GLC Professional Fellows Program

COVID Heroes is a book of successful stories during the pandemic, and showing of appreciation for all our Professional Fellows alumni that yearn for transformation within themselves and across communities”.

The impact of the pandemic and all the challenges that we are faced with as part of our communities has us all made to shift into thinking and acting in distance, exploring innovative approaches to spark changes, while also taking care of one another.

Read COVID Heroes here.

The Professional Fellows program is a two-way exchange involving 30 professionals from five selected European countries and 15 mentors from the United States who will effect positive change in their communities. U.S. mentors will share their professional expertise with fellows of this program in the United States and travel for a two-week reciprocal visit to assist their fellow on his/her 6-9 months individual project plan implementation, provide consulting and joint workshops. European and U.S. participants share experiences and promote mutual understanding and partnership between professional groups in the United States and counterpart groups in the selected European countries.

We invite professionals from any region of Albania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia to apply for participation in a 42-day fellowship in the U.S.A. We encourage submissions by professionals who are actively involved in programs related to citizen participation and advocacy (NGO/civil society development), civic education organizations, citizen advocacy groups, community activists and/or community organizers who work with marginalized or rural communities. The overall goal of the program is to provide a professional development opportunity for mid-level emerging leaders; create a forum for American and foreign participants to collaborate and share ideas and strategies; and build a global network of professionals able to work effectively in an interconnected environment.

The program is funded by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Office of Citizen Exchanges, Professional Fellows Division and is organized by Great Lakes Community Action Partnership — Great Lakes Consortium for International Training and Development (GLC) from northwest Ohio, in collaboration with Co-Plan in Albania, Pro European Network in Bulgaria, Civil College Foundation in Hungary, CERE in Romania, and Center for Community Organizing in Slovakia and other local partners in the United State of America and selected countries in Europe.