Programs

• Global Schools Network
• Arabic Language & Culture Initiative
• STEAM
• Youth Engagement

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Service and Volunteerism

Encouraging and supporting community service and volunteerism.
An important part of QFI’s youth engagement vision is developing a culture of compassion, service and action through community engagement and volunteering.

By addressing the most pressing social problems, such as poverty, injustice, or critical environmental issues in their local and global community, young people will be empowered to:

    •      get involved in their own or other needy communities
    •      work together to address social problems and
    •      recognize the positive impact individuals can have in contributing to social change

Since QFI’s inception, students have been encouraged to actively participate in a variety of volunteer opportunities and to translate their ideas into action and implement their own community service projects. Students from QFI’s Global Schools Network have packed food at the Capitol Area Food Bank in Washington DC; taught reading skills to younger students with TopShabab in Doha; participated in a charity run for Best Buddies in Boston; and much more. They are also creating and implementing their own projects.

Student Community Service Grants

QFI's Student Community Service Grants offers young change-makers financial support to help create lasting, positive change in their communities. As part of our Service and Volunteerism initiative, the Community Service Grants awards students who are seeking to create a sustainable change in their community, whether it be raising awareness, recruiting support, or fundraising for an important issue.

The Student Community Service Grants are open only to QFI students active on YALLAH. If you are on YALLAH and would like to learn more about these grants, please click here (downloaded as PDF) for more information. Projects rewarded include: Bibliodiversity at libraries on outskirts (Sao Paulo, Brazil), reACT: read, empower, ACT! Magazine (Boston, Massachusetts), and Sammamish Interfaith and Intercultural Youth Project (Seattle, Washington).

The second round of the Student Community Service Grants is now open.

Youth Service Exchanges

In April 2012, QFI, in partnership with National Youth Leadership Council (NYLC), brought 40 students from three continents to attend the YALLAH: Commit to Action trip in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the largest gathering of youth and adults involved in the service-learning movement. The program, YALLAH: Commit to Action, focused on service-learning as a way to build academic skills and citizenship while addressing community needs in a genuine way. The students, all alumni of QFI programs, from Qatar, Brazil and multiple cities in the United States came up with their own service project topics, which included establishing a stop smoking campaign; forming a feminist literary magazine to inspire young women worldwide; and creating a group in Sao Paulo to spread knowledge about the Arab culture in the Brazilian community.

The National Service- Learning Conference and Youthrive Peacejam Leadership Conference is considered the largest gatherings of youth and adults involved in the service-learning movement since its establishment in 1989 in Minnesota. Nearly 2,200 attendees from around the globe join the conference to develop their leadership skills and learn how to successfully implement their service-learning ideas in their communities.

In March of 2013, continuing the partnership with NYLC, QFI’s students are going to present their community service projects at the 2013 Annual Service Learning Conference in Denver, CO.
 

YALLAH Service and Leadership Week

In August 2011, YALLAH students from Honolulu, Seattle, Portland, Chicago, D.C., Boston and Doha conceived, implemented and collaborated on various service opportunities for the YALLAH Service and Leadership Week. From volunteering at the Doha-based Reach Out to Asia charity to preparing food at the Oregon Food Bank, students across hemispheres engaged and gave back to their communities.  YALLAH was highlighted at the Clinton Global Initiative 2011, where conference attendees were able to interact live online via YALLAH with students around the world.

Visit QFI’s Blog to read more about the students’ service experiences

Videos

The Road to Doha

QFI's Road to Doha program helped train and bring together youth from Qatar, the U.S., Brazil and Argentina to better understand and develop solutions to critical global issues and to more effectively raise environmental awareness.

The Future We Want

In June 2012, Youth Ambassadors for Science and the Environment traveled to Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Caravelas and Abrohlos National Marine Park before heading to Rio+20 Earth Summit.

YALLAH: Commit to Action, Minnesota

QFI selected 36 students from Brazil, Qatar and the U.S. to participate in the National Service-Learning Conference held in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Madeleine Albright Visits Lindblom

On April 10, 2012, Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright visited QFI's partner school, Lindblom Math and Science Academy.

Concordia Language Villages

In summer of 2011, QFI established a partnership with Concordia Language Villages. 31 youth from 20 different schools attended 2 or 4-week sessions at Al Waha, the Arabic Language Village.

QFI / WeVideo Behind the Scenes

The video that launched SXSW Film, highlighting QFI student filmmakers who collaborated on short water films.

QFI Celebrates Foreign Language Week

QFI's Executive Director speaks about the importance of learning another language.

BtoQ Compilation Video

Check out all five "Brazil to Qatar" National Geographic student videos in one compilation.

"Women" during the BtoQ Exchange

Brazilian and Qatari students worked with National Geographic instructors during the Brazil to Qatar exchange to create a short piece on women.

"People and Nature" during the BtoQ Exchange

Brazilian and Qatari students worked with National Geographic instructors during the Brazil to Qatar exchange to create a short piece on people and nature.

Behind the Scenes at Brazil to Qatar: One World, Many Stories

A behind the scenes look at the #BtoQ exchange program that brought 22 high school students from Brazil to meet their counterparts in Qatar.

From Chicago to Doha: Connecting Cultures, Exploring Science

Learn about students from Chicago's Lindblom Math and Science Academy who went on QFI's exchange trip to Qatar.

Chicago2Doha Media Projects

39 students from 3 schools in Chicago and Qatar came together for the Connecting Cultures, Exploring Science trip. Students told their reflections of the trip through images, video and sound.

Glass Blowing at Chihuly's Studio: YALLAH 2011

QFI students in Seattle as part of the YALLAH cultural exchange trip in 2011 were invited to world-renowned glass blower Dale Chihuly's studio.

Sir Richard Branson speaks to Earth Day Qatar 2011

Earth Day Qatar 2011 was the premier event in the region, featuring speakers, discussions, workshops, and a special video message by Sir Richard Branson.

Meet our Brazilian students

Arabic Language and Culture in Sao Paolo - meet the Brazilian students and administrators of this program.

Crossing the divide

Watch as students from QFI partner schools in Washington DC and Boston tell their story of language learning and cultural exchange.

Our mission and the astrolabe

With its rich and varied history, the Astrolabe represents education, science, innovation and diversity. Highlighted in this video, these values underscore QFI's vision and programs.