THE STORY SO FAR

The Global Xchange Programme is based on a model of youth exchanges originally developed in Canada over thirty years ago. Known as World Youth, these exchanges were designed to be fully reciprocal, involving young people from the developed and developing world in equal numbers, and working on community projects in both areas.

This model was brought to the UK in 1999 by Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO). In early 2004, the Global Xchange partnership was born – entered into by British Council, VSO and Community Service Volunteers (CSV). From 2007 British Council and VSO have been developing Global Xchange to become what it is today.

Since project was introduced in the Philippines in 2005, six (6) exchanges had been made:

Mar - Aug 2005   Davao & Luton (UK)  

Mar - Sep 2006   Davao & Bradford (UK)

Mar - Sep 2007   Iligan/Cagayan de Oro & Bradford (UK)

Mar - Sep 2007   Davao City & Southampton (UK)

Mar - Sep 2008   Iligan City & Newham (UK)

Sep - Mar 2009   Davao City & Bristol (UK)  

Apr 2010 – July 2010 Cebu City and Hounslow (UK)

EXCHANGE THEME

Globally, each Exchange has a theme. The theme serves to addresses the core areas of our work and as a focus for learning.

For the past five exchanges, the theme for Philippines had been Peace and Development. For the 2010 exchange, a new theme has emerged – Disability and Sustainable Livelihoods.