Seth Lefler Finds New Perspective Through Service
I was skeptical In 2022 when my parents asked if I’d like to go on a humanitarian trip but soon realized I’d like to go on more trips to help others in need. Embarking on a humanitarian trip to Peru
How My Father-in-Law’s Hobby Led Me to Madagascar
Once upon a time, in a land far away… Not really. This tale begins 30 years ago, right here in Sugarhouse, with a man and his son. The two of them loved doing projects together and were frequently picking up
Youthlinc and U.C.Y Collaboration
Over the years, Youthlinc has had the exciting opportunity to host fellows from around the world through the Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative (YLAI) and Community Engagement Exchange (CEE) programs. These programs, sponsored by the Department of State, place
GCL Nepal 2023 Program
Imagine you have been a nurse or public health educator for many years and you decide to share this passion for the healthcare industry through teaching at a university. And now you find yourself in Nepal, talking to doctors and
Youthlinc Service Year 2023: A Year of Transformation and Connection
Welcome to our reflection on the incredible Youthlinc Service Year 2023! This past year has been nothing short of extraordinary, filled with unforgettable adventures, profound connections, and life-changing moments. Join us as we take a trip down memory lane and
Youthlinc’s First Ever Trip to India
“In Utah’s embrace, we dwell. Souls familiar with its mountainous spells. Yet fate has whisked them afar, it seems, to West Bengal’s land of vibrant dreams. Amidst the plains where Ganges does flow, they walk on foreign soil’s glow. Each
Youthlinc’s Global Community Leadership Program
The Global Community Leadership (GCL) Program is one of Youthlinc’s core programs in partnership with Utah State University and Utah Valley University designed to meet the demand of college students. Participants are encouraged to enroll for credit through USU and
CEE, Youthlinc, and Union of Committed Youth
Youthlinc is hosting four fellows from YLAI (Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative) and CEE (Community Engagement Exchange) this year. YLAI and CEE are programs sponsored by the Department of State that places emerging leaders from around the globe with
Youthlinc, Colombia, YLAI, & Academia de Vida Pt. 2
At the end of January 2023, Justin Powell, Executive Director of Youthlinc, had the opportunity to travel to Columbia to work with Maria and her team at Life Academy as part of a project they have been working on since
Efforts of Diplomacy — Youthlinc and USU: Rwandan Insights
In May 2022, a group of 14 USU students and Youthlinc leaders visited Rwanda. The group worked in a variety of capacities to learn, understand, serve, make changes, and cultivate relationships in our quest to be more informed, more compassionate
When We Played Till Dark – Nyae Soe
We would play till the sun disappear and night was creeping in. The day was never long enough. Some played with me here and there just as people come and go in life. My friend always played with me no
Youthlinc, Colombia, YLAI, & Academia de Vida Pt. 1
In the summer of 2022, Youthlinc had the opportunity to host two fellows from the Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative, a State Department program that elevates and supports developing professionals from Latin America and the Caribbean. One fellow, Maria,
Youthlinc, USU, UCCD, and Rwanda
In May 2019, Utah Council for Citizen Diplomacy asked Youthlinc to host a short round table event for a group of visitors from around the world. Among those present was Mutemberezi Pascal from Rwanda. Our Executive Director, Justin, and Pascal
Kenya 2022
Blog 1 We started our trip in Kenya after a fourteen-hour flight that ended with the team losing ten checked bags of luggage to the depts of the JFK airport. After waiting in Nairobi for our luggage that would never
New International Humanitarian Trip: Elephant & Ecological
Youthlinc is launching a different type of Service Year trip to Cambodia this summer. It has a focus on elephant and ecological conversation, mixed in with our traditional committee work in community health, education, & cultural exchange. The team will
Youthlinc Core Strategies Align with Utah State Board of Education’s Portrait of a Graduate and Service-Learning Academic Research
By: Justin Powell Youthlinc programming is rigorous and holds students to high standards. We believe that youth will rise to the expectations set for them when proper support is offered. Data informs best-practice, and as such we constantly evaluate our
Celebration of Service
By: Justin Powell Many things have changed in our lives and in society over the past 18 months. But, one thing that hasn’t changed is Youthlinc’s dedication to service. Our young humanitarians have continued to serve in any capacity they
Costa Rica 2021
Costa Rica Day 1: Body, Mind, Heart, & Soul As described by the Costa Rica Humanitarian Foundation, life is an upward spiral. It starts at the bottom with meeting basic human needs with food, water, and shelter or “body”. Up
Mondo Art
What is Mondo Art? The Mondo Art Project was created to connect children all over the world through the universal language of art. The goal is to give children from all countries, cultures and backgrounds a voice – a chance
International Humanitarian Trips in 2021
By: Justin Powell All of us are ready to connect with others, travel, and have some fun. But we also want to do it safely and make sure we put the pandemic firmly behind us. The past 14 months at
YLAI, Youthlinc, and Witchelle from Kids Connection Haiti
Youthlinc would like to recognize and celebrate our second Young Leaders of the Americas Initivate (YLAI) fellow, Witchelle Charles. Witchelle is a board member and the community service projects coordinator of Kids Connection Haiti (KCH). She is committed to ensuring
Less Than Human
By: Hay Soe I started my 2760th Karen New Year with goals and resolutions, with my loved ones, and with excitement for the new semester in school. Others started their Karen New Year with great tragedy. Karen villages all throughout
YLAI, Youthlinc, and WeLife Foundation
By: Justin Powell Youthlinc is hosting three fellows from YLAI (Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative) this year. YLAI is a program sponsored by the Department of State that places emerging leaders from Latin America and the Caribbean with various
Is it safe to travel?
