International Youth Initiative

What is the International Youth Initiative?

The International Youth Initiative (IYI) aims to help young people learn about issues affecting youth around the world and take socially responsible action to improve the lives of their peers locally, nationally, and globally – in other words, to become global citizens. An array of interactive, web-based tools are available to support collaborative activity and communication among young people, within a broader community that includes educators, politicians, diplomats, and other international stakeholders. The IYI is based on the belief that young people can and should have a voice in international policy-making.

Who are the partners in the IYI?

Partners developing this endeavor include The Civics Institute (based in Lansing, Michigan), the University of Michigan Interactive Communications and Simulations Group (ICS), and the University of Michigan International Institute. Together, these three groups bring to the project an exceptional combination of academic knowledge, policy-making, political connections, and expertise in creating international, web-based activities.

How do the web-based programs work?

Young people participate in the IYI as a class, club, or extramural activity. In general, a teacher or other educator organizes the group and acts as a point person and facilitator. Groups may participate in one or more of the following modules:

  • Global Student Congress. The Global Student Congress (GSC) engages late secondary and early post-secondary students in deliberations on issues of global concern to youth. GSC constructs platforms representing the interests of young people across the globe to various international organizations. The web-based interface is designed to facilitate discussion, deliberation, annotation and innovative decision-making.
  • HighestWire.com. This module is designed for all participating age groups (middle school through university). HighestWire.com is a newswire service written, edited, discussed and published by youth ages 15-22. This project enables any participating classroom or community organization to establish its own online multimedia magazine, with the only cost being intellectual: published articles may be "claimed" for republication by any other affiliated magazine, with shared discussions among all published versions. HighestWire.com actively seeks out "news with a voice" and engages students in discussions of commonality and difference.

Who created the web-based modules?

The modules were designed and created for The Civics Institute by a select group of young people ages 16-19 under the direction of faculty from Interactive Communications & Simulations at the University of Michigan.

What countries are involved in IYI?

In Spring 2004, the IYI was beta-tested in Austria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Brazil, Czech Republic, Estonia, Israel, Honduras, Hungary, Malaysia, Morocco, and Romania. Discussions are in progress with other countries as well.

When will all this happen?

Teacher-facilitators from most of the participating countries met in Vienna, Austria in November, 2003 for a preparatory workshop. Student activity in the Global Student Congress and HighestWire began in January 2004, inaugurating a five year demonstration process.

What are the anticipated outcomes of IYI?

We anticipate that young people who participate in IYI will not only gain a deeper knowledge about the world, but they will be able to make a real difference in the actions and policies of the UN and other multi-national organizations. Over the past 20 years, ICS programs have demonstrated that, given the right tools and support, young people can take active responsibility for their own actions, and for their own learning. With the resources of the Civics Institute and the University of Michigan, we expect the IYI to set a new standard for global civic engagement.

Important Links

Program Websites:

Guidebooks (pdf format):

Endorsement Letters (pdf format):