THE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade has issued a call for interested young Vincentians aged 15-18 years to apply for the 2024 Youth Ambassador Programme.

This is a programme of the U.S. Department of State that is administered through the collaboration of World Learning and Georgetown University.
The programme initiative aims to identify, empower, and nurture young leaders who will contribute to positive change in their communities and beyond. The Youth Ambassadors Programme is designed to provide a platform for individuals 15-18 years old and adult educators to develop leadership skills, foster global awareness, and engage in impactful community projects, a release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs states.

Through a comprehensive selection process, successful applicants will have the opportunity to participate in a 14-day programme that includes mentorship, training sessions, and hands-on experiences.

This country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the United States Embassy has therefore announced the commencement of the Youth Ambassador Programme for 2024. Applicants must apply by February 23, 2024.

The criteria for youth participants include:

• l Be a citizen and resident of a participating country;
• l Be between 15-18 years old at the start of the exchange;
• l Have at least one semester left after August 2024;
• l Demonstrate leadership potential and community involvement;
• l Have limited U.S. and other international travel experience; and
• l Have parental/legal guardian permission to participate in U.S. travel or online programming.
• The criteria for adult educator applicants include:
• l Be a citizen and resident of a participating country;
• l Actively work with youth in a high school or community setting; and
• l Be willing and able to meet periodically with selected students from their city or region during the 2024/2025 academic year to support and monitor their follow-on work.

Persons who are interested in participating in this programme are asked to contact the Service Commissions Department at (784) 456-1690 for additional information and can apply online at https://webportalapp.com/sp/youth_barbados-easterncaribbean_2024 and https://webportalapp.com/sp/mentor_barbados-easterncaribbean_2024.