Coordinated by the Northern Nevada International Center in partnership with the Action Bénévole pour la Citoyenneté & le Développement
A Program of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State and the United States Embassy Algeria
Written application period: October 7-November 5, 2022
Video interview period: November 17-December 4, 2022
Program description
The Youth Leadership Program with Algeria is a leadership development opportunity for Algerian and American youth, ages 15-17. This cultural and academic exchange will take place in Reno, Nevada and Washington, DC from July 10-August 2, 2023, with an orientation in Algiers from July 7-9, 2023.
The program will employ an interactive approach both in workshops and in a range of public and community settings. Through engagement in the activities, youth and adult participants will better understand civic participation, the rights and responsibilities of citizens in a democracy and the role that social enterprises play in a community. The program is highly academic and provides participants with the skills to complete a required post-program service project in their local communities.
The program is comprised of an intensive training schedule that includes highly academic workshops, project planning, teambuilding activities and cultural components. After the completion of the U.S. based program, participants are required to complete a post-program service project in their local communities. Participants can expect to be in programming sessions from a minimum of 8:00 am – 5:30 pm. Some days include programming from 8 a.m.–9 p.m. View the sample calendar.
Please note: The safety of participants and our communities is our number one priority. In-person exchange on the dates noted above is contingent upon the stabilization of the pandemic, the easing of travel restrictions and the safety of travel. In the case that travel is not possible on these dates, the program may be held at later dates or virtually.
Eligibility
Youth who are eligible to apply are those who:
- Are a legal citizen of Algeria
- Will be either 15, 16 or 17 years of age on July 7, 2023
- Have demonstrated English skills, sufficient for understanding academic discussion and everyday social interactions
- Have at least one year of high school remaining after the program. If you are selected as a semifinalist, you will be required to submit an original high school transcript and a school certificate to verify that you have at least one year of high school remaining. We will also contact your school to verify your enrollment status, so be sure to provide current contact information for your school.
- Have demonstrated leadership in their schools and/or communities
- Have interest in the program themes of social entrepreneurship, leadership and project development and would like to participate in academic classes and do work to develop in these areas
- Have permission from their parent(s) or legal guardian to participate in the entire program
- Do not have a familial relation to the Northern Nevada International Center, their Algerian partner Action Bénévole pour la Citoyenneté & le Développement, or the U.S. Department of State
- Have not traveled to the United States on a Department of State exchange program within the last three years
Algerian youth application instructions
The application consists of two (2) parts: an online Written Application and an online video interview. Please note that only those who submit complete Written Applications will continue to the video interview portion of the application. All parts of the application must be completed entirely in English. The information you provide in the written and video portions of the application will be used to select semifinalists for this program. Please read all instructions and answer all questions carefully and completely. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
Part one: Online written application
Follow these steps to complete the online written application by 11:59 pm (GMT +1) on November 5, 2022
- Print, complete and scan the following documents. These must be uploaded to your online application:
- Letters of recommendation: two (2) typed and hand-signed letters of recommendation, written in English on the letter of recommendation template.
- Signature page: One (1) hand-signed 2023 Algerian Leadership Program youth participant signature page.
- See the sample signature page
- Note: Both you and your father or legal guardian must hand sign this form. Names typed on a computer will not be accepted. By signing the 2023 Youth Leadership Program with Algeria Signature Page, you are certifying that all of the information on your application is true and correct. If there is any false information in your application, you will be disqualified from the program and will not be eligible for any Department of State or U.S. Embassy exchanges/programs in the future.
- Complete the personal information and essay questions asked on the online application, upload the two required letters of recommendation and the signature page, and submit your application by 11:59 pm (GMT +1) on November 5, 2022. Note: You can access the application to view the information required multiple times, but once you begin to fill out the form, you cannot save your answers to go back later. Therefore, you must complete and scan the two (2) Letters of Recommendation and the Signature Page before filling out the application.
2023 ALGERIAN YOUTH LEADERSHIP PROGRAM YOUTH PARTICIPANT APPLICATION
Please note the following:
- Letters of Recommendation CANNOT be written by a family member. This will result in your application being rejected. We highly encourage having your letters of recommendation written by a professional reference such as a teacher, mentor, coach, etc. who knows you well and can speak to your leadership skills and character.
- Your recommendation letters must be written by two DIFFERENT people and hand signed. Your application will be incomplete if you upload two copies of the same letter or if they are missing hand written signatures.
- Your application will be incomplete if any pages of the letters of recommendation or signature page are missing. It is a requirement of the application that ALL pages of the signature form and letters of recommendation be uploaded. Your application will be rejected if all pages are not uploaded with your application. Please check the documents you upload carefully.
- When completing the written application, provide an answer in all fields marked with an asterisk (*) on this electronic form. Please use academic language and edit your answers as if you were submitting a final draft of a school assignment. Please note the word count minimums noted in the application. If your application does not meet these requirements, it will be considered incomplete.
The application questions and the required documents must be completed and submitted electronically by 11:59 pm (GMT +1) on November 5, 2022 for your application to be considered.
Part two: Video interview
Follow these steps to complete the video interview between November 17–December 4, 2022:
The link to the video interview is only available through a personalized link that will be emailed to you on November 17, 2022.
- If your online Written Application is found complete and you meet all eligibility standards, you will be emailed a link to the Video Interview portion of the application on November 17, 2022. The Video Interview is not live; you will record and submit your answers, so you can complete it anytime between November 17 and December 4, 2022. Please start the video interview process as soon as possible in case you experience technical difficulties and need support. We cannot extend the Video Interview deadline due to technical difficulties.
Note: The deadline for the Video Interview portion of the application is NOT November 5, 2022. This is only the deadline for the online Written Application. The deadline to submit the Video Interview is December 4, 2022.
- Completely answer the two (2) video interview questions in English. You will have two (2) attempts to answer each question (if you don’t like your first answer, you can re-record once).
Note: You will need strong, stable internet access to complete the video interview. You must use a computer that has Internet Explorer or Google Chrome as a browser. The computer you use must have a camera and microphone that you can access for the interview. Please make sure to complete the interview in a quiet environment where you will be able to hear the questions asked and the selection panel will be able to clearly hear your answers.
Your 2023 Algerian Youth Leadership Program application will only be considered complete once you have submitted both the online application and the video interview application by the indicated deadlines.
Incomplete applications will not be considered.
- Deadline for the online Written Application: November 5, 2022
- Deadline for the Video Interview: December 4, 2022
