The US Embassy says 12 youth ambassadors and two mentors have travelled to the United States on a three-week exchange programme aimed at honing their leadership and problem-solving skills to “foster civic activism” within their communities.
The group, known as the Youth Ambassadors Pro-gramme (YAP) arrived in Washington, DC yesterday and will travel to various parts of the US before the programme concludes on September 25, the Embassy said in a press statement. This is the first time the regional programme has hosted youth ambassadors representing Guyana, it said.
On August 28, Embassy Charge d’Affaires Thomas Pierce met with the youths and two YAP mentors to congratulate them on their selection and to discuss their visit. The youths spoke about their backgrounds and their expectations of the programme. “They also described how they hope to continue to develop their leadership skills and civic participation upon their return to Guyana,” the release said. Pierce gave the students a preview of what to expect during their visit and emphasised the significance of their participation in this cultural exchange programme.
According to the release, the programme’s objective is to give students and adult leaders an opportunity to develop leadership and problem-solving skills that enable them to act as leaders in their communities. “The project aims to hone participants’ sense of civic responsibility and foster civic activism. Through experiential activities, discussions, site visits, training modules, and home stays, participants will have the opportunity to develop the knowledge, attitudes, intellectual skills, and practical competencies to effectively lead efforts for positive social change,” the Embassy said.
While in the US, participants will increase their understanding of American institutions while engaging in civic life there. They will explore facets unique to each country’s history and identity and engage in discussion and educational activities that promote learning on an academic and personal level, the release said. The programme will also show participants how they can become more engaged in their schools and communities, and develop leadership skills that enable them to do so.
Participants will be required to implement follow-on activities on their return home that will help them to stay in contact with each other and integrate that learning into their day-to-day lives. An important goal of the programme is that the student leaders, now empowered, train other student leaders through student-led community oriented service projects.
