U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) & IREX lancent un appel à candidatures pour le Community Solution Program عودة إلى الفرص

ABOUT THE COMMUNITY SOLUTIONS PROGRAM (CSP)

The Community Solutions Program (CSP), sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) and implemented by IREX, provides the best and brightest community leaders, ages 25 to 38, from around the world with an intensive, professional development exchange program that includes a substantive hands-on learning experience in the United States from August to December 2018. Community Solutions Fellows gain valuable experience in community work and strengthen their capacity for leadership and development in their home countries.

PROGRAM ACTIVITIES

Four-month U.S.-based fellowship: CSP fellows are matched with non-profit organizations, private entities, and government offices across the United States where they work with U.S. colleagues on initiatives related to issues they face in their own communities. Community Solutions leaders work in one of four technical areas: Environmental Issues, Tolerance and Conflict Resolution, Transparency and Accountability, and Women and Gender Issues. For example: A gender-rights activist from Vietnam focused on reducing human trafficking works with YWCA on human trafficking in Houston, Texas.

Community Leadership Institute: The Community Leadership Institute (CLI) is a leadership academy that provides customized learning and coaching to each CSP Leader. The CLI uses a blended-learning approach, where leaders participate in online sessions and in-person workshops, receive professional coaching, engage in experiential learning, and interact with other professionals in their field.

Community-based initiatives: CSP fellows develop innovative community action projects in collaboration with their U.S. host institutions and implement these projects after they return to their home countries to integrate their new skills and knowledge into their community work at home. Project summaries are made available online, allowing fellows to share their work with other community leaders around the world.

International network of community development professionals: CSP fellows continue to network and collaborate with like-minded leaders from around the world on global development issues through alumni activities and opportunities offered through the Community Leadership Institute online platform.

ELIGIBLE COUNTRIES BY REGION

• Africa: Botswana, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe
• East Asia and the Pacific: Burma, Cambodia, Federated States of Micronesia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam
• Europe: Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Turkey, and Ukraine
• Middle East and North Africa: Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia, and West Bank/Palestinian Territories
• South and Central Asia: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan
• Western Hemisphere: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Jamaica, Paraguay, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uruguay

PROJECT IMPACT TO DATE

• Over 260 U.S. organizations in 90 U.S. cities have hosted CSP fellows, making life-long international connections.
• 465 grassroots leaders from 66 countries have participated in the Community Solutions Program since 2011.
• Over the past six years, CSP alumni have impacted over 240,000 individuals with their community development initiatives.
• 100% of CSP hosts provide in-kind contributions to the program, including staff time and expertise and office space and support that has resulted in over 1.6 million dollars since the program began.

KEY DATES FOR EMBASSY ENGAGEMENT

• September 15 – October 31, 2017 Recruitment: PAS are encouraged to assist in the recruitment and outreach effort. This Recruitment Toolkit includes information about the program, a region-specific flyer, suggested outreach activities, and sample social media content.
• November 2017 – February 2018 Selection: PAS is invited to read eligible applications and participate in the interview process for selected semi-finalists from their country of service. PAS will also have an opportunity to express any concerns about the semi-finalists from their country of service.
• February 2018 Notification: PAS receives a list of selected finalists and alternates from their country of service. Applicants are notified if they have been selected by March 1.
• March – April 2018 English language testing: Selected finalists complete English language testing. PAS is encouraged to provide finalists from their country of service with study resources, as available.
• April – July 2018 J-1 Visa applications and interview: PAS assists selected finalists to apply for and obtain J-1 Visas.
• June– July 2018 Pre-departure orientation and preparations: Selected finalists complete a program-specific virtual pre-departure orientation designed by IREX. We encourage PAS to host supplementary pre-departure preparation activities such as welcome receptions, pre-departure meetings, or other events as time and budgets permit.
• August – December 2018 U.S. orientation and fellowship: IREX will share quarterly newsletters with PAS, updating staff on program activities and successes. All fellowship activities on social media will also be aggregated under #CSP2018. We encourage posts to share relevant #CSP2018 tweets and Facebook posts on their own social media accounts as time and staffing permit.
• December 2018 Fellows return home: IREX will connect PAS with returning fellows and share fellows’ proposed community-based initiatives. We encourage posts to welcome fellows home, host debriefs with them, and invite them to join existing alumni networks.
• January – June 2019 Community-based initiatives: Fellows will implement the community-based initiatives they designed with their U.S. partners. We encourage PAS to share any funding opportunities and engage with returning fellows.
• March – June 2019 Partnering for Stronger Communities: Selected alumni and U.S. partners will travel to give technical support to selected community-based initiatives of current Fellows. We will work with alumni and U.S. partners to engage PAS in their countries of travel and proposed activities.

