The Youth Ambassadors Program brings together outstanding young people between the ages of 15 and 18 from across the Americas for an enrichment program to promote mutual understanding, increase leadership skills, and prepare youth to make a difference in their communities.

Students and adult mentors from across the Americas participate in an intensive and highly interactive three-week cultural and leadership exchange program focused on civic education, community service, youth leadership development, and home stays with American families. Follow-on activities are an integral part of the program, as the students apply the knowledge and skills they have learned to implement projects that serve needs in their communities under the guidance of their mentor.

Participants are competitively selected high school students who have demonstrated leadership aptitude and an interest in community service; exhibit flexibility, maturity, integrity, good social skills, and open-mindedness; have the motivation necessary to be active and successful exchange participants; and will attend at least one semester of secondary school after the exchange program. The youth participants are accompanied by adult mentors.

Since its launch in Guyana in March 2012, 65 students and 10 mentors from Guyana have participated in the Youth Ambassadors Program. The Youth Ambassadors Program is sponsored and funded by the U.S. Department of State, Educational and Cultural Affairs Bureau, Youth Programs Division.