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 FLEX alumni organize a wide range of activities in various spheres that meet the goals of the FLEX Alumni Program. Activities that meet the goals of the program and have been successfully undertaken are outlined below and have been divided by category. The range of alumni activities is not limited to those mentioned below and alumni are free to undertake new projects as long as they meet the program’s goals. Alumni of other U.S. Government programs may also be invited to participate in FLEX alumni activities. Joint activities have several benefits. FLEX alumni are able to meet and network with older professionals in their city. Combined events allow a budget for large activities to be divided among several programs. Also, alumni from other programs often have access to sponsors or other resources that can improve the quality of FLEX alumni activities.
GOALS OF THE FLEX ALUMNI PROGRAM
- FLEX participants will acquire an understanding of important elements of a civil society including volunteerism, respect for rule of law, etc;
- FLEX participants will show a willingness and a commitment to serve as agents for change in their countries after they return home;
- FLEX participants will develop an appreciation for American culture;
- FLEX participants will interact with Americans and generate enduring ties;
- FLEX participants will teach Americans about the culture of their home countries.
MOST POPULAR ALUMNI ACTIVITIES
COMMUNITY SERVICE
Many alumni organizations have developed annual fundraising events, including benefit dinners, auctions, and concerts, through which they seek contributions from businesses and individuals to support organizations, which serve needy people. Each year since 2000, alumni in Kyiv, Ukraine have raised thousands of dollars funds to support institutions such as the Kyiv Regional Oncology Center, and most recently the International Clinic of Rehabilitation for Children with Cerebral Palsy. Tajik alumni organized a Valentine’s Day charity party in 2009 to raise money for the Hissar Center for Children with disabilities. In 2006, FLEX alumni in Lviv, Ukraine, joined with alumni of the UGRAD Program to organize the Race for Children, a 46-day marathon road race through Ukraine to raise funds and awareness for maternity hospitals in Lviv. They attracted corporate sponsors and publicity for the unique event.
Clothing, Toy, Book, and Canned Food Drives: Many alumni have experience organizing a variety of "drives," having been involved in them at school or in church youth groups in the U.S. Drives are good projects because time and money commitment is not large, the activity can easily be carried out in cities without American Councils offices, and all program alumni can be encouraged to spread the word and make donations. In May of 2009, FLEX alumni in Kyrgyzstan collected over $5,000 worth of clothing by simply asking the vendors at a clothing market to donate items for orphans and the residents of a local nursing home. Their efforts clothed children at six orphanages and the residents of a nursing home. An excellent way to celebrate Global Youth Service Day (GYSD), Earth Day, or just spend a nice summer day outside - clean up projects. From cleaning up garbage at a local park to organizing the community to clean the entire city, FLEX alumni have tried it all. In celebration of GYSD 2009, alumni across Eurasia held eight park clean ups and four tree planting events over the weekend of April 24-26. From the Shail district of Azerbaijan where alumni cleaned trash from the shores of the Caspian Sea to the St. Petersburg Hermitage Museum, where alumni picked up trash and prepared the grounds for planting of May holiday flowers, alumni celebrated GYSD 2009 with a splash. All hubs have been very active working with orphanages, schools for children with disabilities, and other internats. Traditional fall and winter projects included organizing holiday parties (Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s) with children. In addition to parties, though, alumni have helped make a variety of improvements at orphanages and schools. Many have begun English language programs and have helped the orphanages improve their libraries, and sports equipment supplies. In 2009, in conjunction with the year-long 15th Anniversary Colors of FLEX initiative and International Children’s Day, alumni in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan held projects with children with disabilities. In Dushanbe, Tajikistan alumni paid a visit to an institution for the deaf, to discuss the FLEX program, make origami, and create collage portraits. Seven hundred kilometers to the west, in Bishkek, a team of FLEX alumni hosted a concert for 35 children affiliated with the Association of Parents of Disabled Children. Alumni in many cities visit senior citizen's centers to entertain and assist residents. They also raised funds to purchase needed medications and other equipment. The Tajikistan cities of Khorog, Dushanbe, Khujand, and