Working group of non-profit youth exchange organizations
The working group of non-profit youth exchange organizations (AJA) is the politically and denominationally independent umbrella organization of non-profit youth exchange organizations in Germany that promotes long-term student exchanges as a means of cultural understanding. At the Specialized Agency for International Youth Work of the Federal Republic of Germany (IJAB) e. V. represents AJA as the only organization the long-term student exchange .
development
AJA was founded in 1993. The organizations AFS intercultural encounters e. V., German Youth For Understanding Committee e. V., Experiment e. V. and Partnership International e. V. on the basis of common quality criteria. Since then, the Rotary Youth Service Germany eV (RJD) and Open Door International eV have also joined the AJA. AJA spokesman is one of the managing directors of the member organizations in an annual rotation process, and since 2004 AJA has had a representative office in Berlin.
activity
AJA wants to draw the public's attention to the educational effect of one-year school exchanges and to help shape its expansion. It is committed to ensuring quality in international student exchanges and, together with its members, develops joint quality criteria that are intended to provide orientation in the field of youth exchange for all interested parties. The AJA works closely with national and international political actors to improve the framework conditions and recognition guidelines for years abroad. AJA attaches particular importance to the expansion of youth exchanges in the new EU member states and the development of financial support options through politics in order to make school exchanges possible in all countries and for all students in the future.
As an umbrella organization, AJA always coordinates the exchange and cooperation of its members and represents them in relation to the media and politics.
Furthermore, AJA cooperates with numerous schools nationwide in order to optimize the promotion of intercultural learning there.
In the course of its work, the AJA publishes statements, catalogs of criteria and information on various topics and acts as an organizer or cooperation partner in a variety of projects and specialist conferences.
Youth exchange
For the AJA, working with its members as well as with external actors from different areas of social, political and economic life means emphasizing and developing the achievements of youth exchanges.
For the working group, youth exchange means:
- Personal development and professional qualifications through the training of social and intercultural skills,
- Intercultural learning through reflection on one's own and that of another's cultural identity,
- International understanding through the promotion of understanding and responsibility towards one's own and foreign cultures as well
- a contribution to foreign cultural policy through intercultural dialogue , to which the young people as ambassadors of the home or host country encourage.
Quality in youth exchanges
Based on voluntary commitment, the members run long-term, education-oriented student exchange programs. Regardless of skin color, religion and political convictions, they want to promote intercultural learning, understanding, personal responsibility, tolerance and respect for other ways of life and thus make a contribution to education for democracy and peace.
Members have come together on the basis of common quality criteria that shape the profile of the organizations. For the organization, quality in international youth exchanges means
- promote global exchange through sending and admission programs,
- to provide all funds exclusively for educational offers, program development and scholarships in the interests of the public benefit,
- To implement voluntary work as an organizational principle for all members,
- ensure careful selection and support before, during and after the exchange year and
- ensure transparency of costs and performance.