2. About the Program
• Funding and Management
– ECA
– IREX
• Fellowship Provisions
• Program Requirements
– U.S.-based
– Home country based
• Expectations
3. Community Leadership
Institute
• What is the Community Leadership Institute?
• Community Leadership Institute (CLI) Components
1. Pre-Departure Orientation
2. Welcome Orientation
3. Practicum at Host Organization
4. Online Community Leadership Institute
5. Virtual Mid-Program Conference
6. End of Program Workshop
7. Follow-on Community Development Projects
4. Work Planning
The work plan is…
– Collaborative
– A tool to guide your practicum
– Based on leader goals and host
expectations
– Includes specific tasks related
to your work at your host
organization
– A road map for your follow-
on project
– A living document
5. Summary & Test Your
Knowledge
• Keys to Program Success
– Understanding fellowship provisions
– Completing program requirements
– Actively participating in all program
components
– Setting expectations
– Planning
• Test your Knowledge Quiz
Editor's Notes
Welcome to the 2013 Pre-Departure Orientation! We look forward to meeting you in person this August. This Pre-Departure Orientation, also know as PDO, was designed to provide you with more information about the program and to help prepare you for your upcoming travel.The PDO consists of 6 audio sessions and an online scavenger hunt to help you become more familiar with the Online Community Leadership Institute that you will use throughout the course of the program. Each session will have a discussion board where you can post questions, and a section containing additional resources to help you prepare for your fellowship.This is the Program Overview session of your Pre-Departure Orientation. I am XXX and I will be guiding you through this session. If you have any questions regarding the session’s content please post them to the session discussion board and an IREX staff member will reply as soon as possible. The purpose of this session is to give leaders an overview of program requirements, to discussthe expectations the program has for each leader, clarify for leaders the role IREX plays in the program, and to provide a clear overview of the 7 components of the program.
Management and Funding: The Community Solutions Program is a program of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, also know as ECA, of the U.S. Department of State and is implemented by IREX. ECA fosters mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries around the world through a wide range of international exchanges. IREX is an international nonprofit organization providing thought leadership and innovative programs to promote positive lasting change globally. We enable local individuals and institutions to build key elements of a vibrant society such as quality education, independent media, and stronger communities. Fellowship Provisions: Through generous funding from ECA, your fellowship provides: J-1 visa support, round-trip travel from your home city to your host organization in the United States, a one-time $200 baggage allowance, leadership training through the Community Leadership Institute, professional development and networking opportunities, accident and sickness coverage, a monthly living allowance, a $200 professional allowance, and acceptance into the State Department’s elite alumni network should you complete the program requirements successfully. The complete list of fellowship provisions can be found in your participant terms and conditions agreement.Program Requirements:In order to complete the program successfully you must satisfy a series of U.S-based and home country based program requirements including: a four-month U.S. based fellowship from August 5, 2013 through December 5, 2013; complete this Pre-Departure Orientation; attend the Washington, DC based orientation; participate in the Online Community Leadership Institute; participate in a full-time (35 hour per week) practicum at a U.S. host organization; participate in the Virtual Mid-Program Conference; participate in an End of Program Workshop in Washington, DC; submit follow-on project plans and program reports by program deadlines; and complete a follow-on project in your home country community from January – June 2014. The complete list of program requirements can be found in your participant terms and conditions agreement, and these requirements will be covered in more detail later in the Pre-Departure Orientation.Expectations: IREX and ECA are committed to providing you the support you need to successfully complete your program. IREX has designed the Community Leadership Institute training curriculum and is arranging personalized host placements for leaders tailored to their experience and goals. Throughout the course of your program IREX will provide coaching, mentoring, and timely advice, support, and guidance on fulfilling program components. IREX will also facilitate communicationbetween leaders and hosts, and program logistics including program-related travel,assisting in emergency situations, and answering financial questions.Now that you know what to expect from IREX, you should also know what is expected of you as a leader. It is expected that leaders complete all program requirements and comply with all program policies. Leaders are also expected to report significant changes to IREX including but not limited to: change of personal or work address, change of personal or work contact information, change in work schedule, and plans to travel. Leaders should also report difficulties with work, illnesses, and circumstances preventing continuation of the program to IREX.