Kurgan-Tube took part in the 2005 GYSD project Serve a Meal for the Elderly, where FLEX and UGRAD Program alumni cooked the national dish "plov," prepared salads, and served food and beverages to 300 elderly people. In 2006, Ashgabat alumni organized a Rap contest/concert, through which they raised funds to purchase an air-conditioner for a retirement home in their city. Peer education programs on the threat of HIV/AIDS infection have been an important program direction for FLEX alumni across Eurasia. Alumni in Ukraine, where infection rates have been especially high, have developed a number of creative approaches to the topic. Lviv hub alumni conducted an HIV/AIDS Awareness for Life Project, which involved distributing 1,200 ribbons symbolizing the fight against HIV/AIDS throughout Lviv as part of World HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. With the spread of Avian Flu throughout the world, alumni in Azerbaijan made tens of school presentations about the causes and dangers of the virus and means of prevention. Encourage alumni to consider issues that are specific to his/her community and nation. In conjunction with the year-long 15th Anniversary Colors of FLEX initiative, which highlights the multi-faceted aspects of the alumni program, including the color purple, representing Aiming High for Disabled, alumni have held a number of projects aimed to promote awareness of disability, and underscore that disabled persons have equal rights. In celebration of the International Day of Disabled Persons, alumni assisted disabled children in participating in different games, such as basketball, involved them in tournaments, and had them watch music and dance performances. Kyrgyz alumni organized a spring concert and exhibition of unique artwork of children from boarding schools, and other schools for disabled. Finally, in May alumni in Moldova together with Peace Corps volunteers and representatives of the World Bank assisted with the Special Olympics where 60 children with mental and physical disabilities from various centers around the country played soccer and other team sports.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Alumni in many cities hold Career Day events, to which they invite professionals who offer advice about finding jobs and working in specific industries. This is a good event for cross-program cooperation, as alumni of other U.S. Government exchange programs can be invited to share their professional expertise. As the FLEX alumni community grows older, senior FLEX alumni are advancing professionally and hold high-level positions in commercial, government and non-governmental sectors. Inviting older alumni to share information about their academic and career paths is an excellent way to keep them involved. Moscow alumni annually hold a Professional Development Week (PDW) for its alumni. Alumni took part in organized job tours to different companies in Moscow and in training seminars on career development. Popular topics include resume and cover letter writing, time management, and interviewing. Peace Corps volunteers, older alumni, and alumni of other USG programs also may be solicited to give such lectures. Alumni in Moldova held the second annual Business for Youth (BFY) program in 2009. BFY aimed to develop crucial business skills such as leadership, negotiation, planning, and presentation in a group of 25 university and high school students during the six-week program. Lectures can be held on a wide variety of topics, including current events, political and social issues, education or careers. Civic Education professors, Peace Corps volunteers, Fulbright scholars or American professionals working in alumni's cities are all potential guest speakers. Speakers may be alumni from other programs (Muskie, JFDP, TEA, Open World), as well as representatives of U.S. Embassies and Consulates. Speakers from a local NGO can make a monthly meeting more interesting. Azerbaijan alumni held weekly lecture series together with the "OL!" Youth Movement (OL-AYM). Alumni and local students learned about topics ranging from Voodoo Economics to European conventions in Azerbaijani courts and the Upper Karabakh Conflict. Alumni can assist at educational fairs put on by local Education Information Centers by describing the American educational system and their experience on an educational exchange program. Alumni in Turkmenistan assist in annual educational fairs, held in many cities throughout the nation. This is a great opportunity for alumni to learn about educational opportunities and advertise the FLEX program. American Councils and the U.S. Embassy to Azerbaijan have developed the Exchanges to Internships program, which gives alumni the opportunity to compete for part-time paid internships in public service at various government ministries. This program, which was launched in 2005, is funded by Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy and is implemented in cooperation with Azerbaijan government ministries. In 2009, 13 alumni took part in the program.
