By Matt Fulton
ICMA Midwest Contact, MME Board of Directors
ICMA has been implementing the YSEALI Professional Fellows Program for the past 10 years, which is funded by the U.S. Department of State. It is a professional development exchange program that provides selected participants from Southeast Asia aged 25–35 the opportunity to spend five and a half weeks in the United States. This includes four weeks working directly with American counterparts in individually tailored placements with non-profit organizations, state and local government, and private-sector offices across the country. ICMA brings participants from Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam to expand their technical expertise, leadership skills, and professional networks in environmental sustainability. Learn more from this flyer that provides an overview of the program. ICMA as a sub to the American Councils for International Education is responsible for placing Fellows in the Sustainable Development and Environment theme. All transportation, housing and meals are covered by ICMA. This is a wonderful opportunity to mentor a young professional as well as bring a new perspective to one of your sustainability projects!
Our next YSEALI cohort will be in the U.S. from September 14 to October 14, 2024. The Fellows have a broad range of professional backgrounds and expertise around issues of sustainability and the environment. Here are some examples of our fellows’ interest areas:
- Public health
- Agriculture/ regenerative farming
- Animal conservation/ environmental protection
- Environmental law
- Decarbonization
- Disaster risk reduction
- Forestry
- Waste management
- Climate change adaptation/ resilience
- Renewable energy
- Sustainable design in housing development and planning
- Circular economy
- Community engagement related to environmental education
We would be happy to refer you to previous Hosts who are ICMA members if you would like to hear more about this fantastic experience! If you are interested in hosting or would like to learn more, please contact Laura Hagg, lhagg@icma.org or Alaina Mendoza, amendoza@icma.org.
Matt Fulton
ICMA Midwest Contact, MME Board of Directors
Midwest Regional Director, ICMA