Community Connections


			Community Connections

…contributing to the growth of democracy in the former Soviet Union.

The Community Connections program offers homestay-based practical training opportunities in the U.S. for entrepreneurs, local government officials, legal professionals, non-governmental organization leaders and other professionals from the former Soviet Union.

Managed by the Bureau for Europe and Eurasia at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and administered by World Learning, Community Connections is designed to promote public diplomacy through the exchange of cultural ideas and values among participants, U.S. families and local community host organizations. It seeks to establish and strengthen links between U.S. communities and communities in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.

Programs for professionals who do not speak English are less individualized, more group focused, and use a variety of training methodologies. All professional programs are implemented with the assistance of U.S.-based locally hired interpreters.

Since 1994 The Worlds Affairs Council of Oregon has hosted nearly 40 groups with over 400 Russians and nationals of the other former Soviet republics.

Community Connections News

Host a visitor:

June 27 - July 16, 2008
(For details see Current Group)

This June the Council is excited to announce that a Community Connections group (10 visitors) from Russian Far East (Primorsky Krai) will spend three weeks (June 25-July 17) in the Portland area looking at partnerships in addressing environmental safety issues. This group will be staying in homestays while in Oregon. Hosting dates are: June 27-July 16. WE NEED HOMESTAYS!

Homestay hosts provide a spare room, breakfast and dinner (most evenings), and an American home experience. We will provide lunches, cultural events, professional meetings, and optional weekend activities for host families and participants, etc. If you can only host for part of the time, or if you would prefer to host two visitors rather than one, this can also be arranged.

For more information, please contact Theresa Burks, Community Relations Manager at: 503-274-7488.