The Office of Citizen Exchanges, Youth Programs Division of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) announces an open competition for the FY 2017 Youth Ambassadors Program.
U. S. public and private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code
section 26 USC 501(c)(3) may submit proposals to administer a program that will recruit and select youth and adult participants, provide the participants with three-week exchanges focused on civic education, community service, and youth leadership development, and support follow-on programs in their home communities.
The Youth Ambassadors program directly supports the U. S. foreign policy goal of youth empowerment and development by equipping exchange participants with the knowledge and skills to become active and responsible members of their communities.
The program will build mutual understanding, tolerance, and respect through shared culture and values, empower participants to be actively engaged in addressing issues of concern in their schools and communities upon their return home; and foster relationships among youth from different ethnic, religious, and national groups.