CIVIC PARTICIPATION
Local and regional debates can be a good way to engage alumni from outside the hub city. Alumni from the Central Asian countries of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan organized two regional debate tournaments aimed at developing Central Asian partnerships in 2008 and 2009. The debates covered topics of regional importance, such as the existence of the CIS, a Central Asian energy and gas partnership, and increasing cultural awareness about neighbouring countries. Such events develop alumni's debating skills, strengthen the alumni communities in the participating countries, and give alumni a clearer view of their neighbours. Many alumni use materials produced by the International Debate Education Association IDEA. Information is available at www.idebate.org. Elections offer alumni a good chance to get involved in the political process. In recent years alumni have been recruited to assist election monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe by working as translators and assistants. Several alumni have worked as mission delegates. In 2007, nearly 30 alumni were hired by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights. With elections in Armenia several observation missions with thousands of observers travelled to Armenia to ensure the compliance of elections in OSCE participating States in line with OSCE commitments, other international standards for democratic elections, and national legislation. By registering as an NGO, an alumni association can solicit funds for its projects from sources, which would otherwise normally be closed to them as an unofficial club. Registering as an NGO also gives alumni the opportunity to learn about laws concerning NGO registration. Most recently alumni in Lviv registered their alumni association. Model UN events, in which participants participate in simulation games, based on the work of the United Nations General Assembly, Security Council, International Court of Justice and other councils and commissions, are becoming more and more popular. Azeri alumnus Nijat Akhmadov '08 was awarded a FLEX Alumni Grant in 2009 for his Model UN Imishli Project. Together with active alumni in Baku, the alumnus held a series of professional development trainings, including one on the history of the UN to prepare them for a Model UN simulation game in their city.
ENGLISH LANGUAGE / AMERICAN CULTURE
Alumni throughout Eurasia hold English language classes, discussion clubs, and summer language camps for community members. Often times, alumni work together with their local U.S. embassies and their English Language Offices and Peace Corps volunteers to develop English programs. In 2006 and 2007, alumni in Armenia, in collaboration with international organizations working in Yerevan, and American University of Armenia (AUA), put on the English language plays She Stoops to Conquer and The Matchmaker. The $1,350 raised from ticket sales and donation was donated to the International Child Development Center and the Department of English Programs Experimental English Classes at AUA. Movie nights are often used in many cities to attract alumni to events and reinforce English-language skills. In 2009, alumni in Tajikistan held charity English language movie nights. The proceeds from the event were used to sponsor International Children's Day events for the children from the orphanage with whom alumni work. Alumni are generally eager to give presentations about their on-program experiences at local schools. Such presentations are especially effective in early fall as a precursor to FLEX Round 1 testing. These are great events to hold during International Education Week, November 16-20, 2009. English teachers often like to use FLEX alumni presentations to supplement their lessons. In exchange for making such presentations, schools are often willing to let alumni use school facilities for other events.
SOCIAL EVENTS
Alumni activities cannot be purely social, but a social activity can be melded with another function that meets alumni program goals or can be used as a reward for those alumni who contributed significant time and effort toward the organization of an alumni activity.
To engage recently returned alumni and integrate them with senior alumni, associations hold welcome back picnics. Moscow holds its annual picnic at the U.S. Embassy dacha. Other hubs use their picnic as an annual meeting to review the previous year's events, set the schedule for the next year, and elect regional alumni officers. Sports are a supplement to other alumni activities and can be a good way to draw alumni of all ages into the club on a regular basis. In the past St. Petersburg, Dushanbe, and Lviv all had basketball teams that meet frequently, while Baku had a very popular soccer team. With great success alumni in Turkmenistan have held annual ultimate Frisbee tournaments between alumni of different cities and active American Corner visitors. Alumni successfully combine the celebration of a holiday with community service work by holding the holiday celebration at an orphanage, for example. Even purely social events can have a community service element to them. The admission fee for the Christmas party in Kyiv was a donation of candy. Alumni had over 12 pounds of candy to hand out to children at the
orphanage where they volunteer.
GLOBAL YOUTH SERVICE DAY
Beginning in 2004, FLEX alumni have organized a variety of community service projects across Eurasia to celebrate Global Youth Service Day (GYSD). American Councils is also a member of the GYSD International Coordinating Committee. In 2010, this weekend long event is schedule for April 23-25. GYSD matches the goals of the FLEX program by encouraging community service and youth leadership. The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs offers alumni the opportunity to apply for matching grants in amounts up to $500 to conduct projects. In this way, alumni also raise funds locally to promote a spirit of volunteerism and fundraising. In 2009, alumni in over 24 cities organized a variety of outstanding small and large-scale projects.
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