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The College of the Humanities and Sciences is the founding sponsor of the Sister Cities International Youth and Education Network.
The Youth and Education Network is: A special sister city networkdedicated to facilitating youth development and expanding youth programs.
- Background
Goals and Objectives
Membership
Benefits
Project Areas
Joining the Network
Tools and Guides
Current Programs
For more information, please contact Bethany Rehling, Youth Coordinator, at brehling@sister-cities.org or 202-347-8630 ext. 8252
Background
Sister Cities International, on behalf of its 700 member communities in the United States, linked in partnership with over 1,800 communities in 130 countries around the world, is creating a network of sister city partnerships committed to promoting and supporting youth programming and youth participation in the sister city movement. Through innovative, cross-cultural projects, sister city partners will demonstrate that locally-based actions can:
- Serve as a catalyst for advancing youth and education programs in sister city organizations throughout the world
- Improve the quality of educational and youth resources
- Advance cross-cultural learning experiences of youth through long-term, sustainable youth programs
- Increase participation levels of youth within local communities
- Achieve concrete results through partnerships with the public and private sector
Goals and Objectives
The Sister Cities International Youth and Education Network will increase the ability of member communities to design and deliver effective youth and education programs. The Network will focus on the role of youth in sustaining current sister city relationships and fostering future partnerships.
Sister Cities International will create and sustain a functional and dynamic network that will provide the following services:
- Opportunities for youth to be active members at all levels?local, national, and international
- Venue for communities to share best practices
- Funding from corporations who will become Network partners
- Additional resources (cash or in-kind) from each sister city partnership to generate significant local funding
- Funding opportunities through foundations, government grants, and other partnership opportunities
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Membership
Communities interested in participating in the Sister Cities International Youth and Education Network must meet the following requirements:
- Hold current membership in Sister Cities International.
- Enter community information into Sister Cities International's online database, so that others in the sister city network can learn from their activities.
- Designate a local network facilitator, who will be responsible for communicating with both his/her sister city partner and with Sister Cities International and serve as the official representative to the Sister Cities International Youth and Education Network.
- Commit to continually reviewing and updating the information on the Sister Cities International website regarding youth and education action at the community level.
- Create, either within their local government structure or within their sister city organizational structure, a Youth and Education Committee that will assist in promoting sister city youth and education programs.
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Benefits
Members of the Youth and Education Network are offered new opportunities and resources not available to other members outside the Network:
- Exclusive access to Youth and Education "seed" grants and scholarships from Network partners
- Special consideration for scholarships and services offered by AYUSA International, our partner in youth exchange
- Access to resources and best practices through regular updates on fellow member programs
- Providing a comprehensive section on the Sister Cities International website for Network communications, knowledge-based services and resources to ensure the achievement of local community goals
- Obtaining significant funding resources that will be made available to the members of the Network through Youth and Education "seed" grants
- Establishing formal partnerships with donors and other associations/organizations committed to the goals of the Network
- Building and sustaining local institutional capacity to undertake youth and education development and achieve the broadest possible dissemination of results and best practices
Project Areas
The following is a list of specific project areas, which are not mutually exclusive, that members might address through the Network:
- Exchange: Increasing participants · Developing new types of exchanges · Teacher exchange · Enhancing current exchanges
- Governance: Recruiting youth members · Establishing a youth role · Increasing diversity · Youth on the Board of Directors · Youth participation on committees
- Technology: Curriculum from Network partners · Developing virtual classrooms · Establishing an online link · Bringing technology into the classroom with email exchanges
- Young Artist Competition: Developing the competition at a local level · Increasing international participation
- Finance: Grant writing · Scholarships · Fundraising
- Local Involvement: Building a partnership with the local school system · Gaining support from local government · Increasing awareness of local sister city partnership
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Joining the Network
Application
You may also contact Bethany Rehling at Sister Cities International:
1301 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Suite 850
Washington, D.C. 20004
Tel: 202.347.8630 ext 8252
Fax: 202.393.6524
E-mail: brehling@sister-cities.org
Special acknowledgements and thanks to:
College of the Humanities and Sciences?
the Network's Founding Corporate Partner AYUSA International - the Network's Partner in Youth Exchange
Youth & Education Toolkit
How to Build and Sustain a Successful Youth Program-A Capacity Building Tool
Sister Cities International Guide to Youth Exchange
Five Tips for Enhancing Youth InvolvementSister Cities International/AYUSA Partnership for Youth Exchange
Islamic Youth Initiative: Youth Exchange and Study (YES) ProgramYoung
Artists Competition
Operation Iraqi Children
Earn college credit for exchange experience through the College of the Humanities and Sciences
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