SUGGESTED RECRUITMENT ACTIVITIES

IREX has created a one-stop-shop for you to help promote the launch of the 2018 Community Solution Program application. Please see below for some ideas and suggestions.

• Help us trend on social media on Launch Day (September 15th): Use the sample social media content listed below to help create a buzz on social media.
• Share the recruitment flyer with the embassy listservs and program alumni by email: Make sure that anyone connected with the U.S. embassy over email learns about this exciting opportunity.
• Share information about CSP and the recruitment flyer with your colleagues at regional consulates, USAID, Education USA, Alumni offices, and American Corners: Please copy us on your emails so that we can follow up and answer any questions they may have about the program.
• Print copies of the recruitment flyer and hand them out at local embassy-supported events: The recruitment flyers are a great thing to include with other embassy resources at local events.
• Announce the CSP application over radio and other media channels: Ask local television and radio stations to announce the program and encourage their audience to apply.
• Like the program on Facebook, follow it on Twitter, and share the suggested posts below with your social media networks: You can also join the Community Solutions Flickr group to download and upload photos that you and other partners can use when promoting this opportunity.

TWITTER :

Accounts: @cspecairex; @ECAatState;

• Sample Tweets
  • Now accepting applications for the Community Solutions Program: bit.ly/csp2018 #CSP2018 @cspecairex
  • Apply to #CSP2018 & join a #community of more than 450 #leaders from around the world working to reach #globalgoals bit.ly/csp2018
  • Calling all #community #leaders! Work with US #NGOs on #peace #womensrights #conservation #accountability & more: bit.ly/csp2018
  • Apply to #CSP2018 & join a #community of more than 450 #leaders from around the world working to reach #globalgoals bit.ly/csp2018
  • Are you a #community activist looking for new ways to fight #corruption? Apply now for #CSP2018 bit.ly/csp2018
  • How can you #LetGirlsLearn? By working with a US #NGO on #girlseducation through #CSP2018. Apply now: bit.ly/csp2018
  • Join a network of #environment activists who are finding #local solutions to #global issues. Apply to #CSP2018: bit.ly/csp2018
  • #Understanding is the first step for #peacemaking. Learn how US #communities work for #peace. Apply to #CSP2018: bit.ly/csp2018
  • Have you started a #CSP2018 application? Less than 2 weeks left to apply! bit.ly/csp2018
  • Have you submitted your #CSP2018 application? Only 1 day left to apply! bit.ly/csp2018

FACEBOOK

Pages: @CommunitySolutionsProgram; @ExchangeProgramsAtState

• Sample Posts
  • Are you working to improve your local community by addressing global challenges – from gender discrimination, to environmental conservation, to corruption, to youth employability? If so, apply now to the Community Solutions Program to work with other activists like yourself who are developing creative solutions to some of today’s biggest challenges: bit.ly/csp2018 #CSP2018
  • Have you started your application for the Community Solution Program? Applications close on October 31st. Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity! Apply now! bit.ly/csp2018 #CSP2018

FLICKR

Group: www.flickr.com/groups/csp2018

• Share and download photos to use for recruitment!

MENA Recruitment Flyer