The iYES Program
What is the International Youth Earth Summit (IYES)?
The Youth Earth Forum is the next logical step for students interested in becoming Global Citizens. IYES is an immersive experience where students from all over the world aged 13-18 years will work together to develop action plans to construct a more sustainable world that they will implement on their return home.
How the Program Works
Over the course of three days, UN and NGO experts will guide and mentor the participants. They will learn everything they need to know to implement a social action project of their own design in their home communities independently or in collaboration with others. The social action projects they design will be linked to the concept of Environmental Sustainability.
Post conference, students will be able to post videos, photos, progress reports and blogs on the MMUN/Reelcause site. They will even be able to conduct fundraising campaigns on the site for their project.
Students are expected to implement the projects they design and report back on their findings – whether positive or negative. Participants will be required to check-in with organizers and mentors over the course of four months and show progress towards their goals. At the end of the four months all students will produce a final video-report to be submitted to MMUN and shared at the MMUN NYC Conference.
Student Preparation
MMUN will publish a Background Guide on Earth Sustainability with guiding questions for student research to help spark interest in a component of Environmental Sustainability on which the students would like to focus. Students will be required to complete pre-conference materials including a carbon foot survey and a project proposal.
What They Will Do at the Conference
At the International Youth Earth Summit students will:
- Work in teams to find solutions to the world’s problems
- Build networks and teams to combat a specific issue
- Communicate in a specially designed Online Community for participants
- Create an Action Plan for an NGO of their own design
- Learn about SMART Goals and apply them to their projects
- Create a budget for their NGO
- Meet with experts who can help guide and inspire
- Design project pitches for their NGO
- Apply for seed money to help get their NGO off the ground
- Have the opportunity to pitch to business leaders in a “Shark Tank” for funding
- Provide Mentors, experts who can help them take their Action Plans to the next level
- Share a Video Report for the MMUN March 2016 Conference about their struggles and success
Questions?
If you have questions that are not addressed on our FAQ page or elsewhere on the website, please contact us at iyes@nullmontessori-mun.org
