Open Competition for Participation in SHAPING PARTICIPATORY DEMOCRACY Professional Fellows Program for Albania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, and the United States of America.

ABOUT PROFESSIONAL FELLOWS PROGRAM

This program is a two-way exchange involving 38 professionals from five selected European countries and 19 mentors from the United States who will effect positive change in their communities. U.S. mentors will share their professional expertise with fellows of this program in the United States and travel for a two-week reciprocal visit to assist their fellow on his/her 6-9 months individual project  plan implementation, provide consulting and joint workshops. European and U.S. participants will share experience and promote mutual understanding and partnership between professional groups in the United States and counterpart groups in the selected European countries. The program is funded by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Office of Citizen Exchanges, Professional Fellows Division and is organized by the WSOS Community Action Commission, Inc. – Great Lakes Consortium for International Training and Development (GLC) from Northwest Ohio  in collaboration with Co-PLAN in Albania, C.E.G.A. Foundation in Bulgaria, Civil College Foundation (CCF) in Hungary, CeRe in Romania, and Center for Community Organizing (CKO) in Slovakia and other local partners in the United States of America and selected countries in Europe.

GOALS OF THE PROGRAM

We invite professionals from any region of Albania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia to apply for participation in a 42-day fellowship in the U.S.A. We encourage submissions by professionals who are actively involved in programs related to citizen participation and advocacy (NGO/civil society development), civic education organizations, citizen advocacy groups, community activists and/or community organizers who work with marginalized or rural communities. The overall goal of the program is to provide a professional development opportunity for mid-level emerging leaders; create a forum for American and foreign participants to collaborate and share ideas and strategies; and build a global network of professionals able to work effectively in an interconnected environment

If you are considering to submit your application, please send us an e-mail with Your name and country in the form below.

We will register you as applicant from your country and will wait for your application materials. Please start the registration early

Register here

CRITERIA

  • Be age 25 to 40;
  • Citizen, national or permanent resident of their home country (Albania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania or Slovakia);
  • Live and work in his/her home country at the time of the application and during the preparation process (about 3-4 months before departure);
  • Have at least two years of professional experience at the time of the application;
  • Submit a complete application online with all required documents by the application deadline;
  • Able to receive a U.S. J-1 visa;
  • Committed to returning to his/her country after completion of the program
  • Proficient in spoken and written English at the time of the application

TO APPLY

Interested applicants need to fill the Online Application Form, which is a multi-section form and you can save and continue later. Applications submitted after the deadline or incomplete won’t be considered. Submission of the following documents are required:

  1. Please write an essay in English why and how you are working with minority population and list any field experience or success story that you may have in working with them (No more than 2 typed pages, single spaced.) Please be ready to provide additional information on this later if you are selected.
  2. Scanned copy of your passport bio pages (with your photo and date of birth on it)
  3. A passport size head shot photo in front of a white wall in high resolution

Before apply please read the FULL ANNOUNCEMENT HERE

DEADLINE: 30 NOVEMBER