The Community Leadership Institute is the heart of the Community Solutions Program; it is the leadership training that each leader undergoes during the program. It includes in-person and online training modules as well as the practicum experience with a hosting organization. IREX’s Community Leadership Institute, also know as the CLI, is a structured leadership learning experience that combines self-study, group trainings, personal mentoring, and online discussions with substantive practical experience gained through working at an American organization. All Community Solutions Program leaders will participate in the CLI.The CLI is broken down into seven components:1. PDO: The Pre-Departure Orientation that you are participating in now is your first step toward completing the Community Leadership Institute and is intended to lay the foundation for a successful program and to prepare leaders for their upcoming travel to the U.S. The PDO covers several topics, including a review of the program policies, important information on international travel to the U.S., and an overview of American culture.2. Orientation: The next phase of the Community Leadership Institute will take place upon your arrival to the U.S. From August 5-9th, all 2013 leaders will participate in the Welcome Orientation, in Washington DC. During the orientation your leadership training and thematic area learning will officially begin. This year’s session topics will include networking strategies, leadership styles, life outside of the work place and more. We also will have a series of thematic area panel and roundtable discussions that will allow you to engage with area experts. In addition, orientation will afford us the opportunity to get to know one another, review program expectations in more depth, and to see a bit of Washington, DC as well.3. Practicum: The practicum at a U.S. host organization is an essential aspect of the Community Solutions Program. At your host organization you will gain hands on experience and have the opportunity to put into practice your leadership learning. The most important part in determining where a leader is placed is how well his or her professional experience and interest matches up with a particular organization. IREX looks closely at your goals, skills and experience and finds a relevant organization that has the capacity to engage you in their activities and has projects that will provide you with a hands-on learning experience. The practicum at a U.S. host organization will begin immediately following the orientation in DC. On August 9th leaders will travel to their respective host communities. If you do not know where you are headed yet don’t be alarmed! We are working on finalizing host placements now and should be notifying you soon with more information regarding your host organization and community. This year, as in years past, we expect to have leaders living all over the U.S. including California, Texas and New York to name a few. Please note that requests to change your host organization placement at any time during the placement process or during the fellowship will only be considered under emergency circumstances.At your host organization you will be assigned a Host Supervisor that you will report to throughout the duration of the four-month U.S. fellowship. Host Supervisors will provide leaders with day-to-day guidance on work at the organization. Each leader also will be assigned to a Community Mentor. Community Mentors will either be an employee of the host organization or a member of the local community, and will help leaders adjust to their new surroundings, offer insights on local community leadership issues, and assist with logistics as needed (such as helping leader find housing). 4. Online CLI: The Online Community Leadership Institute, also known as the Online CLI, is a compliment to your host experience and where the majority of your formal leadership learning will take place. The Online CLI is a platform that allows for program communication and announcements, as well as thematic area discussions and presentations. At the heart of the Online CLI are the leadership courses that all leaders are required to participate in. All leaders must take the required set of core courses, and must enroll in and complete three other course tracks to fulfill program requirements. During this Pre-Departure Orientation you will have the opportunity to enroll in the Online CLI courses that are of most interest to you. You can view the full course syllabus via the Online CLI under the “2013 courses” tab. Please note that if you complete each track successfully you will receive Continuing Education Credits and a course certificate from George Mason University.5. Mid Program: At the midway point of the four-month fellowship, leaders will participate in a mandatory Virtual Mid-Program Conference that will include discussions and lectures on important leadership topics and feature thematic area experts. Leaders will access the Mid-Program Conference via the Online CLI. IREX will communicate with your host supervisors so that they know you will require time during the work week to participate in the event, which takes place over the course of the second week of October. Please check the Online CLI schedule for exact dates and mark your calendars.6. End of Program: The End of Program Workshop is the culminating program event that takes place in the U.S. Leaders will participate in the End of Program Workshop in Washington, DC from December 2-5, 2013 prior to departing for their home countries. Leaders will have the opportunity to share their professional development experiences at their host organizations, and finalize action plans for follow-on projects that they will implement upon return to their home communities. Leaders will also participate in a networking event that will offer an opportunity to showcase their follow-on projects and work back home. Leaders must return to their home countries immediately following the End of Program Workshop on December 5. 7. Follow-on Projects: Planning and implementing follow-on community development projects is a program requirement. Through the planning and implementation of follow-on projects leaders are able to put into practice newly gained skills from the program. Project design occurs throughout the program, starting at Orientation. Leaders will work together with their hosts, IREX and each other to refine their project ideas and turn them into actionable plans for implementation. To the extent possible leaders should collaborate closely with their host supervisors on project planning and implementation. IREX is also a great resource for feedback, so feel free to consult with us when you have questions about your project. Follow-on projects should be designed to serve your home community, be related to your CSP thematic area, and should be implemented during the 6 months following U.S. departure between January and June of 2014. Please note that neither host organizations nor IREX will provide funding for follow-on projects, but that competitive grants for technical assistance from hosts are available. We will discuss follow-on projects and the host grant, Partnering for Stronger Communities, in further detail at Orientation.
The host experience is designed to be a mutually beneficial one that is collaborative and beneficial for both the host organization and the leader. Prior to arriving in the U.S., leaders and host supervisors will work to develop and submit a work plan for the leader’s time at the organization that outlines the leader’s role, duties and responsibilities, and any major deadlines during that time. After one month of working with the host organization, leaders and hosts will revise the work plan together and add in more detail for the remaining three months of the fellowship. This document must be submitted to your IREX point of contact.A work plan template can be found in the resources section of this course. If your host placement has already been finalized I encourage you to follow-up with your host supervisor to discuss your work plan, with a particular focus on the first month, so that expectations are set prior to your arrival. Creating the work plan should be a collaborative process to ensure that both leader and host needs are met.The plan is a living document that can be updated as needed, but will provide guidance for your work, engagement with your host organization, and follow-on project planning. More detailed information about the work plan will be provided to you at the Welcome Orientation.
We’ve now come to the end of the Program Overview session of the Pre-Departure Orientation. I hope that after completing this session you have a better understanding of the major aspects of the program and the keys to succeeding on CSP. Understanding and living within your fellowship provisions, actively participating in and completing program requirements, setting goals and expectations for yourself and your CSP experience, and planning with your host and IREX will all contribute to your success. Thank you for completing this first step in the 2013 Pre-departure orientation! Please take the next few minutes to complete this first session by completing the “Test Your Knowledge” quiz on the content of this CSP Overview session. You can access the quiz on the “test your knowledge” tab of this session. Once you have completed the short quiz please take a moment to post any questions you may have about this session to the discussion forum. All questions posted to the forum will be answered shortly by an IREX team member. The next Pre-Departure Orientation session is the Introduction to the Online Community Leadership Institute.
