Partners of the Americas is an international grassroots network. We connect volunteers, institutions, and communities to serve and change lives.

Created in 1964 as the people to people component of the Alliance for Progress Today, Partners is one of the largest network of volunteers in the Americas – volunteers – volunteer hours logged and audited each year –We connect volunteers, institutions, and communities to serve and to change lives

We Connect the Americas North and South work together through partnerships More than 100 community-based chapters in a growing learning network 9 regional offices - development expertise Foster volunteers as citizen diplomats Local chapters build alliances between universities, NGOs, binational centers, governments and business

We Serve the Americas We build a culture of service and leadership Our volunteers are committed to long-term engagement in communities at home and abroad Youth Ambassadors from Ecuador and Peru at Food & Friends on September 11 Remembrance Day

We Change Lives in the Americas Pushed – The story of Theresa Lou Bowick

Exchange and Fellowship Programs Long standing relationship with US Department of State (WHA and ECA) Education and Culture American Fellows –Government –Business Youth Exchanges –Youth Ambassadors –Youth Leaders Sports for Development –Youth Sports Management Exchanges –Coaching Coaches

Binational centers

Hemispheric Network of Leaders for Change Partners identifies, trains and connects emerging leaders Exchange programs and continued training –American Fellows – more than 170 leaders from public and private sectors –Youth Ambassadors and Youth Leaders – nearly 500 youth alumni –Kellogg Fellows – current Partners’ leardership / 400 mentors

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E. Francisco Lopez. Dr. Bert Corona Leadership Institute Con Staff del YABT Iz. Diana Vargas presentadora Calena

Farmer to Farmer Globally, 37 FTF programs have fielded a total of 12,867 volunteer assignments to 103 countries. The volunteers assisted an estimated 9,393 host organizations and 1.1 million direct beneficiaries.

Haiti ♦ Nicaragua ♦ Dominican Republic ♦ Guyana

Farmer to Farmer Program Partners fielded 196 Farmer to Farmer volunteers to Haiti, Guyana & Jamaica worked with over 276 host organizations impacted over 13,882 direct beneficiaries and 567,739 indirect beneficiaries leveraged over a million dollars of in-kind resources recruited volunteers from nearly all 50 U.S. states reached thousands of people in the U.S. through public outreach activities

A Ganar started as a three- country pilot program funded by the Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF) of the Inter- American Development Bank (IDB) in Ecuador, Uruguay, and Brazil that trained over 3,200 youth between With additional support from the MIF, the Nike Foundation and USAID, the A Ganar Alliance plans to train over 5,400 more youth in Latin America and the Caribbean by 2012.

Of the youth that have participated in A Ganar/Vencer, more than 70% have graduated from the program and the majority of the graduates have obtained jobs, returned to school, or started their own business within a year. The Alliance builds on Partners of the Americas’ 45 years of experience and contacts in the Western Hemisphere, which in conjunction with A Ganar not only opens doors of economic opportunity for youth through jobs, entrepreneurship, and education, but also ensures sustainability by building lasting partnerships between the public and private sectors.

Some lessons in partnership Synergies and potential are often only realized by doing activities and programs together

Some lessons in partnership Make sure your partnership is not built on personality. Reaffirm MOUs even when not required. “Thank goodness Sara is there. We would never be able to do it without her.”

Some lessons in partnership Don’t assume you know where all value is perceived. Invite partners or potential partners to a broad range of your activities, even when no resources are available.

Some lessons in partnership Develop program design with your partners. Don’t expect ownership if engagement doesn’t begin early. “Never in the history of the world has anyone washed their rental car.”

Some lessons in partnership Share information openly with your partners, and not only around your focus activities. Seek to build and broaden your relationship in creative ways.

Thank you. Gracias. Obrigado. Merci. Matt Clausen VP for Partnerships and Programs Partners of the Americas Phone: