SYLP

The Final selection for the Exchanges 2 and 3 Serbia Youth Leadership Program

During the month of June, interviews for Exchanges 2 and 3 Serbia Youth Leadership Program, took place. All together, thirty eight high school students and five adults working with youth in Bajina Basta, Prijepolje, Palilula, Senta and Kikinda were chosen.

Đorđe Rakonjac, Jelena Stanojević and Jelena Ranđelović from Bajina Bašta; Nikola Kovačekvić, Svetlana Mirčeta, Dragoljub Veselinov i Aleksandar Đokić from Kikinda; Tatjana Beskorovajni, Milica Matić, Kristina Stanojević and Marija Vulović from Palilula; Anđela Milovanović, Denis Jusović, Selka Sadiković, Armin Džinović from Prijepolje; Viola Erdelji, Viktor Nađ- Abonji, Aniko Varga and Maja Branovački from Senta, as well as adult students Vanda Nemeš, Gorica Bujaković and Zoltan Sepeši will take part in Exchange 2 of SYLP. From 8th September until 6th October 2007 they will be staying in Vermont, Denver, Huntsville and Washington, where they will be visiting youth and student organizations and gain various skills in the field of activism, team work, and work with youth. The theme for Exchage 2 is Rule of Law

Participants of the Exchange 3 are: Katarinna Rajić, Tatjana Simić, Ana Čavić i Srđan Jakšić from Bajine Bašta; Una Erdeljan, Danijela Manovski, Aleksandar Tomin, Tijana Velimirov from Kikinda; Sara Gligić, Miloš Marinčevski i Miloš Vukša iz Palilule; Haris Beganović, Davor Stiković, Luka Čebedžić i Milan Drobnjak from Prijepolje; Antal Apro, Zsuzsanna Lengyel, Boglarka Rudics and Ester Ileš; and adult students Ivana Vujić and Marijana Rodić. From 20th October in Vermont, Seattle, Tuls and Washington they will mostly focus on the basic theme for Exchange 3 - Multiethnicity, i.e, they will find out about the ways their peers deal with the life in multiethnic community

Meeting with the US Embassador

Twenty four students and four adults who visited US as part of the Exchange 1, were invited by the US Ambassador in Serbia - Michael C. Polt- to visit Belgrade. The group met with Mr Polt and discussed with him various experiences from their stay in Vermount, Seattle, Cleevland and Washington, the position of youth in Serbia and US, as well as about their ideas of contributing to the community development using some of the gained experiences. Following the meeting with the US Ambassador, the Exchange 1 participants went to see the exhibit "125 years of diplomatic relations with US and Serbia", and had three-hour training on initiating various activities in their communities, as well as the preparation to be hosts themselves in September.

Serbia Youth Leadership Program is implemented by World Learning and Civic Initiatives. The program is financed by the Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs - State Department, and implemented in cooperation with the US Embassy in Belgrade (Public Affairs Section).

The program is implemented in cooperation with New Vision from Prijepolje, Women's center in Bajina Basta, Youth organization of Southern Hungarians and Locator from Senta, District 0230 from Kikinda and Municipal Youth Office in Palilula, Belgrade.

US exchange program - Serbia Youth Leadership Program - will through 3-month long exchange with US give an opportunity to approximately 66 students and 12 adults who were active in work with youth, and work on empowering youth in Kikinda, Senta, Prijepolje, Bajina Basta, as well as the areas in the Belgrade Municipality Palilula (Krnjaca, Kotez, Borca, Ovca, Padinska Skela) to stay in US and research different types of activism in the local community.

The program in question is academic and interactive, and requires motivated students ready to develop their skills to become leaders in their schools and in their communities. Each of the 3 exchanges will have the theme as a priority - Exchange 1 will research activism in the local community; Exchange 2 the Rule of Law and Judiciary System; Echange 3 ethnic tolerance and life in Multi-ethnic society.

The exchanges will take place in the following way and in the following cities in US:

During the four-week exchange the participants will have an opportunity to get involved with the workshops focused on the principles of active participation in the civil society and life in the local community and understanding different cultures. Participants will also visit US schools and take part in various student activities, as well as the initiatives of the local organizations. There will be opportunities to research American Culture through visiting historical sites. Participants will be staying with carefully chosen host American families with children of similar age, to strengthen the interaction with American youth and to make easier their visits and integration in the local schools.

Adults and students will throughout their visit to US travel together, but some activities will be designed only with youth in mind, whereas some will be designed for adults. Aside from joining the students in many activities, the adults will have some separate sessions with American educators and trainers on the themes such as: teaching methodology, supporting youth initiatives, respecting diversities, as well as the skills necessary to offer support to students with leadership potential, including planning and project writing. The Government of US will together with its partners, pay for the return airfares to US, accommodation and food, some cultural activities, educational material, insurance in case of an accident or sickness, and will provide a modest allowance. The participants will be staying with families host-volunteers and in conference centers.

Participants will be required to cover the costs related to the process of the application (photocopying, postage, photos etc), passport, as well as the spending money for souvenirs or other things while visiting US. Applying for the program is free of charge.

Selection Criteria

Students will be selected based on the following criteria:

• Demonstrated interest and dedication to voluntary activities and activities in Civil Sector
• Ability to cooperate with various groups and to tolerate others oppinion
• Potential to become a leader
• Ability to maintain social relations and good communication skills
• Energetic and positive attitude
• Ability to implement projects of use to the school and the community

Adult applicants are being selected based on the following criteria:

• Demonstrated interest and dedication while offering services to their local community
• Have examples of previous engagemens in supporting youth activism
• Have been rated highly as trainers and/or assistant on the program for youth
• Demonstrated ability to be a leader
• Ability to cooperate in various groups of students and collegues, and the ability to tolerate others opinion
• Dedication to work with youth after the project comes to an end, to help them implement other projects

Geographic and ethnic diversity had a particular role in candidate selection.

This program is not designed only for those who fluently speak English. Knowing the English language is an important factor, but the participants of SYLP also had to demonstrate the motivation to participate in the development of their community on return, as well as readiness to research new opportunities.

After the selection

• The chosen participants will be given info materials several weeks prior to the start of the US exchange program to prepare for the trip.
• For participants selected for Exchange 2, a two-day orientation training will take place in Belgrade in August 2007; and for Exchange 3 participants training will take place in September 2007.

We anticipate that the participants will return home with knowledge, new ideas and enthusiasm to create positive changes in their schools and communities. That, among others, includes preparation, initiation and implementation of various local initiatives by program participants, under the supervision and mentoring of Civic Initiatives. Around 3 months following the return, a week long visit will be organized for youth and adult hosts from cities in US to help former participants continue in their community program efforts.