GLC Newsletter

GREAT LAKES CONSORTIUM

for International Training and

Development (GLC) — GLC is a

collaborative effort of the Bowling

Green State University, Lourdes

University, The University of

Toledo, and WSOS Community

Action Commission, Inc - Contract

Agent and Manager. Established

in 1999.

Dr. Elizabeth Balint

Project Manager

Barbara Dennis,

Viktoriya Maryamova

Program Coordinators

GLC Toledo Office

P.O. Box 352424

Toledo, OH 43635

Phone: 419-725-0440

Cell: 419-973-8007

Email: [email protected]

Website:

www.GLC-Teachdemocracy.org

www.gl-consortium.org

Find us on

Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of the Educational and

Cultural Affairs, Office of Citizen Exchanges, Professional Fellows Division

The Great Lakes Consortium – through

WSOS Community Action Commission,

Inc. – as Contract Agent and Manager –

received a grant for a two-way exchange

between September 2011 and May 2013

from the U.S. Department of State for

the “Citizen Legislative Advocacy in Mi-

nority Communities” with 28 partici-

pants from four countries of Europe and

for 17 U.S. mentors.

The overall goal of this exchange

program is to provide a professional

development opportunity for up-and-

coming and mid-level professionals to

gain knowledge of United States

practices in engaging citizens and

community leaders in collaboration to

inform changes in legislation that make

a difference in minority communities

(including Roma, disabled, homeless,

immigrant populations) and strengthen

democracy.

Foreign participants are exposed to

diverse community organizing methods

to engage citizens as active participants

in solving problems in their own

communities. They also gain hands-on

experience at both public and civil

society institutions in the U.S. and a

deeper understanding of U.S. society,

culture and people. They have an

opportunity to examine the relationship

between civil society and government

and learn methods to fight public

corruption and develop accountability.

Through internship placements at

national, state and local organizations

across the U.S. participants gain

knowledge and experience as well as

adaptable approaches that they can

implement after their return.

U.S. mentors also have an opportunity

travel for a reciprocal visit overseas.

The U.S. participants of this exchange

will have an opportunity to share

professional expertise and gain a deeper

understanding of the societies, cultures

and people of other countries.

“Citizen Legislative Advocacy in Minority Communities”

Professional Fellows from

Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia in the USA

October 1 - November 10, 2012

October 2012

First U.S. Mentors delegation welcomed at Budapest City Hall, Hungary

Page 2 “Citizen Legislative Advocacy in Minority Communities”

SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR PROJECT ADVISORS AND SUPPORTERS

David Beckwith, Paul Cromwell, Chuck Hirt,

Cris Doby, James Mumm, Bill O'Brien,

Greg Markus, Deb Martin,

Peter Ujvagi and Juli Bertalan

Update on the Progress: The first round of exchange was com-

pleted during the spring and summer

of 2012.

The first European delegation with a

total of 16 fellows from Bulgaria,

Hungary, Romania and Slovakia vis-

ited the U.S. from March 26 - May 5,

2012. Thanks to the support of differ-

ent U.S. hosting organizations the

joint activities and the internship

program were very successful and

guests returned to their communities

with many new ideas and an action

plan to implement some of those and

share with others as well. Some of

them collected additional resources

and in-kind support, others started

to submit grants to attract outside

resources to work on new projects.

As a follow up 9 American mentors

traveled for three weeks in July 2012

to Europe. They provided additional

consultancy and made visits to learn

more about the problems in the mi-

nority communities in Europe and

assisted in additional training with

the alumni.

U.S. and foreign participants are in-

volved in alumni activities through

an alumni social network in each

country. We established an online

network for continued learning.

Next round of exchange: After completing the first round of

exchange we will welcome another 16

member delegation from Europe from

October 1-November 10, 2012. They

will participate in group seminars,

round-table discussions, site visits,

and will have interactions with U.S.

leaders. As with the first delegation a

tailored 3-week internship with

mentoring, multicultural events, and

participation in volunteer activities

as well as in the Professional Fellows

Congress in Washington, D.C. are

also included in the 6-week

professional fellows program.

Participants will prepare a 6-9

month individual and group Action

Plan for follow on activities.

They will have an opportunity to

experience the American family life

and the diversity in the U.S. through

staying with American host families

during their internship in Chicago

Normal and Bloomington in Illinois;

New York, in New York; Charleston

in West Virginia; Portland area in

Maine; Toledo, Columbus and

Cleveland area in Ohio; Wichita in

Kansas, Portland, Oregon and

Aurora in Washington.

The next group of U.S. mentors will

travel to Europe from November 24-

December 15, 2012 and another after

January 20, 2013 for a 3-week pro-

gram. They will offer more joint

workshops with the alumni and on-

site consultation, engage media and

conduct wider outreach programs.

This program is a collaboration be-

tween GLC and its overseas partners:

CEGA in Bulgaria, Civil College

Foundation in Hungary, CeRe in Ro-

mania and Center for Community

Organizing in Slovakia as well as

many U.S. partner organizations.

This citizen civic exchange promotes

mutual understanding, creates long-

term professional ties, enhances the

collaboration between GLC and its

partners.

First Delegation from Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia in Toledo,

Ohio, with Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur and Peter Ujvagi

The program is funded by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs,

Office of Citizen Exchanges, Professional Fellows Division

Locally organized by Great Lakes Consortium for International Training and Development

through WSOS Community Action Commission, Inc. – Program Agent and Manager

Page 3 Professional Fellows program in the U.S. (October 1 - November 10, 2012)

“Citizen Legislative Advocacy in Minority Communities”

Participants of the Second European Delegation from

Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia

Romania

Slovakia Hungary

Bulgaria


Bulgaria Full name: Republic of Bulgaria

Head of state: Rosen Plevneliev (2012)

Prime Minister: Boyko Borisov (2009)

Population: 7,093,635

Capital: Sofia (1,192,000)

Area: 42,823 sq. miles (110,910 sq. km)

Major language: Bulgarian

Major religion: Bulgarian Orthodox

Main exports: clothing, footwear, iron and steel, machinery

and equipment, fuels.

Hungary Full name: Hungary

President: Janos Ader (2012)

Prime Minister: Viktor Orban (2010)


Capital: Budapest (2,597,000)


Major language: Magyar (Hungarian)

Major religion: Roman Catholic

Main exports: machinery and equipment, food product, fuels

and electricity.

Romania

Full name: Republic of Romania

Head of state: Traian Basescu (2007)

Prime Minister: Victor Ponta (2012)


Capital: Bucharest (2,210,800)


Major language: Romanian

Major religion: Eastern Orthodox

Main exports: textiles and footwear, metals and metal

products, machinery and equipment, minerals and fuels,

chemicals, agricultural products.

Slovakia Full name: Slovak Republic President: Ivan Gasparovic (2004)

Prime Minister: Robert Fico (2012)


Capital: Bratislava (480,800)


Major language: Slovak

Major religion: Roman Catholic

Main exports: vehicles, machinery and electrical equipment, base

metal, plastics.