By: Jordan Taylor As we turn the corner to nearly a year of the covid-19 global pandemic, many of us are looking for ways to stretch our legs and finally explore outside our homes. This has a lot of us
The Power and Efficacy of Youthlinc’s Service Year & Partnership Model
By Justin Powell Youthlinc’s mission is to create lifetime humanitarians. Humanitarians, once created, can then individually and collectively seek to change systems that are failing marginalized populations, reduce poverty, improve access to healthcare, address economic, gender, and racial inequities, etc.
Learning Lessons from the Villagers in Yanamono II, Peru
By: Shelly Burningham Human beings are diverse in many ways. We come from different lifestyles, religions, gender, race, and nationalities. Despite those differences, we all feel joy and pain. Youthlinc has given me the opportunity to understand the world better.
The Buoc Village 2020 Construction in Vietnam
By: Tong Quang Nam I am Nam. I am writing this to send my great thanks to the organization for helping Buoc village’s residents recover and improve their living standards. As a person who has spent years in Buoc village
Parent Information about the Youthlinc Service Year
By Taylor Ostmark The Youthlinc Service Year is a unique experience for high school and college aged students to immerse themselves in the world of service. Youthlinc’s mission is to create lifetime humanitarians. Through the 9 month program, participants in
Join us as we explore Mongolia
We are excited to invite you to join us in Mongolia for the first time in summer 2021. Mongolia is a place of adventure, where you can experience firsthand rich nomadic culture and beautiful untouched landscapes. Our Mongolia 2021 Service
International Sustainability and the Youthlinc Model
How does Youthlinc choose a new site? IN-COUNTRY COORDINATORS Youthlinc partners with local NGO’s and Rotary clubs in-country to ensure our work will benefit the overall community in a positive way. Partners are vetted out and have stellar reputations for
Returning to San Martin, Guatemala in 2021
By Jordan Taylor Guatemala is home to volcanoes, rainforest, and ancient Mayan sites. There is an endless need and a desire to improve. As one of our closest sites, Guatemala proves that you don’t always need to travel far to
Mongolia 2021
We are so excited to announce our newest site MONGOLIA! Mongolia is the world’s most sparsely populated country at about 3 million people; geographically it is the 18th largest. It is known as the “land of the blue sky” since
COVID-19 around the world Part 2: How are Youthlinc’s international partners faring?
By Justin Powell We’ve reached out to our partners to find out how they and their communities are doing. Here are additional updates from several of our partners abroad. Trat, Thailand: Meaw It is reasonable to presume that COVID-19
International Connection: Interview with David Muiru
By Jackie Moynihan and David Muiru Youthlinc’s international efforts would not be possible without the help of our outstanding connections on the ground in the countries we serve. For the next several months, we will highlight our In Country Coordinators,
COVID-19 around the world: How are Youthlinc’s international partners faring?
By Justin Powell We’ve reached out to our partners to find out how they and their communities are doing. Here are updates from several of our partners abroad. Peru Carlos Acosta, our coordinator in Peru, has given us the following
Business lessons to jungle sports bar: how Youthlinc initiatives have come to life in the Amazon Rainforest
By Jackie Moynihan Youthlinc has called Peru home for the past 15 years thanks to partnerships with our amazing in-country coordinator, Carlos Acosta, the Rotary Club of Iquitos, and countless other community leaders. In order to provide sustainable international humanitarian
Tips from a Travel Pro: Staying Healthy and Safe
14,016 – That is the number of passenger aircrafts in the air the moment I sat down to write this article. Traveling abroad is no longer just a line item on everyone’s bucket list but it’s finally being crossed off.
Climate Change in Vietnam: Education Leads to Action
By: Libbey Hanson The children don’t know what’s coming. That’s the thing that saddens and frustrates Toan Nong, a high school teacher in the small and rural district of Vo Nhai in northeast Vietnam. Beginning with World War II, and
Chiang – By Abinadi Smith
In Thailand, I met a man named Chiang. When I first saw him, I was walking to the building where the vocational aspects of our trip were held. He was less crawling on the ground and more dragging himself
January Committee Training Recap
By: Brayden Davies On Saturday, January 11th we had our 7th annual Youthlinc-wide committee training at Juan Diego Catholic High School. Being able to see our 400+ participants together in the auditorium to start the meeting just goes to show
Cambodia Killing Fields
The Killing Fields are located on the outskirts of Phnom Penh and was a location of torture, interrogation and execution from members of the Khmer Rouge in the 1970s. Over 14,000 people are known to have entered and been executed.
Be Here Now – Ben Summa
The Nepal Project’s goal is to let people know that it’s time for us to build connections instead of barriers. Learning from other cultures and sharing experiences fosters important relationships. Going out of your comfort zone and meeting new people creates
Nepal June 2018
From June 13 to June 15 we spent 54 hours traveling to our destination. This was broken up with 4 flights and one awesome excursion in Singapore. In Singapore we went to Gardens By the Bay which are these massive
Peru July 2018 Reflection
Team Leader Nate Jones reflects on the 2017-18 Peru July team’s experiences in Pucallpa. We’ve been having an incredible experience in the village of Pucallpa (pronounced Poo-cal-pah) in the Amazon! Our team has been working hard and getting dirty removing