Youth Ambassadors Program

11 MINUTE READ

March 6, 2019

Open Call, February 22 through March 22, 2023

The Youth Ambassadors Program (YAP) brings together high school students and adult mentors from countries across the Western Hemisphere to promote mutual understanding, increase leadership skills, and prepare youth to make a difference in their communities. YAP provides full scholarships for participants to engage in cultural and educational programming focused on leadership, diplomacy, and community service.

The program goals are:

To develop a base of young adults throughout the Americas who have a strong sense of civic responsibility, a commitment to their communities, an awareness of current global issues, and strong interpersonal and leadership skills;
To foster relationships among youth from different ethnic, religious, and national groups; and
To promote mutual understanding, respect, and collaboration between the United States and its Western Hemisphere counterparts.

The Youth Ambassadors Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, with funding provided by the U.S. Government. World Learning administers the program in partnership with Amigos de las Americas. g partners in Colombia are the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá and the YMCA Colombia.

Interested applicants must comply with all requirements depending on their profile (Youth Participant or Adult Mentor), and follow the instructions to submit their application.

IMPORTANT: Below you will find the specific requirements for Colombia. Please note that the online application is standard for all participating countries, however, each country applies its own eligibility criteria.

By U.S. Embassy Bogotá

APPLICATION PROCESS FOR YOUTH

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Be Colombian with permanent residence in Colombia
Be 15 to 17 years old (born between January 1, 2006 and September 1, 2008)
Belong to strata 1, 2 or 3
Be enrolled in high school at least until December 2023
Demonstrate academic excellence and good command of conversational English
Exhibit flexibility, maturity, integrity, good social skills, and open-mindedness
Be and active community leader (mandatory school service is not applicable)
Present a community project proposal
No previous trips or visa denials to the U.S.
Commit to participate in all program activities (May through December 2023)
Have parents’ or guardians’ permission

DOCUMENTS

ID Card (Tarjeta de Identidad)
School Enrollment Certificate (present year)
School Transcripts (last year)
Electricity bill of applicant’s home
Copy of valid passport (it is not mandatory to have a passport to apply)
Parent/Guardian and Participant Agreement

HOW TO APPLY

Create a profile on the Youth Ambassadors’ web page through the “Login” “New User” section. Complete the application form in English and attach all documents. NOTE: Use the “Additional Documents” space to attach all documents that do not have an assigned space within the application.

Youth Ambassadors’ web page: https://webportalapp.com/sp/youth_hybrid_colombia_2023

By U.S. Embassy Bogotá

APPLICATION PROCESS FOR ADULT MENTORS

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Be Colombian with permanent residence in Colombia
Be over 21 years old (born before September 1, 2002)
Be a teacher or community leader with extensive work experience with youth
Demonstrate an interest in assisting youth to become productive and responsible members of society
Exhibit flexibility, maturity, integrity, good social skills, and open-mindedness
Full proficiency in English and desire to help participants overcome language barriers
Have extensive knowledge of the history and culture of Colombia and the United States
Desire to continue working in teaching positions or other positions of influence on young leaders after de the completion of the program
Commit to participate in all program activities (March through December 2023)