Nedka Taneva Sliven, Bulgaria

E-mail: [email protected]

Dr. Nedka Taneva works in the Hospital

for Active Treatment Queen Ioanna Sliven,

Bulgaria and is a Doctor-specialist in clinical

laboratory. Her responsibilities include man-

agement and organization of work in the

hospital clinical laboratory, control over the

laboratory staff, directing, controlling and

understanding of the laboratory results

obtained. Since 2008 Ms. Taneva is a

Chairman of the "European Youth Alterna-

tives". She is in charge of training persons

from minority groups in health care and

protection of human rights and fundamental

freedoms.

Ms. Taneva was actively involved in

several projects: (1) “Together” (2009-2011),

(2) “Days of Youth Alternatives” (2010) and

(3) “My Town” (2010-2011). The target group

for the first two projects was young people

from the Roma minority in the Sliven region.

Project “Together focused on training two

groups (total 40 people) in the field of human

rights and freedoms and their ways to

protect and guarantee under national and

international law, to support and enable

young people trained in a business to put

into practice their skills among their

community, and assist its members in their

dealings with institutions, and health and

legal advice in the field of human rights of

and Germany. In addition she visited U.S.A.

twice – in 1998 and 1999. She resided and

worked in the U.S. as a student under the

program “Work and Travel”

While in the USA, Ms. Taneva would

like to gain experience in working with U.S.

minority groups with future goal to use these

established U.S. practices in Bulgaria.

Nedka wishes to make contact with

organizations working with minority groups.

She would like to exchange ideas and

collaborate on future projects.

Ms. Taneva would like to gain further

knowledge of the human rights of minority

groups and particularly in the area of

political rights, rights to health, rights to

education and work.

She is interested in the rights of

detainees for crimes, would like to exchange

skills and ideas with organizations working

in the field of guaranteeing the right to work,

health and education of minority groups, and

visit organizations in preventing the spread

of AIDS and HIV.

Furthermore, Ms. Taneva wants to visit

important places in the U.S. related to the

history and culture of this country and other

landmarks, and to meet with the experience

of leading U.S. experts in the field of

medicine.

In her free time Ms. Taneva interested

in photography, gardening and spend much

time with her family. Very often her family

travels to different places in Bulgaria and

Europe.

young people with risk behavior. Project

“Days of Youth Alternatives” focused on

given advice and counseling on health and

legal issues the same young people from the

region of Sliven. The objective of project “My

Town” is to discuss the problems of Sliven

Municipality and the opportunities for civil

society participation in its management.

Project activities include series of discussions

on the problems of Sliven and civil society.

Preparation of analysis based on

consultation with the citizens of the major

problems in the city.

Ms. Taneva holds Master’s Degree in

Medicine from Thracian University Stara

Zagora. She is fluent German, and has

excellent language skills in English and

Russian. During last three years Nedka

visited Greece, Turkey, Romania, Austria

Kaloyan Damyanov Stara Zagora, Bulgaria


Kaloyan Damyanov has been Director of

the Resource Centre for assistance of the

integrated training of children with special

educational needs in Stara Zagora, Bulgaria,

since 2007. Previously Mr. Damyanov has

worked in the system of children's protection

and social work. The Resource Centre is a

state institution within the structure of the

Ministry of Education, Youth and Science,

which carries out the governmental policy

for integration and inclusion of children and

students with special educational needs in

the general comprehensive schools and

daycares. In 2011 as recognition of his work

at the Resource Centre, Mr. Damyanov was

elected as Chairman of the National

Association of Resource Teachers (NART).

NART unites over 900 resource

teachers and specialists from the whole

country. The main goal of the organization is

to promote the professional profile of this

profession, yet new for Bulgaria as well as to

afford the opportunity for equal access to

practices, etc. He has several publications in

scientific magazines and presentations at

conferences both in Bulgaria and in Europe.

Kaloyan is visiting the U.S.A. for the

first time. Mr. Damyanov would like to get

acquainted with different representatives

and leaders of NGO, public authorities,

politicians, engaged with the integration

and submission of public services to children

and youths with disabilities as well as to

inclusive education and social work.

Kaloyan also expect to have an opportunity

to meet university professors working on

programs for training of professionals in the

area of social work, the legal protection and

training of children and youths with

different needs. Especially important for

him will be the possibility to learn about

specific operating practices focused on the

work with families of children and youths

with disabilities and on different activities,

organized together with them.

Mr. Damyanov is also interested in the

opportunity to make contacts with

professional organizations of teachers and

social workers. In his free time, Kaloyan

likes to go to the cinema, to go for walks

with friends and to be occupied with sports

activities.

education to young people and children,

without any reference to their differences.

NART is an accredited organization of the

European Volunteer's Service /EVS/ and in

this capacity Mr. Damyanov is also a Mentor

of several young volunteers from Spain and

France. Mr. Damyanov teaches at Trakia

University – Stara Zagora, lecturing and

making research on the following academic

subjects: Supporting environment and its

impact on the inclusion of different students

as well as social and legal protection of

people with disabilities, anti-discrimination

Participants from Bulgaria


Henriett Dinok Budapest, Hungary

E-mail: [email protected] Henriett Dinok is working as Junior

Researcher at Institute for Legal Studies

of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences

since 2010. Her research focuses on the

national criminal law, especially notion of

violence, violence in the field of criminal

law and criminology, violent crimes, hate

crimes, hate speech. Besides the criminal

law, Ms. Dinok is involved in legislation

affecting Roma people, mainly in field of

education.

In addition to her employment,

Henriett is a volunteer and student at

Romaversitas Foundation, a training and

scholarship program for Roma youngsters

in higher education. The Romaversitas

Foundation not only gives scholarships

and various services, but also tries to

create space for vibrant social life since

1997. In addition, she is member of the

University, Doctoral School of Faculty of

Law and Political Sciences. She has also

attended various short-term academic

and training programs including a

European Training Program for Roma

Mediators organized by the Council of

Europe. She speaks fluently English and

beginner in German.

This is her first trip to the U.S.

Henriett is interested in learning more

about issues related to ethnic minorities

in the U.S. as well as best practices in

involving them in community organizing.

Ms. Dinok would like to visit

organization that work with school

segregation and see both local and

national organizations dealing with

minority issues, especially working with

youths. If she gets the opportunity, she

would like to know more about the

legislation of the U.S.A. about the hate

crimes.

In her free time Henriett likes reading,

spending time with friends and her pets

(5 dogs, 2 cats and a rabbit).

Board of Trustees of Chance for Children

Foundation (CFCF). Founded in 2004,

CFCF has been fighting for equal rights

in education for Romani and

marginalized children, focusing on school

desegregation.

Henriett graduated from the Károli

Gáspár University Faculty of Law in

2010. The same year, she has begun her

Ph.D. studies at Pázmány Péter Catholic

Balint Vojtonovszki Budapest, Hungary

E-mail:

[email protected]

Balint Vojtonovszki started working

as an activist in 2005 while learning at a

local university in Budapest, Hungary.

