Deadline: 4 April 2017
The Youth Ambassadors Program with the Caribbean is offering a yearlong program beginning with a three-week leadership exchange in the U.S. for teenagers ages 15-18 and Adult Mentors from the Caribbean.
Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the program aims to develop a cadre of young adults in the United States who have a strong sense of civic responsibility, a commitment to their communities, an awareness of current and global issues, and strong interpersonal leadership skills. The program aims to promote mutual understanding, respect, and collaboration between the United States and between Caribbean Nations.
Program Goals
- Promote mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the Caribbean;
- Prepare youth leaders to become responsible citizens and contributing members of their communities;
- Influence the attitudes of the leaders of a new generation; and
- Foster relationships among youth from different ethnic, religious, and national groups and create networks of youth leaders, within the Western Hemisphere.
Key Program Components
Participants will focus on:
- Program Themes
- Youth and Social Transformation
- Civic Education
- Leadership and Community Service
- Program Activities
- Site meetings
- Experiential learning activities
- Leadership trainings
- Civic participation at the community level
- Mentoring by community, business and NGO leaders, and volunteer programs.
Eligibility Criteria
All Student applicants must:
- Be a citizen of the country for which they are applying to represent;
- Be between the ages of 15 and 18 during the exchange in August 2017
- Have at least one semester of high school left after September 2017
- Attend a public high school, a public charter high school, or be home-schooled;
- Have no previous travel to the U.S., and limited other international travel.
- Have permission from both parents/legal guardians to participate in the 3-week program.
All Adult Mentor applicants must:
- Be a citizen of the country for which they are applying to represent;
- Actively be working with youth in either a high school or community setting;
- Be willing and able to meet periodically with selected students from in their city/region, during the academic year 2017-2018 to support and monitor their follow-on community projects.
How to Apply
- Applicants can apply online via given website with biographical and essay questions.
- Submit two letters of recommendation.
- Be selected for an interview.
- Travel to the U.S. in August 2017.
For more information, please visit Youth Ambassadors Program.