Leadership & Service in Youth Development

Discover a kaleidoscope of cultures while living, serving and mentoring in this friendly Moroccan community.

This program is based out of the American Language Center (ALC), a non-profit with over 30 years of experience working with local NGOs on cross-cultural exchange. Through the ALC’s myriad outreach programs, you’ll work with local youth, collaborate with Moroccan peers, and learn to look at complex issues from multiple perspectives. 

You’ll pack a lot into these three weeks, and options abound: Mentor underprivileged youth at a local association whose mission is to integrate youth into their community. Experience different forms of service: Help lead innovative project-based learning workshops, help tutor English for after-school programs, or take part of planning and implementing environmental activities with local public schools. Create blog posts for the CIEE student blog and collaborate with peers to raise awareness on education, the environment, and a range of social issues. 

Hot topics make for interesting discussions: immigration, indigeneous communities, women’s rights, the perception of Islam in America, and more. With students from local high schools, you’ll engage in conversations designed to make you think. You’ll also work together to put that collective energy into action — by working in teams to tackle social issues in creative ways. 

Living with a homestay family, you’ll get a warm welcome and a rare glimpse of Moroccan traditions. Together you’ll shop, prepare meals, and gather around the family table. In your free time, you can dabble in Moroccan pottery and play soccer, ping pong, or volleyball at the city beach. Added bonus: You’ll also have access to all the ALC’s clubs and offerings — from sports, music and movies to public speaking, and debate.