He worked with his fellows on homeless

peoples’ rights in a voluntary advocacy

group. Besides his voluntary activity, Mr.

Vojtonovszki participated in several

other projects (Roma, Green, Alterglob,

etc.) as well. On August 2009, he

participated in the foundation of “The

City is for All” which is a grassroots

homeless advocacy group including

homeless, formerly homeless activists

and their allies who fight for a society

based on equality and justice.

The group is based on voluntary

work and it’s aim is to create an

opportunity for homeless people to stand

up for their dignity and fight for the right

to housing. Homeless people play a

leading role in all the group’s activities,

so the group implements several tools of

community organizing, which is

considered quite unique in Hungary.

After finishing his studies in 2007

and receiving his MA in Sociology, Balint

worked for small foundations as Project

tance) in Budapest.

Mr. Vojtonovszki is visiting U.S.A.

for the first time. He expects that this

program will help in his professional

advancement in HAPN. Balint wants to

gain knowledge, methods, approaches

and fresh ideas at his U.S.A. hosting

organization as well as the technical,

practical informations he will be using in

the HAPN campaign about some issue

related to public work by the time he gets

back to Hungary.

While in USA, Mr. Vojtonovszki is

interested in how to involve low-income

people in campaign building, in new

methods in holding trainings, in efficient

and creative reach-out techniques and

the different types of databases built up

from the infos aquired while doing

recruiting.

Balint is sure that present program

will help him to identify and to be able to

use the community organizing methods

more thoughtfully and more thoroughly,

as well as to implement new methods and

think about existing dilemmas in a

different approach.

In his free time, Balint tries to find

balance between activism and spending

quality time with his girlfriend. He likes

to read and do some sports, and used to

play drums in a rock band.

Coordinator, and also for six months as a

Peer Mentor for juvenile offenders. In

2008, he worked in a public foundation, a

governmental background organization

as an Associate in a 4-year long

European Union funded program to

develop the homeless care system.

More then 3 years passed, until he

got totally fed up with the mechanisms of

the governmental system and the

hierarchy between the interests of service

providers and the possibilities of service

users. In February 2012 he managed to

become a Community Organizer working

for the Hungarian Anti Poverty Network

(HAPN). At the present time he is

working on organizing a group of public

workers (people living on public assis-


Participants from Hungary

Krisztina Hegymegi

Molnar Budapest, Hungary


Krisztina H. Molnar works for ESZA

Social Service Nonprofit Ltd as EU Ex-

pert. She started working for homeless

people in 2000 after she and her husband

visited a Christian foundation what

works for homeless people in the United

States, which made big impression on

them. Since 2001 Krisztina is Project

Manager, Youth Worker and Mentor at

the Human Integra Foundation (HIA) in

the North-Hungarian region. This civil

organization has been established as a

result of a private initiative the original

purpose of which is to promote the

reintegration of people and groups floated

to the periphery of the society owing to

the circumstances beyond their control.

The aim of Human Integra

Foundation is to make the activity of

individuals and civil organizations more

fruitful by realizing the projects

organized in partnership.

Krisztina’s role includes organizing

projects and trainings, consultative

assistance, orientations and mentoring

Economics. She would like to know more

about community organization too so she

will use in her Civil and Community

Studies (MA) at Eötvös Lóránd

University, in Budapest Hungary from

September 2012.

This will be her second trip to U.S.

During the present fellowship program

Ms. Molnar hopes to be able to improve

her skills and competencies such as the

intercultural communication, English

language knowledge, community

development and organizing, how to

increase tolerance and acceptance –

techniques, best practices.

She would like to gain skills in

motivating peoples. Krisztina would like

to visit organizations (both governmental

and nongovernmental) that deal with

issues related to ethnic minorities and

civil leaders.

Ms. Molnar states: “Although I am

Christian who feel it necessary the moral

reform in Hungary, I also strongly

believe that the education is that we can

provide to our target group too. The aim

of our organization is preparing leaders

to serve their local communities and who

have strong identity, know well the

circumstances and try to find solutions

for problems.”

for the civil organizations.

Ms. Molnar helped to establish 7 new

organizations for local minority

communities in last 5 years. In the region

she lives, the rate of unemployment has

been raised to high levels after 1989, and

Roma people have significantly suffered

from it. She meet their problem of racism

and xenophobia every day and she would

like to get experience how to treat the

question of minorities.

Ms. Molnar has been participant in

some international programs as coach

and trainer (Youth in Action,

EUROMED). Krisztina has a Teacher’s

Degree in History and Hungarian

Language, and also Degree in EU

Zsolt Peter Fugg Szeged, Hungary


Zsolt Peter Fugg has been working as a

Project Manager at NGO called DARTKE

(Southern Great Plain Social Research

Association) in Szeged for five years.

Besides overseeing the implementation of

various international projects and

researches Zsolt’s tasks include the

preparation of project reports and writing

grant proposals to different European

Institutions. One of the projects he is

currently managing aims to provide

information training and career advices

for disadvantaged young people in the

Szeged area. He is also responsible for

international relations at the association.

In addition to this employment, Mr.

Fugg is a Chairperson of the Board of a

Foundation established by DARTKE

called Agora Foundation. The main goal

of the Agora Foundation is to help young

charity thrift shop opened in Hungary.

The shop is operated in the form of a

social cooperative and as such it is

unique in the country.

Mr. Fugg graduated from the

University of Szeged in 2002 as an

English and History Teacher with focus

on teaching civic competences. He is

fluent in English and knows a little

Spanish.

Zsolt has never been to the U.S.A.

before. Within the frame of this

fellowship program, he wishes to learn

about community organizing, methods

and strategies on motivating volunteers

at NGOs, learn about different projects

aiming to assist minorities and

immigrants, especially projects focusing

on young people. Zsolt would also like to

visit a couple of thrift stores in the U.S.

in order to get some ideas to be

implemented back at the store in Szeged.

In his free time Zsolt enjoys cooking,

travelling and watching American TV

shows.

social scientific researchers through

special scholarships and internships.

Agora Foundation’s current flagship

project is titled “Integration through

mentoring”. The project goal is to assist

in the integration of children from non-

EU member states with the help of

university students (mentors).

In addition to all his responsibilities,

Mr. Fugg is the Manager of the first

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT TO

DAVID GUSTAFSON,

PROGRAM OFFICER AT THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE


Andreea Buzec Bucharest, Romania

E-mail:

[email protected]

Andreea Buzec is working as a Pro-

ject Coordinator and a Trainer with Part-

ners Foundation for Local Development,

Romania from 2006. Since 2010 she is an

Associate Professor with the University of

Bucharest, Faculty of European Studies,

delivering the Project Management

course to 1st year students and the Cul-

tural Programs course to Master stu-

dents. At the same year, Ms. Buzec be-

come a member of the National Network

of Trainers for the European Commis-

sion’s Youth in Action Program, being

responsible for designing and delivering

training courses to youth workers and

youth NGOs, in order to improve the

quality of their projects, on the following

topics: project writing, project manage-

ment, how to start an NGO, methods and

instruments of non-formal education,

management of volunteers and youth

participation.

