Welcome to my YouthLINC adventure! First off, I should explain what YouthLINC is and why it is such an important and amazing organization. YouthLINC began as a way to partner students (both in high school and college) with the local and international community. Students are required to do between 60 and 100 hours of community service in their local communities throughout the school year. This service will foster a feeling of connection and responsibility to their own community and also earn them a sponsorship toward an international humanitarian service trip. YouthLINC partners with several groups, clubs, businesses, Universities and private individuals throughout Utah in order to provide these sponsorships. Rotary Clubs in the state of Utah partner with International Rotary clubs to assist in funding many of the international projects. Visit the YouthLINC website at http://www.youthlinc.org/.
I was originally introduced to the program by my sister Olivia who participated as a student for the 2008-2009 school year. At the end of her service requirements, most of which were completed at the Lied Boys and Girls Club where I worked at the time, she traveled to Mexico and assisted in building a school, teaching children, and holding a health fair for the community, among many other projects. I was so impressed by her experience internationally as well as locally that I decided I wanted to become involved in the organization. Because I was no longer a student I applied to become a Youth Mentor for the 2009-2010 year. YouthLINC needs a handful of working professionals and mentors on every trip to assist and oversee the projects being completed by the students. Many of the mentors have a special skill set that will be helpful in country, such as medical knowledge, computers, business, or construction. My specialization was not skill based but interest based. I majored in International Studies and have always had an interest in community service. I have worked at many different organizations and I felt I could keep the students motivated and excited for the work they were going to accomplish. I was accepted into the Thailand program as a mentor and to head the cultural exchange committee within the group. Other YouthLINC trips this summer will include Peru, Mexico and Kenya. 
The YouthLINC Thailand team will be returning in June 2010 to work in the small communities north of Phuket. We will be visiting the Home and Life orphanage where the previous two years spent most of their time and also start work at the WatBaanSai School in Phang Nga City. YouthLINC helped set up a sewing and baking business for the orphanage in the past years in order for them to make items to sell to tourists in the area. We will continue our work with this vocational training and assist in other forms of microenterprise. This year the school wants to try and set up a café at the bakery where people can get coffee and maybe use a computer. All the money from this venture will go towards running the orphanage. Last year the Thailand team also built a fish hatchery to help feed the children and raise money for the orphanage by selling fish. The team also worked at the Baan Klong Sai School, a jungle school, tiling floors, teaching English, cleaning up garbage and spending time with the children. They passed out hygiene kits to people displaced by the Tsunami, worked on several micro-enterprise projects and held a health fair for the community that was comprised of teaching classes on staying healthy, anti-smoking, hand washing and dental hygiene. The team taught about first aid and passed out basic kits to the community which has limited access to first line care. This year we will begin many more projects at the new location, the WatBannSai School. A Rotary grant supported by Southwest Valley Sunrise, Vernal, Richfield and Patong Beach rotary clubs will provide a waste waster system (they don’t have running water) to the school as well as computers and mosquito nets. I will have more on the projects we plan to do in future posts.
As a mentor I will be paying my own way to Thailand as I am not eligible for the service hour sponsorship because I am no longer a student (darn ). The total cost of the trip including airfare is around $3,200.00. My goal is to raise at least half the amount through donations to YouthLINC in my name. YouthLINC is a 501(c)3 not-for profit organization and all contributions are tax-deductible. If you would like to donate to my service trip please contact me at julia.carolyn.wee@gmail.com. Checks can be mailed straight to the YouthLINC headquarters. I am also setting up a connection with a company that will donate money to my trip in return for volunteers at certain events such as concerts, The Outdoor Retailers Show and The Sundance Film Festival. If you would be able to donate your time to help please let me know. Dates begin the end of January. Part of the money raised will also go to support a Little League Baseball team that is raising money for uniforms. As a group, YouthLINC will also be looking for donations of medical supplies, gently used shoes and clothing, and laptop computers for the bakery at the orphanage. If you have access to any of these items, please let me know as well. I will continue to update this Blog as the adventure progresses. We are planning on meeting once a month until the trip begins in order for the students to compile their service hours and for the committees to plan and implement all of the projects they want to accomplish in-country. There are so many things to accomplish even before we leave so now is the time to get started! I am really excited about this opportunity and thank you so much for your help and support!!!!
