Global Shapers are from all walks of life and are united by their desire to catalyze positive change.
The Global Shapers Community Charter outlines essential guidelines related to Hub Membership, emphasizing the responsibilities, expectations, and benefits of being a part of this global network:
- Membership Opportunities
- Membership Criteria and Diversity
- Membership Commitments
- Responsible Behavior and Code of Conduct
- Cancellation of Membership
In this guide, you will find everything you need to know about the membership journey of a Global Shaper.
Recruitment Overview
Hubs must lead their own recruitment and selection efforts at least once a year to reach a minimum of 20 members. These efforts must uphold our Membership Criteria and Diversity guidelines. Every Hub can grow to reach a maximum of 50 members.
All hubs have local application processes. Whichever model hubs adopt, transparency and respect are key. To avoid bias in recruitment, hubs should create selection committees led by Vice-Curators and made up of at least three people to oversee the process. Once an applicant has applied, interviews by the selection committee are next. Committee members may not interview applicants they personally recommended or put forward.
Recruitment involves strategic planning and execution, focusing on attracting and selecting diverse, talented and promising individuals who align with Global Shapers' values and goals, fostering a diverse and impactful community.
1. Planning Phase
- Recruitment Cycle Model: Choose between fixed cycles or ongoing (rolling) recruitment. Fixed cycles ease workload management, sets a replicable pattern for hub members and create momentum for potentical applicants. Ongoing recruitment allows year-round applications and requires continuous resource management.
- Recruitment Needs: Determine the number and profiles of recruits needed.
- Selection Process: Define your selection process using best practices like application forms with written questions, short video submissions, CVs/cover letters, and interviews. Choose a sequence that allows thorough assessment of candidates based on your needs. Consider adjusting the process complexity based on candidate availability and demand. Finally, incorporate a probation period, where possible and appropriate, to evaluate candidates before their final acceptance.
- Communication Plan: When planning, create a tailored communication plan for your hub's recruitment needs including clear timelines. Define goals for the number of recruits and applications required. Identify target audiences, including applicants with diverse backgrounds and relevant skills/experiences. Utilize channels like a continuous pipeline, Shaper referrals, social media, and local partnerships with organizations, universities, and alumni associations.* Craft messages emphasizing skills development, networking opportunities, community values, and social impact. Review guidelines and prepare for varying applicant outcomes, considering potential probation periods as needed.
*Applicants can apply via our website or be recommended by current Global Shapers, Alumni, Global Shapers HQ or partner organizations.
2. Execution Phase
- Promotion Strategy: Use a dedicated landing page to convey Hub values, ongoing projects, benefits, and expectations. You can use your Hub's page in the Global Shapers website as well as your Hub's social media account(s).
- Application Management: Implement tools to track and manage applications efficiently.
- Selection Process Execution: Engage Hub members in evaluating candidates, conduct structured interviews, and ensure candidate understanding of Hub initiatives. Use the Membership Criteria and Diversity guidelines.
3. Post-Selection Phase
- Results Announcement: Simultaneously inform accepted candidates of their probationary status. Unsuccessful applicants should be provided feedback in a timely manner.
- Onboarding: Facilitate an induction day, establish a buddy system, and integrate new members into the global community through networking opportunities.
- Forum Spaces (formerly TopLink): Once an applicant successfully completes your hub’s selection and interview process, as well as probation period (if applicable), your Curator can invite them on Forum Spaces (formerly TopLink) to officialize their membership. They will then receive a welcome email inviting them to create their account. Please note that the membership of a Global Shaper officially starts on the day of their Forum Spaces (formerly TopLink)account creation, and they must be between 17 and 27 years old on that date (before their 28th birthday).
It is the responsibility of the Curatorship to verify that applicants meet the required age and location criteria before onboarding, trial or probation. While rare, local hubs or the Global Shapers Headquarters may reject applicants, if they do not meet the criteria in our Charter. Hubs are expected to select members in good faith. If it is discovered that the above criteria have not been upheld at the time of selection, individual memberships may be cancelled retroactively.
Key Tips and Takeaways
- Set clear expectations with new Shapers at each stage to ensure alignment and commitment and revise them regularily.
- Prepare well and involve your hub members in recruitment.
- Network with other Curators to exchange knowledge and learn best practices that can enhance your recruitment strategy.
- Ensure an inclusive selection process to foster a diverse and supportive community environment.
These practices ensure a rigorous yet inclusive recruitment process, aligning new Shapers with community expectations and fostering long-term engagement and impact.
Being a Global Shaper
Our Charter outlines the standards that all members and hubs are responsible to uphold. It includes best practices identified by our members since our community was created in 2011. By joining the Global Shapers Community, all members agree to live up to its principles by following the Membership Commitments and Responsible Behavior guidelines shared in the Charter. A major milestone part of the Global Shapers journey is to participate in at least one hub project and/or one hub leadership role per year.
Becoming a Global Shaper opens doors to a wide range of opportunities. Your Forum Spaces (formerly TopLink) profile must be updated at all times to be considered for ad-hoc opportunities and to be eligible for relevant World Economic Forum events and initiatives.
- Read the Membership Benefits guide to expand your knowledge on all the benefits of being a Global Shaper.
- Stay informed with the monthly Newsletters and Liveshows.
The more you are invested, the better you can take advantage of this community by driving meaningful impact and becoming a more experienced leader!
Hub Transfers
Typically, Global Shapers can transfer to a new hub if they relocate to a new city or country. To request a hub transfer, members email their Community Manager with a short rationale and the Curators of the outgoing hub and incoming hub in copy. When/if both Curators give their written approval, your Community Manager will complete the transfer. The change in position may take up to a week to appear correctly on Forum Spaces (formerly TopLink).
* Hubs may opt-out of automatic transfers if the number of transfer requests received per year exceeds 25% of their total size. In this case, existing members must reapply to the new hub, following the incoming hub’s selection process. Hubs can opt out of receiving transfers if the number of transfers they receive per year exceeds 25% of their total size.
Hubs may set a probation period for individuals when they join or transfer to their hub. Hubs should outline the length of probation period and other expectations in their local guidelines.
Cancellation
Similar to the process of registering new members on Forum Spaces (formerly TopLink), Curators can cancel hub memberships based on the Membership Cancellation guidelines of the Charter. To end a Global Shapers' membership:
- Curators should inform hub members of the Charter's Membership Commitments, which are the standards and practices that all Global Shapers worldwide must uphold.
- If members cannot fulfill our Membership Commitments, they should be given a minimum of 2 months to allow members to fulfill their commitments and amend their behaviour.
- If amends are not made, the Curatorship can cancel memberships and members must be informed about the decision in a transparent way.
- Once members are informed, Curators may remove them from Forum Spaces (formerly TopLink).
If a member is removed for misconduct, Curators and Vice-Curators should inform their Community Manager with the reasons for removal. HQ will then add a note to the individual's profile. Otherwise, Global Shapers can apply to other hubs and put additional members at risk.
Individual memberships in the Global Shapers Community can also be cancelled by Global Shapers Headquarters. If someone does not uphold the principles and behaviours in our Charter, the Head of the Global Shapers Community can cancel individual memberships at their sole discretion. If sufficient rationale is available, an individual membership cancellation can be made immediately, without notice, and the outcome is final.
Alumni Transfers
Alumni transfers happen automatically the first week of each month for all Global Shapers who age out of the community. The Alumni Network section in the Charter highlights our Alumni guidelines.
The Alumni Engagement Toolkit includes guidance for Hubs to stay connected with their Alumni, as well as details on the Alumni benefits.