YA Consortium 2024 Program Reflections Synthesis by Camila De Mendoza [She, Her, Ella]

Success: collaborating with museums for comped conference room spaces & low-cost co-working spaces for workshops

rachelworthington3 — 2024-10-04 15:04:31 UTC

cmendoza150 — 2024-10-04 15:05:03 UTC

Best Practice (AMIGOS): Have the participants serve as "Reporters of the Day" to gather their testimonies and use them on social media.

Success: hotel in a walkable area to activities to cut down on transit costs

rachelworthington3 — 2024-10-04 15:05:04 UTC

2024-10-04 15:05:14 UTC

Increased efforts to better support someone with a disability through campus resources (Georgetown)

Something New I tried!

2024-10-04 15:05:42 UTC

Using a social media toolkit for 2025 USYA recruitment!

Lessons Learned: how to ensure accessibility to virtual programming for participants who do not have reliable internet/computer access (participant in Nunavut, Canada). downloaded materials to word for offline access

rachelworthington3 — 2024-10-04 15:06:06 UTC

cmendoza150 — 2024-10-04 15:06:25 UTC

Challenge: In Austin, it has been particularly challenging to find host families. It seems that after the pandemic, it has become difficult to locate homes that meet the necessary requirements.

Success: Program partner did mid-program survey, gave real-time feedback to adjust programming as needed

rachelworthington3 — 2024-10-04 15:06:44 UTC

lisa_george2 — 2024-10-04 15:07:07 UTC

HC Partners are struggling with Host Family recruitment - especially in the US. Seems to be a greater challenge in 2024, than 2023. Starting conversations earlier should make a difference for 2025.

Application Success

2024-10-04 15:07:07 UTC

Launching the application earlier in the month allows for time to collect documents in the spring!

Success

katiesevcech — 2024-10-04 15:07:12 UTC

Alumni Call out on our stories asking followers who are interested to DM us for details on how to be apart of the Alumni Spotlight series.

Challenge & Lesson Learnt

annagailcaunca — 2024-10-04 15:07:23 UTC

Global IT outage impacted USYA departure to Chile by 5 days -- World Learning leader + admin team and USYA adult educators mobilized to provide DC-based programming, tweaking already existing World Learning curriculum. (Anna Gail, World Learning)

The Capitol Cafe is a great spot for big group lunches!

2024-10-04 15:07:37 UTC

Lesson Learned: Students need multiple reminders to complete surveys

2024-10-04 15:07:59 UTC

Providing consistent support throughout the program. Onboarding. Travel. And post travel.

2024-10-04 15:08:08 UTC

Balance of Technology

2024-10-04 15:15:21 UTC

How to balance the use of technology with applications (Mobiles), on program (WhatsApp). while traveling (Data on phones). How to have digital support throughout the program using phones for boarding passes for example but making sure that we continue reaching all of participants at their technology level.

Challenge: per-diem meal costs can be challenging in cities, like Washington, DC. Using funds as a bucket to be able to flex funds as needed- dominos one meal to accommodate for a celebration dinner at the end

rachelworthington3 — 2024-10-04 15:16:42 UTC

What is the best mode/method for setting expectations for adult mentor roles? how to showcase role? sharing ideas across consortium

rachelworthington3 — 2024-10-04 15:18:17 UTC

challenge: adult educator is a giant role that can make or break the program- how do we have a structured training and support model to set them up for success? What happens when there is a adult mentor that is not in line with program priorities/goals?

rachelworthington3 — 2024-10-04 15:19:34 UTC

Want to try/Learned: AE Role

2024-10-04 15:23:00 UTC

Once finalists are chosen, onboarding before participants are introduced to them before kick-off meetings and before participants start to do activities. Want AE to be more comfortable in their roles. Start onboarding 1-2 weeks before students in virtual spaces, to become more comfortable in role before starting to interact with participants. Not wanting to put too much on them but starting to introduce role to them earlier in the process.

USYA Participant Handbook & Pre-Departure materials - revamped

annagailcaunca — 2024-10-04 15:23:54 UTC

Re-worked USYA pre-departure materials + handbook to be accessible on Canvas platform. Handbook "borrowed" from World Learning's The Experiment in International Living which allows for interactive and reflective questions to think about with their families/selves for their time abroad. (Anna Gail, World Learning)

Youth Mental Health First Aid training for staff through the National Council for Mental Wellbeing

2024-10-04 15:24:13 UTC

USYA Program Briefings with group leaders + international partners

annagailcaunca — 2024-10-04 15:28:54 UTC

International partners appreciated having virtual program briefings with the World Learning group leaders that were traveling with the group prior to arrival -- get to know you, set expectations, roles & responsibilities, and overview of itinerary & logistics (Anna Gail, World Learning)

Success: Host Community Partners virtual meet&greet and Q&A pre-program

rachelworthington3 — 2024-10-04 15:29:44 UTC

Success: onboarding AEs first and then whole group

rachelworthington3 — 2024-10-04 15:31:42 UTC

Success: striving to create a truly hybrid program

rachelworthington3 — 2024-10-04 15:33:14 UTC

adding digital support through program from alumni, etc - Georgetown

Meal Success within Per Diem

akgymnast2014 — 2024-10-04 15:38:48 UTC

Taking participants to spaces with an assortment of food options (in D.C.) and letting them manage their own food preferences/restrictions. Removes set-up, delivery and tip expenses of catering options. Places that have worked well: District House (GWU), Reagan International Food Court, Western Market, Dupont Circle