Arbitration Fund for African Students (AFAS) strategy for 2021 – 2026
Our five-year strategy outlines our objectives for the AFAS and the actions aimed to achieve them. This strategy presupposes the continued importance of philanthropic support to enable us to realise our plans for the five-year period 2021-2026 and beyond. We have set ourselves five main objectives. The principal way we support young Africans is by providing financial support, through grant-making to attend arbitration related conferences, workshops, moots and other events. In addition, our activities include the provision of non-financial support such as conversation series, mentoring, case summaries, blogs and other publications. We will keep our strategy under review as we expect that it will evolve over time as the context of our work develops.
Core belief
Nurturing young Africans through the provision of relevant support, access and resources will enable them to thrive in arbitration and other ADRs.
Mission
Develop human capacity in arbitration and other ADRs by creating programmes and platforms for nurturing young Africans and funding research, knowledge exchange and training.
Vision
To develop and support young Africans to become leaders in academia and practice in the field of arbitration and other ADRs.
Objective 1: SUPPORT young Africans
Action 1: Publish regular content about our activities and the work of our communities and the wider sector in order to develop and enhance the culture of arbitration and other ADRs on the continent.
Action 2: Keep young Africans informed about relevant opportunities and developments in the field of arbitration and other ADRs globally.
Action 3: Expand professional development opportunities through attending and participating in arbitration related conferences, workshops, moots and other events.
Action 4: Conduct regular surveys to ensure that AFAS is providing relevant support to young Africans.
Objective 2: ATTRACT and retain partners and stakeholders who share our Vision.
Action 1: Develop and implement a cooperation strategy with partners and stakeholders
Action 2: Establish networks and peer-to-peer engagement opportunities for partners and stakeholders
Action 3: Engage with partners and stakeholders to maintain a regularly updated online platform covering key developments in arbitration and other ADRs.
Objective 3: DEVELOP information and knowledge sharing platforms
Action 1: Conduct a programme of regular engagement with key actors in arbitration, both academics and practitioners, to increase understanding of the value of their work.
Action 2: Drive an integrated campaign targeted at strengthening the culture of arbitration and other ADRs in Africa.
Action 3: Review, develop and enhance our mentoring programme to support a diverse range of young Africans.
Action 4: Explore the availability and secure other support and resources for young Africans such as internships and scholarships.
Objective 4: SHAPE global policy and practice in the field of arbitration and other ADRs
Action 1: Engage and respond to global debates in the field of arbitration and other ADRs.
Action 2: Publish and disseminate regular research in the field of arbitration and other ADRs.
Action 3: Support initiatives to promote arbitration and other ADRs in Africa through interacting with like minded policy makers and organisations.
Objective 5: EXPAND funding streams
Action 1: Pursue a diverse strategy for fundraising through increased collaboration and engagement with individuals and institutions globally.
Objective 6: RAISE our profile within the UK charity sector
Action 1: Collaborate with and support like-minded organisations in the UK.
Action 2: Increase the diversity and inclusivity of our trustees, partners, stakeholders and other volunteers.
Key Definitions
Young Africans
An individual of African heritage who is studying or has previously studied arbitration and/or other ADRs as part of a University Award at either undergraduate or postgraduate level in the past 3 years (from the date of application)
OR,
An individual of African heritage with less than 5 years post qualification experience (PQE). ADR refers to alternative dispute resolution processes.
