Recruitment Process and Eligibility Criteria for Armenian Participants
Online Application for Armenian Students
BRIEF DESCRIPTION of THE PROGRAM
Youth LAB (Leadership Across Borders) program is funded by the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, Turkey, and implemented by PH International offices in Vermont and Yerevan, in cooperation with
Ari Movement in Turkey. Youth LAB is a program to foster leadership and cross-cultural understanding among Turkish, Armenian, and American youth. The sixteen-month initiative will bring together 75 young activists – 25 students ages 16-18 from each country – to discuss solutions to global and local issues.
Below the key activities of the program are presented:
- Online activities exploring themes of leadership, multiculturalism, youth culture, volunteerism, community service, global and local issues, concepts of identity, and tolerance
- A two-week camp in the U.S. in July 2011, following by a one-week homestay experience in American host families
- A 4 month period for applying new leadership skills and partnerships through joint projects in local communities after return home
- In December 2011, a 10-day visit of Armenian and American students to Turkey and Armenia, with one American and one Armenian student housed in a Turkish participant’s home during the Turkey visit and one American and one Turkish student housed in an Armenian participant’s home during the Armenia visit
- Online interaction for joint design of cross-border and/or local community projects, and implementation of the designed projects
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
Secondary school students from all regions of Armenia are encouraged to apply if they:
- Are citizens and residents of Armenia throughout the entire program duration
- Will be aged 16-18 during the program, with a graduation date from secondary school no earlier than June 2012 (students are eligible if they are 15 at the time of selection, but are turning 16 prior to June 30, 2011, before the Vermont camp starts)
- Have functional skills of written and spoken English language necessary for participation
- Have enough computer and Internet literacy to work on technical tasks beyond basics
- Have semi-regular access to computers and the Internet in one’s home, school and/or community
- Time and ability to commit to all program activities and requirements, including full participation during exchange periods
- Have obtained their parents’/guardians’ written consent on the Youth LAB program activities and conditions and agreement of their child’s participation in this program
- Have obtained their parents’/guardians’ written permission given to the donor or program implementers for the possible promotional use of their child’s photo, name, or products developed by the child during the program.
Personal Characteristics and other Factors mentioned below will also be considered:
Candidates should:
- Have strong academic record and expressed support from school representative
- Be team-oriented and able to work collaboratively
- Be open to working with peers from other countries
- Have demonstrated leadership capacity and commitment to peer mentoring
- Have commitment to improving one’s community through the dissemination of information and ideas
- Willingness to engage in community service activities and outreach projects
- Willingness and flexibility to live in an American family during the U.S. exchange visit and in a Turkish family (ideally, with one American student) during the Turkey exchange in December 2011
- Potential to host one American and one Turkish student in a brief home stay in December 2011
SELECTION PROCESS
The selection of Armenian youth participants will be undertaken by a committee, comprised of PH International staff, representative of the U.S. Embassy, Public Affairs Section in Armenia, and one independent expert. The selection process will be comprised of 2 phases: review of applications and face-to-face interviews with short-listed candidates. Along with the semi-finalists, their parents will also be invited to the face-to-face interviews.
Please, be informed that only shortlisted applicants will be notified of the results of the 2 selection phases.
APPLICATION PACKAGE
Only accurately completed applications submitted on time will be considered. A full application package consists of the following completed documents:
(a)One Recommendation letter should be from a teacher or school official. The other should be from a community member, such as the director of a community organization, a local government official, or a volunteer coordinator at a community organization. The letters should focus on your maturity, intercultural experience, involvement in the community, and leadership activities. Recommendations from family members, friends, or close personal acquaintances are not accepted.
(b) English translation should be provided with the completed original forms if the latter are provided in Armenian. Translations without Notary authorization are accepted. Participants are encouraged to translate Armenian versions.
Recommendation Forms (in Armenian)
(Relying on the Armenian translations provided for support, the English copies of the forms should be signed)
4. “Personal Release Forms” signed by the applicant and his/her parents/guardians. This form provides permission for the possible use of their child’s photo, name, or products produced by the child during the program, to be used by the donor pr program implementers on relevant website, promotional materials, program reports and in the media.
“Personal Release Forms” (in Armenian)
(Relying on the Armenian translations provided for support, the English copies of the forms should be signed)
ATTENTION: The Armenian translation of all abovementioned documents are provided only as support to parents and other people (teachers, community members, etc.) who do not know English but will be assisting you throughout the application process (giving recommendation forms, signing release forms, etc). Only the English version of the application documents mentioned above need to be completed, signed and submitted.
APPLICATION SUBMISSION - WHEN, WHERE & HOW
Deadline for the submission of Armenian candidates’ application packages is 7PM Yerevan time, February 1, 2011. Finalists will be informed of the panel’s decisions by February 15, 2011.
Application packages may be submitted in two options - online submission or in hard copy.
- If you choose to submit online, please, visit the following link: http://www.ph-int.org/youthlab/application/arm/
- If you choose to submit your application package in hard copy, then you need to submit it in 2 copies, one of which should be the package of original documents. You need to submit the packages by the mentioned deadline, at the following address:
PH International – Armenian Filial
Paronyan 8/8 Str., Yerevan, 0015
Cell: (+374 93) 42-25-39
Tel: (+374 10) 53-86-76; 53-67-83
53-82-57(ext. 103)
To: Mariam Martirosyan
Armenia Country Director
Program Coordinator for Youth LAB
mariam.martirosyan@ph-int.org
ATTENTION:
Please, contact the program staff with your inquiries and questions only throughout 9:30am-6:30pm, Monday-Friday.
Yerevan office of PH International is closed and program staff unavailable throughout Dec. 25, 2010 – Jan. 09, 2011. Due to this, hard copy application packages cannot be submitted during the mentioned days. You can submit your applications before or after that, as long as you manage to submit it by the set deadline:
7PM Yerevan time, January 31, 2011.
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