Wisconsin 4-H promotes intercultural awareness and understanding and challenges youth and families to become better global citizens by providing opportunities to establish close relationships with people from different cultures through international home-stay and hosting experiences.
Month-long travel and hosting opportunities are available through Wisconsin 4-H and our partnering organizations in Japan, Korea, Mexico, Costa Rica, Argentina, Finland, Norway and Australia, as well as opportunities to host year-long high school students from Japan, Korea, or Eurasia. International learning workshops are offered at the at the county, district and state levels, and adult volunteer leadership positions are available as well as youth exchanges.
August 10th, 2011
There are still Japanese and Korean delegates available to host for this upcoming summer! We are looking for Wisconsin host families with a host sibling 11-14 years old. The delegates’ ages range from 12-14, they have a large variety of interests, and most importantly, they are excited to experience living with an American family!
Program requirements: the American sibling needs to be at least 10 years old, the delegate must have their own bed (but can share a room), and the family must be able to provide three meals a day. You do not have to be involved in 4-H to apply!
If you are interested, please click on the “Applications & Forms” tab underneath “Hosting” at the right to get started with the online application. If you have any questions, please call the WI 4-H International Programs Office at (608) 262-2491.
May 3rd, 2013
Hosting a young person from another country is an experience like no other for your family. This unique opportunity gives kids a chance to grow into global citizens and broadens the cultural horizons for your family and your community.
In 1973, the words “and my world” were added to the 4-H pledge. This summer, you can help make the pledge a reality by hosting a young person from Japan, Korea, or Mexico for one month. Wisconsin 4-H is currently accepting applications from families with children ages 10-18 who are interested in other cultures, enthusiastic about making new global connections, and passionate about sharing new experiences and fostering youth development.
There is no fee to host, you just need to be able to provide a bed and three meals per day to your new international family member. Because Wisconsin 4-H is focused on Youth Development, support for all host families and international delegates is a top priority, and the preparation and orientations provided by the 4-H program are uniquely beneficial.
Host family applications are accepted until all delegates are placed and can be completed online. More information about hosting opportunities and applications are available at wi4hinternational.org/host. Apply now to ensure that a delegate will be available for your family, and take the first step toward completing your pledge to your club, your community, your country and your world!
April 5th, 2013
Haven’t traveled in a while, and need to renew your passport? Or maybe you’ve never had one, or perhaps you lost it. Check out this article from USA Today giving you the facts about how to make sure you have a valid passport in time for your travel plans. Everything you need to know, including links to other helpful sites, is in this article!
April 5th, 2013
Wisconsin 4-H is proud to announce that this summer, 8 youth from Wisconsin will be travelling abroad through 4-H and staying with host families in Argentina, Australia, Finland, Japan, and Tanzania! Additionally, two adults from Wisconsin will be serving as advisers for 4-H youth groups to Argentina and Japan. All of these travelers attended a comprehensive orientation weekend at Upham Woods facilitated by Wisconsin IFYE alumni and Wisconsin 4-H state staff. It’s the first step in their preparation for a life-changing experience abroad!
Please join us in congratulating these outstanding youth on their upcoming adventures!
2013 Outbound Delegations from Wisconsin, Minnesota, and South Dakota
March 13th, 2013
In this age of globalization, ideas, media, and people are crossing borders all over the globe. We can see that it’s becoming more important to understand the world we live in, and to be able to communicate and work with the people in it. The U.S. Department of Education realizes this too, and has started a new initiative to educate our youth about our international community and prepare them for working in this globalized world. Succeeding Globally Through International Education and Engagement explains their strategy to “strengthen U.S. education and advance out nation’s international priorities.” Check it out at this link: . The future looks bright for international awareness!
We look forward to this year’s hosting programs and to re-continuing the Cameroon program in 2014.
Starting now, your family can apply to host a young person from another country for one month during the summer in 2013! Young people ages 12-18 from Argentina, Cameroon, Japan, Korea, Mexico, and Norway will be coming to Wisconsin and staying with host families, learning about Wisconsin families, culture, and 4-H.
For more information about this great opportunity to expand your family’s horizons, visit our host page. You can even start the host family application process today by clicking here. We can’t wait for you to meet your new family member from a different country!
January 15th, 2013
Are you interested in visiting another country, but want more than just a tourist experience? If so, then traveling abroad through Wisconsin 4-H is a perfect opportunity for you! Applications are now available for youth who wish to be a part of an outbound exchange to Argentina, Australia, Finland, Japan, or Tanzania. Delegates would stay with a host family in their country of choice for between 2 and 8 weeks, depending on the program.
For more information about these fabulous opportunities, click here. To begin the application process, click here and get started with your global learning experience!
*Note: adults can also apply to be Adult Advisors for 4-H delegations traveling abroad to the countries listed above. If you wish to apply, visit the Applications & Forms page and contact the Wisconsin 4-H International Programs office.
October 17th, 2012
As participants of this exciting new program, Wisconsin 4-H families will host ten Nigerian youth and adult participants for the U.S. Department of State Youth Leadership Program this October 30 through November 13. Click HERE for more information about this fantastic opportunity, and to apply!
October 8th, 2012
The U.S. Department of State announces scholarships for American high school students to study abroad:
The National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) offers merit-based scholarships to U. S. high-school aged students for overseas study of seven critical foreign languages: Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), Hindi, Korean, Persian (Tajik), Russian and Turkish. The NSLI-Y program is designed to immerse participants in the cultural life of the host country, giving them invaluable formal and informal language practice and sparking a lifetime interest in foreign languages and cultures. Applications for summer 2013 and academic year 2013-2014 programs are due November 1, 2012. Visitwww.nsliforyouth.org for more information.
The Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Abroad Program offers scholarships to American high school students to spend the 2013-14 academic year in countries that may include Bosnia & Herzegovina, Egypt, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mali (semester), Morocco, Oman, South Africa, Thailand, Tunisia, and Turkey. This post 9/11 program focuses on increasing understanding between people in the U.S. and countries with significant Muslim populations. The application deadline is January 16, 2013. Visit the YES Program’s website for more information.
The Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Program (CBYX) was established in 1983 to celebrate German-American friendship based on common values of democracy. Secondary school students live with host families, attend local schools, and participate in community life in Germany. Young professionals (undergraduates) and high school graduates of vocational studies ages 18-24 study and participate in practical training. Scholarships are now available for academic year 2013-14; application deadlines vary by U.S. region and range from September 2012 to January 2013. For more information and application deadlines, visit the organization in charge of recruitment for your state at USAGermanyScholarship.org.
The American Youth Leadership Program offers opportunities for American high students and educators to travel abroad on a three- to four-week-long exchange program to gain first-hand knowledge of foreign cultures and to collaborate on solving global issues. Several different organizations implement this program, and each has organized an academic and experiential educational exchange focused on dialogue and debate, leadership development, and community service. Recruitment areas and application deadlines vary, so please check the American Youth Leadership Programwebsite for more information.
October 1st, 2012