Kennedy Academy for Students

General Details

This program aims to give 15 participants the chance to learn about leadership and civic engagement in Romania’s NGO sector, improve their communication skills in English and learn about democratic values that they can use to be active in the civic sphere.

Although the NGO sector in Romania has gained momentum since the fall of communism, the environment in which these organizations operate is still institutionally weak and suffers from a chronic lack of leadership skills.

Kennedy Academy for Students is dedicated to visionary and creative students who want to create tangible change in their organizations/communities. This requires not only passion, but also an understanding of the workings of civil society, the public system of which they are a part, and the nationwide interaction between and among these associations and other public institutions.

At the end of the program, students will have the chance to share their new knowledge with other students, colleagues and teachers and to put their own ideas into practice by carrying out local civic projects in their home organizations or communities.

Eligibility

The Academy aims to attract 15 young Romanian students aged 18-27, from both urban and rural areas, who are enrolled in bachelor, master or PhD studies and who are active members of civil society.

The competition is open to young people who meet the following cumulative conditions:
● have Romanian citizenship;
● are, at the time of registration, university students in any field, enrolled in bachelor, master or PhD, from rural and urban areas;
● are at least 18 years old and not more than 27 years old at the time of the start of the programme (14 Dec.2022);
● are enrolled in a Romanian student association (NGO);
● have at least an intermediate level of English language skills;
● are creative, civically engaged and have good academic results;
● demonstrate interest in the programme’s theme;
● are willing to organize at least one local civic project in January 2023;

 What kind of activities will you take part in?

The Academy is a mixture of workshops, speeches, discussions and institutional visits, all connected to democracy, community building and active citizenship.

Logistics

WHERE WILL THE SESSIONS TAKE PLACE?

The Academy sessions will take place in Bucharest. Exact location will be disclosed further on. This will also be the place where all the meals of the program will be served and where the accommodation facilities will be offered.

WHICH ARE THE ACCOMMODATION FACILITIES?

The participants will be hosted in Bucharest. Participants must accommodate at the selected location regardless of the fact that they already live in Bucharest.

DO I HAVE TO PAY FOR THE ACCOMMODATION?

No, the accommodation facilities will be fully covered by the organizers.

WILL ALL THREE MEALS BE INCLUDED?

Yes, breakfast, lunch and dinner will all be included in the program..

HOW COMPLEX WILL THE PROGRAM BE?

The Academy activities will usually begin every morning at 9 AM, with several types of workshops, simulations, and seminars. Each day will include a debriefing session to review and assess the day’s main themes, conducted together with the volunteers and partners. The activities will end around 9 PM. During the day there will be several coffee breaks and meals.

CAN I SKIP PART OF THE ACTIVITIES?

No, you are expected to participate in all the activities that the organizers have planned. However, in case of justified emergencies, we will accommodate for your situation.

IS THERE A DRESS CODE?

As for clothing, there will be a series of events such as the opening ceremony or the official visits to institutions that require a formal attire. Besides these activities, the outfit will be generally casual, suitable for both sessions and debates as well as for team building activities.

WHEN DOES THE ACADEMY END?

TBD

Q&A

WHO CAN APPLY FOR THIS PROJECT?

Persons eligible for this project must be Romanian students aged 18-27 enrolled in bachelor, master or PhD studies, who are active members of civil society. There are no restrictions on city of origin, faculty profile, grades etc. All applicants must be enrolled in a Romanian student association (NGO) and are required to have a medium conversational level in English, considering that part of the program will be held in that language. However, most of the activities will be held in Romanian.

DO I HAVE TO BE A HARD-WORKING STUDENT OR DOES MY EXTRACURRICULAR / NGO EXPERIENCE MATTER THE MOST?

Both educational and extracurricular activities are relevant to the selection of participants and they are of equal importance. Participating in student scientific communication sessions, publishing academic papers and having good academic results are worth being mentioned in your application. At the same time, volunteering, having a job, participating in training programs, workshops and other non-formal education activities, as well as being an active member in a student-run NGO can be important and even decisive for the selection of participants.
The application and recruitment interview will be conducted in English. Please complete the full English signup application.

WHAT ARE THE COSTS OF THIS PROGRAM?

All costs of the Academy are fully covered by the organizers, through sponsorship from the part of the US Embassy in Bucharest.
No participation fee is requested for the selected persons.
Accommodation and meals will be covered and they do not involve any costs on the part of the students.

Transportation will be fully refunded upon request, if applicable and if participants will ask that due to financial reasons.

CAN I COMPLETE MY APPLICATION IN A WORD DOCUMENT AND SEND IT BY E-MAIL OR EVEN MAIL?

Absolutely. If you do not have access to Internet, the form does not work properly, or it is simply easier for you to submit your application in a Word document, complete it on your computer or by hand and send it either in digital or print format.

The way the application is completed and sent will NOT be considered as a criterion for differentiation during its evaluation.

DOES MY ACADEMIC PROFILE COUNT?

Clearly no. You can attend a faculty in the field of social sciences or mathematics, this element does not affect in any way the evaluation of the application or the possibility of being selected. This detail is purely informative.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I FIND OUT THAT I HAVE BEEN SELECTED BUT I CAN NO LONGER PARTICIPATE BECAUSE OF PERSONAL REASONS?

In the unfortunate case in which you have already been selected, but you will not be able to attend the event anymore, we will ask you to notify us by phone or email as soon as possible to ensure that the free seat is offered to another applicant with a very good application. Lack of participation in the program does not entail any financial or any other obligation, except to announce as soon as possible, preferably until the 2nd of December the latest.

CONTACT

Iuniana Mîndru, Program Coordinator

Email address: bucharest@americancouncils.org