The Youth Leadership Development Program with Ukraine is a bilateral exchange program generously funded by the U.S. State Department. The first year of the program, which was completed in September 2002, was hugely successful highlighted by very positive exchanges in the United States and in Ukraine. Through the exchange experiences Americans and Ukrainians were able to cooperate on issues relating to student government, student debate and mock trial, journalism and student newspapers. Participants learned a great deal about each others culture through stays with their host families and interactions with students at participating schools. Additionally, American and Ukrainian students were able to openly communicate and discuss many important issues related to daily student life through conferences, seminars, and classes focused on issues faced by both societies today. The friendships that students and teachers have made through the exchange are friendships that will last a lifetime, and participants will draw upon the memories made through the exchange experience for the rest of their lives.

The Youth Leadership Development Program is currently beginning the second year of the program. The Ukrainian participants are tentatively scheduled to visit New York City for their three-week exchange in late February through mid-March. The second year of the program will enable participating schools to continue to build on their experiences, friendship, and cooperation through the next year and for the future.

The second year of the program will enable participating schools to continue to build on their experiences, friendship, and cooperation through the next year and for the future

SUMMARY

American students are known for their active involvement in student government organizations and student journalism. By hosting a group of Ukrainian students and teachers, they will demonstrate to Ukrainian counterparts that active participation allows anyone, despite his/her background in the society, to be an equal citizen with the power to effect change for the better in their communities. At the same time, Americans will gain appreciation for the process of nation-building, drawing on their own history and its comparison with that of Ukraine. Three school-to-school partnerships will be established.

BACKGROUND

A decade has passed since the collapse of the Soviet Union, however Ukraine has been struggling in its economic and political development and has been hard-pressed to establish its role in the global community. Young Ukrainian citizens are working towards gaining competence in active citizenship in a young democratic society. Towards this goal, The American Forum for Global Education proposes an academic exchange program focusing on Youth Leadership Training. The concept of Student Government in the US will be used as a vehicle for demonstrating and teaching democratic principles.

At the same time, it is important for young Americans to work with future Ukrainian leaders in order to re-establish and strengthen the relationship between the two countries. This can be accomplished through building strong educational ties on the level of secondary education. The US educators have the opportunity to gain first-hand understanding of strengths and weaknesses of the Ukrainian system of education, and weigh the challenges facing educators at this time of social transition. In addition, this experience assists US educators in their efforts to teach about emerging democratic societies in Eastern Europe.

PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

The core objective of the Program is to translate basic democratic principles to Ukrainian youth through demonstrating the importance and role of youth leadership and activism in a democratic society. This can be accomplished through learning about active democracy in American schools. Emphasizing four essential components, this program will:

(1) facilitate the creation of student government organizations in Ukrainian schools,
(2) assist Ukrainian schools in the development of web-based student newspapers,
(3) encourage student involvement in community service,
(4) create classroom resources for education about democracy.