Ms. Buzec is deeply committed to

participatory processes of planning in

terms of community development, having

facilitated the elaboration of local eco-

nomic development strategies at commu-

nity and county level in Romania and

Tajikistan, by bringing together at the

same table community members, NGOs

and decision makers and facilitating a

participatory process of need analysis

and long term strategy planning that is

accepted by all actors involved and that

has real chances of being implemented

because it has been planned and agreed

upon in a participatory way. Thi belongs

to the collaborative approach in advocacy,

where the capacity of vulnerable groups

and their representatives is built in order

to work together with decision makers

and identify long term solutions to their

problems.

In the communities where Andreea

has facilitated the elaboration of socio-

economic development, the Roma minor-

ity was involved in the process through

the participation of Roma NGOs. In the

same way, she has facilitated the elabora-

tion of strategies focused on intercultural

development at county level, improving

living conditions for Roma people and

fighting corruption within local govern-

ment.

In terms of formal education, Ms.

Buzec holds the University Degree in For-

eign Languages and Literatures of Portu-

guese and Greek, Faculty of Foreign Lan-

guages and Literatures, a Master’s Di-

ploma in International Relations, Faculty

of Political Sciences, and a Master’s Di-

ploma in Intercultural and Inter-religious

Dialogue, UNESCO Department.

During the fellowship experience in

the U.S.A., Ms. Buzec would like to learn

more about instruments and approaches

that can be used to mobilize citizens

around ideas, to build their capacity to

efficiently identify their problems and

design and implement processes that

bring them together with public admini-

stration in participatory manner. She

would like to gain experience on how to

create sustainable changes through for-

mal and informal policies, especially for

minorities.

In her free time, Andreea enjoys bad-

minton, reading, traveling and drawing.

Anda Marina Lupusor Timisoara, Romania


Anda Marina Lupusor works at Ti-

misoara City Hall, as Counselor for Roma

people. Her main responsibilities in-

clude offering support and information to

Roma people in need, and proposing so-

lutions about how to improve their lives

and include them on the labor market

through professional classes, professional

reconversion and so on.

In addition, Ms. Lupusor is a teacher

at some classes as well. She enjoys the

trust in her community and she estab-

lished good relationships with the people

she is working with. Anda’s job is part of

a project named “Barrabarripen”, which

in Romani language means “Pride”. In

this project the Timisoara City Hall

is partner with four other municipalities

around the country.

Ms. Lupusor has a Social Worker

Degree since 2008, but she works in this

social field since 2000. Her first job was

at the National Roma Agency, Romanian

Government. Anda has been work-

ing with prisoners, refugees, youth and

unemployed persons.

Every experience helped her to ap-

proach people and to find solutions with

them for their problems.

Anda holds a Master’s Degree of

Social Assistance on Social Reintegration

in Criminal Justice. This year Anda re-

ceived a Master Degree in Social Econ-

omy, a domain that she feels much at-

tached.

All Anda’s studies are made at West

University from Timisoara City. She re-

ceived her diploma from Ministry of La-

bour and recognized as Social Economy

Promoter in Romania. So her passion

received a name.

It will be her first visit to the United

States. While in the U.S.A., Anda would

like to gain experience in the diversity of

social services, their non-formal activities

and their solutions for common problems

so later she can use this experience also

in Romania.

Ms. Lupusor likes reading and paint-

ing but her hobbies are on the 2nd order

because her priority is her three year son

named Andy.


Participants from Romania

Mihaela Grigoriu Bucharest, Romania

E-mail:

[email protected]

Mihaela Grigoriu is a Project Man-

ager for COLFASA Association in Bucha-

rest, where she coordinates the imple-

mentation of a strategic project named

“Integration of vulnerable people on the

labor market”. This project was imple-

mented in two regions of Romania, fi-

nanced by the European Union. The pro-

ject,aims to integrate vulnerable people,

mostly Roma people, single-parent fami-

lies and families with more than two chil-

dren on the labour market. Within this

project she works with 20 people

(psychologists and social workers) who

are doing counselling, orientation and

trainings for unqualified persons, trying

to integrate them on the labour market.

Their target group is 500 people.

Ms. Grigoriu activities include the

coordination of projects activities, orien-

earned her Bachelor Degree in Public Ad-

ministration from “Al.I.Cuza” University

in Iassy, Romania. She also holds a Mas-

ter’s Degree in European Integration from

the “Al.I.Cuza” University.

Mihaela is fluent in both written and

spoken English and has a Diploma of

French Translator.

This is her first trip to U.S. Ms. Grig-

oriu would like to learn innovative meth-

ods used for the integration of minorities

in the society and on the labor market.

She would also like to understand how

these minority communities learn about

their rights.

She would like to gain skills in moti-

vating people, in negotiating with deci-

sion makers.

Mihaela would like to know how the

citizens of minority communities were

integrated at the same time keeping their

own identity but also accepting that they

have to change.

Mihaela's hobbies are socializing,

reading, watching good movies and trav-

elling.

tation on labor market, professional

trainings and finding jobs for 250 people.

Ms. Grigoriu has five years of experi-

ence working with European projects,

developing social projects, “to get in con-

tact with different people from different

backgrounds, to create, to develop and

also to help and to learn”.

Previously, Ms. Grigoriu has worked

as an Expert within the Romanian Minis-

try of Education for 5 years. Ms. Grigoriu

Vlad Catuna

Bucharest, Romania

E-mail: [email protected],

[email protected]

Vlad Catuna is a Researcher in An-

thropology at Unlock Market Research,

where he is currently managing the Con-

sumer Panel on household expenses and

consumption. He takes part in studies in

which different human communities and

groups are studied for identifying the

cultural context, codes, values and men-

talities. Currently Mr. Catuna coordi-

nates an informing campaign regarding

shale gas exploitation in Barlad area (in

3 villages and one city). The campaign is

developed by VIRA Association. The NGO

was formed in 2007, and financed by the

Foundation for Development of Civil Soci-

ety (FDSC).

Since 2011, Mr. Catuna is in charge

of the social research department of the

“Make a Point” NGO. The main purpose

of the NGO is to enlarge the opportunity

space of Pantelimon neighborhood in-

habitants, with special focus on the

ghetto area (Roma people, low income

inhabitants). The social research con-

ducted during “Neighborhood is how I’m

called” project financed by Youth in Ac-

tion and AFCN, has facilitated CeRe’s

community organizing intervention in

Pantelimon neighborhood in Bucharest.

Previously Mr. Catuna has collabo-

rated with different NGO’s and institu-

tions (ATU – Association for Urban Tran-

sition, British Council, ICCV – Research

Institute for Quality of Life, MTR – Mu-

seum of Romanian Peasant, Urban 2020,

CCCDC – Center of Research and Con-

sultancy in Cultural Area) on quality of

life, education, development, urban and

cultural issues.

