SERVICE YEAR
International Service Programs
Commitment to International Development
Youthlinc’s approach to international development is based on research and practical experience. We pride ourselves on helping communities become self-sufficient. We help in the construction of compatible and sustainable structures for education, health, and the general well-being of the community. We offer information (in the form of lessons for people of all ages, community workshops or fairs, and professional exchanges) in basic health and hygiene, education, social work, and business. We offer vocational training and through our microenterprise program, we provide small loans to help start effective, self-sustaining businesses.
In order to provide the most effective service to the international community, Youthlinc partners with small communities for 3 to 5 years with the expectation that these communities continue to help themselves with the resources we provide.
Youthlinc is not in the business of giving handouts. We strive to teach people how to provide for themselves a better quality of life. Our focus is similar to the Millennium Development Goals sponsored by the United Nations: we seek to end poverty and hunger, promote good health and health care, increase educational opportunities, encourage gender equality, and create a global partnership.
In conjunction with these international development goals, we also seek to provide our participants with the best educational and cultural exchange opportunities possible. We strongly believe that the best learning experiences come through hands-on activities, interacting with partner communities, and project based learning
In combining project based learning and our approach to international development, we have established a basic method to our international trips. Each team (35-40 people), no matter where they travel, is comprised of 5-6 core committees, which plan and carry out the projects in each site. These committees are led by student groups and mentored by our professional volunteers.
Tentative dates for the 2012 Youthlinc international service sites are:
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 Committees
The core Youthlinc committees are:
Construction
The Construction Committee helps organize the labor for the construction projects while in country. Months prior to departure, the committee fundraises for the different projects and researches the needs of the community. The projects are determined well in advance through meetings and needs assessments with Youthlinc staff and the partner communities, and negotiated according to the financial resources available to Youthlinc. It is expected that each community that we visit will help provide labor for the construction projects working together with our participants to build stronger partnerships.
 Medical/Community Health
In each of its sites, Youthlinc gathers information in advance about the most pressing medical and health needs. From that information, the Medical Committees work to organize health fairs, raise funds, and bring medical equipment to each community. Youthlinc does not operate open clinics at its international sites. Clinic work is only done within the area of expertise of the medical professional we bring, and in concert and under the direction of village health professionals. Opportunities for professional exchange, within the village and in local medical facilities, are part of the Youthlinc international experience.
Cultural Exchange
The Cultural Exchange Committee is in charge of creating a bridge between the team and the local community. They organize the opening and closing ceremonies as well as other activities/fairs on site. We encourage our young people to learn about the culture and society through structured and casual interaction with people, young and old, in the partner community. We encourage the Cultural Exchange committee to present research and information about the international site (e.g., history, customs, etc.) with the whole team in preparation for the visit.
 Education
Our in country partners let us know what the educational needs are in each site. Students on this committee plan lessons, raise funds, and organize school supply drives in order to meet these needs. The Education Committee chair is responsible for teaching each participant how to organize a basic lesson plan that will ensure successful interaction and communication of information. Each team participant (including mentors) is encouraged to prepare a lesson to be taught to various age groups in the community. In this way, every participant has an opportunity to interact with community members in a way that we have found is very rewarding.
 Microenterprise
The Microenterprise Committee focuses on finding and strengthening business opportunities in each community, based on information gathered from previous team visits and on-going communication with our in-country coordinators. This committee teaches business lessons in each area, gathers information on people interested in starting a small business, and helps determine the disbursement of microcredit loans. Prior to each trip, members of these committees meet regularly to raise funds and come up with ideas for the sustainability of the program.
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Vocational Training
The Vocational Training committee works to enhance technological knowledge at our sites to create better employment opportunities. Youthlinc teams have taught baking, sewing, barbering, and a variety of other skills as requested by our partner communities. Often Youthlinc team members have to learn these skills in order to teach them. Often, adult professional proficient in these skills serve as mentors and help student committee members develop lessons to teach in our partner villages.
Others
According to the needs of the communities and the professional experience of our Mentors, Youthlinc has organized a number of other committees focused on Social Work, Audiology, Special Needs Education, and many more.
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YOUTHLINC MICROENTERPRISE PROGRAM
The Youthlinc Microenterprise Program exists to provide small loans, business training and microcredit organization training to individuals and communities. We work with existing community organizations wherever possible at our international sites, provide resources to those who are interested, and act as a partner in running small-scale microcredit programs.
History
In 2006, in keeping with the student leadership model of Youthlinc, alumni and program participants began formulating our microenterprise program based on best practice research. In the summer of 2007, the microenterprise program began in Ocotlan, Mexico; and Nkubu, Kenya. Since that time, Youthlinc has begun facilitating business and vocational training in all our partner communities, as well as helping small microcredit program in Mexico, Kenya, and Peru.
 Each country team has a microenterprise committee, and students still take the lead in planning and implementing our program. Microenterprise is proven way for individuals to lift themselves out of poverty through the work of their own hands.
