Each year hundreds of Youthlinc participants gather for the kickoff of the new Service Year at General Orientation. This is always one of the biggest events of the year. As staff, team leadership, and Youthlinc Alumni we love when we have the opportunity to gather together Youthlinc wide. The world is beautiful, and people are good. This rings true, when we have hundreds of humanitarians fill an entire gymnasium with their positive and excited energy as they take their first steps to becoming a lifetime Humanitarian.
General Orientation is the first meeting that kicks off the Youthlinc Service Year. At General Orientation all Service year participants and their parents come together and learn about what is in store for them over the next 9 months as they engage in Local and International Service. Participants learn more about service opportunities, as well as their roles and requirements. Parents have an opportunity to ask questions and hear from a panel of Alumni parents. The day ends with the opportunity to meet their team and hear more about the capstone international trip and details about their assigned international site.
Saturday, November 11th we hosted our 2023-2024 Service Year General Orientation at Juan Diego Catholic High School. With so many excited and eager participants the energy at general orientation was extremely positive and powerful. We can already tell that energy has been carried into the start of our service year and we can’t wait to see the amazing impact this year of participants will have on the local communities they serve and our international partners.
Introducing the 2024 Service year Teams and their Leadership
Cambodia with Nicole Carter and Addi Brown
Ecuador with Nate Jone and Jane Wooley
Ecuador Southern Utah with Easton Bowring and Sammi Snyder
Fiji June with Sylvia Jessen and Naiya Brown
Fiji July with Brenda Hall, Reggie Gardner, and Kausha Lebeau
India with Kevin Biddle and Izzy Larson
Kenya with Mindy and Brandon Pack, Chloe Moss, and Danielle Colosimo
Nepal with Candice Noss and Ben Perry
Peru with Eric, Tori, and Marley Bergstrom
Thailand with Wade Bennington and Bridget Rodriguez Acero
Vietnam with Sandy Jones and Kalia Reyes
At times the world can seem overwhelming, terrifying or even dangerous. We’re here to remind you that the world is beautiful, and people are good. Our challenge to you and any of our service year participants is to go and find the good in others and within yourself. If you are feeling overwhelmed by conflict, in your life, in your community, or while watching global events unfold, we urge you to find an opportunity to give back and serve in any capacity within your community or a community you don’t understand. Service is belonging, it creates relationships and builds empathy, it is how we begin to understand one another, and is how we heal from conflict.