citiesRISE Fellowship for Emerging Leaders in Mental Health and Spirituality 2026

Applications are open for the citiesRISE Fellowship for Emerging Leaders in Mental Health and Spirituality 2026, a 12 month leadership development opportunity for young people in New York City who are interested in the connection between mental health, spirituality, community and wellbeing.

The fellowship is designed for emerging leaders between the ages of 18 and 25 who are already contributing to their schools, families, peer groups or communities. Through practical training, mentorship and collaborative activities, participants will develop skills and explore ways to strengthen mental health and wellbeing through more holistic and culturally responsive approaches.

The programme will bring together a cohort of 30 young leaders from across New York City. Fellows will participate in a combination of in person and virtual engagements beginning in October 2026. The fellowship requires approximately two meetings per month, with each meeting lasting around two hours.

About the Fellowship

citiesRISE is a global platform working to transform mental health policy and practice in cities and communities. Its work focuses particularly on young people and aims to connect communities, practitioners and emerging leaders to develop and scale approaches that improve mental health and wellbeing.

The Fellowship for Emerging Leaders in Mental Health and Spirituality provides a dedicated space for young people in Greater New York City to explore how culture, community wisdom, spirituality and meaningful connections can contribute to individual and collective wellbeing.

The programme runs for 12 months and launches in October 2026. It uses a hybrid format combining in person meetings in Midtown New York with virtual engagements across the city.

Fellows will not only learn from experienced leaders but will also have opportunities to put their learning into practice through programme design, service projects, research contributions and public knowledge sharing.

Fellowship Benefits

• $500 stipend for participation

• Hands on leadership and facilitation experience

• Training in programme design and intervention development

• Mentorship from global leaders working in mental health and spirituality

• Membership in a cohort of 30 young leaders across New York City

• Professional certificate from citiesRISE

• Opportunities to contribute to research on spirituality and wellbeing

• Opportunities to co design scalable interventions and practices

• Opportunity to design and lead a service project

• Opportunities for publications and public knowledge sharing

• Long term professional and peer network

Programme Areas

The fellowship explores the relationship between mental health, spirituality and community wellbeing, with emphasis on:

• Mental health and wellbeing

• Spirituality, meaning, purpose and belonging

• Culture and community wisdom

• Community care

• Youth engagement

• Intergenerational connection

• Holistic and culturally responsive policies and services

• Programme design and intervention development

• Research and advocacy

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must:

• Be between 18 and 25 years old

• Live in the Greater New York City area

• Be interested in holistic approaches to individual and community wellbeing

• Value culture and community wisdom as foundations for wellbeing

• Be curious about spirituality as a pathway to meaning, purpose, connection and belonging

• Support community care, youth engagement or intergenerational connection through formal or informal roles

• Be interested in making policies, services and programmes more holistic and culturally responsive

How to Apply

1. Review the citiesRISE Fellowship for Emerging Leaders in Mental Health and Spirituality requirements.
2. Confirm that you are between 18 and 25 years old and live in the Greater New York City area.
3. Consider how your experiences, community involvement and interests connect with mental health, spirituality and holistic wellbeing.
4. Prepare your application and provide the information requested by citiesRISE.
5. Submit your application through the official fellowship application platform before the deadline.
6. Applications must be submitted by October 12, 2026.