Youth Exchange Participants Bring Home Memorable Experience

Participants in the Australia-Indonesia Youth Exchange Program (AIYEP) were officially farewelled on Saturday after a four-month exchange program involving the opportunity to live and work in communities in New South Wales and East Java.

The Australian Ambassador to Indonesia Bill Farmer said the Australian participants were now able to return home with a much better understanding about their Indonesian neighbour – the culture, development and way of life – which they could share with their own families and communities.

“It is really encouraging to see young Australians and Indonesians taking the opportunity to experience each other’s cultures first hand,” Mr Farmer said.

During their time in Lumajang, East Java, the Australian participants were invited to live with host families in two villages, Gesang and Burno where they taught English at schools and helped with community development.

The group also set up an internet site and introduced this to people in the villages as a means to promote their locally-produced commodities, like silver and bananas, to the global market.

Participants also undertook work placements at several companies and institutions in Surabaya and visited schools which had been built with the support of the Australian Government under its program to construct 2000 schools in Indonesia.

A number of schools were also involved in a new partnerships program which links Australian and Indonesian schools through teacher visits and internet learning and communication.

AIYEP is in its 27th year and is a flagship vehicle for engagement and people-to-people ties between Australians and Indonesians.

The annual program is managed by the Australia-Indonesia Institute and the Indonesian Ministry of Youth and Sport.

Media Enquiries:
Jenny Dee, Counsellor (Public Affairs) tel. (021) 2550 5290 mob. 0811 187 3175