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Making Cents Conference: A Softer Focus — Looking Beyond Traditional Workforce Development September 19, 2011 by Susie Armitage Only a third of youth in the Arab world believe their education has prepared them to get a job, according to a recent study by the Education for Employment Foundation. Not surprisingly, employers there say only a third of newly hired graduates are actually ready for work.	Returning to China: Inspired by Youth Voices September 16, 2011 by W. Robert Pearson Thirty years ago, I arrived in China as a young American diplomat after the normalization of relations between the two countries. This summer, I returned to China to witness the vast changes that have taken place. I had the opportunity to attend the expansion ceremony for IREX’s China Student Journalism Program and the second annual journalism camp held in the remote northwestern province of Gansu. Walking into an auditorium filled with Chinese and American youth, I could feel the energy and excitement in the room. Students and their teachers were proud of the newspapers displayed on the walls of this large auditorium. Their eagerness and commitment to serving as voices for their peers and community were inspiring.
Muskie Alumni Spearhead Foster Care Reform in Georgia September 15, 2011 As orphanages across Georgia close their doors, an increasing number of children require foster care. Muskie alumni Andro Dadiani and Maya Mateshvili are working to address the concerns of these underprivileged children by establishing a link among foster parents, the state, and the foster children they serve.	Turkish Teachers End Program, Begin Career September 14, 2011 by Amy Ahearn “When I saw the first student entering the classroom, I said to myself, “Ok, now you are the teacher! Be calm and take a deep breath,” said Merve Celen, a recent university graduate from Bogazici University in Istanbul, recounting her experience teaching an English class in Arkansas for the first time.
Apples and Oranges: Young Leaders from Azerbaijan Taste the US September 9, 2011 by Sarah Hennessey When I think about what I want exchange students to experience during their time in the United States, grocery shopping has never made the list. Visit Washington D.C. and view the Declaration of Independence? Check. Attend a baseball game? Sure. Debate the merits of fruits and vegetables found at the local grocery store? Not really one I'd considered.	Social Entrepreneurs: Youth as Partners for Positive Change August 26, 2011 by Peter Salloum A recent report from News Group International analyzed trends in social media around the Arab Spring, specifically looking at the footprint and characteristics of online discussions immediately before and during the political uprising in Egypt. It highlighted a trend in the online discussions that demonstrated the inter-connected nature of economic frustration and political upheaval, even highlighting a tipping point in January 2011 when the demands of political defiance overtook the discussion of economic frustration.
Marginalized Roma Youth in Slovakia and the Czech Republic August 24, 2011 by Peter Vazan Because of unacceptable gaps that exist between the majority population and Roma in a number of domains (e.g., housing, health, education, and employment), the issue of Roma integration presents one of the greatest challenges... It appears that the only way out from the vicious circle of poverty, unemployment, dependence on the welfare system, and alcohol and drug addiction is through integration, non-discrimination, and education.	Staying True to Participants' Ideas August 19, 2011 by Anne Johnson “Education is the manifestation of the perfection already within a person.” As I listened to the words of Sanjoy Ganguli, founder of the Jana Sanskriti movement and keynote speaker at a recent conference I attended, I couldn’t help but smile.
Fall 2011 Global UGRAD-Pakistan Fellows Begin US Experience August 18, 2011 Nearly 100 young ambassadors from Pakistan arrived to begin their cultural experience in the United States. The fellows will spend the fall academic semester at 51 different colleges and universities in 31 states.	Building Partnerships: Soros Foundation in Kyrgyzstan and Tech Age Girls August 18, 2011 by Myahriban Karyagdyyeva (Mehri) For the past two years, the Tech Age Girls (TAG) project has been implemented in Kyrgyzstan, and the Soros Foundation (SFK) has been a big supporter. Through its Youth Initiative Program, SFK contributed over $8,000 the first year and over $13,000 this year to TAG. Thanks to this generous contribution, TAG was able to bring 26 girls in 2010 and 34 participants in 2011 together in Bishkek for a two-week long intensive technology and leadership training. Partnership with SFK didn’t stop there, as TAG alumni have become active beneficiaries of different opportunities that Soros Foundation offers for youth such as: