Deadline: 17-Aug-21
The Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy Guatemala of the U.S. Department of State has announced an open competition for organizations to submit applications to carry out a program (or programs) to provide English language courses that form a part of the larger English language program strategy.
The Public Affairs Section seeks to fund proposals for English language programs that form part of the larger English language program strategy, which is centered on the English Access Microscholarship Program (known as Access), which is funded separately.
Programs under this funding opportunity: Basic English for Access Recruitment (BEAR) and the Service Learning, English Usage, Alumni Engagement, and Leadership (SEAL) programs.
Objectives
- BEAR is a six-month after-school program providing an introductory English language learning experience. Upon completing BEAR, the most promising graduates are recruited into the Access program. The foundational experience of BEAR increases the probability of success and retention rates in the two-year program of Access. The Public Affairs Section will provide the approved curriculum for BEAR.
- Objectives of the BEAR program include:
- By the end of the program, students will achieve English language proficiency at the A1 level in the Common European Framework.
- At the end of the program, high-potential participants will be identified through detailed assessments and recommended for participation in the Access Program.
- Throughout the program, participants will increase their sense of civic responsibility and create stronger bonds with their community by engaging in community service projects.
- Throughout the program, the provider organization will enhance and strengthen their English language education network, to include other providers of U.S. Embassy English language programs and the Guatemala Ministry of Education.
- In addition to BEAR, the proposal should include the SEAL program. SEAL prepares outstanding Access graduates with foundational English language teaching skills. This program builds on the Access experience and cultivates stronger ties with Access alumni.
- There are two options for SEAL: Teaching or Tourism. Each applicant organization should decide which program is most beneficial to the local target audience and apply accordingly.
- SEAL Teaching
- SEAL Teaching focuses on developing English teaching skills to help graduates find job opportunities in educational institutions or start entrepreneurial ventures such as English academies and private tutoring. There are three main components:
- Service learning projects: As a class, the students research and plan a project, including investigation, planning and preparation, action, reflection, and presentation of results. Students discuss real community problems, propose solutions, and create and implement action plans. Service learning helps students to combine classroom instruction with meaningful community service.
- Teaching methodology workshops: Students learn to teach English as a second language, including how to prepare a class, select material, use different strategies to teach grammar, writing, speaking, listening, and reading.
- Teaching internships: students engage in a six-month internship to practice teaching English in the BEAR program.
- The objectives of the SEAL Teaching program include:
- By the end of the program, students will achieve English language proficiency at the B2 level in the Common European Framework.
- Throughout the program, students will strengthen their leadership and entrepreneurship capacity through problem-solving and teamwork experiences.
- Throughout the program, participants will increase their sense of civic responsibility and create bonds with their community by engaging in guided teaching practice (BEAR program) and other service learning activities and projects.
- Throughout the program, students will increase professional and life skills such as critical thinking, hard work, collaboration, and the use of technology. They will engage in a variety of real-lifeexperiences such as the BEAR program and other activities.
- Throughout the program, the provider organization will enhance and strengthen their English language education network, to include other providers of U.S. Embassy English language programs and the Guatemalan Ministry of Education.
- SEAL Teaching focuses on developing English teaching skills to help graduates find job opportunities in educational institutions or start entrepreneurial ventures such as English academies and private tutoring. There are three main components:
- SEAL Tourism
- SEAL Tourism is focused on preparing graduates for employment in tourism or developing international tourism entrepreneurship ventures at the local level. There are two main components:
- Service learning projects: As a class, studentswill research and plana project, including investigation, planning and preparation, action, reflection, and presentation of results. Students will discuss real community problems related to tourism, propose solutions, and create and implement action plans. Service learning helps students to combine classroom instruction with meaningful community service.
- Tourism internships: Students will undertake a 50-hour internship via which they will apply English language and tourism strategies in a local enterprise.
- The objectives of the SEAL Tourism program include:
- By the end of the program, students will achieve English language proficiency at the B2 level in the Common European Framework.
- Throughout the program, students will strengthen their leadership and entrepreneurship capacity through problemsolving and teamwork experiences.
- Throughout the program, participants will increase their sense of civic responsibility and create bonds with their community by engaging in service learning projects.
- Throughout the program, students will increase their professional and life skills such as critical thinking, hard work, collaboration, and use of technology by participating in professional internships in local tourismbusinesses.
- Throughout the program, the provider organization will enhance and strengthen their tourism business network, to include other providers of U.S. Embassy English language programs and the Instituto Nacional Guatemalteco de Turismo (INGUAT).
- SEAL Tourism is focused on preparing graduates for employment in tourism or developing international tourism entrepreneurship ventures at the local level. There are two main components:
Funding Information
- Award amounts: Award for a single siteup to a maximum of $24,999.
- Length of performance period: 16 months.
- Number of awards anticipated: Seven (7) awards (dependent on amount).
- Anticipated program start date: October 2021.
Priority Regions: Guatemala City, Esquipulas, Cobán, Quetzaltenango, Sololá, Chichicastenango, Huehuetenango.
Participants and Audiences
- BEAR: 128 students
- between ages 13-15 as of February 1, 2022.
- who attend schools within walking distance of classroom location.
- from families with limited economic resources, per the guidelines and interview questions that will be provided by PAS Guatemala to those organizations awarded grants.
- SEAL: 16 students
- Access alumni, ages 16 and older as of February 1, 2022.
- Commute time from school or home to program site under 45 minutes.
Eligibility Criteria
The following organizations are eligible to apply:
- Local not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations;
- Local public and private educational institutions.
For-profit or commercial entities are NOT eligible to apply.
For more information, visit https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=335078