Mr. Catuna has a Bachelor’s Degree

in Sociology and Master’s Degree in An-

thropology and Community Development.

Both Degrees obtained at the Bucharest

University, Faculty of Sociology of Roma-

nia. Vlad is fluent in English, and has

good understanding of spoken French.

This is his first trip to U.S. Mr. Ca-

tuna would like to learn more about how

to analyze and influence legislation or

policies regarding fracking process. Also

he would like to improve skills involving

the negotiation and mediation for organ-

izational and minority community

change. Vlad also is interested in learning

more from organizations that work to

build widespread citizen awareness and

advocacy for the protection of natural

environment and public health.

Mr. Catuna’s hobbies are pinhole

photography, long-board, and music.

Generally he likes to listen to jazz, funk,

soul, and bossa-nova.

THANK YOU TO THE UNITED STATES EMBASSIES

in Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia

for your support!


Radu Raileanu Bucharest, Romania


Radu Raileanu is a Project Assistant

in the Antidiscrimination Department of

ActiveWatch – Media Monitoring Agency.

Besides the mostly administrative duties

his job title implies, he is also involved in

the rapid response activities that take

place each time the organization learns of

potentially damaging statements or draft

laws put forth by local or national au-

thorities.

Also, Mr. Raileanu is part of the

newly created Communication Depart-

ment, a support department where pro-

test planning is made and where concepts

for the organization’s participation to

events are designed. The main vulnerable

leaders, but, over time, he has become

more of a PR consultant.

Mr. Raileanu has a Bachelor Degree

in Computer Studies form the Polytechnic

University of Bucharest, a Trainer Di-

ploma, a Project Manager Diploma, and

is enrolled in a Master’s Program in Pro-

ject Management at the National School

of Political and Administrative Studies,

Bucharest.

This is his first visit to the United

States. Mr. Raileanu would like to learn

advocacy skills at community level. Also

he would like to learn how public policies

and legislative information can be

“translated” so that the members of the

community can understand and use it.

In his free time, Mr. Raileanu likes

watching films, reading, traveling and

going to underground rock and punk rock

concerts.

groups with which Mr. Raileanu is work-

ing are persons with disabilities and

Roma. Whenever he finds the time, Mr.

Raileanu participated in an informal citi-

zen action group from his neighborhood.

Within this group, he started as one of its


Special Thanks to the U.S. Mentors and their organizations

for working with the European Fellows in October 2012:

Don Carlson & Dawn Dannenbring,

Mary Tarullo & Hannah Gelder

Jennifer Hadlock & Monique “Mo” George,

Jade Souza & Meta Hogan,

Michael Tierney, Genevieve Lysen,

Louis Goseland & Sulma Arias

Ramon Perez, Bill O’Brien, Luke Allen, Rachid Elabed

Vanessa Pesec, Gwen Fisher, Dan Phillips and Melanie Houston

Nicu Dumitru Bucharest, Romania


Nicu Dumitru is a PR Specialist at

the K Consulting Management and Coor-

dination (KCMC), where he is coordinat-

ing the communication campaign for

Romano Cher – House of Roma project.

This project aims to bring the Roma tra-

ditional craftsmen back on the market,

and organizing them into social economy

cooperatives. He also runs a campaign

aiming to improve the work related is-

sues of Roma women.

In the past, Mr. Dumitru has worked

for 7 years at an NGO called Media Moni-

toring Agency – ActiveWatch, and helped

establish the Antidiscrimination Depart-

ment, tackling mainly Roma, disabled

and hate speech issues. Nicu also collabo-

rated and worked with National Agency

was usually covered by entertainment

and music.

Mr. Dumitru holds a Degree in For-

eign Languages, as he graduated in 2010

the Foreign Languages Faculty, Univer-

sity of Bucharest. At the present time,

Nicu is attending a Master’s Program on

Public Communication. He has very good

understanding in written and spoken

English and French and good knowledge

of Spanish and Romani.

Mr. Dumitru has visited Europe in-

tensively, but this is his first trip to the

U.S. During the program he would like to

learn here further methods of integration

of minority and community organizing,

that can be adapted and used in Europe

and Romania.

In his free time, Mr. Dumitru’s inter-

ests are in snowboarding, botany and

riding bikes.

for Roma, British Embassy in Bucharest

and the European Commission (DG En-

terprise) in Brussels. Nicu has hosted a

TV program called “European Roma”,

broadcast on national television (TVR1),

where he presented the situation of Roma

to the public and authorities, using an

investigative approach, in a niche that

Marcela Beresova Presov, Slovakia


Marcela Beresova is working as a

Social Worker in the Community Center

in Petrovany (Eastern Slovakia) estab-

lished by NGO – People in Need (PiN)

since September 2011. Marcela works in

Low Threshold Program with children,

young people and their families and with

students of universities in volunteering

program. She would like to learn how to

motivate socially excluded people and

include them in community organizing,

because usually they are discouraged and

don´t see a way out from their actual

situation. Marcela wants to teach them to

look for their own resources for change

not just to wait for help from others. Pre-

viously she cooperated with PiN during

two years as volunteer.

Also Ms. Beresova is a Coordinator of

volunteers and some projects in that or-

ganization. As a student Marcela worked

local conditions.”

Recently Ms. Beresova graduated

with Master’s Degree is Social Work from

University of Presov. During one

semester she was an exchange student at

Masaryk University in Brno – Czech Re-

public, and then took part in Intensive

Program Erasmus at Savonia University

of Applied Sciences, Iisalmi – Finland.

Marcela has not been to U.S. yet. Ms.

Beresova would like to learn how to em-

power young people from ethnic minori-

ties to change their lives and motivate

them to study and work. She also would

like to gain more information and practi-

cal skills in community organizing which

she could use in establishing a new Com-

munity Center in other areas in Slovakia.

Ms. Beresova is interested in ecologi-

cal and alternative ways of life and tries

to connect them with solving social prob-

lems. Empowerment for women and

women’s rights in Eastern Europe are

also interesting topics for her.

Marcela´s hobbits are hiking, garden-

ing and bicycling.

as a Librarian in the Feminist library in

EsFem´s (NGO) project.

Ms. Beresova and her colleagues

work with Roma minorities in rural areas

of Eastern Slovakia, where problems of

education, labor market, and housing are

concentrated. Slovak social policy teaches

people to wait for help without their own

contribution. She states: “It is difficult to

change system of social policy; therefore

we try to cooperate with authority of mu-

nicipalities and schools and try to change

Jolana Natherova Banska Bystrica, Slovakia


Jolana Natherova currently works as

a Program Manager. In 1998 together

with her husband, Mrs. Natherova

established a non-profit organization

called “Hope for the children” which main

objective is to help marginalized families

with steady personal development of

their children in what concerns physical,

mental and spiritual aspects of their

lives. The target group is children, youth

and their families in Banska Bystrica

and its close neighborhood, through social

work and educational programs.

Mrs. Natherova created two

community centers in her hometown and

to adopt children.

