Essential Eligibility Criteria

The well being of participants and staff, and the facilitation of an impactful learning experience with all participants are top priorities at Tilting Futures. The virtual and in-person environments that Tilting Futures program participants interact in can be dynamic, and physically and emotionally challenging. The educational and experiential activities conducted require each participant to be fully reliable, committed to and capable of working hard, taking responsibility for themself, and working effectively to achieve the goals of the program and the group.  

The Essential Eligibility Criteria are an overview of the requirements for the program, and applicable for all participants.  These requirements are meant to identify the basic and fundamental elements of participation.   

If you have questions or concerns about the applicant’s ability to meet the criteria, please contact Tilting Futures to determine if the program can meet your needs. 

Safety and Judgment

Each participant must…

• Be able to independently identify and recognize hazards inherent to living and traveling in a foreign country. These hazards may include, but are not limited to, public transportation, busy streets, navigation in major cities and remote areas, loose rock and unstable surfaces, seasonal flooding, moving water (fast or slow) such as rivers, creeks, surf, or tides; and potentially hazardous animals and insects. 

• Recognize and understand the hazards and risks posed by other participants, which include, but are not limited to, fatigue, state of mind, and actions that may influence judgment and decision-making. 

• Understand, recall and follow instructions given in writing and verbally to you, individually, or the group, including directives regarding hazards/ risks. 

• Be able to effectively alert and warn others of potential or impending dangers such as human hazards, aggressive animals, or other environmental hazards.

• Be able to effectively and proactively notify staff members of personal distress, injury, overwhelming emotional stress, safety or health concerns, other need for assistance or any other personal challenges impacting your ability to successfully participate in the program. 

• Be able to engage responsibly and independently from a virtual location with intermittent supervision and direction from staff. 

• Be able to act reliably around stated hazards to minimize risk in conditions with potentially high stress, limited communication and not directly supervised by staff. 

• Independently perceive, understand, and follow directions and instructions given by others to be able to successfully execute appropriate assignments, tasks and manage risks. These directions may be spoken and/or given in writing in English before the activity, discussion and hazard/risk.

• Be able to stay alert and to focus attention for up to several hours at a time while living and sometimes traveling in remote environments, attending classes, or receiving instructions. 

• Be able to respond appropriately to stress or crisis such as when encountering unpredictable human factors (sometimes regarding health and safety) of a foreign country, severe weather, or a medical emergency. 

• If taking prescription medications or requiring the need to take medications in-country, be able to maintain proper dosage by self-medicating without assistance from staff or other partners (except possibly in emergency situations). 

• Be able to perform necessary self-care in a foreign environment, including personal hygiene, adequate hydration and nutrition, appropriate and responsible dress, and varied weather and unique cultures. 

Leadership and Global Citizen Behavior 

Each participant must…

• Work effectively as a member of a group and apprenticeship despite potentially stressful and difficult conditions. This may require problem-solving on an intrapersonal or interpersonal level, as well as a willingness and ability to accept differences and immerse effectively in a foreign environment. 

• Contribute to a positive learning environment—no verbally or physically inappropriate behavior is tolerated for any reason. This applies during all stages of engagement with Tilting Futures, from initial inquiry to program participation and into alumni hood. 

• Be willing and able to abide by the program terms and conditions, program policies and those expectations of Tilting Futures staff. 

• Be able to willingly and equally share responsibility with other group members. All participants are learning the leadership and living skills and being challenged by the conditions and activities; there can be no expectation that any other participant will be able to continually assume a greater share and responsibility of any program requirements. 

• Effectively communicate ideas and concerns on an individual and group level. 

• Be open and aware of differences and foster a sense of inclusion and appreciation of diversity within the group, the staff, host partners and persons.  

• Have the cognitive ability to learn necessary skills given normal time limitations of a Tilting Futures program.  

• Have the ability to access all video conferencing equipment required to fully participate in this virtual academic program; and be able to take responsibility for technology equipment, individual location setting and background while engaging in program virtual spaces through video, chat, telephone and texting platforms. 

Travel 

Each participant must…

• Be able to engage in air travel independently from home origin to foreign program operating location. 

• Be able to travel independently in varied vehicles through varied conditions that may include, but are not limited to, poor roads, uneven steep and sloping roads; uneven terrain, congested and high traffic areas with a range of order and predictability – Any and all travel can occur during periods of inclement weather and/or nighttime hours. 

• Walking travel distances can range from less than 1.5km to more than 7km in one day. On average, participants will need to travel on foot no more than 5km/day in order to accomplish apprenticeship responsibilities and those responsibilities of the Tilting Futures community. 

• Travel duration by public transportation (or by private transportation) can range from less than one hour to more than 12 hours in one day, occur on successive days and may not be universally accessible. 

• Have average strength and endurance and basic balance and agility to independently travel through varied terrain on foot. 

• Be able to tolerate being several hours away from medical facilities during any travel. 

• Be responsible to independently provide self with meals and carry personal items, including medications when traveling; and be able to appropriately prevent risks during travel. 

Cross-Cultural Immersion and Living Skills

A participant will…

• Be able to live responsibly and independently in a foreign location with inconsistent direct supervision from staff. 

• Be able to tolerate changes in diet, living, sanitation, communication, long days filled with mentally and physically challenging activities and a routine that is likely much different than a participant’s usual routine at home. 

• Be able to independently learn skills and engage in activities to support self, the group learning, and program partners to the overall program goals.

• This includes, but is not limited to: home chores, cooking, traveling to and from community engagement activities and apprenticeships, caring for personal items, abiding by group house rules.  

• Be able to tolerate living in a new climate with varied weather patterns and an environment at varying elevations (low to high) with a variety of stimuli, including insects, extreme temperature changes, intense sunlight, wind, storms and dangerous wildlife. 

• Be able to respond appropriately in the face of unexpected challenges in traveling such as homesickness, unfamiliar surroundings, limited language skills, delays in travel, changes in scheduling, itineraries, downtime, etc. 

• Be able to take personal responsibility for belongings, behavior and program property/equipment.   

• Awareness of differences between individuals, and the ability to accept any differences to foster a sense of inclusion and appreciation of diversity within the group, the staff, community partners and persons. 

• Be open and willing to interact and engage with people from different backgrounds and cultures. This may require stepping outside of one’s comfort zones to problem-solve on an intrapersonal or interpersonal level. 

• Engage in cross-cultural activities and apprenticeship projects that may include building, digging, painting, construction, gardening, etc. for 6-8 hours per day with tools. 

• Engage in cross-cultural activities and apprenticeship projects that may include reading, writing, presenting, discussion facilitation, leading group learning, etc, for 6-8 hour