Message-ID: <3420223E.177A516F@nervm.nerdc.ufl.edu> Date: Wed, 17 Sep 1997 14:32:33 -0400 From: Martin McKellar <mailto:wid1@NERVM.NERDC.UFL.EDU> Subject: (no subject) To: mailto:INTDEV-L@URIACC.URI.EDU
Information about the WorldWID Fellows ProgramProgram Description
WorldWID is a one-year international development fellowship for mid-career professionals with technical skills that can be applied to U.S. foreign assistance programs, and who are interested in increasing their knowledge and capacity to incorporate Gender-and-Development (GAD)
issues in their applied work. The program is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to the University of Florida (UF) and is for U.S. citizens.
Applicants for a WorldWID fellowship must demonstrate how their professional and personal skills have prepared them to assist in the implementation of U.S. development assistance programs in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Russia and the Newly Independent States. WorldWID is especially interested in skills that relate to USAID's strategic concerns with: economic growth; democracy and governance, including human rights; environment; girls' education; and population, health, and nutrition.
The WorldWID fellowship year consists of a period of training and orientation followed by placement in a USAID field mission. The program
matches applicants' skills with requests from different missions and USAID-funded programs. Participation in the program also requires that Fellows receive a Secret Clearance from the United States government.
Program Components
- A Training and Orientation Program in Gainesville at the University of
Florida and in Washington, D.C. Using a participatory framework, trainers engage Fellows in learning methods for gender analysis and their application in the field of Women-in-Development (WID) and GAD. Fellows
also learn about USAID as an institution and an institutional culture. In preparation for a field assignment with USAID, Fellows are introduced
to the institutional, sectoral, and country-specific issues that will assist them in developing a Scope of Activities or work plan. During the
part of the program that takes place in Washington, D.C., Fellows meet with key persons within USAID and other agencies who can provide information and support for Fellows' field assignments.
- Following the Training and Orientation Program, WorldWID Fellows report to a USAID Mission abroad, or, in some cases, to USAID in Washington, D.C., for a Field Assignment. Although most placements require a full-year of
program participation, WorldWID staff will try to accommodate those who cannot devote that long to the fellowship. The minimum time for participation is seven months, including the Training and Orientation Program. The Field Assignment gives the Fellow an opportunity to provide technical assistance to USAID Missions, Bureaus, and programs using gender analysis skills learned in training. Fellows implement a Scope of Activities developed with USAID and the WorldWID Program Director during the Training and Orientation component of the Fellowship.
- WorldWID is interested in expanding and supporting the cadre of technical experts who can use a gender analytical lens in their work. To enhance the long-term institutional impact of WorldWID, we request that applicants demonstrate institutional support for their participation in the fellowship and provide an "action plan" that explains how they will integrate, at home in the U.S., the experience and knowledge gained through the program.
Goals of the WorldWID Fellows Program
The goals of the WorldWID Fellows Program are to build a cadre of U.S. technical specialists who can facilitate in the incorporation of gender issues into the development programs of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID); to meet requests for gender analysis assistance in specific technical areas; and to expand the human resources available in other U.S. institutions for those efforts.
Through training in WID/GAD and gender analysis, individualized study, group learning, orientation programs, and field assignments, WorldWID Fellows will:
- increase their ability to translate WID/GAD concerns and gender analysis into their specific areas of technical expertise;
- gain a better understanding of the cultural and bureaucratic realities
that affect the incorporation of gender interests into policy initiatives and planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation on the ground; and
- be able to more effectively integrate WID/GAD into the activities of their home institutions and professional associations.
The Application and Selection Process
In order to more effectively meet Mission needs and communicate with applicants for the fellowship, we have recently changed our application process. Please note these changes to our earlier communications.
