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<br /> <br /> STAFF REPORT <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />TO: Mayor Fischer and Members of City Council <br /> <br />FROM: Chris Heineman, City Administrator <br />Laura Linehan, Community Relations Manager <br /> <br />DATE: August 14, 2024 <br /> <br />RE: Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative Professional Fellows Program <br />ACTION TO BE CONSIDERED: <br />This is an informational update only; no action is required. <br /> <br />BACKGROUND: <br />In June, staff received information from the Minnesota City Managers Association about an <br />initiative sponsored by the International County/City Managers Association (ICMA) to host a <br />fellow with a background in environmental sustainability. Young Southeast Asian Leaders <br />Initiative Professional Fellows Program, with the next WSEALI cohort in the U.S. from <br />September 14 to October 14, 2024. <br /> <br />ICMA has been implementing the YSEALI Professional Fellows Program for the past 10 years, <br />which is funded by the U.S. Department of State. It is a professional development exchange <br />program that provides selected participants from Southeast Asia aged 25-35 the opportunity to <br />spend 5.5 weeks in the United States. This includes 4 weeks working directly with American <br />counterparts in individually tailored placements with non-profit organizations, state and local <br />government, and private-sector offices across the country. ICMA brings participants from <br />Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, <br />Timor-Leste, and Vietnam to expand their technical expertise, leadership skills, and professional <br />networks in environmental sustainability. The Fellows have a broad range of professional <br />backgrounds and expertise around issues of sustainability and the environment, including public <br />health, community engagement related to environmental education, environmental law, and <br />more. <br /> <br />Staff internally discussed the potential benefits of hosting a fellow to focus on sustainability <br />efforts and contacted ICMA staff to discuss the overall program and a possible project. After <br />meeting with ICMA, staff drafted a project plan and submitted an application on July 31. <br /> <br />The City was notified on August 2 that Little Canada was selected to host a YSEALI fellow. <br />Final approval is still needed from the U.S. State Department before placement is finalized, and <br />if approved the City of Little Canada will host a fellow between September 16 – October 11. <br /> <br /> <br />