POSITION SUMMARY

American Councils is seeking Civics Instructors for its Washington, DC-based educational programs for exchange students. International youth exchange is recognized as an important component of U.S. public diplomacy and foreign policy. Congress and the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational Cultural Affairs have developed the following programs to promote mutual understanding between the U.S. and other countries:

• The Congress Bundestag Youth Exchange program (www.usagermanyscholarship.org) was established in 1983 and is jointly managed by the U.S. and German governments providing over 26,000 scholarships to youth

• The Future Leaders Exchange program (http://discoverFLEX.org) was initiated in 1992 to create closer relations with the successor nations of the former Soviet Union and since 2015 has expanded to six more countries.
• The Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study program (www.yesprograms.org) was established in 2002, modeled on FLEX, and promotes understanding between the U.S. and 36 countries of strategic importance.

These programs provide competitively selected high school students with the opportunity to travel to the U.S. for an academic year to live with a volunteer host family and attend U.S. high school. More than 50,000 students have received scholarships to participate in these programs.

As part of their exchange year, students have the opportunity to participate in a Civic Education Workshop (CEW) in Washington D.C. Students learn about American history, government systems, youth leadership and community involvement skills through workshops and seminars in classroom settings, at sites on the National Mall, and through guided exploration of museums.

Instructors work with a group of 20-25 of these students during CEW as they explore Washington’s public policy institutions, media organizations, capitol hill, monuments, and museums. Instructors conduct workshop sessions each day in classroom settings and facilitate seminars held at locations throughout DC. A few evenings each week, instructors accompany students to social and cultural activities. Instructors are responsible for fostering student cohesion and teaching history and civic engagement in a way that encourages students to make connections and to spark interest in community engagement. The ability to work with students from a wide array of backgrounds and foster discussion of government, history, and current policy in a non-partisan manner is essential to an instructor's daily tasks.

This is a temporary consulting engagement. Instructors are compensated at $30 per hour, including training days. Most meals are provided or reimbursed during assigned program days.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Work with students ages 15 – 18, from a wide variety of countries and backgrounds.
• Lead educational activities and facilitate workshop discussions to support student learning in the classroom and at study visit sites.
• Set aside personal viewpoints on issues to present information in a nonpartisan manner.
• Satisfactorily complete 24 hours of training conducted December 10-12, 2025, in Washington D.C.
• Work 10 – 14-hour shifts during one or more CBYX, FLEX and/or YES workshops taking place on the following dates:
  • Sunday 12/14/25 through Wednesday 12/17/25
  • Sunday 01/25/26 through Wednesday 01/28/26
  • Saturday 02/07/26 through Thursday 02/12/26
  • Saturday 02/21/26 through Thursday 02/26/26
  • Saturday 03/04/26 through Thursday 03/12/26
  • Saturday 03/21/26 through Thursday 3/26/26

• BS/BA in political science, international relations, history, economics, government, education, or related field.
• Strong knowledge of American history, U.S. government, and current events.
• Experience teaching, facilitating educational activities, or guiding group discussions.
• Knowledge of Washington DC’s National Mall Area.
• Consent to and pass a background check to work with minors.

BENEFITS

This position is not eligible for healthcare benefits.

American Councils is committed to providing employment opportunities for all individuals, in accordance with current federal regulations. Our focus is on ensuring that all individuals have equal access to employment and advancement opportunities based on merit. American Councils’ commitment to employment opportunity is driven by federal requirements, including Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act (supporting individuals with disabilities) and the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) (protecting covered veterans). We also ensure our employment practices comply with all applicable regulations, including E-Verify requirements for work eligibility. We are dedicated to fostering a workplace where all individuals have the opportunity to succeed and grow, in full compliance with federal law.

PAY TRANSPARENCY NONDISCRIMINATION PROVISION

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information.