YDA indicated that youths should open their minds to see the world through a broader perspective and to respect multicultural differences. Youths should utilize their professional knowledge and innovation to contribute to the society and helps others. Through The Youth International Participation and Action Program, youths bravely went abroad participating in social services and international affairs. It is expected to pull together youths’ capacities for participation in international affairs, and let the world to see Taiwan’s vibrancy.

YDA subsidized 111 international volunteer teams and 28 overseas compatriot school volunteer teams. A team with 16 members, the National Tsing Hua University Nepal International Volunteer Service Team (清大尼泊爾國際志工團), has been formed for seven years. The team members upheld the motto, “A small step for team members; a giant leap for residents,” and they bravely took responsibility for Nepalese health education. When this Nepal International Volunteer Service Team first went to Nepal in 2007, they discovered that residents needed health knowledge to deal with diseases. So the team decided to make health education the theme of their service. In 2010, the team started to teach the residents the production and usage of reusable sanitary pads. At the health education class, students not only concentrated on the lecture but also applied the knowledge in their daily lives, such as taking good care of residents’ wounds and improving children’s head lice problems. Volunteers learned to see residents’ needs and fulfill their requirements, and actively sought changes in Nepalese lives.

Education Department of Science Education of National Taipei University(國立臺北教育大學自然科學教育學系) also formed a volunteer service team, named NTUE Sunshine in Northern Thailand. In 2009, they started going to Guang Fu High School (光復中學) which is an Overseas Compatriot School in Northern Thailand. A group of compassionate university students with dreams and ideals wondered if they majored in education, why not help those children who are eager to learn. That’s the reason NTUE Sunshine in Northern Thailand began to do volunteer services in Thailand. In addition to teaching students, the team also hoped to enhance the teaching quality of local teachers. The team members and local teachers exchanged ideas after class to facilitate more discussions. At the same time, they also introduced a counseling system that helped the teachers to know their students better, and help their students to develop their potential.

YDA also started to sponsor and support international conferences and activities. It has subsidized 10 groups to participate in international (including Cross-Strait) conferences, forums or activities, which aimed at youth volunteering, service learning, youth tourism, innovation empowerment, and public participation. For example, students frpm National Chengchi University (政治大學) will go to Okinawa to join the Asia Economic Problem Conference, and Chung Shan Medical University (中山醫學大學) will join the 2013 Asia Pacific Regional Meeting. That will help Taiwan to strengthen connections with the international community and enhance Taiwanese youths’ capacities for participating in international affairs.

The Youth International Participation and Action Program provided young people opportunities to join international affairs, and help them to connect with the outside world. For further information, please visit the Website : http://iyouth.youthhub.tw/en/index.php for Youth International Exchange Information.