Kazakhstan Youth Leadership Camp 2025

The U.S. Embassy in Kazakhstan announces an open competition to implement a youth leadership camp in summer 2026. The program will be an entrepreneurship and job skills-building camp for Kazakh youth with demonstrated interest in the United States and U.S. culture. The maximum 50 participants will include semi-finalists and alternates of various U.S. Government (USG) youth exchange programs who were unable to participate due to limitations on the number of participants per year. The camp will focus on U.S. best practices, American excellence, as well as skills to support participants’ prospects of becoming future leaders ready to partner with the United States. These themes could include U.S. entrepreneurship case studies and best practices, pitching, business project design basics, public speaking and presentation skills in English, and financial literacy.  Participation in the program will enhance the participants’ understanding of U.S. values, strengthen their career skills, and prepare them to advance U.S. economic interests in Kazakhstan, including through partnerships with American businesses.

To facilitate the camp, U.S. speakers should be invited as trainers, and alumni of U.S. Government exchange programs should be engaged as mentors. Following the camp, the most active participants will have an opportunity to implement local entrepreneurship projects, amplifying the impact of their learning.  Applicants should include a plan to facilitate networking among participants after the camp and beyond the conclusion of the program. Proposals that effectively leverage existing resources from the U.S. Department of State, such as the Regional English Language Office (RELO), the American Space and Makerspaces in country, and EducationUSA within the implementing plan will be given preference.