Mrs. Natherova graduated from the

Academy of Business School of

Economics. This year Jolana will start

her study at the University of Matej Bel

in Social Work.

While in the U.S. Mrs. Natherova

would like to learn new methods and

skills, and also to improve her leadership

and language skills.

Mrs. Natherova was born in a Roma

family. Together with her husband have

raised three children, and one adolescent

child was adopted into the family. Now

she is a proud grandmother of three

granddaughters.

In her free time Mrs. Natherova likes

hiking and reading books. Jolana’s

hobbies are taking care of her family,

music, traveling, and history.

helps to run other community centers for

Roma people in other cities in Slovakia.

In recent years Jolana worked as a

Trainer of Parenting Skills of the

professional parents and people that plan

Participants from Slovakia


THANK YOU TO ALL

THE DRIVERS, ESCORTS AND OTHER VOLUNTEERS

ASSISTING IN THIS PROGRAM IN NINE STATES

AROUND THE UNITED STATES!


Milena Kacmarcikova

Kosice, Slovakia

E-mail:

[email protected]

Milena Kacmarcikova has been

working in ETP Slovakia – Center for

Sustainable Development - since 2010.

She is involved in a number of projects

dealing with provision of comprehensive

services to marginalized Roma and

refugees in transit living in Eastern

Slovakia. Ms. Kacmarcikova has been

working as a Project Coordinator in

Kosice-Saca neighborhood in cooperation

with other project partners – local

municipality, local primary school and

private sector. Besides that Milena works

as a Lecturer of Financial Education for

children and young people living in

marginalized Roma communities and a

lecturer of cultural orientation for

refugees, who are living in the

Evacuation Transit Center in Eastern

Slovakia.

Ms. Kacmarcikova holds a Master’s

Degree in Public Administration and

Public Policy obtained from the Pavol

Jozef Safarik University in Kosice,

graduating in 2010. She is a proficient

English speaker.

Milena’s desire is to see young Roma

leaders rise and stand up for their cause

and for their community and most of all

show the majority that they are able to be

self-sufficient and independent with only

a little help and support at the beginning.

She would like to learn new

leadership development techniques and

strategies and implement them in the

socially excluded neighborhoods she is

working with.

ETP Slovakia-Center for Sustainable

Development is a non-profit organization

based in Eastern Slovakia supporting

regional development and focusing

specifically on the disadvantaged regions

with a high population of marginalized

Roma.

Milena states: “We provide

comprehensive services that include

education, healthcare awareness, housing

and vocational counseling as well as social

counseling to minorities in order to

improve the quality of their life and help

them reach their full potential.”

This will be Milena’s second visit to

the U.S. Ms. Kacmarcikova previously

participated in an internship program

aimed at organizing leisure time of young

people in one of the Chicago suburbs with

a local church.

This time she is hoping to acquire

new skills and knowledge in the area of

developing young leaders coming from

disadvantaged environment.

OUR SPECIAL THANKS TO

Viktoriya Maryamova for Computer Assistance and Art Design!

Monika Bandurova

Povazska Bystrica, Slovakia


Monika Bandurova works as Pro

Bono Consultant for the Pontis Founda-

tion (NGO) since 2011. She is providing

consultation services to a halfway home

which is a youth shelter house offering

work therapy to young men leaving insti-

tutional children´s home at the age of 18.

Also Ms. Bandurova volunteers in

providing advocacy and services to deaf

entrepreneurs with starting and running

their own business. Her main duties are

to train the prospect deaf entrepreneurs,

advice them with business plan prepara-

tion and consultation and advocacy dur-

ing development of their business.

In addition, Ms. Bandurova is an

Assistant Teacher giving lectures on So-

cial Policy at Comenius University, which

is a part of her duties as a part-time

Ph.D. student. During the last four years

Monika worked as Business Consultant

While in the U.S.A., Monika’s main

interest is to meet with other locally in-

volved people both from Central Europe

and U.S.A., to share the knowledge and

their best practice models in community

work, review her ideas with people that

have experiences in managing projects in

different methods for other target groups.

Furthermore she expects to widen her

perspective about community organizing

programs.

Ms. Bandurova would like to be able

to set up a project that will ensure the

sustainability of the program even if the

donors/other external parties will leave

the community. Monika hopes to be able

to strengthen her organizational and

leadership skills and widen skills in pub-

lic policy analysis and problem solving in

community work.

In her free time, Ms. Bandurova is

interested in the modern art, public pol-

icy, reading and painting. Monika’s hob-

bies include hiking, traveling, skiing and

cycling.

for American consulting company Accen-

ture. Her responsibility included to work

closely with client in mapping of existing

processes and definition of streamlined

processes.

Ms. Bandurova holds a Master´s De-

gree in Public Policy obtained from Public

Policy Institute at Comenius University,

Slovakia. At the present time she is work-

ing on her Ph.D. diploma at the same

University.

Thank you to the every host family and leaders and mentors

from the U.S. hosting organizations in 9 states for your

hospitality and all generous assistance to this delegation:

Illinois (IL): Ed & Cristina Deutsch from

Bloomington;

Juergen & Meredith Schro-

eer and Orlyn & Jana Edge

from Normal;

Lois & Clayton Parr, Kathy

& Tom Moore, and Mary Ta-

rullo from Chicago

West Virginia (WV): Linda Elliott, Michael Tier-

ney & Marcelle St Germain

from Charleston

Maine (ME): Genevieve Lysen, Susann

Pelletier & James Lysen from

Lewiston

New York (NY): Fran Rolan, Ian William and

Rob Rodriguez from Brooklyn

Oregon (OR): Lucy Davenport from Port-

land

Washington (WA): Meta Hogan & Bread and

Roses House of Hospitality

from Olympia

Kansas (KS): Mark Gurrola, Louis Gose-

land & CJ Schoch, Emira &

Yadira Palacios and Bill &

Teri Kitchen from Wichita

Michigan (MI): Bill Obrien and Vicky Kovari

from Detroit, and Rachid Ela-

bed from Dearborn

Ohio (OH): Julia Bertalan & Calvin

United Church from Toledo,

Dorothy & Dolph Faller from

Olmstead Falls,

Dan & Kathy Philipps from

Painesville,

Gwen & Stan Fisher from

Hiram,

Deb Martin from Fremont,

and Melanie Houston from

Columbus.


OUR SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR U.S. PARTNERS AND

INTERNSHIP HOSTING ORGANIZATIONS:

Community Voices Heard (New York, New York)

Lakeview Action Coalition (Chicago, Illinois)

Illinois People’s Action (Bloomington, Illinois)

Step by Step (Charleston, West Virginia)

Families for Justice/Resurrection Café & Sisters of the Road

(Portland, Oregon),

Bread & Roses (Olympia, Washington)

Maine People’s Alliance (Portland, Maine)

Sunflower Community Action (Wichita, Kansas)

One Village Council (Toledo, Ohio)

Harriet Tubman Center (Detroit, Michigan)

ACCESS (Dearborn, Michigan)

Neogap (Lake County, OH),

Concerned Citizens of Ohio (Portage County)

Ohio Environmental Council (Columbus, Ohio)

ITINERARY *

Monday, October 1, 2012

Detroit, MI

1:25PM & 2:00PM: Arrival at De-

troit Metro Airport in two groups;

Welcome by Elizabeth Balint

check in to hotel for 1 night

Afternoon: Distribution of the orien-

tation materials and orientation;

time to rest, enjoy the pool, getting to

know each other in the hotel.

