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Open Competition

Building Women Leadership Competencies

Hope Fellowship Program

Join us to explore how to most effectively discover your leadership potential

HF seeks to strengthen and promote women in positions of leadership in civic and public life at the community and national level by increasing women’s participation in state creation processes and build a cadre of women professionals that will initiate projects and advocate for promoting good governance in Kosovo.

The National Albanian American Council / Hope Fellowships Program are pleased to announce the open competition for the Women Leadership Program the Diplomacy & Democracy group to begin April, 2012.  Up to twelve fellows will be selected from each in this merit-based competition. 

Deadline for application submission is Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 5:00pm.

Who should apply

We seek women leaders from:

·         Local and Central Government,
·         The Kosovo Assembly
·         Political Parties,
·         Women leaders from non-governmental organizations and
·         Private sector
·         Professionals currently serving as mid to high level managers positions in a department or agency
·         Media who are active and cover the field of diplomacy, democracy or public policy.

Eligibility requirements

  • Should be over the age of 25, but under the age of 45.
  • Minimum three years professional experience in advocacy, public policy, legislature, executive, local government, judiciary, human rights, political processes, think tank, foundations, and media.
  • University degree.
  • Proficiency in written and spoken English for participation in and interaction with associates in U.S. work environment.
  • Ability to begin the in-country program on April, 2012 and Washington Leadership Program on June 23, 2012.

Applications can be downloaded at www.naac-hf.org or received in our office at Hope Fellowship Program Office, str. Sejdi Kryeziu 5, Qyteza Pejton, Prishtine 10000 (in front of the Norwegian Embassy Building). Office: 038 609 220; email: acerabregu@naac.org.

Application Form in Word Application for Diplomacy&Democracy – Deadline Feb 15, 2012
Application Form in PDF Application for Diplomacy&Democracy – Deadline Feb 15, 2012

Join us to explore how to most effectively discover your leadership potential

Where do participating fellows come from?

The program targets women leaders between the ages of 25-45, throughout all sectors of society in Kosovo (for example: local and central Government, the Kosovo Assembly, political parties, civil society and the private sector. Special attention and effort is made to include women leaders from ethnic minorities.

Though the focus of the Washington Leadership Program (WLP) continues to be on women, we try to include qualified men into other components of the program such as dialogues and leadership initiatives. We recruit participants equally from central and local government, the Kosovo Assembly, political parties, civil society and the private sector.

Many women leaders (in government institutions at the central and local levels, assembly and political parties) are faced with leadership and reform management deficiencies. Through participation in our program, women enhance their efficiency, effectiveness and accountability and that of the institution.

From civil society, we focus our recruitment efforts on women in the following categories: professional associations, local NGOs and local community women leaders, businesswomen or entrepreneurs. We are targeting leaders from professional associations because they often lack knowledge and skills about how to use advocacy tools to represent their interests to government and build partnerships which will ensure their participation in policy development.

Building on our successes of minority recruitment in the previous phases of our program, NAAC continues to work with our local partners to recruit participants from all ethnic communities represented in the countries where we work. We aim to have 30% of our participants be from non-Albanian populations.

What does the program look like and how do participants benefit?

The program offers opportunities for women to explore and develop their leadership capacities and expertise through trainings, active research, creative initiatives, dialogues and group work. Giving back to communities and their respective institutions is a core value of the program vision that the participants are encouraged to follow.

The program includes in-country trainings, workshops on applying practical knowledge gained from the trainings and the Washington Leadership Program which contains activities such as: research site internships, trainings, Congressional Shadow Day, etc. .

Who can apply?

We are seeking participants who have the following characteristics:

  • Women leaders from local and central government, the Kosovo Assembly, political parties, civil society and the private sector. Women currently serving as the head or director of a department or agency
  • Demonstrated leadership potential
  • University graduate
  • Fluent in English
  • Genuinely supportive of women’s leadership and of leading work cultures that value the participation of women
  • Committed to improving the government and providing better services to citizens
  • Open-minded and curious about new leadership practices

What commitments does a fellow need to make?

NAAC-Hope Fellowship’s leadership theme is “giving back.” Our vision of a leader is someone who works as an activist to effect positive change in their community. We are seeking excited applicants who share our vision and demonstrate a willingness to join a group of diverse individuals in Kosovo committed to creating a new democratic government and a new model of leadership in Kosovo and the region.