XL Application

APPLICATION DEADLINE IS MARCH 10, 2012.

Applications will be accepted from December 1, 2011 – February 15, 2012. Participant fee of $700 for Middle Eastern participants and $900 for US participants is due at the time of acceptance. This fee may be reduced in the case of financial need. Requests for financial assistance should be made directly to the Executive Director via email at jkanak@handsofpeace.org at time of acceptance into the program. Any extra fees incurred due to a change in the participant’s plans will be the responsibility of the participant and his/her guardians. Participants must be available for all program activities each day of the program.

Please save a copy of your completed application and your essay on your own computer in case there is a problem with the online submission.

Dear XL Applicant,

We are excited that you are planning to apply to be an XL for the Hands of Peace Summer Program, which will take place July 2 - July 19, 2012 in the northern suburbs of Chicago, Illinois, USA. The major roles and responsibilities of the XLs include the following:

To consistently show a strong personal investment in the mission and goals of HOP.
To counsel and support all new participants throughout the program (not only those from his / her own delegation).
To plan and implement various activities throughout the program.
To take responsible leadership initiative, even in moments of high emotional tension or general rowdiness.
To show strong commitment to HOP throughout the year—both before and after their summer as XLs—by attending Alumni Club meetings, participating in the listserv, and planning HOP-related activities in one’s home community.
To help participants become bonded across identity groups by modeling interest, acceptance, cooperation and inclusiveness.
To be sensitive to what participants are experiencing and empathize with, encourage and ask open ended questions of them.

XL Selection:

The XL applications will be reviewed and XLs chosen by the XL Selection Committee. This committee could include the Executive Director, Program Director, Regional Coordinators, XL Coordinator and/or other HOP staff. As a group, they will assess each XL applicant in terms of the online application and/or interview with HOP staff member, feedback from appropriate HOP staff and volunteers (both objective and subjective), specific criteria outlined for consideration of an XL position, potential for personal growth and development, and finally the needs of the XL Program, the incoming Hands, and the organization as a whole. Some of these forms of assessment are quite objective, while others are more subjective. The XL Selection Committee will make their decisions by consensus and will aim for diversity in the delegation as a whole in terms of nationality, religion and gender. Final decisions will be communicated by the Executive Director.

The following criteria will be used in evaluating XL applicants:

1. Successful completion of HOP Summer Program, online XL application and/or interview with HOP staff member.

2. Adherence to HOP policies and procedures.

3. Active involvement in HOP activities following completion of the Summer Program (SP), including attendance at Alumni Club meetings and events

4. Constructive participation on the listserv and other communication and/or networking media.

5. A willingness to speak on behalf of Hands of Peace at promotional, recruitment, or fundraising presentations.

6. Demonstrated efforts to help recruit participants and encourage supporters.

7. Consistent responsiveness to communications and/or requests from HOP participants, supporters or leadership.

9. Feedback from appropriate HOP staff and volunteers.

10. Potential for continued growth and future involvement in HOP and related activities.

11. Demonstrated ability to engage in conflict discussions in a respectful manner.

12. Willingness to interact/assist with members ofALLdelegations.

13. Demonstration of an ability to be an appropriate role model in terms of reliability, leadership and a mature approach to problem-solving.

14. Good English skills.

XLs will also need a valid passport and visa for travel to the United States. The program fee does not cover any expenses associated with obtaining these necessary documents, but we do assist with the visa application process. Parental permission will be indicated by signing program waiver form (distributed at pre-program orientation in Jerusalem).

If accepted, you must travel with the HOP delegation according to the arrangements made for the group.

To apply:

Complete the application form online. You must have a valid email address to apply. A confirmation email will be sent to this address after you submit your application online. If you do not receive a confirmation email within one week, please resubmit your application. You will be contacted for an interview within the next several months by a staff member. You must submit your application by February 15, 2012. Final notification of the program’s decision will occur by March 30, 2012.

Personal Information:

Last Name *

First Name *

Street Address *

City *

State *

Postal Code *

Mobile phone

Home phone *

Email address *

Date of Birth *

Month

Day

Year

Age today *

Current grade in school *

What school do you attend? *

Gender *

Male

Female

Religion *

Nationality/Ethnicity *

Where do you attend services (if applicable)?

Main languages spoken *

If so, please describe:

Mother's Information:

Last Name

First Name

Home address (if different than participant’s mailing address)

Mobile phone

Email address

Father's Information:

Last Name

First Name

Home address (if different than participant’s mailing address)

Mobile phone

Email address

Parental permission *

Yes

Please make sure your parents know that you are applying to be an XL so they understand the program, the responsibilities and the fees involved. By checking “Yes” you are confirming that your parents know about the program, responsibilities and fees involved, and that they understand that any extra fees incurred due to a change in your plans would be their responsibility:

Emergency Contact Information:

Name *

Relationship *

Mobile phone *

Essays:

IMPORTANT: Please take your time and construct brief, thoughtful and well-written essays.

1. Please write a brief paragraph explaining the impact Hands of Peace has had on you: *

2. Describe how you view the role of an XL: *

3. Describe how you feel organizations like Hands of Peace impact the possibility for peace: *

Do you have any medical conditions that Hands of Peace should be aware of? *

Yes

If so, please explain:

Do you smoke? *

Yes

Do you have any allergies? *

Yes

If so, please list:

For Middle Eastern applicants, would you be comfortable staying in a home with pets?

Yes

T-shirt:

Participants of HOP are provided with three shirts to wear during the program. Please mark what size you wear: *

Small

Medium

Large

Extra Large

What kind of sleeve length would you prefer: *

Short

Long

Please summarize your involvement with HOP since your participation in the Summer Program:

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XL Application