January 17, 2024
National IFYE Program on Hiatus for 2024
Kansas 4-H has participated with the IFYE (International Four-H Youth Exchange) program since its beginning in 1948. In the past 75-years, Kansas 4-H has sent hundreds of IFYEs to countries around the world and hosted thousands of IFYEs with Kansas 4-H host families. A cornerstone of the IFYE exchange is participants live with host families in Kansas or with host families in other countries. In 2023, Kansas 4-H hosted three IFYEs from Germany, Switzerland, and Taiwan.
The IFYE Association of the USA, Inc. has announced changes for the 2024 program year. IFYE works with the Kansas IFYE Association and Kansas 4-H Youth Development to sponsor the program, in Kansas.
Due to a lack of national applicants to travel to other countries in 2024, the IFYE Association of the USA has made the following decision. "The Development Committee recommends that the IFYE Association of the USA, Inc., pursue internal restructuring effective immediately to research and study the future of the association. There will also be no cultural exchange in 2024."
“The IFYE board now moves forward with establishing a committee that will spend 2024 studying program relevance, generational changes impacting our program, and how best to realign with donors; developing an organizational model; collaborating with international partners on moving forward; and examining our funding structure which ranges from participant fees to alumni donations, government entities, grants and more in order to better grow and sustain the program.”
This change does not affect the exchanges with States’ 4-H International Exchange Programs that will send four Kansas 4-H youth in summer 2024 to Japan and Norway. It also does not affect the 36 youth and three chaperones from Japan who will arrive in Kansas July 21 for a 3½ week home stay with Kansas 4-H families. In addition, the Academic Year Program (AYP) or high school exchange program will continue through June for the two students who are living with Kansas 4-H host families for the 2023-24 school year.
For questions, please contact, Deryl Waldren, dwaldren@ksu.edu or 303-349-7403.