Applications Closed

The Pleasure Fellow Scheme is a fellowship opportunity for anyone interested in advocating for pleasure in the sexual and reproductive health world. It consists of a series of online sessions where you’ll be given different tools and skills that are relevant to promote pleasure inclusive sexual health in your communities and/or at a global scale. These sessions will include speakers from our team at The Pleasure Project and external speakers.

As fellows, you will have the opportunity to pitch a project and be awarded up to USD 1,000 to develop it. You can read more about the types of projects that have been previously developed with the funding of the scheme below.

Besides the fellowship itself, we aspire to continue to build and expand the pleasure community of practice around the world. For that reason, we hope that the work we do with our fellows will continue well beyond the Pleasure Fellow Scheme. Currently, we hold a strong connection with our previous fellows from the Pleasure Fellow Scheme of 2021 and we’re excited to see and to support their amazing work in their journey of pleasure. You can look at our previous fellows’ profiles here.

We are looking for people who are passionate about promoting sexual pleasure and pleasure inclusive sexual health. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and groups. We want to reach out to as many regions, identities and communities as possible and provide as many opportunities as we can to those who have been traditionally marginalized from initiatives and projects revolving around pleasure. We strongly encourage applicants from the Middle East and North African, South East Asia, Oceania and Latin American regions to apply.

We also invite anyone with a keen interest in promoting sexual pleasure regardless of their professional or advocacy background on sexual and reproductive health.

Projects of all kinds are welcome. We encourage applicants to think of projects that are clear, impactful and can be sustainable. Some examples of previous projects that were funded through the Pleasure Fellow Scheme include: The Middle Me podcast by our former fellow Ana Santos about stories of Filipino women on sex and pleasure after 40; the 100 Stories of Pleasure project by the former fellows Leeza Mangaldas, Rhiana Mills and Ipsita Divedi, a digital anthology project of pleasure positive stories from around the world; an online Whatsapp service on sexual education and sexual health for women in the favelas in Brazil called Ana Autoestima by our former fellow Laura Ramos; an informational resource on the experience of pleasure after an abortion by our former fellow Aida Bilajbegovic.

Other projects include: a digital campaign on anal sexual health for gay and other queer men to experience safe and pleasureable anal sexual practices by our former fellow Jaime Romaní; a podcast on sexuality and disability by our former fellow Damian Weatherald; training sessions for health workers and midwives on sexual pleasure in rural settings by our former fellow Jovian Linda; a research project on the knowledge, attitudes and practices on sexual pleasure as well as potential barriers to access among young girls in the Kathmandu Valley by our former fellow Riju Dhakal; a series of training sessions on pleasure for sex educators by our former fellow Shira Natenda; a short citizen documentary on the experiences of pleasure among young disabled queer people in Botswana by our former fellow Dumiso Gatsha.

Projects can be developed on a global or local scale. For that reason, your project can be developed in your native language. However, keep in mind that just how the entirety of the scheme will be provided in English, the pitch and deliverables for The Pleasure Project team must all be presented in English by the fellow.

We also invite our applicants to look at The Pleasure Principles, as it might help guide or help you get inspiration for your projects.

• Working knowledge of the English language, as all sessions and documentation will be presented in English.
• Availability to participate in online sessions which will take place 2 times per month (with a duration of 2h per session). Fellows will be asked to sign a document agreeing to assist for a minimum of sessions. Sessions will start in July and last until December.
• Internet accessibility.
• Access to a bank account. Since fellows can be awarded up to USD 1,000 for their projects, they need to have a bank account that can receive TransferWise funding in dollars.
• Respect the deadlines and turn in deliverables.

The selection process for the Pleasure Fellow Scheme will take place in two phases. A first phase will take into account the information that you will provide through the application form. We will then have an interview with the shortlisted applicants.

Regardless of whether you are selected or not in the end, you will be informed of our decision.

The application process will run from Monday the 15th of May to Monday the 5th of June. Applications will be accepted until Monday the 5th of June at 23:59h UTC+2.

Please review the general guidelines document very carefully. You will find here general information about The Pleasure Project, requirements and conduct expectations as fellows for the Pleasure Fellow Scheme 2023.