German-US-American Youth Exchanges – USA-Special 2022
For centuries, people from all over the world have been magnetically drawn to the United States of America, the "land of opportunity," as it is often called. This also includes Germans who crossed the Atlantic in large numbers, quite often from Hamburg, to start a new life in the New World. The United States is still a popular, if not the most popular, travel desti- nation for many people, including the young- er generation. Between 10,000 and 13,000 students spend time at a US-American high school as part of a school exchange every year. The United States also plays an important role in the context of international youth work. This is particularly true of Hamburg-based youth work professionals who work in child and youth services. An exchange with the United States, especially Chicago, is an interesting and attractive opportunity for them. What started out 25 years ago in 1996 as a bilater- al exchange between the sister cities of Chi- cago and Hamburg has since developed into a tri-city exchange with Birmingham in the UK and has become an integral part of the city's international youth work activities. Several hundred youth workers and professionals from child and youth services but also other areas of social work have participated in the programs, forged professional and personal ties, and gained a wide range of experiences as a result of the close cooperation between the National Association of Social Work (NASW) in Chicago, Birmingham city council, and Ham- burg’s youth welfare office. Health protection, digitaliza- tion, urbanization: There’s lots to talk about Like youth exchanges, the youth work expert exchange with Chicago is designed as a face-to-face, on-site meeting. Participants visit projects and institutions in the respec-
tive host city and speak to representatives from universities, politics, and adminis- tration. They discuss their practical expe- riences and the impact that policies have on their work, and through this expand their knowledge of theories and concepts. Their topics are as diverse as work in child and youth services. Health protection, dig- italization, city expansion, or dealing with the rise of populism and nationalism are
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