The University for Peace - Women's Empowerment Exchange Program

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Women's Empowerment Exchange ProgramMe

Para el volante informativo en Español, haga click aquí >>

The University for Peace (UPEACE) and the University of Connecticut’s (UConn) Global Training and Development Institute (GTDI) have joined together to create an empowerment program for women to address economic development, environmental, and health issues facing indigenous and Afro-descendent regions in Costa Rica.

The program, funded by U.S. Department of State, aims to promote mutual understanding between Costa Rica and U.S. professionals and provide them with skills and knowledge on women’s empowerment and becoming effective leaders for social change by using a social entrepreneurship model.

This multi-year, 2-way educational and cultural exchange program will provide Fellowships to 20 young professionals (split into 2 cohorts of 10) from Costa Rica, as well as 20 young professionals from the United States working for government agencies, civil society organizations, women-owned businesses, healthcare agencies or educational institutions working in the areas of health, economic development or environmental sustainability.

Description of the Programme

The program will be implemented over the course of 2 years, with the first cohort of fellowships taking place in 2012 and the second cohort in 2013. The fellowships include the following components:

4-week U.S.-based exchange (April - May);

Activities

Workshops with focus on significant historical events, women social entrepreneurs and time periods in American history
2-week internship at best practice non-governmental and civil society organizations (hosted by the organization of a U.S. fellow)
A visit to New York City (Rockefeller Center, Ellis Island, Time Square) and Philadelphia (Independence Hall, Liberty Bell)
4-day Professional Fellows Congress, in which approximately 250 Professional Fellows from 50 countries will participate.
Educational travel to visit model women empowerment programs
Cultural exchanges with women’s rights organizations

6-week online distance learning course on Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Social Change (May – June)

2-week Costa Rica-based exchange (August)

Activities

Workshops with focus on significant historical events involving the evolution of the rights of women and indigenous and Afro-descendants in Costa Rica
1-week fellowship with a Costa Rican organization (hosted by the organization of a Costa Rican fellow)
Visits to women empowerment groups
Site visits to projects in indigenous and Afro-descendant regions
Visits to places of cultural and historical significance

During the period between the U.S. and Costa Rican-based exchanges, Costa Rican and U.S. fellows will collaborate in teams in a dynamic online environment to plan for the implementation of 10 team-based social change projects to be located in indigenous and Afro-descendent communities in Costa Rica. These small projects will be supported by mini grants and will empower women to address a variety of health, environmental sustainability and economic development issues.

Program Participants

Costa Rican Fellows
The selection process for the Costa Rican Fellows is competitive and merit-based. Selected individuals are up-and-coming and mid-level professionals employed by government agencies, civil society organizations, women-led businesses, healthcare agencies or educational institutions. All Costa Rican Fellows are committed to effecting positive change in their workplaces and communities and developing a long-term engagement between their home organizations and foreign counterparts.

Requisites for participants:

To be a woman of Costa Rican nationality between the ages of 24 and 40
To be willing to conduct a small social change project (funded through a mini-grant) in an indigenous or afro-descendant Costa Rican community
To demonstrate proficiency in English
To be familiar with the use of computers and internet
To demonstrate experience or desire to work with women’s empowerment projects
To have the possibility to travel to the U.S. for one month, participate in the Costa-Rican based exchange for two weeks, and to be involved in the implementation of a social change project

U.S. Fellows
U.S. Fellows are professionals from the U.S. government and civil society organizations where the Costa Rican Fellows are placed in their 2-week internships. These participating U.S. organizations conduct their business operations in industries relative to each Costa Rican home organization. The U.S. Fellow candidates demonstrate a commitment to women’s empowerment and participate in activities in both U.S. and Costa Rica-based exchanges.

Outcomes

Upon completion of their fellowships, program participants have achieved the following outcomes:

Developed enhanced tolerance and worldview of both U.S. and Costa Rican culture and people.
Shared the lessons-learned from the program with their schools, workplaces and communities.
Developed enhanced knowledge of how to use innovation, entrepreneurship and business techniques to foster social change
Developed enhanced knowledge of collaborative leadership
Established of a cross-border professional network, institutional relationship or professional community of practice

For more information on Empowering Women through Social Entrepreneurship or the University for Peace, please contact wep@upeace.org or contact Laurel Gaylor at +506 2205 9006.

Click here to access the application form >>

Click here for the informative flyer in English >>

Click here for the press realease >>