• A more extensive knowledge of American life and professional work
• A better understanding of your own professional identity
• Some new ideas to try in your field
• A broader view of yourself and your profession

As ILEX provides a unique experience to you, it does also to American agencies. By having foreign professionals involved in the agency and exchanging information with American staff, we hope that:

• Colleagues you work with will incorporate some ideas you bring with you that are applicable within the American culture;
   
• Program directors and decision-makers will see new possibilities;
   
• As the cumulative effect from this technical exchange becomes increasingly available, a new body of information will help to develop awareness and promote the development here of social-pedagogy/social education concepts.

  Most importantly, ILEX Fellows must be able to demonstrate and communicate the professional concept of their work to their American colleagues. To do so effectively, ILEX Fellows need to be open to understanding and accepting the American professional culture within our social services system. Patience, tolerance, and flexibility are all key characteristics of successful ILEX Fellows.
  
  ILEX Fellows come to the United States under a J-1 professional specialist visitor exchange visa. This visa is intended to promote the sharing of professional information that otherwise is not available in the United States. As a social educator, with a related academic degree, you will have the opportunity and responsibility to share your professional concepts with your American colleagues. Typically, this is done through on-the-job demonstration, employee and Board member trainings, and program development within your agency, and annual national conferences with American agency personnel sponsored by ILEX.
  
  The program operates by each participant joining the staff of an agency, as a working member of the team of the selected unit or program. The participant observes the same schedule as their colleagues, has a supervisor (a more senior person) in the agency, works directly with clients, does paperwork (we have a lot in the United States), participates in staff meetings, treatment planning, case conferences, etc.
  
  Participants’ accommodations are provided by the agency or through ILEX. If the agency has staff accommodations, then the participant is provided an on-campus housing arrangement. Most agencies, however, do not have staff housing possibilities. In those cases, apartments or houses are leased in the community, and Fellows share those residences.
  
   

1. When you decide to apply, click on your country above to find out whom to contact. Completing the ILEX application requires thinking, organizing your material, and a fair amount of time. But, it is important to do it well. Full instructions are included with the application. Please return your completed application directly to the person you are contacting.

2. When you have submitted the completed application, either to a National Representative or to the ILEX office, your name will be placed on the interview list. Some countries hold informational meetings for applicants before the selection interviews. You will be notified by the National Representative if this opportunity is available. Interviews are generally of two hours length, directly with ILEX staff. While this is a selection interview it is not something to be worried about. If you meet the criteria for the program and are a friendly, communicative person, able to talk about your work and your profession (in English), the interview is more often for getting to know you better which helps staff in matching you with an agency more effectively.

3. You are given a decision at the end of the interview on your application as to whether you are acepted in the program.