YSEALI Regional Workshop on Embracing Diversity and Inclusion

Deadline: 07-Jul-21

The Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy Kuala Lumpur of the U.S. Department of State has announced an open competition for organizations to submit applications to carry out a program to develop and implement a five-day Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) Regional Workshop in Malaysia, designed to foster the implementation of diversity and inclusion practices within ASEAN communities and organizations, pending the availability of funding.

YSEALI is the U.S. government’s signature initiative to engage emerging leaders in Southeast Asia. The program aims to create a network of young Southeast Asian leaders who work across national borders to solve common problems. Through a variety of programs and engagements, YSEALI seeks to build the leadership capabilities of youth in the region, strengthen ties between the United States and Southeast Asia, and nurture a community of leaders who work across borders to solve shared issues.

YSEALI is open to young leaders ages 18-35 who are both citizens and residents of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member countries (Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam) or Timor-Leste. Responding to priorities from youth in the ASEAN region, YSEALI programs focus on four themes (Economic Growth and Social Entrepreneurship, Environmental Issues, Education, and Civic Engagement).

One component of YSEALI are the annual Regional Workshops held across Southeast Asia on strategic topics.

This regional workshop on Embracing Diversity and Inclusion, will advance the YSEALI theme of Civic Engagement, the U.S. Embassy Kuala Lumpur’s strategic goals to foster shared interests in good governance and rule of law; and to reinforce a more resilient and inclusive society, and the Department of State’s commitment to human rights. The workshop must be a minimum of three full program days excluding travel days to the workshop site.

The proposal should include workshop follow-on activities such as virtual collaborative work, projects funded through small seed grants, or ongoing mentorship that goes beyond the workshop’s program dates.

Funding Information

Total available funding: $250,000
Award amounts: award may range from a minimum of $100,000 to a maximum of $250,000
Anticipated program start date: October 2021
Length of performance period: 12 to 18 months

Priority Region: Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Laos, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, and Timor-Leste.

Participants and Audiences

The recipient will coordinate with U.S. Embassy Kuala Lumpur and with the U.S. embassies in ASEAN and Timor-Leste to recruit and select 80 participants. Participants will be between the ages of 18 to 35 from 10 ASEAN nations: Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Laos, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, plus Timor-Leste. Participants will be registered YSEALI members who have demonstrable interest in issues relating to diversity and inclusion advocacy efforts whether through paid employment, volunteer work, unpaid internships or coursework, and who show promise in becoming socially active in effecting positive change and have firm plans to champion diversity and inclusion efforts in their communities. They may have attended YSEALI events and some may be familiar with collaboration on projects across borders.
All participants must be proficient in written and spoken English. All programs must include participants from all ten ASEAN member countries and Timor-Leste.
The workshop will be conducted in English.

Eligibility Criteria

The following organizations are eligible to apply: