Youth Leaders in Action spend half of their program in a Canadian community and the other half in one of 13 international partner countries
18 youth between the ages of 18 and 25 are in Nanaimo from October 11 to January 2 as part of the Canada World Youth Leaders in Action program. Half of the group is from Indonesia, while the other half is made up of Canadians from across the country. While in the city, the youth live with host families and volunteer in a range of community settings. It’s the first Canada World Youth program located in Nanaimo since 2004.
The Nanaimo group is made up of 20 people: 9 Canadian youth from across Canada, 9 Indonesian youth from across Indonesia and 2 project supervisors — 1 Canadian and 1 Indonesian.
A reciprocal program
The Youth Leaders in Action program is a unique 6-month reciprocal program divided into 2 phases of 2-3 months, one in Canada and one overseas, where youth from Canada and the partner country take part in both of those phases. During the program, the youth volunteers contribute to community-driven development projects which focus on health, the environment or gender equity, live in host families and take part in youth-led educational activities.
The fact is that you’re not a tourist, you actually integrate into a community for the three months, and the main way you that is that you do that through the host family and through your work placement, as well as getting involved in all kinds of community activities. So it’s much more in depth than going as a backpacker. — Simon Schachner, The Nanaimo Daily News (Aug. 30, 2014)
The 18 youth in Nanaimo will leave January 6, 2015 for Pulau Kelapa in Indonesia to complete the second half of their program.
Simon Schachner is the Nanaimo project supervisor, while Adit S. Retraubun is his counterpart from Ambon, Indonesia. Both Simon and Adit are former participants in World Youth programs.
Donovan Simpson is from Whatì, a community north of Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories, Canada. Rihaf H. Farron is from Indonesia. The two youth have been volunteering for CHLY radio in downtown Nanaimo.
We speak with Simon Schachner, Adit S. Retraubun, Donovan Simpson, and Rihaf H. Farron.
599_canada world youth_december_04_2014_40
Left-click to listen; right-click to save.
