Powerful leaders. Equitable solutions.
Springboard to Opportunities Fellowships connect residents of federally subsidized housing with opportunities to learn about and influence the systems and policies that affect their lives.
Springboard Fellowships are cohort-based learning and personal development programs in which residents:
- make connections between public policy and their lived experience;
- grow their skills in advocacy and community mobilization;
- and recognize their own power to drive social change.
Our Fellowships nurture leaders who are equipped to challenge systemic inequities and advance solutions that promote socioeconomic well-being, gender and racial justice, and stable, thriving communities.
More About Springboard to Opportunities Fellowships
Education Advocacy Fellowship
The Education Advocacy Fellowship supports parents and guardians as they navigate education systems like Jackson Public Schools, equipping them with the skills to advocate for their children and drive positive changes in education. Fellows learn about the history of education in Mississippi, dive into the state and local policies that govern public school systems, attend board meetings and community events, and host discussions and panels with local school system leaders, policymakers, and other advocates.
Workforce Systems Fellowship
The Workforce Systems Fellowship focuses on the policies and systems that create workforce inequity, while also providing support and mentorship for residents as they pursue their own career goals. Fellows are introduced to the interconnected history of slavery, workforce policies, welfare supports, and the continued sexism and racism undergirding most of our workforce systems.
Policy & Systems Change Fellowship
The Policy and Systems Change Fellowship is Springboard’s capstone fellowship. Within this community of support, fellows learn to leverage their power and expertise, understand the day-to-day impacts of real-time policy decisions, and strengthen and practice their advocacy skills. Fellows connect with local and national policymakers, organizers, and community leaders to learn the ins and outs of policymaking and the importance of sharing their expertise and knowledge as they work on a community action project.