U.S. Consulate General Chennai: Exchange Alumni Workshops

Based on funding availability, the U.S. Consulate General in Chennai will engage a Recipient organization to implement the following activities in close coordination with the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Consulate General Chennai (PAS Chennai):

  Plan, design, organize, execute, promote, and report on four separate alumni-led workshops in South Indian cities on themes including:

  a)      Women in STEAM: This workshop will review the evolution and advancement of women in scientific research and innovation, and explore policies of organizations that champion the interest of women in science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics (STEAM).  The workshop will outline the demonstrated positive benefits derived from women’s involvement in the design, engineering, and implementation of scientific research and innovation. The workshop will impart skills required for networking with professional counterparts at scientific academies, associations, universities, businesses, and agencies and will examine public/private partnerships designed to accelerate learning in STEAM subjects, especially for women from diverse backgrounds. The grantee and PAS Chennai will collaboratively identify IVLP alumni from recent cohorts to serve as key resource persons (trainers).  The grantee the alumni resource persons will collaboratively develop content of the workshop, and submit it for approval to PAS Chennai. Participants will include men and women educational administrators, teachers, students, industry representatives, scientists, and policy makers.  The grantee will promote the “Women in STEAM” message and U.S. government and alumni STEAM advocacy via mainstream and digital media engagement in English, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam, languages.     

  As an outcome, the grantee will create and share an online “Women in STEAM” resource guide, translated into Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam, which includes resources identified before and during the workshop,  available U.S. educational resources and opportunities, key workshop take-aways, and a follow-on action plan (to include a blueprint public information campaign) for industry, academic, policy makers and other stakeholders.  The grantee will socialize this guide with educational, cultural, and scientific organizations, think tanks, human resource departments of public and private organizations, and relevant government authorities in cooperation with PAS Chennai and other concerned stakeholders.

  b)      Safety, Inclusion, and Equality:  This workshop will examine strategies to prevent and address violence and discrimination against members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex (LGBTQI).  The grantee and PAS Chennai will collaboratively identify IVLP alumni from recent cohorts to serve as key resource persons (trainers).  The grantee the alumni resource persons will collaboratively develop content of the workshop, and submit it for approval to PAS Chennai. Participants will learn about advocacy for the reform of discriminatory social attitudes and stigma and the development of improved legislative protections. Participants will examine public education campaigns to promote greater awareness and inclusion of LGBTQI and other marginalized communities.  This workshop could include expert sessions on careers, life skills, and health.  Prominent alumni voices from across sectors and society will feature as guest speakers. The grantee will promote the safety and inclusion message and U.S. government and alumni advocacy via mainstream and digital media engagement in English, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam languages.       

  As an outcome, the grantee will create and share a brief white paper , translated into Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam, which includes key takeaways from the workshop, recorded results, and a follow-on stakeholder action plan (to include a blueprint public information campaign).  The grantee will distribute and socialize this white paper with policy makers and government officials, security and law enforcement, representatives of the legal community, educational, cultural, and scientific organizations, think tanks, and human resource departments of public and private organizations, in cooperation with PAS Chennai and other concerned stakeholders.

  c)      Crisis Management and Resilience in South India: South India is frequently exposed to both natural and man-made disasters.  This workshop will forge links and encourage information-sharing between individuals responsible for crisis planning and response in South India.  Participants will include bureaucrats and policy makers, scientists, members of the armed forces (e.g. coast guard), academics, first responders, and non-governmental actors in South India.  The grantee and PAS Chennai will collaboratively identify IVLP alumni from recent cohorts to serve as key resource persons (trainers).  The grantee the alumni resource persons will collaboratively develop content of the workshop, and submit it for approval to PAS Chennai. Participants will explore systems to anticipate, monitor, and respond to developing crises, including how to prioritize and deploy limited resources, as well as how to communicate effectively with the public.  The workshop will share best practices about how to create synergies between public and private actors before, during, and in the aftermath of a crisis.  The grantee will promote the “Crisis Management and Resilience” message and U.S. government and alumni advocacy via mainstream and digital media engagement in English, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam languages.    

As an output, the grantee will print and share post-workshop materials, translated into Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam, such as posters, handouts, ready reckoners, resource directories, and other relevant disaster preparedness materials curated by the IVLP alumni and workshop participants, in cooperation with PAS Chennai and other concerned stakeholders.

  d)      Access to Justice in Rural Communities in a Tier-3 city in Tamil Nadu in the Tamil language: This workshop will provide insights to legal professionals, law enforcement officials, NGO leaders, activists, and members of various communities in Tamil Nadu about the U.S. justice system including legal aid and access to justice programs for the rural poor. The grantee and PAS Chennai will collaboratively identify IVLP alumni from recent cohorts to serve as key resource persons (trainers).  The grantee the alumni resource persons will collaboratively develop content of the workshop, and submit it for approval to PAS Chennai. Participants will learn about American access-to-justice mechanisms including: online legal clinics, regional self-help centers, alternate dispute resolutions, and continuing legal education programs for rural practitioners.  As appropriate, these best practices may be adapted to the South Indian context in Tamil Nadu in furtherance of shared human rights and rule-of-law objectives.  The grantee will promote the “Access to Justice” message and U.S. government and alumni advocacy via mainstream and digital media engagement in the Tamil language.   

  As an outcome, the grantee will print and share post-workshop materials, in the Tamil language, such as posters, handouts, resource directories, and other relevant materials curated by the IVLP alumni and workshop participants, in cooperation with PAS Chennai and other concerned stakeholders.

