Youth For Understanding

Youth For Understanding is an international exchange student program.

Mission Statement:
Youth For Understanding (YFU) prepares young people for their responsibilities and opportunities in a changing, interdependent world.

Description:
YFU must offer young people the adventure of a lifetime - the opportunity to explore other countries and cultures, master new languages, and discover themselves. We seek to transform young people by instilling passion for life-long learning, and the skills and knowledge to thrive and contribute amidst cultural diversity. To achieve these significant educational aims, we provide young people between the ages of 15 and 22 a variety of intensive exchange opportunities. Young enough to fully adjust to a new country and culture, yet old enough to reflect and integrate their experiences, our participants reap the rewards of host family and community life. We believe that this full immersion is the most effective means of international education, which will be increasingly relevant for generations to come.

History:
YFU was founded in 1951 with the arrival of young students from Germany to help heal the wounds of World War II. YFU has grown over the years to encompass exchanges with 50 other countries and now nearly 6,000 students participate in YFU programs each year. A full history can be found at www.yfu.org.

Contact people:

Sarah Melady, Volunteer, (401) 335-3287, (email) Theresa Nowak, District Manager, (617) 868-3660, (email) Alka Bhaskar, District Director, (617) 868-3660, (email)

Address:

2380 Massachusetts Ave., Suite 101 Cambridge, MA 02140 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.yfu-usa.org

Miscellaneous Information

Handicap accessible?
	Yes
Interests Served:
	Solutions for Children, Youth, Families
Does your agency accept court-appointed volunteers?
	No

Last updated on March 30, 2009