Youth Leadership Programs
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Youth Leadership participants brainstorm about leadership qualities. |
Youth Leadership Programs foster greater understanding and respect between the youth of the United States and other countries and also help to develop a sense of civic responsibility among teenagers and young adults. All projects include activities related to civic education, leadership development, and community service. They also address specific themes, ranging from conflict resolution to media literacy and student government.
- Projects may involve one-way travel to the United States or two-way exchanges.
- Programs are primarily for high school students, but most are available for adults participants who are high school teachers or community leaders who work with youth.
- Participants improve their sense of civic responsibility and commitment to community development.
- Participants develop relationships with teenagers from different ethnic, religious, and national groups and engage in building bridges of understanding and respect among the people of the United States and other countries.
- Alumni use their newly-acquired skills and knowledge to transform their communities and countries.
All Youth Leadership Programs include a competitive participant selection process and comprehensive orientations leading into the exchange. During the exchanges, students and educators participate in:
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Participants engage in a learning session via a video conference. |
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Youth Leadership participants enjoy a cultural visit. |
Upon their return home, alumni implement projects that promote the themes they explored during the overseas program.
The Youth Programs Divisions is currently sponsoring the participation of approximately 550 international and American high school students and teachers in exchanges under the Youth Leadership Programs umbrella.
The following is a list of current Youth Leadership Programs. The Youth Programs Division issues Request for Grant Proposals (RFGPs), which are published in the Federal Register. Grants are awarded via a competitive solicitation process, which maximizes the quality of the proposals received, ensures cost-effectiveness in program implementation, engages new players in the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs' programs, and ensures fair and equitable dealings with non governmental institutions and constituents.
Algeria Youth Leadership Program |
Date of Exchange: Summer 2008
Number of Participants: 32
Contact: Matthew O'Rourke (orourkemm@state.gov)
Youth Leadership Program for Bolivia |
Administering Organization: Magee-Women's Research Institute and Foundation
Website: http://www.mwrif.org/
Date of Exchange: January-February 2008
Number of Participants: 14
Contact: Carolyn Lantz (lantzcs@state.gov)
Youth Leadership Program for Bosnia and Herzegovina |
Administering Organization: Magee-Womens Research Institute and Foundation
Website: http://www.mwrif.org/
Date of Exchange: January-February 2008
Number of Participants: 14
Contact: Carolyn Lantz (mailto:lantzcs@state.gov)
Youth Leadership Program: Diversity, Democracy, Globalization, and Citizenship |
Teenagers and educators from Turkey, Germany, and the United States will explore diversity in their societies and learn how citizens in a democracy both express and respect individual beliefs.
Administering Organization: World Learning
Website: http://www.worldlearning.org
Date of Exchange: July-August 2008
Number of Participants: 44
Contact: Carolyn Lantz (lantzcs@state.gov)
Youth Leadership Program for Ecuador |
Administering Organization: Washington State University
Website: http://www.ip.wsu.edu/ird/
Date of Exchange: March-April 2008
Number of Participants: 12
Contact: Carolyn Lantz (llantzcs@state.gov)
Indonesia Youth Leadership Program |
Administering Organization: Legacy International
Website: http://www.legacyintl.org/programs/indonesia_YLP08.html
Date of Exchange: July 2008
Number of Participants: 20
Contact: Amy Schulz (schulzaj@state.gov)
Iraqi Young Leaders Exchange Program |
The Iraqi Young Leaders Exchange Program provides multiple groups of Iraqi high school students with intensive U.S.-based four-week programs.
Administering Organizations: AMIDEAST, Relief International, and World Learning
Websites: http://amideast.org/offices/iraq/programs_services/iylep.htm
http://ri.org/country.php?cid=6
http://www.worldlearning.org
Date of Exchanges: July-August 2007, Summer 2008
Number of Participants: 159
Contact: Astrida Levensteins (levensteinsai@state.gov)
Youth Leadership Program with Kenya |
Administering Organization: Critical Mass Leadership Education
Website: https://exchanges.cms3.getusinfo.com/youth/programs/ylp/www.cyber-reality.com/boldleaders/aboutus.aspx
Date of Exchanges: November-December 2007
Number of Participants: 21
Contact: Carolyn Lantz (lantzcs@state.gov)
Youth Leadership Program for Nicaragua |
Administering Organization: Mississippi Consortium for International Development (MCID)
Website: http://www.mcid.us
Date of Exchange: January-February 2008
Number of Participants: 15
Contact: Amy Schulz (schulzaj@state.gov)
Youth Leadership Program for Peru and Venezuela |
Administering Organization: Partners of the Americas
Website: http://www.partners.net/partners/Default_EN.asp
Date of Exchange: February-March 2008 (Peru) and August-September 2008 (Venezuela)
Number of Participants: 24
Contact: Carolyn Lantz (lantzcs@state.gov)
Youth Leadership Program for the Philippines |
This program focuses on the advancement of dialogue between Muslim and non-Muslim youth from the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao and surrounding provinces.
Administering Organization: Northern Illinois University
Website: http://www.niu.edu/cseas/outreach/PhilAccess/accessfs.htm
Date of Exchange: April-May 2008
Number of Participants: 27
Contact: Carolyn Lantz (lantzcs@state.gov)
Youth Leadership Program with Rwanda |
Administering Organization: World Learning
Website: http://www.worldlearning.org
Date of Exchanges: November-December 2007
Number of Participants: 21
Contact: Carolyn Lantz (lantzcs@state.gov)
Serbia Youth Leadership Program |
This program consists of three one-month-long exchange projects in the United States. In return visits, 15 U.S. teenagers and trainers travel to Serbia.
Administering Organization: World Learning
Website: http://www.worldlearning.org
Date of Exchanges: April-May, September-October, and October-November, 2007
Number of Participants: 72 Serbians and 15 Americans
Contact: Carolyn Lantz (lantzcs@state.gov)
Benjamin Franklin Transatlantic Fellows Initiative: Summer Institutes for Youth |
These U.S.-based, 3 ½ week institutes focus on the exploration of global issues in which Americans, Europeans, and Eurasians share an interest. ECA is sponsoring two institutes in summer 2008, one for teenagers aged 15-17 and the other for teenagers aged 17-19. Each Institute includes 35 European and Eurasian youth and 10 American students.
Administering Organization: Wake Forest University
Website: http://www.bftf.org
Date of Exchanges: June-July 2008
Number of Participants: 90
Contact: Carolyn Lantz (lantzcs@state.gov)
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A Youth Leadership participant teaches an American how to play a musical instrument from her country. |