Membership Journey

Global Shapers come from all walks of life and are united by a shared commitment to catalyze positive change in their communities.

The Global Shapers Community Charter sets out the principles that guide Hub membership. It defines the responsibilities, expectations and benefits of being part of this global network, including:

• Membership Opportunities
• Membership Criteria and Diversity
• Membership Commitments
• Responsible Behavior and Code of Conduct
• Cancellation of Membership

Global Shapers become official community members once they gain access to Forum Spaces, the World Economic Forum’s secure engagement platform, accessible exclusively to Forum partners and community members, including Global Shapers and Alumni. All members are required to maintain an active account, as Forum Spaces is the official system used to verify membership, manage community engagement and connect Hubs globally, at every stage of the membership journey.

In addition to the Community Charter, this guide outlines everything you need to know about the Global Shapers membership journey.

• Recruitment Overview
• Being a Global Shaper
• Hub Transfers
• Cancellation
• Alumni Engagement

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 potential 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 the 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 the Hub 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 the 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. Feel free to use the Hub's page in the Global Shapers website as well as the 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. Selection and Onboarding 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: Once an applicant successfully completes the Hub’s selection and interview process, as well as probation period (if applicable), the Curator can invite them on Forum Spaces to officialize their membership.

STEP 1 - Access the Admin Panel directly from the Hub page

STEP 2 - Invite new members via the "Invite Member" button to enter the email address of the accepted applicant(s) and click on “Send invitation(s)”

Invited Global Shapers who are inside the age range (18 - 27 years-old) will receive an onboarding email inviting them to create their accounts and complete their profiles (more details below).

Please note that the membership of a Global Shaper officially starts on the day of their Forum Spaces 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 the Hub members in recruitment.
• Network with other Curators to exchange knowledge and learn best practices that can enhance the 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 the community requirements 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.

As part of the Global Shapers journey, members are expected to contribute to at least one Hub project and/or serve in a Hub leadership role each year, which unlocks a wide range of opportunities for growth, leadership and impact.

As noted above, access to Forum Spaces formalizes official Global Shapers membership.

Your Forum Spaces 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.

• Set up your Forum Spaces profile (For all Global Shapers and Alumni): This includes having a colour headshot photo, sharing your date of birth and your gender identity, and finally, having a 200-300 words biography written in third person that contains the keywords of your professional experience. Having a detailed work experience will increase your chances of being invited to Forum events.
• Customize your user experience (For all Global Shapers and Alumni): This means, downloading the Forum Spaces App and managing your mobile and email notifications. Download the Forum Live App, which is the Forum's standalone events mobile app to be used at Forum meetings.

If you have any questions, feedback or would like to report an issue regarding Forum Spaces, please email digitalsupport@weforum.org.

Read the Membership Opportunities guide to learn more about the benefits of being a Global Shaper and 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.

* 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, 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 the concerned member(s) must be informed about the decision in a transparent way.
• Once members are informed, Curators may remove them from Forum Spaces via the Hub's Members tab by clicking on the three dots next to the concerned members and click on "Remove member."

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 Engagement

Hubs are built on generations of Shapers, and alumni serve as stewards of the Global Shapers Community. Having an active alumni network can be beneficial for a thriving Hub and impactful projects, while alumni are usually happy to stay involved after stepping back from the frontline.

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.

Members of the Global Shapers Community transition to the Alumni network ONLY upon reaching the age of 30 or after completing five or more years of active engagement, whichever comes first. For additional details, please refer to the Charter.

Alumni Engagement Basics

• Keep Track of Your Hub Alumni: Once Shapers leave a Hub to become an alumni, their Forum Spaces account will no longer indicate the Hub they were associated with. If Shapers leave the active community before becoming an alumni, they will lose their Forum Spaces account altogether (and will not be part of the official Global Shapers Alumni Community). As turnover in Hubs can be high, informal knowledge about alumni can be lost quickly.
• Maintain a Membership Database: Keep alumni data in a (separate) membership database. Indicate the year they left and the reason for leaving (transitioned to the alumni community, left for other reasons before becoming an official alumni, was excluded, etc.). This will help future curatorship teams assess the situation.
• Regular Updates: If resources allow, regularly update this information through LinkedIn searches or direct outreach. This helps identify which alumni could potentially support the Hub in specific areas.
• Monitor Local Alumni: Keep an eye out for alumni who have moved to your city after transitioning to the alumni community and might be interested in joining the local alumni network.
• Ask for Feedback: Ask your alumni about how they would like to stay involved and contribute to the Hub - after all, they know best.

Have an “Alumni Officer” in your Hub. It’s not an official role but having someone dedicated to updating the alumni database and engaging your alumni community can significantly boost your Hub’s impact. This person can be an active Shaper or an alum themselves.

