Who should apply: Alumni of VIA’s social innovation or other programs, or graduate university students and professionals with at least a year of experience in social innovation education, mentorship, facilitation, or other relevant experience. Typically, Fellows have been from the US, mainland China, Taiwan, Japan, Thailand, and Myanmar, but participation is not restricted to specific universities or regions. All nationalities are welcome to apply.

In order to be eligible to participate in this program as a Fellow, you must:

• Be at least 18 years of age at the beginning of the program.
• Be able to travel to and remain on-site for the duration of the program (including on-site training).
• Be eligible to receive travel authorization to enter and remain in the United States for the duration of the program (including the on-site training), if applicable.
• Be able to provide proof of vaccination and/or health status required for entry to the US or re-entry to your home country that is in effect during your dates of travel. It is your responsibility to confirm which health-related regulations may apply to you.
• Be willing to undergo diagnostic tests if experiencing symptoms of a communicable illness considered serious by public health officials or if required for site visits by the host institution. A positive test or inability to meet requirements for a site visit may limit your ability to participate in program activities and/or may necessitate self-isolation during the program.
• Disclose any life-threatening or significant allergies, dietary restrictions, medical conditions or illnesses, and physical limitations as they relate to the program and listed activities.
• Maintain medical insurance coverage and provide proof of insurance to VIA prior to arriving on-site for the program.
• Be committed to attending all activities, both before and during the program, and participating fully.

Additionally, successful Fellowship candidates have:

• Strong organizational skills; ability to work independently and in a team
• Ability to serve as an effective bridge between program participants and VIA staff during the program
• Experience with past VIA programs and dedication to program goals
• An interest in training and supporting future changemakers
• Strong interest and/or experience working with social issues/social entrepreneurship in Asia
• Experience or strong interest in design thinking/social innovation
• Comfortable discussing complex issues in English; willing to promote the use of English during the program
• Experience or strong interest in designing and facilitating programs
• Experience with event planning and promotion, especially through social media
• Available for activities in the evenings and on weekends

• Design Thinking Facilitation: Design and execute 1-2 of the five stages of Design Thinking (Empathize, Define, Ideated, Prototype, Test) in a simple & easy-to-understand way for beginners. Facilitate 30-45 min. sessions on your own, or as a co-lead.
• Mentorship: Serve as a co-coach and mentor when participants come to you with industry specific questions that are related to your professional background and field of interest. Listen with intention, and share insights with the understanding that you are representing VIA’s core values as well as creating your own personal brand and reputation as a Fellow.
• Safety & Policy Enforcement: Serve as a role model by following the safety protocols and policies set forth by the Program Director and VIA. Fellows share responsibility in holding participants accountable for their actions; if you see anything harmful to an individual or the group as a whole, you are expected to prioritize the health and safety of individuals and the group over personal relationships with participants.

Promotion: Share and promote information with personal and professional networks where potential applicants can be reached. Some examples of outreach may include (but is not limited to) university alumni, current students, co-workers, community organizations, etc.

• Before the program

• • Weekly Zoom meetings with Program Director and other Fellows (60 min weekly calls) from the start of the Fellowship until the week before the on-site pre-program training.
  • Attend a pre-departure online orientation session (75 min.).
  • Assist with answering questions from participants from your local region regarding travel restrictions, best route of travel, logistical questions that may pertain to a specific country or region (to the best of your ability).
  • Attend the on-site training, and participate in all activities from morning until evening for the duration of the training. There is no time for outside meetups with friends or colleagues.

• During the program

• • Lead / co-lead energizers, design thinking sessions.
  • Provide support for participants; serve as the primary facilitator for teams (4-7 participants per team).
  • Act as a communication bridge between Program Director and VIA staff and participants; if participants have any difficulty bringing up issues directly.
  • Coordinate logistics, such as group food orders, restaurant reservations, Uber/Lyft transportation for smaller group outings, and reinforce any directions given by the Program Director regarding being punctual with meet up times.
  • Share photos and videos of program activities on social media throughout the entire program.
  • Participate in daily facilitation, team reflection, feedback, and planning sessions, during the entire duration of the pre-program training and the full program.