Youthlinc has been successful in both Mexico and Kenya, working with groups of women to increase their standard of living and to provide them with skills and capital to start their own businesses. Over the last few years, Youthlinc has solidified the program's goals: first, to provide organizations with the training and resources necessary to run a small-scale microcredit organization; second, to provide initial capital for loans provided through those organizations; and third, to provide interested groups with vocational and business training to enhance the work they are already doing.
Download the Youthlinc Microenterprise Training Manual
How We Operate
 The Youthlinc Microenterprise Program includes three activities:
- Vocational training
We have often found there is a strong desire in our partner communities for vocational training. This can include anything from baking and sewing to haircuts and construction. Once we have established partnerships with the community, we can work with them to see if there is a desire and a need for vocational training and we can work over the course of the year to develop a training program to implement in-country.
- Business training
Many people in our partner communities have established businesses and want to develop their skills, or may desire to start a business but not to receive a loan. In each case, we are able to provide our business lessons to the communities. While the lessons are tailored to people receiving microloans, they are also easily adaptable to people interested in furthering their education.
- Microcredit capacity building and loans
This is the largest piece of the Youthlinc program, and is also the most involved. We either partner with a group already doing microcredit in the area, or we work with the local Rotary club to establish a governing board. This is the most essential piece of the loan program; without an in-country organization, we are not able to give loans in an area.
Country Reports - Microenterprise
Mexico
Youthlinc, in an on-going partnership with the Ocotlan Rotary Club, is overseeing final repayments for a loan given to CAM, a school for children and young adults with disabilities, for a mop-making business. The business has been a success and has provided income and business skills to youth who would not otherwise be afforded the opportunity.
During the 2010 trip to Chiapas, the Mexico microenterprise committee forged a new partnership with Ban Mujer . This partnership enabled Youthlinc to begin a pilot microcredit loan program to seven women in the community of Bautista Grande in the southern most and poorest state of Chiapas. Ban Mujer will oversee the recuperation of the loans and if successful in the first 5 months, Youthlinc will distribute more loans and help more women improve their families’ quality of life.
To learn more read the Youthlinc Mexico Microenterprise 2010 Report.
 Kenya
Kaguru Food Producers and Processors continues to be a community changing organization. The organization, which was given initial funding through a Rotary matching grant and training through the Youthlinc microenterprise program, reports full loan repayment of the first set of loans to 25 women and is now giving out its second round of loans, implementing a savings program, and is fully self-sustaining.
This year microenterprise committee continued off the three years of successful programs in Youthlinc Kenya sites. The team successfully raised funds to help 20 women of Kiamuri start their own businesses. The committee was able to increase the loan amount 150% from the previous year thanks to generous donations at events like the Kenya Kup and other fund raisers held prior to the trip. They met with women in four different areas and taught them basic business lessons. They are excited and optimistic about the future of these women.
For vocational training, the group taught baking lessons to over 25 women. In particular, they were inspired by the desire and excitement of 5 teenage girls that were a part of the lessons. These lessons were supplemented by a Rotary International Grant that brought electric ovens to the community.
The team also taught computation skills with computers from the same Rotary Grant. The computer training was carried out at the Holy Family Primary School and was especially beneficial to the teachers, who saw how the computers enhanced their ability to teach.
To learn more read the Youthlinc Kenya Microenterprise 2010 Report.
Peru
This year’s team was busy teaching business lessons and loan plans and improving vocational training opportunities in the area. The group helped move sewing machines provided the previous year to a sewing school in a nearby village. The team donated sewing supplies and 300 soles to fund a two-week sewing school in the fall.
The group held three days of classes on microenterprise in Palmeras covering loans, business choice and creation, marketing and basic accounting. A fourth day was spent on accepting loan applications from the villagers, who, as instructed, organized groups, prepared business plans, and applied for loans. The committee will determine which groups will receive loans and funds will be sent by late September.
The committee also followed up on last year’s accomplishments, by assessing the progress of business loans in the village of Santa Rosa. They collected loan repayments and prepared a report of the progress.
To learn more read the Youthlinc Peru Microenterprise 2010 Report.
Thailand
The MEV Committee performed a much needed evaluation mission. Due to regulations in Thailand, Youthlinc is not able to provide microcredit loans. However, the committee discovered that we can provide grants for vocational training in agriculture, computation, and small engine repair. The group was able to bring a lot of supplies to help with local artisans.
Cambodia
Youthlinc’s newest site will offer amazing opportunities for help in creating business in the village of Peak Sneng. Many families in the area cannot feed their families. The children in these households are not able to attend schools because the are needed at home to work in order to help provide. The village has asked that we help train them in domestic and community vegetable gardening in order to provide subsistence and extra income. The village also asked that we help fund a cow bank, which villagers would use to purchase a cow and keep it with one family until it gave birth to a calf. The cow would then be given to another family and the process would repeat itself. The 2011 team will be able to design this program to make it a sustainable part of Youthlinc’s work in Cambodia. All of these projects would not only provide additional funds and food for the villagers, but it would allow their children to attend school.
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