Become a home host

The Youth Leadership Program with Kenya is an exchange in the United States for Kenyan and American high school students (ages 15-17) and Kenyan adult educators or community leaders. This cultural exchange will take place in Reno, Nevada and Washington, D.C. The primary program themes are civic education, community service, and youth leadership development, with an additional focus on Rule of Law. The program will employ a highly interactive approach both in workshops and in a range of public and community settings.  Participants engage in leadership and civic education workshops, community service activities, visits to local schools and community organizations, project planning and development, and local cultural activities. As a part of the program, participants create action plans that enable them to implement a community service project.

Hosting details:

• Participants are 15-17 years old
• All youth speak English
• Hosting is scheduled to take place in January, 2023 (12 nights - dates to be announced)
• We require a background check (for criminal and sexual offenses) of anyone over 18 living in your home
• An NNIC staff member will make an annual home visit that takes place prior to your visitor arriving
• All people living in the home will be required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination
• Youth visitors are required to have their own bed; however, they may share a room with a host-sibling or fellow participant of the same gender
• Youth will be engaged in program activities during workdays – hosts drop guests off in the morning and pick them up in the evening. Meals are provided by the program any time visitors are engaged in program activities.
• Hosts provide guests with breakfast, some dinners (on the nights that the visitors don't have an evening cultural activity) and weekend meals

Youth hosts must complete a background check consent form.

Please upload your completed consent form to your online youth home hosting application.

Apply to be a youth home host

The Youth Leadership Program with Algeria is a leadership development opportunity for Algerian and American youth, ages 15-17. This cultural and academic exchange takes place every June and July in Reno, Nevada and Washington, DC.

This program employs a highly interactive approach both in workshops and in a range of public and community settings. Through engagement in the activities, youth and adult participants will better understand civic participation and the rights and responsibilities of citizens in a democracy, and the role that social enterprises play in a community. One of the goals of the program is to provide participants with the skills to complete a required post-program service project in their local communities.

Hosting details:

• Participants are 15-17 years old
• All youth speak English
• Hosting is scheduled to take place for 12 nights in the Summer of 2023, dates TBA
• We require a background check (for criminal and sexual offenses) of anyone over 18 living in your home
• An NNIC staff member will make an annual home visit that takes place prior to your visitor arriving
• All people living in the home will be required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination
• Youth visitors are required to have their own bed; however, they may share a room with a host-sibling or fellow participant of the same gender
• Youth will be engaged in program activities during workdays – hosts drop guests off in the morning and pick them up in the evening. Meals are provided by the program any time visitors are engaged in program activities.
• Hosts provide guests with breakfast, some dinners (on the nights that the visitors don't have an evening cultural activity) and weekend meals

Youth hosts must complete a background check consent form.

Please upload your completed consent form to your online youth home hosting application.

Apply to be a youth home host

General professional hosting details

• Adults of various ages and professions
• 6-14 days depending on the program
• Adults are required to have their own bed and room. They may not share with anyone, even other visitors
• All people living in the home will be required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination
• No background check is required of hosts to have adult visitors, though some programs require a home visit and we do request hosts complete an application.

Current opportunities:

Open World- October 7th - 15th, 2022 (8 nights)

The Northern Nevada International Center annually hosts a one-week Open World program. The Open World program focuses both on assisting Congress in its oversight responsibilities and on conducting exchanges that establish lasting professional relationships between the up-and-coming leaders of Open World countries and Americans dedicated to showcasing U.S. values and democratic institutions. Open World delegations consist of political and civic leaders from countries of the post-Soviet era who are selected through a competitive vetting process. Delegations experience in-depth programming in themes of particular interest to Congress, as well as those of transnational impact.

Hosting details:

• Delegates are 21+ years old (average is 30 years old)
• Delegates will travel with an interpreter. Hosts are not required to house the interpreter during the program
• Overnight hosting is scheduled to take place from October 7th - 15th, 2022 (8 nights)
  • Delegates are required to have their own bed and room. They may not share a bedroom with anyone during the home stay
• Delegates will be engaged in program activities during workdays – hosts are kindly asked to drop delegates off in the morning at NNIC and pick them up in the evening from NNIC. NNIC can provide assistance with transportation as needed.
• Hosts will provide delegates with daily breakfast, dinner, and weekend meals
  • Lunches will be provided by NNIC any time the delegates are engaged in program activities.

For additional information on home hosting please contact Program Specialist Olivia Bailey at obailey@nnic.org

Apply to be a professional (adult) host or dinner home host

The Mandela Washington Fellowship, the flagship program of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), empowers young African leaders through academic coursework, leadership training, mentoring, networking, professional opportunities and local community engagement. YALI was created in 2010 and supports young Africans as they spur economic growth and prosperity, strengthen democratic governance and enhance peace and security across the African continent. The Mandela Washington Fellowship is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State Young African Leaders Initiative.

• Fellows are 25-35 years old, from Sub-Saharan Africa, and speak English
• Fellows are specialized in entrepreneurship
• Dinner hosting is scheduled to take place four Fridays throughout the program (Dates TBA) (hosts are requested to host a dinner for all four of the dates and provide transportation for their hosted Fellows)

If you are interested in opportunities to network, mentor, or socialize with the Mandela Washington Fellows, please contact Program Specialist Natalie Valenzuela at nvalenzuela@nnic.org.

The Study of the U.S. Institutes (SUSI) is designed for small groups of foreign undergraduate students, scholars, and teachers. SUSI aims to promote a better understanding of American people and institutions; explore the diversity and culture of the United States, and develop or expand curricula on the U.S. The program helps participants to develop their leadership skills through leadership training, mentoring, networking, professional opportunities, and local community engagement. Throughout the program, students participate in volunteer and community service activities, leadership workshops, homestays, and cultural excursions. Students also have the opportunity to meet with community leaders and representatives of non-profit organizations.

• Participants are English speaking undergraduate students from a variety of countries (past countries included Poland, Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Kuwait, Malaysia, and Colombia)
• In 2022, SUSI had two separate academic programs: the Global Student Leaders Rule of Law and Public Service, and the Study of the U.S. Institutes for Students Leaders for Europe on Communicating Climate Change
• June 2023 dates are TBD

Local undergraduates can get involved in the SUSI program by applying to be a SUSI Ambassador. Ambassadors are a critical piece of the program and act as peer mentors, cultural liaisons, friends and student leaders. SUSI Ambassadors learn new skills, build their resume, make life-long international friends, and have fun!

If you have questions about the Ambassador program, please contact Program Coordinator, Sara Jones; sjones@nnic.org.

The International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) is the U.S. Department of State’s premier professional exchange program. Launched in 1940, the IVLP is a professional exchange program that seeks to build mutual understanding between the U.S. and other nations through carefully designed short-term visits to the U.S. for current and emerging foreign leaders. Since its inception in 1940, thousands of distinguished individuals have participated in the International Visitor Leadership Program, including more than 326 current and former Chiefs of State and Heads of Government, thousands of cabinet-level ministers, and many other distinguished leaders from the public and private sectors. These visits reflect the International Visitors’ professional interests and support the foreign policy goals of the United States.

• International Visitors may or may not speak English. Non-English speaking visitors will be accompanied by two interpreters
• Dinner hosting is scheduled to take place September, and October, November, December 2022 specific dates TBD