Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs
CITIZEN EXCHANGES
YOUTH PROGRAMS DIVISION
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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.
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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. |
- workshops
- community service activities
- dialogues, simulations, role plays and other activities related to project themes
- team building exercises
- school visits
- meetings with community leaders
- leadership development
- discussion groups with instruction
- site visits related to civic education, leadership, tolerance and respect for diversity, and community activism
- home stays
- social and cultural activities
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Youth Leadership participants enjoy a cultural visit.
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Upon their return home, alumni implement projects that promote
the themestheyexplored 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 (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: 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. |
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