COUNTRIES: Japan, South Korea
DURATION: 01/01/2015 - 05/16/2018
FUNDER: U.S. Department of State
CONTACT[email protected]

Program Description

The Youth Leadership Program with Japan and South Korea is U.S.-based exchange that explored the themes of civic rights, leadership, and community engagement

The three-to four-week program that explores the primary themes of civic rights and responsibilities, leadership development, and community engagement and the sub-theme of entrepreneurship and innovation.

The three-to-four week exchange brought 16 female high school students and 4 female educators from Japan and South Korea together in the U.S. They were joined by American students for some of the U.S.-based activities. In addition to civic rights and responsibilities, leadership development, and community engagement, participants considered issues related to entrepreneurship and innovation. The program concluded with follow-on activities in the participants’ home communities, in which they applied the knowledge and skills acquired during the exchange experience.

Program Cycle
Students traveled to the United States in August to World Learning’s Lake Tahoe satellite campus in Nevada; followed by homestays in either Chicago or  Seattle; concluding their program in Washington, DC.

Follow-on Reunion Conferences reunited participant alumni in Seoul and Tokyo approximately six-months after the completion of the U.S. exchange.

Program Goals

Program Goals, as defined by the Department of State:

  • Promote mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of the partner countries.
  • Inspire a sense of civic responsibility and commitment to community development among youth.
  • Develop leadership skills and community service skills among youth appropriate to their needs.
  • Foster relationships among youth from different ethnic, religious, and national groups.

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The Youth Leadership Program with Japan and South Korea was sponsored by the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government and administered by World Learning.