Blog

Youth exchange programs are a vehicle for shared global understanding. Youth between the ages of 12 and 20 have the opportunity to shape a more global career, develop close ties with individuals in another country, and learn about a new culture. At STEP, we have listed our top four reasons youth exchange programs changed lives.

Language

Language barriers are a thing of the past. New people, across borders, can learn key phrases and communicate easily – bolstered by technology. There is now such an amazing opportunity to learn a new language by integrating into a community, and this learning can happen quickly. Today, however, only one in five American students aged K-12 learn a foreign language. At STEP USA, we are confident that learning a new language is one of the most important elements of our outbound program, sending US students to Spain. Many of our students report back that very quickly, any language barrier went away.

For example, Tessa, who visited Spain in 2015 through STEP, said that: “the language barrier was interesting to work through but with a mix of my Spanish skills and my family’s English skills we were always able to find a way to communicate (even if it meant a silly game of charades).”

Learn about a culture

Students from Spain are able to integrate into a new culture in the United States as a part of a structured, supportive program. They are able to learn in classes, gain insights from society around them, and become a part of a family and network of existing friends. At STEP USA, we have heard a tremendous amount from our students about how much they have learned and became comfortable in the new environment in Spain. It was a great “bonding experience”.

International connections

Student exchange programs, especially amongst youth (ages 12-20), are an important element of building a global mindset in young people. STEP USA believes that as a Spanish exchange program, the connections that we build through exchange can make for a more connected and understanding global community.

The language barrier was interesting to work through but with a mix of my Spanish skills and my family’s English skills we were always able to find a way to communicate (even if it meant a silly game of charades).

Career Foundations!

Nowadays, resumes for entry-level job positions all look the same. Similar experience, work and extra-curricular. Experiencing a different education system in another country helps students in two ways. Firstly, it improves students’ chances of employ ability as it demonstrates a unique ability to interact with an integrate into a new culture. New office spaces and jobs look for individuals with a clear ability (and passion) to assimilate, quickly. In addition, research among European students who took part in a recent international exchange found that program participants increased their employment by 42% compared to those that had not done international exchange as they have more transversal skills like cultural awareness, tolerance, and new languages.

With these experiences, students are set up for a successful and more connected future. We are so excited to continue to house students in the US and send students abroad for programs. For more information on what we do, visit our Program About Us page.