Announcing Connecticut Nonprofit/Grassroots Leaders Exchange Program with Turkey

[David Garvey]

Dear Connecticut Nonprofit Colleagues,

 

The Global Training and Development Institute and University of Connecticut Nonprofit Leadership Program are pleased to announce the Young Turkey/Young America Nonprofit/NGO/Grassroots Leaders Exchange Program made possible by a grant from the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

 

Overview

We are seeking sixteen (16) emerging Connecticut nonprofit leaders for an open, merit-based competitive process to take part in a social and economic challenges for future leaders exchange program with Turkey NGO* counterparts. Selected participants (fellows) will travel to Turkey for a two-week program with their Turkish counterparts from September 8-19, 2012. All international travel expenses of participants are covered by grant funds. Turkish Fellows will visit their Connecticut Fellows and organizations from June 24-27, 2012, with optional collaborative workshops for American Fellows to join at the UConn Storrs Campus during the Turkish contingent three week stay in the United States.

 

This exchange program is aimed at promoting mutual understanding and professional networks between the U.S. and Turkey, while expanding the effectiveness and capacity of grassroots and nonprofit organizations to address social and economic challenges within marginalized populations and economically disadvantaged communities.  The overarching goal of the Young Turkey/Young America Program is to develop grassroots initiatives that positively impact people’s lives resulting in stronger ties between the two nations.

 

Details

Please see the linked flyer and application from the University of Connecticut announcing a competitive merit-based search for sixteen (16) Connecticut young mid-career professionals (nonprofit and grassroot emerging leaders, ages 24-35) and their sponsoring employers to participate in a two-way educational and cultural exchange program.

 

The program involves face-to-face and web based workshops for grassroots leaders from the U.S. along with their grassroots leaders from Turkey, to help them better address the pressing social and economic challenges facing both countries.  The grant funding also supports eight follow-up social change projects in local communities throughout Turkey, and allows for ongoing networking, project planning and collaboration between the participants. 

 

The U.S. based portion of the exchange program will be held from June 16–29, 2012.  U.S. and Turkish young leaders will attend numerous workshops together at the UConn campus in Storrs, CT during this timeframe. Due to travel constraints, the UConn Storrs-based teachings are optional for Connecticut Fellows. The Turkish young leaders will also have the opportunity to job shadow at the U.S. Fellow organizations for (3) days, and subsequently work with UConn program faculty and the U.S. Fellows to plan grant-funded social change projects for local communities in Turkey.

 

As this is a two-way exchange, the U.S. Fellows will subsequently travel to Istanbul, Turkey on September 8, 2012 for 12 days to participate in Turkey based exchange activities, which will also include workshops, cultural exchanges, job shadowing, and field visits to their Turkish counterparts social change project.

 

Language and Matching

The Turkish Fellow you will be matched with speaks English and so do members of their NGO organization. So you do not have to speak Turkish, and language will not be a barrier to your application. You will be accompanied in your travel to Turkey by Roy Pietro, Director of the UConn Global Training and Development Institute and myself.

 

To make this as powerful a learning and exchange process as possible for you, we will be matching you with organizations and Fellows who do similar work as your organization in Connecticut. Based on our accepted Turkish Fellow pool, U.S. applicants who will have an edge in the selection process will have direct work, advocacy or backgrounds in one of the following areas (in alpha order):

 

• Adult education in marginalized populations
• Children and youth issues
• Community health issues
• Community integration of immigrant populations and discrimination
• Democracy, human rights and social justice      
• Entrepreneurship and social enterprise
• Grassroots community development and empowerment
• Individuals with disabilities
• Micro-credit and economic empowerment of marginalized individuals and communities
• Multicultural tolerance and awareness
• Municipal support operations; such as fire, emergency EMT and first-responder
• Multicultural tolerance and awareness
• Reducing domestic violence
• Women’s rights, gender equality and empowerment

 

• In addition, applicants with experience in advocacy and partnering with government on one or more of the above issues, or individuals in town or Connecticut state government that are working on any of the issues listed above will be strongly considered.

 

To Apply

We invite young grassroots Connecticut leaders to apply at this time.  We also welcome grassroots and nonprofit organizations in Connecticut to nominate someone at their organization for this opportunity. 

 

All candidates must complete and email back the linked application, along with their current resume to me at [e-mail].

Application deadline is Friday, May 11, 2012.

 

If mailed the address is Dr. David Garvey, Nonprofit Leadership Program, Center for Continuing Studies, University of Connecticut, One Bishop Circle, Unit 4056, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT  06269-4056

 

My best,

 

Dave

 

David Garvey, Ph.D.

Director

Nonprofit Leadership Program

Center for Continuing Studies

University of Connecticut

One Bishop Circle, Unit 4056

Storrs, CT  06269

Ph. 860-486-2574

Fax. [phone]

[e-mail]

Skype: david.garvey.uconn

http://continuingstudies.uconn.edu/professional/nonprofit

Member of the Nonprofit Academic Centers Council

International Host of the 2013 ARNOVA Conference on Nonprofit Research

 

* NGO refers to non-governmental organization, similar in mission to an American nonprofit.