The goal of the GYSD Learning Exchange is to pair a U.S. organization, school, or youth involved in GYSD activities with an organization, school, or youth in another country engaged in service projects. When service and intercultural learning are combined, young people contribute their time and talent from the perspective of their own diverse backgrounds. Cooperating with youth from other countries, regions, or communities of the world can result in dialogue, mutual understanding and conflict prevention, and allows youth around the world to uncover and address increasingly complex local, national and global problems. Such opportunities contribute to the development of civic responsibility among youth in partnering communities throughout the world.
Project organizers or young people interested in connecting with youth in other parts of the world have the option of initiating a learning exchange by identifying a project, organization or country on our Global Youth Service Day map with which they wish to connect, or they can enroll online and have a YSA staff member match them to an organization outside of the U.S. that also has expressed interest in initiating a partnership.
Option 1: Self-Directed Exchange
Search for a project to connect to. Browse the GYSD project map, searching for projects in a country or region of your interest. Look for projects on issues you are passionate about or in a similar setting (for example, if you’re an elementary school, another elementary school; a Girl Scout troop, look for a Girl Guides group.)
Once you find a project you’re interested in connecting with, contact the project organizer. (The project posting will include a link to e-mail the project organizer.) In the e-mail, introduce yourself, your school/organization, your GYSD project, and and let them know that you are interested in participating in a cross-cultural learning exchange with them.
Then, work together to plan and facilitate your learning exchange. Ideas for exchange activities include:
- Youth can share information about their culture, their community, and the needs they’re addressing through service. For example, see The Way We Are and Holidays and Festivals Around the World.
- Youth can participate in a news exchange, sharing the news stories they are paying attention to in their communities. Youth can also visit websites of news media from each other's regions. Students can then discuss similarities and differences in how the news is selected and presented in their regions. For example, see http://www.pbs.org/inthemix/newnormal/handout1.pdf
- Youth can interact throughout the project planning process, sharing ideas through exchanging letters/e-mails, online chat, or video message. Resources include Skype, Chatzy, Google Chat & Google Voice, and Facebook. These tools can also be used to connect youth during the GYSD project as well.
- Plan similar service projects addressing a common issue in both sites, or plan a shared project where each site does a part of the project.
- Share your service story after your project is complete by sharing photos or videos of your project or creating and sharing a digital story or scrapbook. Digital Storytelling
Option 2: YSA-Facilitated Exchange
To have YSA staff identify a match, complete the GYSD Learning Exchange match request form. YSA staff will match you with a GYSD project organizer in a similar setting and/or working on a similar issue. YSA staff will facilitate an introduction. After the introduction, you will need to plan and coordinate activities, such as those suggested above.
Link to GYSD Learning Exchange Match Request Form - https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dFRsMFoxTmsxQ3VGRTU4LW1mM3JENXc6MA
Option 3: YSA Partner Exchange Opportunities
Youth Service America works with hundreds of partners around the world. Some of our partners offer their own opportunities for learning exchanges with other youth around the world. To learn more about other learning international learning exchange opportunities, check out:
- People to People International: The purpose of People to People International is to enhance international understanding and friendship through educational, cultural and humanitarian activities involving the exchange of ideas and experiences directly among peoples of different countries and diverse cultures. http://www.ptpi.org/programs/StudentPrograms.aspx
- One World Youth Project links schools globally in service-learning to prepare the next generation for the globalized 21st century. The One World Project-Pair program links middle/high school classrooms with partner-classrooms abroad. Trained university student mentors facilitate the exchange ensuring high quality partnerships as well as youth-to-youth mentorship opportunities. Through a unique curriculum that encourages collaborative learning, OWYP creates global communities while strengthening local communities. The One World Project-Pair program is offered free of charge to middle/high schools. http://www.oneworldyouthproject.org/
- ePals is the leading provider of safe collaborative technology for schools to connect and learn in a protected, project-based learning network. With classrooms in 200 countries and territories, ePals makes it easy to connect learners locally, nationally or internationally. http://www.epals.com/
- Peace Corps’ Coverdell World Wise Schools: Correspondence Match pairs Peace Corps Volunteers in the field with U.S. classroom teachers. The result? A vibrant two-year exchange of ideas, stories, pictures, and artifacts that helps U.S. students in the classroom learn about the people, geography, environment, and culture of the world from the direct experience of Volunteers living in other countries. http://www.peacecorps.gov/wws/
- Sister Cities: Sister Cities International is a citizen diplomacy network creating and strengthening partnerships between the U.S. and communities abroad. Sister Cities International promotes peace through mutual respect, understanding and cooperation by focusing on sustainable development, youth and education, arts and culture, humanitarian assistance and economic growth programs. Find out if your city has a sister city at http://www.sister-cities.org/directory/index.cfm Learn more about the Sister Schools program. http://www.sister-cities.org/programs/sisterschools_toolkit.cfm
- iEARN: iEARN (International Education and Resource Network) is the world's largest non-profit global network that enables teachers and youth to use the Internet and other technologies to collaborate on projects that enhance learning and make a difference in the world. http://iearn.org/
