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Students’ personal and academic development is central to IYLI’s mission. Volunteers and staff:
- Facilitate training and seminars
- Monitor and coordinate relationships between students and the neighborhood institutions where they perform community service
- Conduct overseas study programs
- Mentor and counsel students, including college and career guidance
Staff and volunteers challenge students to expand and practice their analytical and problem solving skills in all IYLI programs. Students also develop peer networks and learn from each other.
Through its framework of history, culture, geography and environment, IYLI helps to prepare leaders who are able to think critically and to apply a global perspective to local community issues and problems. Students learn to use the framework to question speakers who have given presentations as part of the seminars series focusing on critical local and global issues, that IYLI hosts during the academic year. They also apply the framework in conducting research in Africa, and in developing public service projects to benefit the community.
Program activities vary by age group, but all activities take place outside school hours. While high school students participate in seminars, community service and international travel, middle school students participate in training and project-based learning that is geared toward their developmental level. For example, they learn about community and other issues through Internet research, speakers and films. Hands-on projects involving the use of still and video photography allow them to document aspects of their own and other communities, including existence or lack of existence of recreational facilities, quality housing and social services.
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