YFU Students

YFU Virtual Exchange Initiative Can Widen Perception and Shrink the Globe



Learn more about Youth Ambassador Yassine from Tunisia.

YFU virtual exchanges encourage interpersonal diplomacy through virtual dialogues among teenagers around the world - with an emphasis on reaching girls, displaced youth and other underrepresented groups who may not easily be able to embark on a physical journey abroad.

Your support can catalyze virtual exchanges, helping us transition from the incubation stage to critical scaling worldwide, with emphasis in the next three years on reaching more countries in Latin America and Africa.

Support

With the support of private donors, government grants, and corporate sponsorships, YFU virtual exchanges accomplished the following program developments over the last year:

  • Creation of 6 facilitator training sessions, 4 youth orientation segments, and 16 instructional videos
  • Implementation of a youth "train-the-trainer model," in which six Youth Ambassadors guided and supported 27 new youth ambassadors
  • Training of 37 educators and volunteers to gain comprehension of programmatic objectives, GSuite proficiency, and virtual facilitation skills required to provide programmatic and technological support
  • Organization of 6 classes per semester, each with approximately 45 participants representing 10 countries, and supported by 4 facilitators
  • Registration of 300-500 participants per semester; including 33 alumni serving as youth ambassadors and 23 YFU volunteers serving as facilitators

Program Growth and Goals

YFU is committed to achieving specific goals in the coming year:

  • Enroll 1,000 participants with intentional inclusion of youth traditionally underrepresented in physical exchange
  • Engage youth in programming to promote dialogue, combat stereotypes, build international connections, and enhance diversity of thought while developing global competencies and 21st century skills
  • Provide opportunities for continued intercultural learning and civic engagement

Press

YFU's virtual exchange program as appeared in a European Commission report on virtual exchange, on Google's Education blog, in the Diplomatic Courier's Peace Edition, and in the Soft Power 30 report as related to the program's contribution to digital diplomacy.

Donate Today!

Through YFU virtual exchanges, we can widen perception and shrink the globe - but we cannot do it alone. Your support allows us to engage more students in more countries.

Support a digital diplomat! Individual sponsorships start at $25 to cover the application fee; $150 sponsors their engagement in a multi-week thematic intercultural activity during the semester program. $500 sponsors their full program tuition and certificate option.

Sponsorships for partnering youth organizations and academic institutions start at $5000 to engage groups of 10-20 for the entirety of the semester. Your sponsorship provides:

  • Comprehensive facilitator training to provide critical classroom support
  • Orientation and curriculum development for cross-cultural and technological skill building
  • Youth leadership and certificate opportunities to empower youth as global citizens

 

"The Embassy in Jakarta was thrilled to help support this project which has great potential to do the valuable work of connecting Americans with Indonesians in this case, but also with students anywhere in the world, and on a broader more affordable scale than with traditional exchanges....It was exciting to see this pilot program through the lens of the Indonesian classroom and whetted our appetite for future virtual exchange that will build relationships between young Americans and youth around the world." - Holly Zardus, Assistant Cultural Affairs Officer - Public Affairs US Embassy Jakarta

YFU USA is actively seeking corporate and foundation sponsorships for virtual exchanges. Please contact Rebecca Rorke, Director of Development at 202.774.5206 or rrorke@yfu.org for more information.