The Vermont Governor's Institute on Current Issues and Youth Activism examines current issues, policies and political questions which impact on young people.

"...on this trip we all have many wonderful memories and have made many new friends and we are all still in contact with each other and hopefully we will be in contact for years to come..." Edel Mullen, Ireland-Hong Kong 08

EIL Travel Award winners heading to Argentina, Japan, Mexico, South Africa and USA at their pre-departure workshop.

The creation of the Miguel Aleman dam forced native groups to move from the mainland to a new "island", leaving behind their agricultural way of life to start fishing. Through the Mexico Volunteer Travel Award you can help the community of Viejo Soyaltepec.

2010 Travel Awards

The list of winners for 2010 has now been published here. If you are interested in following the adventures of this years winners keep an eye on this section as there will be regular updates and blogs throughout the summer from all corners of the globe. Details of the 2011 awards will be published later this year.

If you are a young person or student who has an active interest in world affairs and think that you would benefit from a challenging adventure in another culture then one of these awards could be for you. This year we are offering 18 fully funded awards where EIL covers all the programme costs and 12 partially funded awards where most of the programme costs are funded by EIL.

What are we looking for?
In assessing the applications we receive, volunteer or other community involvement as well as leadership potential will take priority over academic capacity. Awards are open to a range of different age categories starting from 16 years old and successful applicants need to be available to travel during the summer months.

Individual awards: Fully funded
(Age 16-18): 6 weeks in Japan or 4 weeks in Ecuador
(Age 18+): 6 weeks in Mexico or 10 weeks in Argentina

Group Awards
(Age 16-18): 12 nights in Vermont USA (Full Funding for 5 participants)
(Age 17-22): 9 days in Hong Kong (Partial Funding for 8 participants)
(Age 18-25): 3 weeks in Eurocamp Germany (All costs in Germany covered plus €120 towards flights for 2 participants)

Other Awards
DEIS or Youthreach students: 4 fully funded places to join Hong Kong group
ACCESS students: 3 fully funded places for 2 months on a Volunteer Abroad programme of choice
Jack Wallace Scholarship: an opportunity to be short listed for the Jack Wallace Scholarship, a three month partially funded volunteering project in Argentina.
Secondary School in Germany Scholarship: live with a host family and go to school in Germany from a semester to a full academic year.

Global Awareness
8 weeks in South Africa or Nigeria: 4 partially funded places available

Featured Award

News & Events

31/08/2010 - Roll the credits - Marie-Claire Walsh

                                Bare with me here folks, somehow I have to do a final blog which draws a conclusion on my Mexican adventure...but first the final weeks of my time there have to get a mention, some highlights included me discovering Susana the 3 meter crocodile had escaped from her pen, the same morning a deer escaped, all ended well though, only 1 casualty (the fence she bit through!!)...Starring as “the tourist” in a film

Back to reality

Hi Everyone,

So I have made it back to Ireland after a fantastic two months in Ecuador. I have to say this is the post I was looking forward to writing the least because it means I am out of Ecuador. While I am glad to be home I have definitely noticed a change in myself. I think I had gotten very used to the relaxed atmosphere, coming back to my work and study and everything else moving at 100 mph was a bit of a shock to the system. Although now that I am back I want to fill you in on the last and possibly best moments of my time in Ecuador.

There are no innocent victims of HIV and AIDS.

Emily Price, Global Awareness Volunteer 2010 in Nigeria: Emily Price, Global Awareness Volunteer 2010 in Nigeria

Mighty Craic in Asia - Hong Kong 2010

Star AvenueNext time you find yourself in Asia don't be too taken aback if you are asked by one of the indigenous people, "Whats the craic?", or "How's the form?" - because thanks to the EIL Hong Kong Youth Exchange Programme at least twelve Hong Kongers are now well accustomed to using these distinctively Irish greetings – your expected response will of course be, "the craic is mighty".

Mastering the Chopstick

After an eventful twenty hours of travelling, which included a mad dash through Amsterdam Airport that resulted in a broken flip flop and some memorable encounters with Airplane cuisine, we finally arrived in Hong Kong.We were given a warm welcome by the Hong Kong delegates, almost as warm as the heat that embraced us on leaving the Airport terminal.

Last Day

Well!  Today is my last day in Ghana, this time tomorrow I’ll be checking in at Accra airport.  What can I say?  I don’t want to go back!  I think it will take me a while to readapt…  I’m so into Ghanaian way of living, so that many people may not understand.

La Zonda and El Jefe del Comedor!

¡Hola!

Apologies again for the delay between my posts. My only excuse is that I have been so busy, I haven't noticed the time passing! Hard to believe it, but I am now in my second last week in Argentina.

Summer school

Here we are and I am in last week in Ghana.  I don’t want to talk about my feelings about how difficult it is to leave Ghana.  Simply I try not to think about it and enjoy that little time I have left.

Sports, Monkeys and Earthquakes!!!

Well as I mentioned in my last post it was sports week this week in my school here in Puerto Quito. Which as you can imagine is exactly what it says. But of course it just wouldn't be Ecuador with out a bit of a show. On the first day the students had a parade around the town dressed in the uniform of their chosen sports team. I was on the teachers side and we were wearing a not so ligitimate Brazil football kit. But first, as I mentioned in my last post I was asked to be 'El Padrino' or 'El Cabellero' for one of the sports teams.

Count down

Hi everyone!  Hope you are all well! Nigeria is still a delightful muddle to me:) I feel like a count down has begun today as I was reminded of the date by one of the students in my computer class. Up until now I have been concentrating on the days of the week to forget the return to Ireland. Work is still so interesting!

Emily Price, Global Awareness Volunteer 2010 in Nigeria: Emily Price, Global Awareness Volunteer 2010 in Nigeria

Application deadlines

Please check later in the year for next year's Travel Awards