Tips for your Hub Alumni Officer

Once you figured out the basics above e.g. refreshed Alumni database and found out how they can be best involved to support the Hub, look into a few strategies below to help keep your Hub’s alumni network engaged:

• Inform Your Alumni About Hub Activities. Many alumni are happy to stay in touch with your Hub via a newsletter, a separate WhatsApp group, or other channels. Find out what's your Hub Alumni engagement objectives and which channel can help best reach those
• Topics: A newsletter can introduce new Shapers with a picture and short bio, update ongoing projects and events, and share other Hub- or Forum-related updates and opportunities.
• Channel: Keep in mind that alumni’s engagement on channels used only for Hub communication (such as Forum Spaces or slack) might decrease after their alumni transition.
• Open or Organize Events for Alumni. Nothing beats in-person connections. Consider opening certain Hub events to alumni, such as your annual celebration, project demo day, or interactive events like clean-ups. You can even organize an annual alumni event (maybe including an alumni graduation) specifically designed for your Hub's alumni community.
• Time Availability: Keep in mind that time availability of alumni might be different from that of active members, especially if you consider whole-day events.
• Plus 1s: If possible, organizing specific events for alumni which can be open to their partners and/or kids can make the event more accessible for alumni.
• Leverage the Alumni Community to Increase Impact. Alumni might no longer be able to contribute many hours to project work, but they can make valuable connections, open doors to other communities, provide ideas and strategic insights on projects and Hub governance, or mentor younger members.
• Clarity: To make it as easy as possible for alumni to contribute, be very clear in your asks, e.g., write an email template they can send to their connections that highlights what the Global Shapers Community and your Hub are, what the project is about, and what exactly the Hub is looking for from external partners.
• Celebrate Shapers Who Become Alumni. These members have usually contributed a lot to the Hub – maybe even before your time. Joining the alumni community can be a bittersweet moment.
• Acknowledgement: Announce the names of alumni leaving the Hub at a monthly Hub meeting so others can say goodbye and thank the alumni-to-be.
• Goodbye Gesture: A small gesture like a handwritten card, an engraved pen with a parting wish from the Hub, or a cup with a Hub group picture can go a long way.

Depending on your Hub’s context and the level of alumni engagement you provide, consider an alumni membership fee. This can help finance Hub projects and reduce the membership fee for younger Shapers who are at an earlier stage in their professional development.

Alumni Benefits

Upon graduation, all Alumni receive a welcome to Alumni community email. Make sure your Alumni have read through the graduation email and especially the Alumni Network section of the Global Shapers Community Charter. It is important that they know their membership benefits and how to access them as it allows them to continue advocating for your Hub as well as being your ambassador. Here are some of the benefits for members of the GSC Alumni Community everyone should know about:

• Continued access to Forum Spaces, the GSC Newsletter (where all events and opportunities are announced), and the Alumni Celebration Day (announced in the newsletter and on Forum Spaces calendar).
• Eligibility to become WEF digital members and attend digital events.
• Eligibility to apply to regional retreats and SHAPE events (up to 15% of SHAPE seats go to alumni!).
• Eligibility for leadership roles as Community Champions.
• Access to relevant open opportunities as certain Forum meetings or Global Future Councils as shared in monthly Global Shapers Newsletter.
• Eligibility to write for the WEF's Agenda.

Apart from these opportunities, your Hub alumni can:

• Attend or organize Alumni events and retreats in their city, sub-region, or region, usually announced during Alumni Celebration Day and via unofficial channels. Alumni retreats are independently organized and don’t need to be selected or approved by HQ.
• Get involved with the “Pockets” initiative, a theme-based global community initiated and led by members of the alumni community (reach out to lulu.yng@pm.me to learn more).
• Apply to open a new Hub, if they move (back) to a city which doesn’t yet have a Hub
• Pay-it-forward: If alumni are interested, introduce a system where alumni sponsor a younger Shaper to attend a regional retreat or SHAPE. Once the younger Shaper progresses in their professional career, they can return the favor to another younger Shaper. This is being practiced by some Hubs and proves to be a very valuable support mechanism within the community!

Last, but not least...

Set boundaries. The experience, knowledge, and network of alumni can be very useful, but alumni should not implicitly or explicitly influence Hub decisions, especially regarding strategy, recruitment, or elections. Alumni involvement should always follow an explicit ask from the Hub to ensure they do not overstay and take space away from younger members.

As per Community Charter, alumni agree not to use their status to affect Hub governance, engagement or impact. Alumni do not vote in or influence Hub decision-making, interfere with Hub elections, or mandate Hub projects or partnerships. If Alumni cannot fulfil these standards or do not uphold the Responsible Behaviour section of the Charter, Global Shapers Headquarters may decide to cancel memberships at its sole and absolute discretion. Alumni will be notified of the decision by email.