The Youth Ambassadors Program

The Youth Ambassadors Program brings together high school students and adult mentors from across the Americas to promote mutual understanding, increase leadership skills, and prepare youth to make a difference in their communities. Exchange subthemes include human rights, multiculturalism, social justice, and social transformation. These three-week programs are sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State.

Participants will engage in workshops, meetings with community leaders, community service activities, interactive trainings, cultural presentations, visits to high schools, local cultural activities, homestays with U.S. American families, civic education programming, and more.

Youth Ambassadors programs commence in various locations across the United States, including San Francisco, CA; Washington, DC; Plattsburgh, NY; Charlottesville, VA; or in Brattleboro, VT. Students then travel in smaller cohorts to host communities across the country. All inbound programs conclude in Washington, DC.

The U.S. Youth Ambassadors exchanges follow a similar program cycle, beginning with a pre-departure orientation in Washington, DC, or San Francisco, CA, followed by international travel to the exchange country. Single and multi-country exchanges take place in June and July; exact dates will vary by program. U.S. Youth Ambassadors Programs open for summer 2018 include Argentina & Chile, Brazil, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, and Paraguay & Uruguay.

Follow-on activities with the participants are an integral part of the program, as the students apply the knowledge and skills they have acquired by implementing projects that serve the needs of their communities.

Program Goals

(as defined by the U.S. Department of State)

• To develop a cadre of young adults who have a strong sense of civic responsibility, a commitment to community development, an awareness of current & global issues, and strong interpersonal leadership skills;
• To foster relationships among youth from different ethnic, religious, and national groups; and
• To promote mutual understanding, respect, and collaboration between the United States and our Western Hemisphere counterparts.

Official Link

Deadline: Varies by country