UN International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development: GLOBAL POTENTIAL FUNDRAISER: PROMOTING EQUALITY IN VOLUNTEERISM

Global Potential (GP) is a transformative year and a half youth empowerment and leadership after-school and summer international cultural exchange program. GP's innovative program is for high school and GED youth aged 15-25 who have a high potential to create social change locally and globally and wish to explore their identities within this context. GP is the flagship program of the non-profit organization called "Globalhood, Inc.":http://www.globalhood.org that focuses on international and sustainable development through innovative initiatives. Over 120 youth have participated in the GP program since 2007 and are becoming the next amazing leaders of our generation as we speak!

*WHERE:* GP partners with 6 high schools and GED programs in New York (Brooklyn, Bronx, Harlem, Queens) and in Boston (Roxbury, Fenway). These sites are where the weekly workshops take place. For the international component, GP works so far in very active and marginalized rural villages in the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Nicaragua.

*WHO:* GP recruits 15-25 year old youth from low-income and urban communities who have social entrepreneurial and leadership visions aligned with the GP mission. Most of GP youth are first generation immigrant students to the U.S. and speak a minimal level of Spanish but this is not a requirement. Students have origins from Bangladesh, China, Belize, Guinea, Mauritania, DR, Mexico, Honduras, Colombia, Senegal, Puerto Rico, Trinidad, El Salvador, Somalia, Ivory Coast, and much more! The rural villages in the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Nicaragua are carefully selected to welcome GP youth for the international cultural exchange and community projects for 45 days during the summers.

*WHEN & HOW:* GP youth go through weekly after-school GP innovative trainings to acquire the skills and perspective to create real and positive change within themselves, their local community, and the global community . GP explores and empowers today’s at-risk youth’s identities of oppression due to issues of poverty, inequality, racism and xenophobia. GP succeeds in reconstructing healthy and powerful identities through the youth’s participation in an intensive, innovative and thoughtful leadership development program that incorporates the following steps:

*(1) 6-months of weekly trainings* on human rights, social entrepreneurship and leadership skills. This step 1 incorporates education rooted in indigenous knowledge, active fundraising and empowerment of participating youth

*(2) 1.5 months of community development work internationally*, living with host families, carrying out individualized internships/group projects. This step 2 incorporates international cultural exchanges between urban and rural zones, developed and developing countries and international solidarity projects in community development

*(3) 10-months of youth-led social venture development and community engagement* local work upon their return from abroad. Youth leaders support new participants by running information sessions for prospective program participants, by role modeling community leadership, and by mentoring students. This step 3 incorporates social entrepreneurship development, giving back to the communities and to GP through helping to recruit new youth, raise awareness, carry out internships

*After graduating from GP*, the youth leaders remain involved as alumni and support new participants by running information sessions for prospective program participants, by role modeling community leadership, and by mentoring students in college applications and study skills.

*GP believes in international solidarity and collaboration through youth-led projects* to finding out of the box solutions to today’s biggest global challenges.

*IMPACT: Locally and internationally, youth:*

    * Create murals and lasting friendships and networks
    * Make award-winning documentary films
    * Organize community clean-ups, carry out educational or sports classes
    * Build community gardens, plant trees, construct houses and roads
    * Increase their confidence and leadership skills
    * Receive new ways of understanding their glocal communities and their role within them
    * Feel more purpose in their life and new strength and skills within themselves
    * Live through experiences that are key for resumes and college applications as well as increased access to competitive jobs
    * Are more engaged and committed in their education