I have never flown internationally before. I can still remember the way my heart was beating as I saw the Eiffel Tower from outside the airplane’s window, thousands of feet above the ground. When we climbed off the plane in Rabat, the ocean breeze called to me: “let’s have an adventure.” I closed my eyes and soaked in the feeling you get from being somewhere strange and new. When I opened them, I saw three soldiers walking on the tarmac. The two on the ends carried automatic

Packing for your first Youthlinc trip can be daunting. The unknown can make it hard to determine what to pack. In your team manual, there will be a packing list that is a great resource, but I personally have been on 4 service trips with Youthlinc and have learned a few tips and tricks for packing through experience. Pack at least a couple of outfits and your essentials in your carry-on. On my first humanitarian trip to Kenya, my luggage was lost for 8 days! Not only did I

Walking the streets of Phnom Penn, fresh off grueling travel days, with unknown scents in the air and a cacophony of sounds from cars and bikes swerving past me was uncomfortable. The little restaurant we got to, with menus of mysterious items I never knew I never knew, felt intimidating and bizarre. Had I been alone, I might have felt overwhelmed, but, in a group of 20 people feeling the exact same things, all I could feel was excitement. If I could give advice to all first-

My experience as a Youthlinc humanitarian has been nothing short of transformative. Arguably, the most impactful part has been my journey through leadership. My first trip was to the beautiful island of Fiji when I was a junior in high school. Holding the title of Youthlinc first-year humanitarian carried a heavy importance to me -I had big shoes to fill. During the preparation process, I was placed on the education committee, which was thrilling. I got to see and delegate

Each year, Youthlinc participants step into experiences that stretch them in meaningful and lasting ways. From navigating new cultures and languages to living in unfamiliar environments, the international portion of the Service Year is designed to push participants beyond their comfort zones and ultimately, help them grow into lifelong humanitarians. But growth doesn’t happen without challenge. Over the years, we’ve recognized a consistent theme: alongside excitement and purp

Real Life, one of Youthlinc’s core programs, is an after-school peer-to-peer mentoring program that supports refugee and immigrant youth across Salt Lake County. Founded in 2010, the program was created to address a gap in services for refugee teens and has since grown to serve more than 500 youth annually across multiple sites. Through partnerships with schools and community organizations, Real Life provides a comprehensive curriculum that includes financial literacy, academ

Editor’s Note At Youthlinc, we believe that the most meaningful way to understand our world is through the lived experiences of others. The following reflection is written by a member of our Real Life team, who works closely with refugee and immigrant youth here in Utah. Real Life exists to support students as they navigate education, identity, and belonging-often while carrying stories that are complex, painful, and deeply human. We share this piece because it reflects the h

By Jackie Moynihan and Shelly Burningham, Real Life Directors For the past several years, Merrick Bank has been a tremendous donor and partner for Youthlinc and its flagship after-school peer mentoring program, Real Life . In addition to their financial support of Youthlinc programming, Merrick Bank has also taken part in Real Life curriculum development and scholarship promotion . Merrick Bank first got involved in Youthlinc during the 2017-2018 Real Life year. After gener