Host families sought for Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative

The Center for Innovation is partnering with the Grand Forks Region Economic Development Corporation (EDC) to support the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) sponsored by the US State Department and coordinated by the University of Montana Mansfield Center. This program brings together emerging leaders for intensive fellowships designed to broaden their professional expertise in their respective industry sectors.  Launched in 2013, YSEALI consists of bright young leaders aged 18-35 years from the Southeast Asia region and engages young Southeast Asian professionals from Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Timor Leste, Thailand, and Vietnam. The YSEALI program has two components. The first aspect is an business/organization placement to improve fellows’ leadership capabilities and professional skills in order to effect change in their home communities and countries.  The second component of their fellowship is a home-stay, cultural experience for their visit in their host city.

We need six (6) host family placements for the YSEALI fellows coming to Grand Forks, ND from May 1 – 25.  Host families have a huge impact on the fellowship experience and is often one of the most meaningful part of the program for the visiting scholars.  What are the expectations of being a host family?

• Take an interest in the work and fellowship experience of your fellow.
• Each fellow is expected to have his/her own room (unless they share a room with individual beds with a second YSEALI fellow)
• Have access to the internet at their home stay location.
• Invite them to participate in activities in your household and with your family such as meals, chores, cooking, family events, religious services, cultural experiences, etc.  Fellows are given a stipend of $10/participant/nights to assist host families with groceries, laundry, and to pay for small outing costs.
• Facilitate helping with transport to events and/or their work placement (to include using the city bus, walking routes, and/or car pooling options.

If you are interested in volunteering as a home stay family for one or more of the YSEALI program fellows in May please reach out to me by email or phone (my contact information is below) as soon as possible.  It is vital to secure home stays for our 6 fellows in the next week or two so we can introduce you to the fellow via email and/or over Skype prior to their arrival in Grand Forks.  This is an exciting opportunity to extend a warm North Dakota welcome to a scholar from Southeast Asia in May.

Amy A. Whitney
Director, Center for Innovation
University of North Dakota
Ina Mae Rude Building, Suite 100
4200 James Ray Drive, Stop 8372
Grand Forks, ND 58202
O: 701 – 777- 6987
amy.whitney@und.edu  │ innovators.net