The Community Solutions Program (CSP) is a year-long professional leadership development program for people who are working to improve their communities by addressing issues related to the environment, peace and conflict resolution, transparency and accountability, and women and gender. Community leaders will be selected to participate in the program that includes:
- Four-month fellowship in the United States: Community Solutions fellows are matched with host organizations throughout the U.S. where they complete a four-month, hands-on professional experience
- Community Leadership Institute: Community Solutions fellows participate in the Community Leadership Institute, a leadership training program designed to strengthen their leadership and management skills. The Institute includes face-to-face trainings, online courses, professional coaching, and networking.
- Community-based initiatives: While in the U.S. and with the support of their U.S. host organization, Community Solutions fellows design and plan a community development initiative or project to carry out after they return home. Once the fellows depart the U.S., they put these projects into action in their home communities
Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for the Community Solutions Program, applicants must meet the requirements listed below. Applications that do not meet these eligibility requirements will be disqualified and will not be reviewed by the selection committee.
- You are between the ages of 26 and 39 as of January 1, 2024
- You are a Singapore Citizen
- You are living and working in Singapore
- You have at least two years of experience working on community development, either as a full-time or part-time employee or volunteer
- You are not currently participating in an academic, training, or research program in the U.S.
- You have a high level of proficiency in spoken and written English at the time of application. Semifinalists may be required to take or submit recent scores for a TOEFL or IELTS English language test
- You are available to travel to the U.S. for four months from August to December 2024
- You are not a citizen or permanent resident of the U.S. and have not applied for U.S. permanent residency within the past three years
- You are committed to returning to your home country for a minimum of two years after completing the program
Note about COVID-19:
IREX intends to implement the Community Solutions Program in-person in the United States from August to December 2024. IREX, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, will continue to monitor the COVID-19 pandemic and will adjust program implementation accordingly. Ensuring the safety and well-being of CSP participants, partners, and communities is and will continue to be IREX’s highest priority.
Program Benefits
The program covers the cost of most expenses associated with:
- J-1 visa support
- Round-trip travel from participants’ home city to the U.S.
- Monthly allowance to cover housing, meals, and other living expenses while in the U.S.
- Accident and sickness insurance
- Competition Schedule
Accessibility Resources
The CSP team provides a range of disability support to fellows, beginning with the CSP application process through the end of the fellowship. Examples of disability support services and accommodations include:
- Application Process:
- Screen reader friendly application
- Captioned and pre-recorded video interviews
- In-Person:
- Mobility assistance devices as needed
- Sign language interpreting
- Live captioning and transcripts for in person and online courses
- ADA accessible rooms for in-person events
- Software such as JAWS
- Community assistance and community training
Competition Schedule
- October 5, 2023: Application opens
- November 1, 2023 (11:59 p.m. EST): Application deadline
- November 2023: Semi-finalist interviews
- January – February 2024: Finalists and alternate candidates are identified
- March – April 2024: CSP finalists and alternate candidates take English language tests as needed
- June 2024: Pre-departure orientation for selected CSP fellows
- August 2024: CSP fellows travel to the U.S.
- January – June 2025: CSP fellows complete their community-based initiatives in their home countries
Application Instructions
Detailed application instructions can be downloaded by the link below. Please review the program requirements prior to starting an application to ensure that you are eligible. Please note that eligibility requirements are determined by the U.S. Department of State and exceptions cannot be made. If, after reviewing the application instructions, you have additional questions, please e-mail cspapply@irex.org.
The deadline to apply is November 1, 2023 (11:59 p.m. U.S./ EST)
Application Resources: