I had been spended 3 months in Sweden for my internship in 2007, during that time i was selected to work for Jonkoping University for One World Project as project worker for counseling students in the university, to whom are interesting running a project in Cambodia as well as in Asia. also working as volunteer for UN in UN’s day to promote Millennium Development Goals.
Please visit this exchange program link:
Khmer Youth Association www.kya-cambodia.org
The Swdish Centre for International Youth Exchange www.ciu.org
here are some information about
Youth Partners in Development (YPD)-International Youth Exchange Program
Duration: January 2007 to June 2007
I. Introduction
A. International Youth Exchange Program connecting with UN
At the 1991 World Youth Forum in Vienna a number of Youth NGOs discussed the si
tuation of young people and their contribution to peace and development in the world. Canada World Youth (CWY) came forward with the idea of a multilateral Youth Exchange Project with the UN as a global coordinator. United Nations Volunteers (UNV) began discussions on the proposal with CWT and they agreed to initiate a pilot project which was launched in Benin in 1993. The result was described as “excellent” by all parties involved. In connection to the UN’s 50th anniversary in 1995, UNV initiated a multilateral youth exchange program, Youth Partners in Development, YPD. The aim was to give young people insight into the United Nations and a chance to participate in development work in connection with UN projects.
The driving force behind the program is to give young people an opportunity to participate in local development work and by extension to improve their ability to participate in the development of a global society. YPD aims to increase young peoples understanding of the UN, stimulate young people to participated in world affairs and encourage young people to involve themselves in the development and decision making of the UN. It is important that today’s youth understand the benefit
and potential of a multilateral forum to secure the future of the UN. Cultural understanding and mutual respect are important issues and deserve our careful attention develop a more unified and harmonious world.
YPD is built on a number of components. These components are carefully arranged to create a dynamic and comprehensive learning environment. The program provides an incredible opportunity to learn and we must expect the participants to take responsibility for their personal growth and for creating a fulfilling and worthwhile learning experience.
B. Youth Partners in Development Program
Youth Partners in Development, is a development education program that gives young people a chance to perform voluntary work with connection to the UN network. The program was initiated by United Nations Volunteers in connection to the 50th anniversary of the United Nations in 1995.
YPD is also a Youth Exchange program involving the world’s youth on a multilateral basis and allowing them to learn about development cooperation, the United Nations and international relations by participation in the development projects in two countries.
C. the Main Objective for the program
The Main Objective for young people’s knowledge of and commitment to the United Nations.
• To stimulate interest and participation in the development of society among young people.
• To stimulate interest and participation in UN policy making, especially where these policies are related to youth issues, i.e. education, unemployment, environment, health etc.
• To promote cultural understanding and mutual respect.
• To encourage solidarity with other people and nations.
• To increase awareness of social problems in different parts of the world.
• To make aware the fact that many of today’s global problems demand cross-cultural cooperation.
YPD is made possible through a global network of NGOs launching the program on bilateral agreements and according to the guidelines and methodology of the concept. The program is generally implemented on a local basis by national NGOs. The YPD program has been running since 1995 and thus far eight countries have been involved: Burkina Faso, Canada, Cambodia, Ecuador, India, Nepal, South Kor
ea, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Ukraine and Zimbabwe. Our vision for the future of YPD is that it should become a permanent UN Youth Exchange Program, established within the UN network and that it hold official UN status.
D. The YPD scheme and its components
Each YPD project is built on a bilateral agreement between two countries in two rather different regions of the world. Usually one partner is from the northern hemisphere and the other from the s
outhern hemisphere, but many other combinations can make rewarding exchanges. Some help with partner-finding and coordination can be given by The Swedish Centre for International Youth Exchange in Stockholm or the United Nations Volunteers with headquarters in Bonn.
YPD is a six month program divided into two three-month phases. One phase is launched in each of the two cooperating countries. This structure gives the participants a chance to experience and compare two different societies, each with its specific history, culture, problems and solutions.
After, an introduction camp held separately in each country, the group of volunteers from one country travels to the other country to start the first phase together with their partners.
The participants are brought together in pairs, one from each of the two exchanging countries. The counterparts work and live together throughout the program. The counterpart relationship provides an opportunity to gain deep insight into another way of life, and thus promotes cross-cultural understanding. Co-operation between two young people from various worlds can also bring about misunderstanding, conflict and frustration. By dealing with these conflicts one can reach a greater understanding of each other’s cultural and personal backgrounds.
Each counterpart pair lives together with host families. This arrangement provides another opportunity for the participants to assimilate the foreign culture and is important for their integration into the local community. The host family provides support, a sense of belonging and serves as a reference point to help orient the participants in their foreign environment.
The program is generally implemented in a village, small community or a township. The size of the host community plays a significant role in the learning process of the participants. In a small community is will be easier to take in the situation and to survey and understand the mosaic of society. These will also increase the ability to see the work of the community, NGOs and the UN and allow for the drawing of parallels to the development of society as a whole.
The main activities during both phases are voluntary work for the benefit of the local community. Different regions of the world of course have different needs but generally the work has been centered on environmental and social projects. The participants are also given the opportunity of working additionally as volunteer trainees within a sector of their personal interest. The participants work with local development issues. Their work is supervised by staff from a local UN organization or a local NGO and/or the community.
Youth Partners in Development is a development education program created to give young people a chance to learn through participation in development work in different parts of the world. The development of the participants is the main objective of the program. In addition to the components described above the participants can also partake in study visits and/or other educational activities. The learning is based on experience, provided that the participants are motivated and open-minded. For those who are receptive to new experiences the possibilities for personal growth are unlimited.
YPD is specifically aimed at young people between 21 and 26 years of age. The program seeds people who are flexible, communicative, patient and open-minded. Knowledge of French, Spanish or English is also of importance, but not a demand. Naturally it is good to be interested in development issues, making international contacts and experiencing foreign cultures.
We hope that participants will continue to build skills, a healthy community and a harmonious world even after the program. Most participants wish to continue their involvement in NGOs or the UN network after their experience in YPD.
It is incredibly satisfying to know that every six months a new group of YPD ambassadors is sent out into the world and brought into a fraternity of young leaders who pave the way to a more harmonious planet earth.
II. Youth Partners in Development 2007 (YPD2007)
A- Stung Teng Team and Jokoping Team
This program had asking for all YPD participants to do in team work and running projec-
t by them self without leader. YPD program had separating into two time phrases 3months in Cambodia, which running a project and also 3months in Sweden running a project. The project was made by team content Cambodian and Swedish participants, they made their own decision, what they want to do. By the way, all the project purpose have to give value and benefit to local villager. Also, all participants have to work as volunteer in local or international organizations in their host province or city.
For my personal experience on 3 months period in Cambodia with a team that have four participant’s two Swedish and two Cambodian. We had decided to work in a NGO in Steug Teng Province together, Oxfam Australia Organization. Two weeks after worked for Oxfam, we agreed run a project call “Well Sanitation” after we had discussed to find the real situation and need of people in rural areas with Project Manger of Oxfam Australia.
The well project had some component activities such as; insisted a well with pump, to built and motivated villagers for giving hand and participant to our project, established a group villagers workshop for find out some sessions and strategies for protect and usefully with safety and sustainable using, to coordinated for creation a well committee to respond after our activities, buy school material for primary student, and made a opening ceremony party. The total budget of Well Sanitation Project was 250US$, 150$from YPD sponsor and 100US$ from Anna’s mother (Swedish member).
For 3 months period in Sweden, we have six participants and run a project call “MDGs for youth” for Jonkoping University Students get more awareness with UN projects and concert. This project was helpfully in cooperation by Jonkoping University and UN in that city, we got more information and some materials for setup our project activities.
The University is an international university in Sweden so many international student had got MDGs information though our UN day.
B- Camps
During 3 months in Cambodia we had four camps such as, pre-camp, first-camp, mid-camp and final camps and also the same in Sweden. All of this camps give chances to all participants can meet each other and change experience and showing what had they done in community and project to the big team. Furthermore, all the participants able to share their own impression on culture shock and inter-culture.
C- Cultures Shock, Challenges, Obstacles and Solution
Day by day, we had small and big problem, again and again. Also, we tried with our best for explain to everything of the element of our culture and faith, it was the solution we had done. Like one things I had met a culture shock with my counterpart, most of the time he didn’t like to take bath, sometime 3 days with a bath, and I felt uncomfortable to sleep with him (We are sleep at a same bed). and I was asked by myself, why he do like this! why they do not care with someone around! but after we had talked, He said, he usually take bath with warm water shower (water with heater) in Sweden and he never been take bath without it. so i was acquaint about his matter and than I did stop complaining him about it.
One time, my counterpart met a culture shock about me also, he had commented me about brush my tooth, usually I always brushed my tooth before eating due to I feel I am a tooth healthy when i did it, but it was my mistake about it. We should brush our tooth after breakfast, lunch, dinner and eat something, He told me. It is a good things I had learned from my counterpart, it was a small thing and simple, but we try to learn from it to seriously.
The main conflict of the program is language. Most of the time of misunderstanding is start from English. We know that English is our second language and some time it make us dose not have sense. Than we came up with a solution, it just talks and talk to each other by honesty with respect to partner.
By my opinion, I think the program had given me many special ideas more than my expectation. now I am seeing the world more close to me and not far like before. The program was the amazing initiated from UN, which can give a chance for youth to learn about international and foreigner culture. Through this exchange I feel I have a second culture in my mind and I feel more comfortable with Swedish, and I think it was the good way to make peace in the world. Anyway we also can compare the strong and weakness point of our country to other country. I would like to emphasize on the program, which was indeed precise progress program for development with sustainable and peace in the world.