6:00PM: Meet at the lobby for dinner

outside the hotel

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Detroit, MI

7:30AM: Check-out from hotel and

travel to downtown Detroit (2727 2nd

Avenue, Detroit 48201, 1st floor con-

ference room).

8:15AM: Welcome to the U.S – break-

fast with community organizers at

the Harriet Tubman Center (HTC)

9:00-10:00AM: Topic “Become a

Community Organizer”

Meeting with: Bill O’Brien, Executive

Director and Co-Founder of Harriet

Tubman Center and other organizers

10:15-11:15AM: Topic “Organizing

Institutions” - challenges and suc-

cesses in church organizing

Meeting with: Luke Allen, Lead Or-

ganizer of the Metro Coalition of

Congregations

11:30AM-1:45PM: Visit Capuchin

Soup kitchen (4390 Conner, Detroit

48215)

Discussion topic: “Success stories of

community organizing in the home-

less community”. Lunch and meeting

with Detroit Action Commonwealth

leaders: Professor Greg Markus, Ex-

ecutive Director and Founder, Molly

Anne Sweeney and leaders of DAC

3:30pm-4:30PM: Attend YOUTH

VOICE chapter meeting at Henry

Ford High School and Central Colle-

giate Academy (20000 Evergreen,

Detroit, MI).

Meeting with: Kayla Mason, Lead

Community Organizer of Youth Voice

4:45PM: Travel to Maumee hotel

6:00PM: Check-in to hotel for 6

nights

6:00PM: Light dinner & social hour

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Oregon & Sylvania, OH

8:30AM: Depart form hotel and visit

“Food for Thought” (3540 Seaman

Rd. Oregon, OH 43616)

9:00AM: Topic “How to feed people

with thought”

Meeting with: Sam Melden, Execu-

tive Director & Chief Though Officer.

11:00AM-12:00Noon: Team building

exercises and games! Each partici-

pant suggest a game idea.

Travel to Sylvania to Lourdes College

(6832 Convent Blvd. Sylvania, OH

43560)

1:00PM: Lunch at the Main Dining

Hall of Lourdes University.

2:00-4:30PM: “Making Change with

People Power”

Meeting with: Cris Doby, Program

Officer and Charles Stewart Mott

Foundation

4:45PM: Returning to hotel; prepar-

ing tri-fold posters for display next

morning; getting ready for the Con-

gress poster show in Washington,

D.C.

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Toledo & Oregon, OH

Morning: Set up Poster Show in the

Staybridge hotel meeting room.

9:00-10:30AM: Morning activities

with Dave Beckwith; presentation of

the posters.

10:45AM-12:30PM: Reporting on the

one-on-one interview experience from

home.

12:30-1:10PM: Joint pizza lunch in

small groups to learn more about

each other.

1:30-2:00PM: Discussion and plan-

ning of one-on-one interviews as re-

hearsal for the evening

2:00-3:00PM: Action Planning I.

Plan A: Why and how you can start

doing community organizing after

your return.

Plan B: Why and how to improve

training in community organizing

after your return.


* Itinerary as of October 1, 2012 — subject to change without further notice

Titles for the Posters

Slovakia:

Marcela Beresova: “Work with

Roma children in Community

Centers in Eastern Slovakia”

Jolana Natherova: “Work with

Roma youth in Banska Bystrica

– with support from Sister City

Charleston, West Virginia”.

Milena Kacmarcikova:

“The change is possible”

Monika Bandurova:

“Listen to us, we want to work!”

Romania:

Andreea Buzec: “Building a cul-

ture of participation worldwide”

Vlad Catuna: “In villages, in

towns we keep the gas inside the

shale”

Anda Lupusor and Mihaela Grig-

oriu: “The social inclusion of

Roma Minority in Romania”

Nicu Dumitru: “Social entrepre-

neurship: Minority craftsmen in

the spotlight”

Radu Raileanu: “Communicating

about Minority Communities in

Romania”

Hungary:

Henriett Dinok:

“All Different All Equal?”

Krisztina Molnar:

“Together for Another” – Human

Integra Foundation

Zsolt Fugg: “Working with mi-

nority communities – Szeged,

Hungary & Toledo, Ohio, U.S.A.”

Balint Vojtonovszki: “Organizing

against the national workfare

system in Hungary”

Bulgaria

Kaloyan Damyanov:

“Inclusion Education in Bulgaria

– Myth or Reality”

Nedka Taneva:

“Alternative for All”

ITINERARY *

3:00-4:00PM: Preparing for the eve-

ning program;

Finalizing discussion and planning of

one-on-one interviews

4:15PM: Depart to Hungarian Club

of Toledo (224 Paine Ave, Toledo, OH

43605)

5:00-8:00PM: International

Friendship Night – welcome dinner

and program in the Hungarian Club

of Toledo.

8:30PM: Return to the hotel

Friday, October 5, 2012

Toledo, OH

8:30AM: Departure from the hotel

and drive to downtown City of Toledo

Conference room 1st Floor.

9:00-9:45AM: Topic “Transparency

and Accountability in Local Govern-

ment & Citizens involvement”

Meeting with: Patrick McLean, Direc-

tor of Finance City of Toledo

10:00-10:45AM: : Topic “The Success

Imperative – A Toledo Story on

Youth Development and Engage-

ment” Meeting with: Tracee Ellis,

City of Toledo Mayors Office

11:00-12:00AMProgram Assessment

with Elizabeth Balint

12:30-1:30PM: Lunch at the Govern-

ment Center Cafeteria

1:30PM: Topic “The U.S. governance

system & the role of local govern-

ments in the U.S.”

Meeting with: Wade Kapszukiewicz,

Lucas County Treasurer and Peter

Ujvagi, Lucas County Administrator

2:00-4:00PM: A sample organizing

campaign in a Toledo neighborhood

Meeting with: Ramon Perez, Commu-

nity Organizer, One Village Council

4:30PM: Return to hotel, dinner on

your own

7:00PM: Departure to Toledo Mu-

seum of Art “Its Friday” for those

who interested.

7:30PM: Departure to Valentine

Theater, La Boheme performance

(starts at 8:00PM) for those who pre-

viously requested tickets to the

Toledo Opera.

Pick-up will be arranged for each

group and drive back to hotel.

Saturday, October 6, 2012

Toledo, OH

10:00AM: Departure from hotel and

drive to the Imagination Station in

Downtown Toledo.

