Training sessions in message development and media relations, policy and advocacy skills, and leadership skills.
- Introductions to graduate Fellows and/or members of the Board of Directors and/or ZERO TO THREE staff who agree to serve as intellectual resources for Fellows’ projects.
- Time set aside to discuss the projects at the Scientific Meetings and the Leaders’ Retreat.
- A 2-year subscription to the journal, Zero To Three.
- An interactive web space and other electronic media for conversing and connecting with fellow Fellows and alumni.
Program Commitments
ZERO TO THREE asks each Fellow to commit to:
- Attend all 4 meetings over the 2 year period
- Complete her/his project and present it
- Sign on to ZERO TO THREE Policy Center’s network,
- Complete progress reports and program evaluations, and
- Develop and maintain a relationship after the Fellowship program with ZERO TO THREE.
Conditions of Participation: ZERO TO THREE retains the right to terminate a Fellow’s participation in the Fellowship if the Fellow elects not to meet the commitments stated above.
Alumni Activities
Alumni of the Fellowship program and ZERO TO THREE remain closely connected after the formal Fellowship period concludes. For example, alumni help select each succeeding cohort of Fellows, they present at ZERO TO THREE conferences, they publish in the journal, and they help select speakers for conferences. Alumni may attend Scientific Meetings each year. ZERO TO THREE will be taking steps in the near future to expand activities conducted with alumni.
