Deadline: 20 September 2013 at 11:59 p.m. EST
Open to: community leaders age 25-38 from selected countries in Africa, Asia, the Pacific, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and South America.
Fellowship: covers J-1 visa support, round-trip travel from participant’s home city to the U.S., accident and sickness insurance, and a living Allowance to cover housing, meals and incidentals.
Description
Applications are now being accepted for the Community Solutions Program, which is a professional development program for the best and brightest global community leaders working in Transparency & Accountability, Tolerance and Conflict Resolution, Environmental Issues, and Women and Gender Issues. The Community Solutions Program is a program of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State, and implemented by IREX.
The goal of the Community Solutions Program is for global community leaders to improve their capacity for local community intervention and problem-solving and be ambassadors for increased mutual understanding. Community Solutions Program leaders:
- Build and strengthen sustainable professional networks with international colleagues and institutions
- Increase their understanding of best practices, models, and strategies to address challenges in their community
- Strengthen their management, leadership, and problem-solving skills
Selected candidates will participate in: a four month U.S. fellowship with a local nonprofit organization or government agency; structured virtual learning and networking via the Online Community Leadership Institute; and, the design and implementation of follow-on projects in their home countries.
Fellowship
- J-1 visa support
- Round-trip travel from participant’s home city to the U.S.
- Accident and sickness insurance
- Living Allowance to cover housing, meals and incidentals
Eligibility
Candidates will be considered without respect to race, color, religion, national origin, or gender. Persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. Competition for the Community Solutions Program is merit-based and open to community leaders, ages 25-38 at the time of application, who meet the following criteria:
- From a participating country (U.S. citizens, permanent residents of the U.S., and individuals who have applied for U.S. permanent residency in the past three years are not eligible for this program)
- Currently living and working in his/her home country (Individuals participating in academic, training or research programs in the United States at the time of application and individuals residing or working outside their home countries at the time of application are not eligible for this program)
- Currently working on a community project or initiative in his/her home country; and, has at least 2 years of professional experience in this capacity at the time of application
- Able to begin the program in the United States in 2014, and is committed to returning to his/her home country after completion of the program
- Able to receive a U.S. J-1 visa (Individuals who have participated in an exchange visitor program sponsored or funded by the U.S. Government who have not fulfilled their two-year home residency requirement by the time of application are not eligible for this program)
- Proficient in spoken and written English at the time of application
Eligible Countries
- Africa: Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe
- East Asia and the Pacific: Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam
- Europe: Albania, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Macedonia, Romania, Slovakia, Turkey
- South and Central Asia: Bangladesh, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan
- Near East & North Africa: Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia and West Bank/Gaza
- Western Hemisphere: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, Paraguay, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago
Application
The deadline for applications for the Community Solutions Program is 11:59 p.m. EST on 20 September 2013. Applications may be submitted ONLINE ONLY HERE.
A PDF flyer containing Application Instructions can be downloaded HERE.
For more information, see the informational flyer HERE, the official website HERE or contact the organization at communitysolutions@irex.org.
