QUICK OVERVIEW
Event Title: The 2022 IDEAL Workshop
Anticipated Event Dates: March 25-29, 2022
Anticipated Mentor Training Dates: March 23-25, 2022
Link to Application: https://bit.ly/30k5nDm
Mentor Application Deadline: January 4, 2022
THE 2022 IDEAL WORKSHOP
Identify challenges. Develop a better understanding. Establish plans. Act. Lead by example.
American Councils for International Education is seeking experienced professionals to serve as mentors for the 2022 IDEAL Workshop, a personal and professional development program for alumni of the FLEX and YES programs. To be selected as a mentor, one must demonstrate experience as a teacher, trainer, and/or facilitator with expertise in one of the following areas:
- Mental Health – including but not limited to what mental health is; how to maintain one’s mental health; how to deal with common mental health concerns; how to help someone struggling with mental health concerns; how to promote more openness and understanding regarding mental health in our communities; particular focus on anxiety, depression, and trauma requested
- Public Health and Public Opinion – including but not limited to exploring the impact of stigma, misinformation, gossip, and other social behaviors and mores on public health issues such as the COVID-19 pandemic and reproductive health and safety
- Environment – including understanding current environmental concerns and impacts on society (particularly in the SEE region), as well as practical tools and approaches for environmental protection, advocacy, and activism
The event is planned to take place in Bansko, Bulgaria, March 25-29, 2022, preceded by a mandatory, on-site preparation period for mentors March 23-25. If the ongoing pandemic prevents the event from being held in person, it will be organized online, with the exact format and timeline to be agreed upon.
Each mentor will receive an honorarium of $650. All accommodation and travel costs are fully covered.
ELIGIBILITY AND POSITION REQUIREMENTS
IDEAL Workshop mentors, working primarily in pairs, will design and implement approximately 14 hours of training content related to one or more of the topics listed above for small groups of 12-18 alumni of the FLEX and YES program in Southeast Europe from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Greece, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia. Mentors will also support participants in implementing one project during the workshop that engages the local community, if the conditions of the pandemic allow. In addition, mentors will assist American Councils staff in leading introductory, team building, and project design programs. All activities will be conducted in English.
In order to be considered for a mentoring position, a candidate must:
- Be an alumna/us of any U.S. Government-sponsored exchange program, such as FLEX or YES, or be currently engaged in any U.S. government-sponsored programs in the region, such as Peace Corps or Fulbright
- Be from, or currently reside in, one of the participating countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Greece, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, or Serbia
- Have demonstrable training, expertise, and experience in one or more of the areas listed above (Mental Health, Public Health, or Environment)
- Have past teaching or training experience and the ability to develop a training curriculum on one or more of the topics listed above
- Have exceptional English language skills
- Be available to work (virtually) with a co-mentor to prepare a training program between January and March 2022
- Be available to attend and actively participate in both the workshop and pre-workshop training in Bulgaria for the entire period March 23-29, without interruption from outside obligations
- Be flexible to adapt to a virtual platform such as Zoom should the circumstances require
APPLICATION GUIDELINES AND SELECTION PROCEDURE
Link to Application: https://bit.ly/30k5nDm
Before starting the application, candidates are encouraged to prepare the following:
TO ENTER IN THE APPLICATION FORM
- a short professional biography of maximum 150 words written in the third person, as in the following example:
- Megan holds a PhD in Communication from Arizona State University and has taught over 40 university courses on communication and leadership over the course of seven years. She has also held multiple workshops for teens and young adults related to public speaking, decision-making, and leadership. As a teacher, Megan aims to equip students with the tools necessary to advocate for themselves and their communities by practicing speaking in and outside the classroom. She is passionate about researching and implementing literacy programs around the world as she believes digital and civic literacy are the most important 21st century skills. Before working internationally, she launched several civic literacy programs and raised more than $1M in grant support at the Center for the Future of Arizona.
- a short overview of background and experience related to the chosen theme (environment, mental health, public health)
- a short description of any experience as a mentor or trainer, regardless of relevance to the specific themes of this workshop
- a short statement of motivation for applying to be a workshop mentor
- the names, titles, email addresses, and phone numbers of two references who could speak to the candidate’s suitability for this role
TO UPLOAD AS ATTACHMENTS
- an outline of a 12-hour program divided into six two-hour sessions, including planned topics, activities and methods for implementation, and outcomes anticipated for each session, having in mind that the program should develop a group’s understanding of the selected topic, inspire them to appreciate its importance, and motivate and prepare them to share what they learn with others (PDF or Word document)
- a current resume or CV (PDF or Word document)
- a headshot (portrait) photo that exhibits the candidate’s personality (JPEG or PNG)
Mentors will be selected by a panel of evaluators based on application materials, interviews, professional background, and experience. Interested candidates must complete and submit the online application, including all supporting documents requested, by January 4, 2022, at 11:59 PM CET. Only those candidates selected for interviews will be notified.
For questions, please contact Aziz Hreljic at ahreljic@americancouncils.org and Rebecca Strattan at rstrattan@americancouncils.org.
