Yfu Estonia / Yfu Eesti Mtü

YFU ehk Youth For Understanding on organisatsioon, mis koorus välja II maailmasõja traagikast. Just sõjakoledustest põhjustatud hirm võõraste ja teistest erinevate ees ajendas YFU loojat, Rachel Andreseni, astuma reaalseid samme tolerantsema ning rahulikuma maailma heaks. Nüüdseks on tegutsevaid YFU-rakukesi pea 60 riigis. YFU Eesti pakub haridusliku eesmärgiga kultuurivahetusprogramme juba alates 1992. aastast. Esimesed õpilased said võimaluse minna välismaale samal hetkel, kui Eesti vabanes ja taastati Eesti Vabariik. Vahetusaastal käinud lapsed tulevad tagasi enesekindlamana, kogenuma ja iseseisvanama ning on õppinud ära täiesti uue keele ning loonud endale sõprade võrgustiku üle maailma. Youth For Understanding (YFU) is one of the world’s oldest, largest, and most respected international exchange organizations. It all started for Estonia in 1992 when two Estonians went to Denmark as exchange students to discover the world. In 1993, YFU Estonia was formed and it was the beginning of regular student exchange programs between Estonia and other countries. The first exchange student came to Estonia in 1995 and since then more and more students have decided to spend their exchange year in Estonia. YFU programs offer Estonians a chance to go see and discover the world during their high school years. It also gives them the opportunity to invite the world to their home by hosting a student for a year. In the past students from New Zealand, South-Africa, Brazil, USA, Japan, Thailand and various countries in Europe have come to Estonia. For 2012/2013 we are expecting 36 exchange students from all over the world, including some from as far away as Chile, Thailand and Australia. Since 1995 we have hosted more than 200 students from around the globe. This exchange season we will enable around 80 Estonian students to discover the world with YFU.