H.E.R.O. Initiative

A municipal program envisioned by Carracosta's mayor William Mandill, in 1972, the program expanded as a Congressional response to Hamut's announcement of the HOARD mercenary group in 1986.
At first, as a program, HERO Initiatve was part of schools and universities with the goal to train and prepare individuals with superpowers. Mandill sought to give purpose to the marginelized homo sapiens superia in his city, reducing rates of power related crimes and improving life all around. The curriculum was a mix of standard education ranging from high school to profissionalizing programs, with added courses involving ethical use of powers, basic health assessment and treatment, as well as crisis response.
After Congress passed the laws to reproduce the Initiative as a national program, the curriculum, mission, headquarters and overseers were changed. Number of classes surrounding basic education decreased on higher education institution, and tactical and combat classes were added to the curriculum. The headquarters of the national program was moved to be adjacent to Defense Ministry Headequarters at Emberia, and the head of the national program, called the Chief Director, was made confidential.
With a growing budget, the program built its own independant campus in Emberia, by 1987. The campus had four main buildings and was one of the last projects designed by Rubio Kingsley, who retired shortly after the project broke ground. In response to the construction, Mandill, now a Congressman, helped fund another campus in Carracosta with five main buildings. It is the most expansive and largest campus of H.E.R.O. Initiative.
Mixing high school and college, the campus have a wide range of instructors and students. Not only that, but the campi often boasts a great deal of community spirit, with sports programs being extremely popular due to the combat and tactical applications that often translate to athletic prowess.

Structure

Members and Faculty

Nearly 90% of members of the HERO Initiative are supers or non-humans, with the remaining 10% being human administrators. Some professors or instructor, specially of the college and high school classes, are not actually members of the HERO Initative and hired to teach non-combative classes or provide other services.

Costs

Even funded by federal government, the organization has fees and costs to their students. This fee is still substancially cheaper than private college and high schools, known as mostly a symbolic payment. However, certain programs are offered privately to the external public or in adition to the standard curriculum for students, those being a bit more expensive. Social clubs often include membership dues, as they are not funded by the administration as they are entitled non-essential to the program.

Scholarships

With great programs and governmental funding, HERO Initiative offer scholarships as a means for students to acquire a stable income, with which to pay their student fees and other living costs. Currently, almost two-thirds of students enrolled at the Initiatve have a scholarship to further their studies.

Controversies

International advocates have voiced that the HERO Initiative, specially as a national public program, violates the Treaty of Drauxxales which criminalized the training of super soldiers. The idea that heroes would be tied to the government have also raised the issue with human rights advocates comparing HERO Initiative to a more dangerous police force.

Age of Recruitment

With students as young as 15 years old, many parents associations have questioned how safe could the teens be as heroes in training at such young age. Not only that, the focus on recruiting of low income and marginalized supers have put into question the real reason behind the decision of mass recruitment comparing it to the enlistments drives in poor neighborhoods.

Founding Date

1972 (Local Program, Carracosta)
1986 (National Program, Emberly)

Type

Educational, School/Academy

Alternative Names

Highly Educated Rescue Officers

Notorious Members

Flagman (Head Director), Sequencier (Co-Dean), Golden Squire (Co-Dean)

International Program

As Korshia's political influence decreases around the world, Emberly aims to grow stronger. One of the methods is by expanding the influence of the HERO Initiative to neighboring countries, which External Relations Prime Minister is a vocal advocate for. Reported encounters between high offices from multiple allied countries have fed the idea that HERO Initiative might soon find headquarters in other nations.
Some have found the whole theory to be patronizing, reminding vocal defenders that Emberly is not the only country receptive to supers and no longer is the most receptive. Other countries political candidates have made bold statements about creating their own programs in lieu of allowing Emberly to send their heroes.