(Please refer to the full announcement available under related documents tab.)

Based on funding availability, the U.S. Consulate General in Chennai will engage a Recipient organization to implement the following activities in close coordination with the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Consulate General Chennai (PAS Chennai):

  Plan, design, organize, execute, promote, and report on four separate alumni-led workshops in South Indian cities on themes including:

  a)      Women in STEAM: This workshop will review the evolution and advancement of women in scientific research and innovation, and explore policies of organizations that champion the interest of women in science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics (STEAM).  The workshop will outline the demonstrated positive benefits derived from women’s involvement in the design, engineering, and implementation of scientific research and innovation. The workshop will impart skills required for networking with professional counterparts at scientific academies, associations, universities, businesses, and agencies and will examine public/private partnerships designed to accelerate learning in STEAM subjects, especially for women from diverse backgrounds. The grantee and PAS Chennai will collaboratively identify IVLP alumni from recent cohorts to serve as key resource persons (trainers).  The grantee the alumni resource persons will collaboratively develop content of the workshop, and submit it for approval to PAS Chennai. Participants will include men and women educational administrators, teachers, students, industry representatives, scientists, and policy makers.  The grantee will promote the “Women in STEAM” message and U.S. government and alumni STEAM advocacy via mainstream and digital media engagement in English, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam, languages.     

  As an outcome, the grantee will create and share an online “Women in STEAM” resource guide, translated into Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam, which includes resources identified before and during the workshop,  available U.S. educational resources and opportunities, key workshop take-aways, and a follow-on action plan (to include a blueprint public information campaign) for industry, academic, policy makers and other stakeholders.  The grantee will socialize this guide with educational, cultural, and scientific organizations, think tanks, human resource departments of public and private organizations, and relevant government authorities in cooperation with PAS Chennai and other concerned stakeholders.

  b)      Safety, Inclusion, and Equality:  This workshop will examine strategies to prevent and address violence and discrimination against members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex (LGBTQI).  The grantee and PAS Chennai will collaboratively identify IVLP alumni from recent cohorts to serve as key resource persons (trainers).  The grantee the alumni resource persons will collaboratively develop content of the workshop, and submit it for approval to PAS Chennai. Participants will learn about advocacy for the reform of discriminatory social attitudes and stigma and the development of improved legislative protections. Participants will examine public education campaigns to promote greater awareness and inclusion of LGBTQI and other marginalized communities.  This workshop could include expert sessions on careers, life skills, and health.  Prominent alumni voices from across sectors and society will feature as guest speakers. The grantee will promote the safety and inclusion message and U.S. government and alumni advocacy via mainstream and digital media engagement in English, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam languages.       

  As an outcome, the grantee will create and share a brief white paper , translated into Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam, which includes key takeaways from the workshop, recorded results, and a follow-on stakeholder action plan (to include a blueprint public information campaign).  The grantee will distribute and socialize this white paper with policy makers and government officials, security and law enforcement, representatives of the legal community, educational, cultural, and scientific organizations, think tanks, and human resource departments of public and private organizations, in cooperation with PAS Chennai and other concerned stakeholders.

  c)      Crisis Management and Resilience in South India: South India is frequently exposed to both natural and man-made disasters.  This workshop will forge links and encourage information-sharing between individuals responsible for crisis planning and response in South India.  Participants will include bureaucrats and policy makers, scientists, members of the armed forces (e.g. coast guard), academics, first responders, and non-governmental actors in South India.  The grantee and PAS Chennai will collaboratively identify IVLP alumni from recent cohorts to serve as key resource persons (trainers).  The grantee the alumni resource persons will collaboratively develop content of the workshop, and submit it for approval to PAS Chennai. Participants will explore systems to anticipate, monitor, and respond to developing crises, including how to prioritize and deploy limited resources, as well as how to communicate effectively with the public.  The workshop will share best practices about how to create synergies between public and private actors before, during, and in the aftermath of a crisis.  The grantee will promote the “Crisis Management and Resilience” message and U.S. government and alumni advocacy via mainstream and digital media engagement in English, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam languages.    

As an output, the grantee will print and share post-workshop materials, translated into Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam, such as posters, handouts, ready reckoners, resource directories, and other relevant disaster preparedness materials curated by the IVLP alumni and workshop participants, in cooperation with PAS Chennai and other concerned stakeholders.

  d)      Access to Justice in Rural Communities in a Tier-3 city in Tamil Nadu in the Tamil language: This workshop will provide insights to legal professionals, law enforcement officials, NGO leaders, activists, and members of various communities in Tamil Nadu about the U.S. justice system including legal aid and access to justice programs for the rural poor. The grantee and PAS Chennai will collaboratively identify IVLP alumni from recent cohorts to serve as key resource persons (trainers).  The grantee the alumni resource persons will collaboratively develop content of the workshop, and submit it for approval to PAS Chennai. Participants will learn about American access-to-justice mechanisms including: online legal clinics, regional self-help centers, alternate dispute resolutions, and continuing legal education programs for rural practitioners.  As appropriate, these best practices may be adapted to the South Indian context in Tamil Nadu in furtherance of shared human rights and rule-of-law objectives.  The grantee will promote the “Access to Justice” message and U.S. government and alumni advocacy via mainstream and digital media engagement in the Tamil language.   

  As an outcome, the grantee will print and share post-workshop materials, in the Tamil language, such as posters, handouts, resource directories, and other relevant materials curated by the IVLP alumni and workshop participants, in cooperation with PAS Chennai and other concerned stakeholders.

(Please refer to the full announcement available under related documents tab.)