Call : Female Youth Leadership

Call for Applications:
Female Youth Leadership

The FIBA Foundation, the Deutscher Basketball Bund e.V., the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH are launching an international Female Youth Leadership Programme using basketball as a tool for empowerment, gender equality and social impact.

With the Mascot Education Programme 2026, an international Female Youth Leadership Programme will be launched to specifically empower young, committed women in their personal, professional and social roles. The programme combines basketball with development education, civic engagement and female empowerment and forms part of the sustainable social legacy of the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2026 in Germany.

The Mascot Education Programme is aimed at young women with a passion for basketball who wish to harness the power of sport to drive positive social change. Selected Female Youth Leaders will be qualified to:

• take on responsibility within their national federations and local communities,
• implement education and empowerment initiatives for girls and young women,
• coordinate the Mascot Education Programme as a visible component of the World Cup’s social legacy,
• gain practical experience with the S4D approach and apply sport purposefully as a tool for social change.

In addition, participants will become part of the global Youth Leaders Network of the FIBA Foundation and may gain access to further international learning and engagement opportunities.

March 2026: Virtual tip-off sessions introducing the programme, the role of Youth Leaders, and key topics such as Basketball for Good, Gender Equality and Sport for Development.

18-22 April 2026: Four-day Female Youth Leadership Workshop in Berlin, hosted by the FIBA Foundation, DBB and GIZ, with a focus on:

• leadership and project management skills,
• empowerment of women and girls in sport,
• implementation of S4D approaches within the context of the Mascot Education Programme.

From May 2026 onwards: Implementation of the Mascot Education Programme within national federations and local communities, with a focus on girls’ empowerment, visibility of the Women’s World Cup 2026 and sustainable social engagement.

4-13 September 2026: Involvement of Youth Leaders in volunteer, education and promotional activities during the Women’s World Cup 2026 in Berlin.

We are looking for committed female applicants aged 20 to 30 who meet the following criteria:

• strong interest in basketball and its social impact,
• motivation to actively contribute to the social legacy of the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2026 in Germany,
• interest in Sport for Development, empowerment and education,
• very good command of English,
• availability for all programme dates listed above.

All participation-related costs will be covered by the FIBA Foundation, the German Basketball Federation (DBB) and GIZ.

Please submit your application by 28 February 2025 by sending the following documents combined into one PDF file via email to  .

Required documents:

• Completed reference form

Interviews with shortlisted candidates will take place in March 2025. For any questions regarding the application process or the Mascot Education Programme 2026, please do not hesitate to contact