Program Overview: The Community Solutions Program is a professional development program for the best and brightest global community leaders working in Transparency & Accountability; Tolerance/Conflict Resolution; Environmental Issues; and, Women’s Issues.  Selected candidates will participate in: 

 ·         A Four-month U.S. Fellowship: Fellows
are placed in U.S. community-based, non-profit or other organizations,
government offices or legislative bodies where they work with community
leaders.

·         Community Leadership Institute (CLI): Fellows will spend more than 500 hours
developing practical leadership skills in Goal Setting, Monitoring &
Evaluation, Organizational Team Building, Networking & Partnering, and
Communications & Advocacy.

·         Follow-on Projects:
Fellows, in partnership with their U.S. hosts, will develop follow-on projects
to be completed after fellows return to their home countries.

Sixty-six eligible individuals will be selected to participate in the Community Solutions Program.  Financial provisions of the
program include: J-1 visa support; round-trip travel from fellow’s home city to
the U.S.; accident and sickness insurance; and a stipend to cover housing,
meals and incidentals.

Eligibility Requirements: Competition for the program is merit-based and open to community leaders, ages 25-38 at the time of application, who meet the following criteria:

·         Is 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.);

·         Is 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);

·         Is currently working on a community engagement initiative in his/her home country;
and, has at least 2 years of professional experience in this capacity at the
time of application;

·         Is able to begin the program in the United States in 2011, and is committed to returning to his/her home country after completion
of the program;

·         Is 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); and,

·         Is proficient in spoken and written English at the time of application.

Preference will be given to individuals with four (4) months or more academic exchange or professional training experience in the United States.   Employees of the U.S. Embassy are not eligible.

To Apply: Visit https://oas.irex.org/csp/ to apply for the 2011 Community Solutions Program.  Applications accepted online only.  The following information and documents are needed in order to apply:

·         Current contact and employment information

·         Exact dates of previous U.S. exchange or training program participation and J-1 visa (if
applicable)

·         Electronic version of current resume or curriculum vitae

·         One signed letter of support on organizational letterhead

·         Copy of most recent TOEFL score report if taken within past 5 years (if available)

Eligible Countries: Bangladesh, Bolivia, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Czech Republic, Egypt, El Salvador, Hungary, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Romania, Rwanda, Sierra Leone,
Singapore, Slovakia, Sri Lanka, Syria, Tajikistan,
Thailand, Trinidad, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Uzbekistan, West
Bank/Gaza, Zambia, Zimbabwe Please
note that not all countries are eligible for all four thematic areas; see
application instructions for specific eligibility requirements.

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, a Washington, DC-based nonprofit organization. 

See http://www.irex.org/application/community-solutions-information-app... for complete application instructions.

                                                          Email: Communitysolutions@irex.org