Mobilize Youth Participation

Open enrollment programs allow young people to apply to and participate in a virtual exchange on their own time. Educators, youth organizers, and administrators can reach out to the Stevens Initiative to receive recruitment materials for spreading the word about these opportunities to young people.
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K-12

Global Nomads Group – Real Youth, Artificial Intelligence U.S. & MENA

Global Nomads Group’s (GNG) Real Youth, Artificial Intelligence connects middle and high school-aged youth for a virtual exchange about AI developed by youth designers through an internship with GNG’s Content Creation Lab. Learn more.

  • Participant Age Group: Middle School/Grades 6-8, High School/Grades 9-12 (virtual exchange participants), Undergraduate (youth design interns)
  • Locations: United States, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Tunisia
  • Time Frame: For youth design interns: up to eight hours/week over 12-14 weeks. For virtual exchange experience participants: two-four hours/week over four weeks

International Foundation for Training and Development (IFTD) – Youth for Sustainable Development Goals U.S. & MENA

IFTD’s Youth for Sustainable Development Goals fosters critical thinking, communication, teamwork, and problem-solving skills among high school-aged youth in North Africa and the United States through interactive discussions and collaborative projects that address solutions to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more.

  • Participant Age Group: High School/Grades 9-12
  • Locations: United States
  • One to three hours/week for eight weeks

Marshall Legacy Institute – Peace Through Sport U.S. & MENA

The Marshall Legacy Institute’s Peace Through Sport fosters global connections between American and Yemeni youth, using the common language of sport to promote leadership, civic engagement, and understanding, which prepares participants to create positive change in their communities. Learn more.

  • Participant Age Group: High School/Grades 9-12; Undergraduate
  • Locations: United States
  • Time Frame: Eight weeks from January-February, April-May, July-August, and October-November 2025

The New York Academy of Sciences – Junior Academy U.S. & MENA

The New York Academy of Sciences’ Junior Academy connects high school-aged youth from the Middle East and North Africa and the United States to participate in online STEM innovation challenges that invite participants to propose creative and thoughtful solutions to global issues. Learn more.

  • Participant Age Group: Middle School/Grades 6-8; High School/Grades 9-12
  • Locations: United States, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Oman, and United Arab Emirates.
  • Time Frame: Four to six hours/week for 10 weeks

World Learning – The Experiment Digital (Leadership in STEM) U.S. & MENA

World Learning’s The Experiment Digital Leadership in STEM equips high school-aged youth to leverage their interests and skills in STEM to achieve personal and professional goals while giving back to their community. Learn more.

  • Participant Age Group: High School/Grades 9-12
  • Locations: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestinian Territories, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, United States, Yemen
  • Time Frame: At least four hours/week over six weeks; June-July

World Learning – The Experiment Digital (The Environment and English-Spanish Language Exchange) U.S. & Latin America

World Learning’s The Experiment Digital connects high school-aged participants in the U.S. and the Latin America region via online platforms to develop their understanding of 21st century issues and language learning. Learn more here.

  • Participant Age Group: High School/Grades 9-12
  • Locations: Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Columbia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, and Venezuela.
  • Time Frame: The Environment: Eight weeks (two to four hours/week); English-Spanish Language Exchange: Eight weeks (two to four hours/week)

Higher Education

Global Nomads Group – Real Youth, Artificial Intelligence U.S. & MENA

Global Nomads Group’s (GNG) Real Youth, Artificial Intelligence connects middle and high school-aged youth for a virtual exchange about AI developed by youth designers through an internship with GNG’s Content Creation Lab. Learn more.

  • Participant Age Group: Middle School/Grades 6-8, High School/Grades 9-12 (virtual exchange participants), Undergraduate (youth design interns)
  • Locations: United States, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Tunisia
  • Time Frame: For youth design interns: up to eight hours/week over 12-14 weeks. For virtual exchange experience participants: two-four hours/week over four weeks

Marshall Legacy Institute – Peace Through Sport U.S. & MENA

The Marshall Legacy Institute’s Peace Through Sport fosters global connections between American and Yemeni youth, using the common language of sport to promote leadership, civic engagement, and understanding, which prepares participants to create positive change in their communities. Learn more.

  • Participant Age Group: High School/Grades 9-12; Undergraduate
  • Locations: United States
  • Time Frame: Eight weeks from January-February, April-May, July-August, and October-November 2025

Millenium Campus Network – Millennium Fellowship U.S.-MENA Exchange U.S. & MENA

The Millennium Fellowship U.S.-MENA Exchange brings together undergraduates from the Middle East and North Africa and the United States to collaborate virtually on impact projects, fostering global understanding and leadership development. Learn more.

  • Participant Age Group:
  • Locations: United States, Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.
  • Time Frame: Three hours/week for four months.

Soliya – Global Circles U.S. & MENA

Soliya’s Global Circles bring together young adults and professionals for two-week discussions by facilitators trained in dialogue and conflict resolution, with a particular focus on the impact of globalized technologies on society, and is open to direct enrollment. Learn more.

  • Participant Age Group: Undergraduate, Graduate, Young Adult
  • Locations: Algeria, Bahrain, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestinian Territories, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Arab Emirates, United States, Yemen
  • Time Frame: Two and a half-hour live exchanges/week over two weeks; February, March, April, June, September, October, November

United Planet – Youth2Youth Investing U.S. & MENA

United Planet’s Youth2Youth Investing enables young individuals worldwide to foster lasting economic development through youth-led entrepreneurship and leverage investing principles and the UN Sustainable Development Goals to become leaders in creating economic opportunities and driving change in their communities. Learn more.

  • Participant Age Group: Undergraduate, Graduate, Young Adult
  • Locations: United States, Iraq, Syria
  • Time Frame: Five to seven hours/week over seven weeks

World Learning – STEAM Innovations U.S. & MENA

World Learning’s STEAM Innovations effectively prepares college-aged youth from Algeria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and the United States for successful exploration of future STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) specialties and careers, while fostering mutual understanding and equipping them with critical skills and the ability to contribute meaningfully to their communities. Learn more

  • Participant Age Group: Undergraduate, Graduate
  • Locations: United States, Algeria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia
  • Time Frame: Four to six hours/week over eight weeks

Young Adult

Soliya – Global Circles U.S. & MENA

Soliya’s Global Circles bring together young adults and professionals for two-week discussions by facilitators trained in dialogue and conflict resolution, with a particular focus on the impact of globalized technologies on society, and is open to direct enrollment. Learn more.

  • Participant Age Group: Undergraduate, Graduate, Young Adult
  • Locations: Algeria, Bahrain, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestinian Territories, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Arab Emirates, United States, Yemen
  • Time Frame: Two and a half-hour live exchanges/week over two weeks; February, March, April, June, September, October, November

United Planet – Youth2Youth Investing U.S. & MENA

United Planet’s Youth2Youth Investing enables young individuals worldwide to foster lasting economic development through youth-led entrepreneurship and leverage investing principles and the UN Sustainable Development Goals to become leaders in creating economic opportunities and driving change in their communities. Learn more.

  • Participant Age Group: Undergraduate, Graduate, Young Adult
  • Locations: United States, Iraq, Syria
  • Time Frame: Five to seven hours/week over seven weeks