• After the program

• • Half-day wrap up ESI Team: Including but not limited to sharing feedback and documenting incidents in the ESI program report, and a 60 minute in-person Fellow off-boarding session with the Program Director. 
  • Follow up with ESI alumni, share a blog post on VIA website, and/or social media posts on personal platforms (IG, FB or LinkedIn). 
  • Optional: Share and present what you learned during the fellowship with your organization or graduate school, presenting to your organization or school, etc.

Professional Development

VIA supports the Fellows’ professional development and provides mentorship to strengthen their skills in:

• Presentations
• Leadership & Mentorship
• Program Facilitation
• Cross-Cultural Communication
• Team-Building and Development

Recognition of Achievement

Fellows will receive an official certificate of recognition upon successful completion of the Fellowship. We are also happy to provide letters of recommendation based on your performance as a Fellow.

Connections

Finally, Fellows come away from the program with lifelong personal and professional connections to VIA’s international network.

VIA is committed to providing an inclusive work and learning environment for applicants, participants, Fellows, volunteers, contractors, and employees. VIA does not tolerate discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, place of birth, citizenship, sex, pregnancy (including childbirth, breastfeeding or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression (including sex stereotyping), transgender status, age, religion or religious creed (including religious observances, practices, dress and grooming standards), physical, intellectual or mental disability, medical condition, family care or medical leave status, genetic information, AIDS/HIV status, marital or domestic partnership status, military service, veteran or military status, military caregiver status, status as a victim of domestic violence, assault or stalking, weight, height, criminal history (including arrests and records of conviction), political affiliation, position in a labor dispute, application or participation in a public assistance program, or any other characteristic or status protected by federal, state or local laws. Discrimination based on the perception of someone being in a protected class or affiliating with someone in a protected class is also unlawful.

Part 1: Personal Information

In this section, you will be asked to provide information about yourself, your contact information, and your educational / professional background.

Part 2: Professional Development Priorities

This is an experiential learning opportunity for both participants and Fellows, so we want to learn about the specific ways that you want to develop as a leader. In this section, you will be asked to share your expertise and/or interest in specific topic areas of the curriculum, as well as details about your general availability.

Part 3: Short Essay Responses

You may choose to respond to the essay questions in writing, or by making a video. If you make a video, you will be able to paste the link from Google Drive, Google Photos, YouTube, Vimeo, Wistia, etc. into your application. Please make sure the video permissions are set to allow anyone with the link to view.

• Your Goals – What excites you about this opportunity? What do you hope to gain from the position? What do you hope to contribute to the program or the VIA community as a whole?
• Participant Recruitment – Recruiting participants is a very important activity for this position, and begins as soon as Fellows are confirmed. The Fellows should be committed to helping build a cohort of high-potential changemakers who will help each other grow through the program. Please 1) list any experience you have with PR or organizing events AND 2) outline a short sample plan for recruiting – who would you approach, and how would you promote the program to them?
• Participant Support & Mentorship – This program will bring together a diverse community of participants with different cultural, academic, professional, and socioeconomic backgrounds, English abilities, and levels of familiarity with technology. In this environment, how would you support and engage participants during the program? What would you do if you noticed a participant not speaking up, leaving their camera and microphone off, or facing other challenges? Feel free to share any personal experiences you’ve had engaging in cross-cultural and/or virtual spaces.
• Working in a Team – The ideal Fellow is someone who is a team player. Describe a challenge you have had working closely with a group. What was the source of the difficulty and how did you respond?
• Time Commitment – Please share a little bit about any other commitments you might have, and how you would plan to balance them with your responsibilities as a Fellow.

Part 4: Resume (optional)

After the essay questions, you have the option to upload your resume as a .doc, .docx, or .pdf file (must not exceed 50 MB). 

Part 5: Photo & Bio

If you are selected as a Fellow, we will publish your photo and bio on VIA’s website and social media channels. To ensure we are able to publish in a timely manner, we request all candidates to submit their photo and bio along with their application.