Future Leaders Exchange
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Background and Overview
The Future Leaders’ Exchange (FLEX) program, a State Department-sponsored scholarship program for students from the countries of the former Soviet Union, has its origins in the FREEDOM Support Act, which was passed by Congress in 1992. The Act was sponsored by Senator Bill Bradley of New Jersey, who envisioned it as a medium to build future U.S. relations with the countries of the former Soviet Union based upon bridges of personal friendship and mutual understanding.
The FLEX scholarship is made possible by funds allocated by the U.S. Congress each year. For 18 years, FLEX students have been making lasting impressions on the people of their U.S. host communities and have applied their cross-cultural and community-building skills to make lasting contributions in their home countries. The impact of this kind of "public diplomacy" is reflected in the decision made by Congress each year to continue funding the program.
The FLEX program is administered by the United States Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, which awards grants to non-profit organizations like AFS-USA to administer various aspects of the program. AFS-USA receives a grant each year to host a number of FLEX students on its program. AFS-USA works in close partnership with American Councils for International Education (ACTR/ACCELS), an organization which administers recruitment, selection, pre-departure orientation and alumni programming for the FLEX Program in their home countries.
AFS-USA also works with organizations such as Mobility International, Project Harmony and The Close Up Foundation in its administration of the FLEX Program.
Where do FLEX students come from?
FLEX students come from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Ukraine.
What is the selection process for FLEX students?
Being selected to receive a FLEX scholarship is an extremely prestigious honor. Over 55,000 students initially applied for roughly 1100 spots on the program for the 2010-2011 academic year. The application process is rigorous, and students are selected not only for their academic achievements, but for their involvement in extracurricular and community activities, and the personal traits and characteristics that are believed to make a successful exchange student. Students are selected by a volunteer committee of application readers in the United States.
Enrichment Activities
In addition to spending a year with an American host family and attending a high school in the United States, FLEX students are also called upon to engage in a series of Cultural enrichment activities. For this reason, AFS-USA works each year to place FLEX students in regional clusters of three or more State Department sponsored students. During the course of their academic year abroad, dedicated volunteer cluster coordinators arrange for these visiting students to participate in a series of intensive extra-curricular enrichment activities that build the leadership and educational content of their programs abroad.
These enrichment programs are designed to provide students with firsthand insight into American political and social infrastructures, its cultural heritage and values, as well as the concept of “civil society.” Learning through interaction with local leaders in a variety of different fields helps students to develop their own interests and leadership abilities. The topics explored are tied to three core learning objectives: Government, Volunteerism and Community Service, and Cultural Diversity, including Native Peoples.
FLEX Program Features
- Sponsored Programs Workshop in Washington, DC for cluster coordinators: sessions include such topics as in-depth information regarding the cultures from which the students are coming, advocacy workshop and visits to Congressional Representatives, roundtables on planning and carrying out cluster activities, fostering leadership skills, host family orientation content, working with schools, inclusion of people with disabilities, briefing with State Department officials.
- Enhancement and Leadership activities budget of $150 per participant available to Teams hosting a cluster (YES students should be hosted in groups of at least 3 students) to carry out at least six enhancement activities over the course of the academic year (reporting forms and procedures are explained in detail to Cluster Coordinators).
- Monthly stipend of $125 starting in the month of August and ending in the month of June.
- Incidentals allowance of $300 provided for year program students meant to cover such expenses as school activity fees, a winter coat, school pictures, team uniform or laboratory fees, books, etc.
- AFS medical program with all of the same benefits and procedures that normally apply.
Where can AFS’s FLEX participants be hosted?
- FLEX students can be hosted anywhere in the United States.
- FLEX students are hosted in clusters of sponsored students (along with YES and Congress Bundestag students) of between 3-8 students in close enough geographic proximity to facilitate getting together periodically for enhancement activities. Enhancement activities are coordinated locally by a designated “Cluster Coordinator”.
- Each Team that plans to host FLEX students should identify one volunteer who will serve as a “Cluster Coordinator” (of course, a Team could choose to have more than one cluster per Team, but should be sure to designate a “Cluster Coordinator” for each cluster). The “Cluster Coordinator” will implement enhancement activities that have clear educational objectives and a focus on leadership (a leadership curriculum to guide this focus is being developed by the American Leadership Forum of Oregon). “Cluster Coordinators” also provide country and program specific information to fellow volunteers in the Team. Ideally, the “Cluster Coordinator” will be designated early in the spring so that he/she may take part in the annual Sponsored Programs Workshop held near Washington, D.C.
FLEX Travel
International travel for FLEX students is a very complex effort that is organized by American Councils. Since the FLEX program deals with such a large group of people it is often difficult to accommodate individual student schedules. However, American Councils attempts to factor school start and end dates into students' arrival and departure travel plans whenever feasible.
A student's destination in Eurasia and associated exam obligations are also taken into consideration when departure travel plans are being made. In addition, given the age of these students, ECA prefers that they travel in groups with an adult escort when ever possible. This adds yet another scheduling challenge.
