Interested in storytelling and using film as a tool to share your experiences as YES alumni? Do you want to learn how to spread a message, captivate an audience, and communicate your vision? Apply now for the 2023 YES Digital Storytelling Workshop! From December 3-9, 2023 AFS and iEARN-USA are hosting the Digital Storytelling Workshop in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia — a five-day, hands-on workshop to enhance and expand participants’ technical skills in video and photography. Alumni will work together in small groups with mentorship from professional videographers to produce short videos documenting personal change in their own lives as a result of the YES program. No film experience is necessary!

Workshop dates: December 3-9, 2023 in Malaysia

Application deadline: September 22, 2023 by 11:59pm Eastern

In today’s multimedia environment, activism and community service require a range of communication and media skills. The workshop will explore time-tested storytelling techniques, focusing on creating accessible messages for both local and international audiences. Importantly, this workshop will go beyond documentation, and will teach participants how to present their work to peers, community leaders and decision-makers to build awareness and share the impact of issues that matter to them personally. 

Twenty-five YES alumni will be selected to attend the workshop. To be selected, alumni must be available for the entirety of the workshop and prepared for virtual assignments. Participants will work in groups of 5, supported by instructors, to create videos sharing an experience on the YES program that changed their perspective. The workshop will culminate in a showcase of the short films produced together.

Eligibility

This workshop is only open to YES alumni. Current YES participants or YES alumni of the 2022-2023 cohort are not eligible. YES alumni who have attended a global YES workshop within the last year or are planning to attend a workshop in 2023 will not be eligible to participate. All participants must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

YES alumni from all program countries are welcome to apply. Finalists must be available, able, and willing to attend the full workshop from December 3-9, 2023 in Malaysia. Please note that finalists are responsible for obtaining their own visa (if required) for travel to Malaysia in December and workshop participation is contingent upon receiving said visa. All visa fees, flights, accommodations, and meals will be covered by the YES program.

Alumni with disabilities are encouraged to apply and accommodations will be available. Special consideration will be given to applicants who demonstrate creativity and a strong interest in using storytelling as a way to impact their communities, create social change, and/or improve their alumni associations.

Questions?

Please talk to your local coordinator or contact [email protected].