Application Criteria: Applicants for WorldWID must demonstrate that they
meet the following requirements:
1. Proof of U.S. citizenship; 2. Availability to participate in the program for a minimum of seven months, preferably for the full one-year fellowship; 3. Ability to demonstrate how her/his technical training and experience relate to USAID's priority concerns with economic growth; democracy and governance, including human rights; environment; girls' education; and population, health, and nutrition. (Successful applicants are usually considered mid-career to senior professionals.) 4. In cases where the applicant is responding to recruitment for an advertised field placement, s/he should also demonstrate how s/he meets the specific requirements of that placement, including educational and professional experience, language ability, and overseas experience.
Additional criteria that will enhance the applicant's chances but are not required to be selected for the Applicant Pool are: 1. institutional support for her/his participation in the fellowship program; 2. previous international work experience; and 3. proficiency in a foreign language.
Application Procedures: Those persons wishing to apply for a WorldWID Fellowship should contact the WorldWID Program Office at the University of Florida (contact information below). In their communication, they should indicate that they meet the required criteria for selection and request an Application Packet. Applicants should indicate whether they are applying for the January or the June Training Groups (see explanation below).
Selection Procedures: We will notify those who send us an Application Packet whether they have been selected for our Applicant Pool within one
month of receiving the completed application. The Applicant Pool will remain active for one year after selection.
Those persons selected for the Applicant Pool will be classified into two groups: the January Training Group will consist of applicants who have some prior experience with WID or GAD issues. The June Training Group will consist of applicants who have no significant prior experience in WID or GAD issues. In most cases, those applying for the
January Training Group will be evaluated on the basis of how well their qualifications match specific requirements of current USAID Mission/Bureau requests. Those without prior WID/GAD experience will more likely be selected for our June Training Group and may not have a field placement prior to their entry into the program.
At times, WorldWID may initiate a Special Recruitment for a WorldWID Fellow who has WID/GAD experience and who will go through an individualized and abbreviated training program in order to meet a particularly urgent Mission request. In these cases, we will review our
applicant pool and first contact those who might be qualified.
Those persons who are invited to participate in the program become Provisional Fellows, and remain provisional until they are given a Secret Clearance by the United States government. In most cases, the Training and Orientation Program will begin before the clearance process
is completed. In all cases, the WorldWID Program cannot guarantee a particular field placement but will try to best match Provisional Fellows' skills and preferences with Mission needs.
Timing of Invitation to be a Provisional WorldWID Fellow: We will review
those in our Applicant Pool on an on-going basis as we receive requests from field Missions. Final Deadline for the January Training is December 1, 1997. Final Deadline for the June Training is April 13, 1998. In some cases, applicants may be invited to be provisional fellows before our final deadlines for the January and June Trainings. Therefore, it is definitely to the Applicant's advantage to submit the Application as quickly as possible.
Timing of WorldWID Fellowships: The 1998-1999 WorldWID Fellows will begin participation in the program in January or June of 1998. Tentative dates of the Training and Orientation Program are January 26 through February 14, 1998 (January Group), and June 11 through July 25, 1998 (June Group). Fellows are expected to depart for their field assignments approximately two weeks after the closure of the Training and Orientation Programs. The maximum participation for the entire fellowship is one year; the minimum is seven months.
What WorldWID Provides to Fellows
- Stipend: A monthly stipend of $2,500. - Travel: Domestic (U.S) airfare for participation in the Training and Orientation Program. International airfare to the field assignment, and
some other reimbursable costs associated with participation in the program. - Medical Insurance: Up to half of the cost of the Fellow's current medical insurance (the other half must be paid for by the Fellow or his/her home institution or organization). - MEDEX: WorldWID will provide insurance which covers emergency situations including medical evacuation during the field assignment of the fellowship. - Housing: During the Training and Orientation Program in Gainesville and Washington D.C., housing will be provided by WorldWID. A food allowance, based on State of Florida guidelines, will also be provided during this time.
Please Note: WorldWID does not cover housing or food costs during the field assignment. However, depending on length of stay and living costs
in a particular location, Fellows may receive a partial reimbursement for some housing costs during their field assignments.
