THE U.S. Embassy has announced that applications are open for the 2021 Youth Ambassadors Programme (YAP) with the Caribbean. The programme for 2021 will be a five-week virtual programme and will be conducted in July and August.

Through the virtual exchange, participants will develop their leadership skills, strengthen their ability to serve their communities and foster relationships and mutual understanding among youth from different ethnic, religious, and national groups and create networks of youth leaders in the Western Hemisphere.

According to a release, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, the YAP exchange programme is part of the U.S. continued commitment to the prosperity of Guyana and the Region.

During their exchange, high school students and adult educators from the Caribbean Region and the United States will explore themes such as civic education, leadership, cross-cultural connections, community service, and youth and social transformation through experiential learning activities; leadership trainings; civic participation at the community level; mentoring by community, business, and NGO leaders; and engaging with host families, and volunteering. Afterwards, students will develop and implement projects that serve the needs of their communities in the months that follow.

This programme is open to public high school students 15-18 years, with least one semester of high school remaining after August 2021 and is a current resident and citizen of Guyana.

“We encourage all interested students and mentors to visit the U.S. Embassy website at http://georgetown.usembassy.gov/yap.html for more information and applications. Applications deadline is April 12, 2021. To date, 56 students and 10 adult mentors have participated in Youth Ambassadors Programme for Guyana since September 2012,” the release concluded.