Message-ID: <MAC.960207102935@maine.maine.EDU> Date: Wed, 7 Feb 1996 10:29:35 EST From: "Dennis McConnell - UMaine, U.S.A." <mailto:mac@MAINE.MAINE.EDU> Subject: AVID Volunteer and Host-Organizations Opportunities To: Multiple recipients of list DEVEL-L <mailto:DEVEL-L@AMERICAN.EDU>
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Volunteer and Host-Organization Opportunities
American Volunteers in International Development (AVID) Program
National Forum Foundation
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The National Forum Foundation is actively seeking applications
from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Central and Eastern
Europe to host its American Volunteers in International Develop-
ment (AVID) program. NGOs applying from the following countries
will be given particular priority: Albania, Bulgaria, Czech
Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Poland,
Romania, and Slovakia.
The AVID program is a successful technical assistance initiative
which transfers technical and managerial expertise to emerging
democracies in the former East Bloc by providing hands-on, prac-
tical advising. Through this program, the NFF recruits, selects,
and sponsors qualified American professionals to work side-by-
side with their professional counterparts. The AVID program was
formally launched in June 1992 after a short pilot program.
AVID volunteers are doers - they provide practical know-how
which, typically employed over an average six-month timespan,
produces tangible results.
The AVID program is driven by applications submitted by prospec-
tive host organizations in emerging Central-Eastern European
democracies. These applications outline the type of advising
needed by that organization as well as the skills and expertise
required of a volunteer; advisors may provide assistance in
financial management, fundraising, strategic planning, volunteer
management, and/or program development. Applications are reviewed
and prioritized by the foundation using a range of criteria.
Priority is given to those potential host organizations whose
activities have an especially large impact on the region's polit-
ical and economic development. Non-governmental organizations
whose activities impact upon public policy in the are as of
democratization, economic development, environmental protection,
and social safety net development are particularly encouraged to
apply.
The foundation also seeks qualified volunteers who can meet the
professional training needs requested by the prospective host
organizations. In order to participate, volunteers must have a
minimum of two years of professional work experience and stand
ready to commit to between 3 months (minimum) and one year
(maximum) of service in the emerging democracies. The foundation
provides volunteers with transportation and housing costs. In
addition, the NFF can provide an expense stipend based on local
living standards. Since its inception, the AVID program has
placed in host organizations in cities such as Bishkek, Bratisla-
va, Budapest, Bucharest, Chisinau, Kiev, Krakow, Krasnoyarsk,
Lviv, Minsk, Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, Prague, St. Petersburg,
Sofia, Szeged, Tallinn, Uman, Vilnius, Warsaw, Wroclaw, and
Yekaterinburg. Almost half of these organizations have been NGOs.
For more information and application materials about this and
other NFF programs, please contact the addresses below. Specific
programmatic questions should be directed to Mr. Peter Erickson
at the NFF's Washington address.
National Forum Foundation -- Washington
511 C Street, NE,
Washington DC 20002
phone: (202) 543-3515
fax: (202) 547-4101
email: mailto:nff1@aol.com
National Forum Foundation - Budapest
Menesi ut 18
1118 Budapest
HUNGARY
phone/fax: (36 1) 185-3108; 185-0985
phone: (36 20) 445 167
e-mail: mailto:nff@nff.hu
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