What: One to two-month placements for civic activists, journalists, researchers, social entrepreneurs and think tank experts with a host organisation in Ukraine

Who is eligible: Anyone from Eastern Europe or Central Asia (except for applicants from Ukraine) with proven experience and commitment to civil society, journalism or public policy analysis in their country or region.

Location of hosts: Ukraine

When: October – December 2021 & February – April 2022 (might be postponed based on the Covid situation in Ukraine)

Language: English, Russian

Deadline to apply: August 27, 2021

What is InterActionsUA?

InterActionsUA enables professional exchange and cooperation between civic initiatives, independent media, research institutes and social businesses based in Ukraine and other countries of Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The programme gives a unique chance to work for some time with outstanding and prominent organisations of the Ukrainian civil society, learn from their experience and expertise, and also share with them your knowledge and experience.

Why Ukrainian civil society organisations?

In recent years, a strong, cohesive and developed civil society has emerged in Ukraine. From urban initiatives, feminist associations, online educational platforms to human rights, media and anti-corruption organisations, the Ukrainian civil sector has crystallised into a driver of qualitative and profound changes. Its experience can be useful for activists from different countries, as Ukrainian CSOs can share how to bring positive social transformations while growing and developing close cooperation within civil society, with authorities and international organisations.

Professional exchanges within InterActionsUA programme can last from one to two months. Applicants who will apply within this programme can choose to have their InterActionsUA stay with Ukrainian host either in Autumn 2021 (mid-Oct – Dec) or in Spring 2022 (mid Feb – April). Exact dates might be influenced by the Covid-related limitations in Ukraine. In case of changes, we will notify the selected participants beforehand.

By participating in InterActionsUA, activists, journalists, social entrepreneurs, public policy experts and researchers can choose a suitable host organisation in Ukraine. The Prague Civil Society Centre has made a list of recommended organisations who have already expressed willingness to host colleagues from other countries.

Applicants should decide what they want to gain from their professional exchange and how to achieve it. As part of the application process for the InterActionsUA programme, the applicant should submit a proposal with a general concept for their professional exchange. Once selected, shortlisted applicants will be asked to elaborate a more detailed plan of their InterActionsUA programme in direct communication with their host organisation. Successful candidates will get financial support to cover the travel, accommodation and living costs related to their exchange.

Who can apply?

Individuals working in one or more of these fields:

• NGOs, civil society groups focused on human rights, ecology, urbanism and other related topics;

• Independent media and social media influencers;

• Think tanks;

• Research institutes;

• Social business;

• IT start-ups with social impact;

• Informal education initiatives (for example, online education platforms);

Applicants should have proven experience and commitment to their field in their country or region.

We accept applications from organisations and citizens of the countries in yellow on the map below, except Ukraine.

Even if you have previously participated in programmes hosted by the Centre, you are still welcome to apply.

What kind of proposals will get support?

Applicants should have a well-developed idea of what they want to achieve with their InterActionsUA professional exchange. It can be research, skills development, or any other idea that you want to collaborate on with a host organisation. Applicants are free to propose any topic.

The Prague Civil Society Centre does have some thematic priorities, such as judiciary reform, anti-corruption and investigative journalism, support to independent media and boosting media literacy, policy analysis and good governance, human rights protection and victims support, education and culture initiatives, urban transformation and social innovation, and environmental sustainability. We do not exclude applicants from other fields, yet they will have to find their potential host by themselves and articulate in their application why that specific theme and field is relevant and important for their country.    

At this stage of the selection process, applicants are asked in the application form:

• What they expect to gain from the expertise of their host organisation;

• How will the knowledge acquired during the exchange contribute to the work of the applicant’s organisation.

Applicants who are shortlisted to participate in the programme will be additionally asked to elaborate with their host organisation a concrete description of the tasks or activities that will take place during the exchange and how they will help the applicant to reach their goals.

Proposals for purely academic research are not likely to be supported, nor are applicants who want to work on their PhD thesis.

What is covered?

Within the framework of the InterActionsUA programme, we will cover the plane tickets, the PCR or other obligatory tests, accommodation, meals, local transport and other reasonable expenses for the participants. Programme participants will be accommodated in modern apartments with good living conditions. Insurance and plane tickets will be provided by our partner organisation in Ukraine, so you do not need to buy them on your own. Participants will also receive a daily allowance of 25 euros per day for meals and other necessary expenses, regardless of the location of the host organisation.

What is expected from the host organisation?

The success of the InterActionsUA depends on both sides involved. The host organisation will have to contribute to the development and implementation of the professional exchange plan.

The host is expected to:

• discuss and approve the exchange participant’s plan and assist with its implementation (after applicant has been shortlisted);

• issue a letter of invitation upon request, and to support the participant within the scope of its responsibility as an inviting entity;

• provide personal mentorship and workspace;

• share knowledge and experience with the person;

• assist with arranging meetings;

• involve the participant of the exchange in the activities of the organisation.

The Prague Civil Society Centre provides a Host Fee to the host organisation in compensation for time and efforts spent on the preparation and coordination of the professional exchange. Please note that the Centre cannot pay the host fee to international organisations, public institutions and state-funded organisations.

How to apply

1. Choose a potential host organisation

The organisations from our list below have already agreed to host colleagues from other countries within the InterActionsUA Programme. So you need only to become familiar with what the organisations do and make clear in your application why that specific organisation is a useful and relevant match for your needs and goals. At this stage, you do not need to approach a listed host organisation.

*If you want to choose another host organisation, you have to find it on your own and get their approval to be placed with them beforehand. To confirm this agreement, you can ask the host organisation to issue a support letter for you (template below) and send a pdf of this letter to interactions.ua.pcsc@gmail.com. Alternatively, you can forward us the email of the host organisation where they state they would accept you for a professional exchange. Either support letter or the email should be sent to interactions.ua.pcsc@gmail.com by August 27, 2021.

Host organisations should be working on topics relevant to your work in your own country.

2. Apply via the online application form (Yellow "Apply" button above) or through the link here.

You have to fill in the online application form and in addition send your support letter or email from your host organisation if they are not on our list of host organisations to interactions.ua.pcsc@gmail.com by August 27, 2021.

Programme timeline:

August 27, 2021 – deadline for applications

September 22, 2021 – notification on the selection results

September 22 – October 8 2021 – submitting concrete plan of InterActionsUA.

October 25, 2021 – start of the InterActionsUA, arrival to Ukraine of the first group of selected participants.

Feb, 2021  –  arrival to Ukraine of the second group of selected participants (date to be specified later with participants)

Documents to download:

Programme Guidelines

Guide For Potential Host Organisations

FAQs

‍Support Letter Template

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Questions:

Please read the InterActionsUA Programme Guideline first. It gives a detailed explanation of all the steps and procedures.

If you have more questions about the InterActionsUA Professional Exchange Programme, please get in touch with the Centre at interactions.ua.pcsc@gmail.com

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