About Us – ICYE

About ICYE – International Cultural Youth Exchange

The International Cultural Youth Exchange (ICYE) is a global network of non-profit organisations, that creates spaces for intercultural learning and international volunteering. Through lived experience, mutual exchange, and solidarity across borders, ICYE supports young people to challenge prejudice, build understanding, and take active roles in shaping a more just, sustainable, and peaceful world.

ICYE organises short-term and long-term volunteering exchanges in 39 countries worldwide, rooted in local communities and guided by shared responsibility and respect. Our programmes are about connecting volunteers with local grassroot projects, about learning together, questioning inequalities, and growing as active global citizens.

Through participatory community projects, ICYE contributes to gender equality, social inclusion, environmental regeneration, and sustainable social change, using an intercultural, human rights, and intersectional approach.

As part of the International Voluntary Services (IVS) movement, ICYE connects young people to a global network committed to peace, solidarity, and collective action.

Find out more about ICYE’s Youth Engagement Committee.

Our vision

We envision a world of diverse, engaged individuals and communities who can contribute to social justice, solidarity, peace and environmental sustainability.

Our mission

To provide high quality and impactful intercultural learning experiences and opportunities, as well as capacity building, to all involved in our work, so that they can better contribute for a just, peaceful and sustainable world; especially supporting young people in building personal and professional competencies.

Our policies

Our history

In 1949, 50 German teenagers ventured across the Atlantic and were welcomed as ICYE “exchangees” into host families in the USA. ICYE was born.

Soon a reciprocal programme was established, with youth from the USA invited to spend a year with European families. More and more countries have joined the programme since then. Our programmes have been constantly revised and modified to reflect changes in society at a local, national and global level.

Today the ICYE Federation is an international, independent, non-profit organization with 39 National Committees and a significant presence across all continents. Its head office is in Berlin, Germany.

Our commitments

ICYE is committed to and will work with others who are committed to:

Justice and equality for all, challenging social, political, economic, and personal injustice in all its forms

Intercultural understanding and solidarity, breaking down barriers between cultures, peoples, and communities

Meaningful learning through cultural exchanges, connecting local realities to global social, economic, and political issues

Action beyond exchange, empowering young people to stay engaged and act for peace, sustainability, and social justice during and after their volunteering experience

How ICYE works

ICYE is a Federation of Full and Associate Member National Committees.

National Committees are autonomous bodies with national offices and local networks of volunteers. Each National Committee provides enriching learning experience with structured reflection and coaching opportunities. The programme follows the policies and guidelines prepared and adopted by the General Assembly of the Federation as the highest decision-making body of the Federation.

The Board of Managers is elected every two years. It consists of four members who act and decide on behalf of the General Assembly in between General Assemblies.
The International Office is located in Berlin, Germany. It carries out and co-ordinates activities and programmes as decided by the General Assembly.

The regional coordinations provide support on programme development and training to National Committees in Africa, the Americas, Asia/Pacific and Europe.