Women’s Youth Leadership Program

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The U.S. Embassy Seoul Public Diplomacy Section (PD) of the U.S. Department of State is pleased to announce that funding is available for a youth women’s leadership program focused on supporting young women living in areas outside of Seoul. The Republic of Korea (ROK) is now one of the world’s most influential countries following decades of impressive economic growth and technological innovation, a boom in cultural exports, and public sector initiatives to establish the ROK as a “global pivotal state”. As like-minded democracies, both the ROK and the United States have a strong responsibility to make sure economic and social opportunities are open to all citizens, especially women. To support women’s economic opportunity, the U.S. Embassy in Seoul’s Public Diplomacy Section will create a leadership and mentorship cohort focused on building the skills of at least thirty South Korean aged 25-35 who represent diverse sectors of the economy and have shown the potential to grow as leaders in their respective fields. Through this program, participants will learn from American and Korean experts and their peers as well as broaden their professional networks in a supporting and collaborative environment. The U.S. Embassy seeks proposals from ROK-based organizations and individuals to run this inaugural program, focused on planning and implementing events, recruiting members, and building a strong support network that connects Korean and American women leaders. Strong preference will be given to proposals that include participants from outside of the Seoul metropolitan region and utilize our American Corner network (located in Pyeongtaek, Gangneung, Busan, Gwangju and Jeju) in addition to the American Diplomacy House in Seoul. Proposals should also include plans for monitoring and evaluation as well as follow-on alumni programs to ensure a lasting impact. Outputs/Outcomes This women youth leadership program will focus on developing their leadership skills, growing their global mindset, broadening their professional networking opportunities alongside other emerging women leaders, and supporting the next generation as mentors themselves. Details/Logistics U.S. Embassy Seoul and a grantee will be jointly responsible for vetting and selecting program participants. The U.S. government retains final approval authority for all participants, who will apply initially via a standardized application form on a public website with program information and associated information and social media campaigns. Participants should be between the ages of 25-35 years old, be fluent in English, be early in their careers, and have demonstrated the potential to grow as leaders in their professions. Grantee Expectations We expect the following distinct components of this program: · At least ten coaching and discussion sessions (either delivered in-person at our American Corners or virtually) · Interactive workshops on leadership at the American Diplomacy House Seoul · Follow-on activities for participants to serve as mentors for college students · Networking activities Virtual Engagements: The grantee will be responsible for organizing and implementing a series of virtual engagements with U.S. and/or Korean experts who can empower and provide coaching sessions to this group of selected participants. This virtual engagement should provide opportunities for participants to share their challenges, grow their leadership skills through professional coaching, and help them to develop their future plans. In-Person Workshop The leadership program will also include intensive leadership workshops at the American Diplomacy House Seoul, featuring guest experts, candid conversations about workplace challenges, and time for networking. Participants will also be asked to develop a personal “leadership action plan” and commit to serving as a mentor to at least one college student. As part of the workshop, Embassy Seoul will arrange engagements with senior women government leaders. Post Workshop Follow-On Following the workshop, the grantee will help participants to find their own college student mentee who they will work with, and support until participants are on board with mentoring for the first three-months. We will also give strong preference to programs with a detailed alumni engagement plan.