What We Offer
Empower
Since its founding in 1956, CIP has brought over 15,000 individuals to the U.S. from 147 countries for training, professional development and cross-cultural exchange.
Grow
They came, many lived with host families, worked at businesses, nonprofits or at government divisions, and returned home with enhanced knowledge and skills for an upward bound career and to serve their countries and community.
Contribute
In the process they and their host professionals and families established lasting relationships across national and cultural boundaries. This fuels the CIP mission of building cross-cultural relationships between international professionals and local partners
Individualized Training
International experience is a highly sought after qualification for an upward bound career, in business, government and nonprofit. Cross-cultural competence has become very valuable to be successful.
If you are a professional with a bachelor’s degree and at least two years’ experience, CIP Chicago can help you, if you are interested in a rewarding work-based professional development in the U.S. If you are a college student or a college graduate within the last 12 months, we can sponsor your internship in the U.S. for a period up to 12 months.
Group Training
Community Connections Program
The Community Connections Program, funded through the Bureau for Europe and Eurasia at USAID, is designed to promote public diplomacy through the exchange of cultural ideas and values between participants, U.S. families, and local host organizations
The Community Connections Program offers home-stays based on practical training opportunities in the U.S. for entrepreneurs, local government officials, legal professionals, non-governmental organization leaders, and other professionals from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan. Local community host organizations – including Colleagues International – arrange internships for participants based on interests and experiences.
Open World Program
The Open World Program enables emerging foreign leaders to experience U.S. democracy and free enterprise in action in communities across the United States, including Colleagues International. During ten-day trips, Open World participants learn about the roles and interrelationships of the three different branches and levels of the U.S. government. They also examine how the U.S. private and nonprofit sectors help meet social and civic needs
"...The Open World Program builds mutual understanding between the United States and the participating country by opening and maintaining new avenues of dialogue between political and civic leaders in the U.S. and a new generation of foreign leaders. The program’s civic delegations focus on one of eight themes: economic development, education reform, environment, federalism, health, rule of law, women as leaders, or youth issues."
Dr. George Palamattam
Empowering Communities and Organizations
Non-Governmental Organizations
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Businesses
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Agencies
Government Organizations
Our recent group trainings include: Belarus (Higher Education Management), Buryatia (Youth Development), Ethiopia (Entrepreneurship), Georgia (University Administration, Community College, Vocational Training, and Research), Germany, Kyrgyzstan (Journalism and Investigative Journalism), Moldova (Small Business Development), Serbia (Women’s Entrepreneurship and Domestic/Family Violence) Russia (Child Protection, Community-Based Services for Vulnerable Children, Municipal Management, and Budgeting), Turkmenistan (Juvenile Justice), and Uzbekistan (Credit Union and Banking).