10:30-12:00Noon: Enjoy the Imagi-

nation Station

12:00Noon-3:00PM: Drive to the

Toledo Zoo; Lunch on your own

3:00-7:00PM: Dinner around the ho-

tel on your own

7:00PM-12:00Midnight: An Inter-

national Disco Night at the Hungar-

ian Club (224 Paine Ave, Toledo, OH

43605) – this program is open to the

public ($5.00 fee for nonmembers of

the Hungarian Club)

12:00Midnight: Drive back to the

hotel

Sunday, October 7, 2012

Sandusky, OH

Group A (those who requested go to

Cedar Point):

10:00AM: Departure from hotel. Day

of fun at Cedar Point; Lunch and din-

ner on your own.


Group B (not go to Cedar Point): Day

for rest, shopping on your own at

Fallen Timbers Mall

Monday, October 8, 2012

Chicago, IL

9:00AM: Travel to Chicago

1:00PM: Store the luggage in the

hotel and sightseeing – visit to the

Hancock Building Signature Lounge,

Magnificent Mile; shopping opportu-

nity, look around in the Millennium

Park—as weather permits

4:00PM: Check-in to hotel for 3

nights; Dinner on your own.

Evening: Free time to rest

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Chicago, IL

8:30AM: Departure from the hotel to

NPA office (810 N. Milwaukee Ave-

nue, Chicago)

9:00AM-12:00Noon: Visit National

People’s Action (NPA);

Meeting with: Jeff Pinzino, Develop-

ment Director;

Discussion topics: (1) History of the

community organizing in the U.S.;

(2) Challenges and opportunities in

national organizing, and youth orga-

nizing in Chicago.

12:00-1:30PM: Lunch around the

NPA on your own

2:00-4:00PM: Visit the Jane Addams

Hull-House Museum (The University

of Illinois in Chicago) at 800 S. Hal-

sted, Chicago

4:30PM: Drop off materials at the

hotel

5:00PM: Visit the Navy Piers – enjoy

a 30 minutes boat ride on Lake

Michigan– if weather permits, sight-

seeing in downtown Chicago.

Evening: Dinner on your own

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Chicago, IL

8:15AM: Depart from hotel to Anshe

Emet Synagogue (3751 N. Broadway,

Chicago )

9:00AM-1:00PM: Workshop with or-

ganizers from Lakeview Action Coali-

tion & Illinois People Action;

Meeting with: Mary Tarullo, Organ-

izer LAC and Dawn Dannenbring,

Organizer IPA

Discussion topics: (1) How to turn a

big problem into an issue for a cam-

paign (this includes small group

work);

(2) Learning about statewide orga-

nizing effort and collaboration among

community organizers & organiza-

tions (Dawn – Illinois People Action);

(3) Action Planning II: Barriers or

opportunities to bringing what they

have learned in the U.S. to their

countries.

2:30-4:00PM: Meeting at UIC Insti-

tute of Policy and Civic Engagement

(IPCE) at the College of Urban Plan-

ning and Public Affairs.(412 S. Peo-

ria St. 400, College of Urban Plan-

ning Chicago, IL 60607

Meeting with: Joseph Hoereth, Ph.D.,

Director

Evening: Open for sightseeing and

nightlife in Chicago

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Travel day: Check-out from the ho-

tel and travel to your internship site.

Page 15 Professional Fellows program in the U.S. (October 1- November 10, 2012)

ITINERARY *

October 11-November 1, 2012

3-weeks Internship at the U.S. host-

ing organizations, learn and stay

with local host families.

Thursday, November 1, 2012

New York, NY

Morning: Travel to New York and

check-in to hotel for 4 nights

Afternoon/Evening: Free time for

sightseeing and dinner on your own;

Suggested program: Enjoy visiting

Carnegie Hall, Rockefeller Center,

Sony Wonder Technology Lab, Time

Square and Broadway

Friday, November 2, 2012

New York

8:00AM: Depart together from hotel

to “Community Voices Heard” (CVH)

office conference room.) 115 E. 106th

St. 3rd Floor, New York)

9:00-11:00AM: Topic “Changing Peo-

ple, Places and Policy through Com-

munity Organizing” - small group

discussions on internship experience;

Meeting with: Jennifer Hadlock, Mo

George, CVH organizers

11:15AM-2:00PM: Joint Pizza lunch

and discussion “Community organiz-

ing success stories”.

Meeting with: Mr. James Mumm,

Staff Director

2:15-4:00PM: Action Planning III

Discussion and presentation of ideas

that the delegation would like to im-

plement after return, and planning of

joint actions by countries.


Evening: Free time for sightseeing

and dinner on your own;

Suggested program: Greenwich Vil-

lage and Empire State Building

Saturday, November 3, 2012

New York, NY

9:00AM: Sightseeing – boat ride to

the Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island,

Visit the 9/11 memorial; China town

Sunday, November 4, 2012

New York, NY

Time to rest, sightseeing

Suggested program: Metropolitan

Museum, Central Park, Soho

Monday, November 5, 2012

Washington, D.C.

8:45AM: Check-out from hotel and

departure to Washington, D.C.

Check-in to hotel for 2 nights

2:00-4:00PM: Meeting with Eliza-

beth Balint; Discussion topic: “Story

plus Action Equal Change”;

Report & evaluation of the program

and presentation of the joint action

plans;

Finalizing the U.S. mentors visit to

Europe

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Washington, D.C.

ELECTION DAY:

Tour of the Congress and visit to the

Library of Congress.

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Washington, D.C.

8:00-11:00AM: Check out from hotel

and store luggage

Sightseeing in Washington, D.C.

downtown around the White House

and White House gift store, monu-

ments etc.

12:00Noon: Moving to another hotel

for the Professional Fellows Congress

2:00-4:00PM Meeting at the Roma-

nian Embassy (for the Romanian

delegation)

4:00PM: Check-in for 3 nights; and

registration for the Congress

6:30-8:30PM Orientation & Network-

ing, light refreshments

Thursday, November 8. 2012

Washington D.C.

Congress continues

Friday, November 9, 2012

Washington D.C.

Congress continues

Evening: Farewell & JOINT Birth-

day celebration with our delegation

Saturday, November 10, 2012

Washington D.C.

Morning: Evaluation of the Con-

gress; Meeting with U.S. State De-

partment program officers,

Presentation of the certificates

12:00Noon: Check-out of hotel,

travel to the airport with group

transportation organized by the ad-

ministration of Congress.

* Itinerary as of October 1, 2012 — subject to change without further notice

SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR COLLABORATING OVERSEAS

PARTNERS AND IN-COUNTRY DIRECTORS:

Emil Metodiev Liuba Batembergska

Creating Effective Grassroots

Alternatives Foundation CEGA

Bulgaria http://cega.bg

Mate Varga Civil College Foundation Hungary

http://www.pepol.info/partners/ccf.htm

Oana Preda Nicoleta Chirita

CeRe Romania http://www.ce-re.ro/

Milan ‘Kajo’ Zboril Chuck Hirt

Center for Community Organizing

Slovakia http://www.ceecn.net/

Documents

GLC Newsletter