EMBASSY THE HAGUE'S FY 2007 FSI DIRECT FUNDING

UNCLAS THE HAGUE 002291 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/UBI (REITER),FSI/SLS/CTT (WATKINS) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AFSI AMGT KFLO NL SUBJECT: EMBASSY THE HAGUE'S FY 2007 FSI DIRECT FUNDING INITIATIVE PROPOSAL REF: STATE 155164 ¶1. Summary. Post is pleased to submit a FY 2007 Direct Funding Initiative (DFI) proposal for 12,506 dollars to fund Dutch language training and materials. Embassy The Hague's FY 2007 program fund budget proposal is for 8,689 dollars. Post's FY 2006 DFI award was 5,988 dollars with a program fund budget of 6,700 dollars. End Summary. -------------- FY 2006 Program In Brief -------------- ¶2. Using Embassy program and DFI funds, in 2006 post continued its already active language program, netting enthusiastic and committed students. Two contract language instructors lead beginner and advanced classes at the chancery and its nearby offices. Post's language library consists of textbooks, software, audio media, videos, and fiction novels. Classes are taught in the Embassy's two unclassified conference rooms. In FY 2006, post budgeted SIPDIS 6,700 dollars for its language program, and spent a total of 7,197. In FY 2006 post was awarded 5,988 in DFI funds and spent a total of 5,918. -------------- Request for FY 2007 -------------- ¶3. Next fiscal year, post would like to use DFI funds to augment its program back to 3 and beyond 3 language training with an additional DFI-funded course of each. Demand from new officers has been exceptionally high this year; post seeks to start a course of each while continuing its program-funded courses for existing officers. Each course would involve a weekly class of 1.5 hours. Funds requested will pay the instructor her hourly wages and travel expenses. ¶4. In FY 2007, post would like to use DFI funds to purchase another session of its popular and highly successful Out and About course. The course was developed in 2002 using DFI funds; in FY 2007 it will be taught using 6 two-hour classroom and field-trip sessions over two weeks. This method gives students -- using an intensive approach -- the chance to practice in everyday situations what they learn in class and develop survival language capability. It is targeted to new State Officers, Specialists, their spouses, eligible family members, and Marines and other agency personnel as appropriate. Funds requested for the Out and About will pay the instructor her hourly wages and travel expenses. ¶5. Per reftel suggestion to support job-specific language instruction and other imaginative uses of instructor's time, post hereby submits a request for a new Dutch course for Consular officers: "Dutch for the Consular Window." Post seeks to offer, in small group sessions, a one month program of 4 two-hour sessions in FY 2007 that includes job and task specific language instruction followed by simulations at the consular window. Funds requested for these courses will pay the instructor her hourly wages and travel expenses. ¶6. Post seeks to offer one shopping/chores field trip in FY 2007, for the purpose of survival language training and to increase comfort levels among officers and spouses. A much more specific version of the Out and About course, the field trip will train students to accomplish their shopping and chores in Dutch using Dutch customs, expressions, and European sizes etc. Funds requested will pay the instructor her hourly wages and travel expenses. ¶7. In FY 2007, Post also seeks to initiate a Conversation Table. These are small group sessions, held every two months with the aid of an instructor, where students at all levels can converse in Dutch over lunch. This program seeks to increase comfort for everyday social conversation in Dutch, with the goal of supporting the Embassy's priorities in outreach and other events aimed at promoting USG messages and generating contacts. Funds requested will pay the instructor her hourly wages and travel expenses. ¶8. Finally, post would like to purchase new Taal Vitaal language materials for incoming students. -------------- FY 2007 Proposal Budget -------------- ¶9. The detailed budget for the items described in paras 3-8 is as follows. Note: all costs are in U.S. dollars at an exchange rate of 0.798 euros to 1 dollar, hourly instructor charges are 35 euros, and travel expenses are 17 euros per session. -- One Back to 3 Course. Sessions: 52 at 1.5 hours each. Hours: 78. Instructor cost: 3,421. Travel cost: 1,108. Total Cost: 4,529. -- One Beyond 3 Course. Sessions: 52 at 1.5 hours each. Hours: 78. Instructor cost: 3,421. Travel cost: 1,108. Total Cost: 4,529. -- One Out and About Course. Sessions: 6 at 2 hours each. Hours: 12. Instructor cost: 526. Travel cost: 128. Total Cost: 654. -- One Consular Dutch Course. Sessions: 4 at 2 hours each. Hours: 8. Instructor cost: 351. Travel cost: 85. Total Cost: ¶436. -- One Shopping/Chores Field Trip. Sessions: 1. Hours: 6. Instructor cost: 263. Travel costs: 21. Total Cost: 284. -- Conversation Tables. Sessions: 6 at 2 hours each. Hours ¶12. Instructor cost: 526. Travel cost: 128. Total Cost: 654. -- Taal Vitaal Language Text Book at 39.50 each and Work Book at 31.50 each. Quantity: 20 each. Total Cost: 1,420. -- TOTAL REQUEST: 12,506 ¶10. Point of contact for post's language program and this proposal is: Jay Heung, Post Language Officer. Office Phone: 31 70 310-2339. Email: heungj2@state.gov. SCHOFER