Who Are the WorldWID Fellows?
In the recruitment and selection process: As of October 1997, WorldWID has placed 17 Fellows in the field. As a group, WorldWID Fellows are highly diversified by profession, areas of technical expertise, country of field assignment, and personal experiences shaped by race/ethnicity, and gender. We aim to diversify the cadre of WID/GAD experts by targeting under-represented professional and social communities and organizations in our recruitment efforts. Our selection process is based on matching applicants skills and experiences to current and potential USAID requests.
In the field: The following is an introduction to past and current WorldWID Fellows, noting their professions, field placements, and primary focus during the field assignment. - An environmental activist/planner from the Virgin Islands is working on USAID's global environmental policies. - An attorney in employment law and a member of Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights is in Uganda working on micro-lending and democratization programs. - Founder of the international human rights organization, Equality Now, and an attorney, this Fellow assisted USAID in Nepal in assessing legal and judicial strategies for women's empowerment. - A sociologist with the Women's Bureau of the U.S. Department of Labor is working on women's political participation with USAID El Salvador. - A public policy analyst with a reproductive health organization is assisting indigenous women's organizations in Guatemala in poverty alleviation programs. - A water engineer from an arid region of the Western U.S. is assisting a Jordanian non-governmental environmental organization with water conservation programs. - A nutritionist and university professor is working in Egypt on nutritional education programs for adolescents, highlighting the needs of adolescent girls. - An anthropologist is working on environmental policy in Panama. - A political scientist and university administrator is working on a global assessment of women's political participation in transitional countries.
- A community development activist from the West Coast is working to address gender issues in USAID's programs with Russian non-governmental organizations. - A university-based health communications specialist is in Romania developing communications programs for advocating women's reproductive rights. - An anthropologist is in Nepal involving men in campaigns to lessen violence against women in families. - An agricultural economist and extension specialist will assist USAID in Peru in efforts to develop income strategies that are alternatives to
coca production. - An attorney with the National Women's Political Caucus will assist USAID Malawi in programs that address women's legal rights and judicial reforms. - A scientist and university professor is working on social and biological indicators for environmental monitoring in Madagascar. - An educational specialist is working in Egypt on programs for girl's education. - A public policy and recycling expert is assisting USAID in Honduras on
addressing women's participation in public works programs.
Contact Information for the WorldWID Fellows Program
WorldWID is a program of the Office of International Studies and Programs and the Center for Women's Studies and Gender Research at the University of Florida and is funded through a cooperative agreement with
the United States Agency for International Development, Bureau for Global Programs and Field Support, Office of Women in Development.
Persons interested in more information and application material should contact the WorldWID Fellows Program at the University of Florida.
For general information and applications:
WorldWID Fellows Program Office of International Studies and Programs 123 Tigert Hall / P.O. Box 113225 University of Florida Gainesville, FL 32611 Tel: (352) 392-7074 ; Fax: (352) 392-8379 E-mail: mailto:wrldwid@nervm.nerdc.ufl.edu Web Page: http://www.datexinc.com/worldwid/
For information about field assignments: Dr. Martin McKellar WorldWID Recruitment Tel: (352) 392-9386 E-mail: mailto:wid1@nervm.nerdc.ufl.edu (other information is the same)
The WorldWID Consortium
WorldWID has established a consortium of cooperating institutions to implement the program. Members of the consortium and their WorldWID representatives are:
Dr. Lona Cobb Bennett College 900 E. Washington St. Campus Box 25 Greensboro, NC 27401- 3239 Tel: (910) 370-8690
Mary Lou Surgi Center for PVO/University Collaboration Western Carolina University Bird Building Cullowhee, NC 28723 Tel: (704) 227-7494
Ms. Barbara Rossmiller Datex, Inc. 7799 Leesburg Pike Suite 1150, North Tower Falls Church, VA 22043-2143 Tel: (703) 903-9300