With a mission “to inspire, prepare, and support the next generation of leaders of post-conflict Ireland to face the challenges of the future,” the Washington Ireland Program welcomes a dynamic group of young students to the 2009 program.
These students, from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, have committed to six months of intensive learning, public service, and leadership training. Over the course of program, they complete a public service project consisting of a minimum of 30 hours of committed service in a field of work that is new to them in order to test their skills and challenge them; participate in an eight-week summer program in Washington, DC that consists of a professional internship coupled with an intensive leadership curriculum; and finally, work as a team to develop, implement, and oversee a community service project.
The eight weeks the student spend in Washington, DC is a critical component of the program. It consists of a six-week unpaid internship; living with an American host family to experience the US culture; individual learning in which each student sets personal goals and tracks his or her own progress; community building through once weekly discussions, seminars, and meetings; and leadership training using a curriculum designed to develop leadership skills. Throughout the entire eight weeks, students participate in additional seminars, workshops, and guest speakers from diverse leadership positions to further help them learn and explore.
Week One: WIP Class of 2009 are Called to Service
Week Two: Caring and Sharing
Weeks Three and Four: Leadership, Democracy, and Politics
Week Five: “To Practice Tolerance and Live Together in Peace”
Week Six: The Global Community—History, Conflict, Economy, and Health
Week Seven: Religion, Conflict, and the Catalysts for Peaceful Change
Week Eight: The Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland—Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow
