Youth Leadership

After participating in the life-changing Civic Leadership Engagement and Development Program a few inspired parents could not keep excitement to themselves. At the same time, a Ukrainian Fulbright Scholar, who was doing research on youth civic engagement and international exchange at the University of Minnesota, came across Global Synergy Group (GSG). The power of passion and knowledge has collided: first-hand experience in youth development and exchange programs along with the wisdom of thoughtful parenting gave birth to the Youth Leadership Engagement and Development Program in late 2012. 

GSG is a non-profit organization aimed to embrace participatory learning and exchange of ideas and knowledge to develop innovative solutions to universal community issues in Ukraine and the USA. We believe in the power of a voice, but the power of youth voice is our fuel and a source of undeniable hope. GSG utilizes innovative methodology in program design and trainings facilitation, called Technology of Participation. 

GSG’s Youth Civic Leadership Engagement and Development Program (YouLEAD) is an international exchange intended to help inspire youth to be cross-cultural ambassadors of positive change in Minnesota and Ukraine. The idea is to promote understanding of issues the youth experience in their respective locations and how they participate in community development, local government, and global thinking. The Program targets four main areas in leadership development - self, team, purpose, and taking action - all while immersing the participants in a different culture.

Today YouLEAD is a life of its own. Since 2012, Global Synergy has hosted three groups of young leaders from Ukraine, and has sent two groups of young leaders from Minnesota to Ukraine. The Program inspired creation of the Open Youth Forum, created and hosted by Ukrainian youth with the hope of bringing together young people from a war-torn Ukraine.