The YES program is excited to announce YES Stories: Presented in Partnership with The Story Studio! The three-week virtual storytelling workshop will be held from May 17–June 3 and is offered for 20 YES alumni, in partnership with The Story Studio, a storytelling school founded in 2011 that teaches students the art of storytelling, as taught by some of the most accomplished storytellers across the country. The deadline for the application is April 11, 2021. Apply to the YES Stories workshop today! 

This workshop will be a series of online trainings facilitated by The Story Studio to enhance the skills of YES alumni in public speaking, storytelling, and sharing the impact of their achievements with international audiences. Following the workshop, participants will be able to employ these skills to identify, narrate, and share impact stories about their exchange experiences and alumni projects to showcase the impact of the YES program. This workshop will also train YES alumni to use storytelling as a tool for community development and implementing alumni projects.

The workshop will consist of two instructional sessions per week, with the final session devoted to a culminating performance event. Between sessions, the participants will complete assignments, in pairs and individually, to practice the skills that they are learning. During the workshop sessions, participants will learn how to employ storytelling as a tool for social change.

Eligibility: This workshop is only open to YES alumni. Current YES students in the YES 2020-21 cohort are not eligible. YES alumni from all program countries are welcome to apply. Finalists must be available, able, and willing to participate in the full three weeks of online training, including two live sessions per week and ongoing interaction in virtual spaces from May 18–June 3. Workshop sessions will be two hours long each. 

The first session will take place on Tuesday, May 18 from 7am - 9am ET. Following the first session, you will be split into one of two groups—please be available for at least one of the groups:

• Group A will meet at the following times:
  • Wednesday, May 19 from 8am - 10am ET
  • Monday, May 24 from 8am - 10am ET
  • Wednesday, May 26 from 8am - 10am ET
  • Monday, May 31 from 8am - 10am ET 
• Group B will meet at the following times: 
  • Thursday, May 20 from 7am - 9am ET  
  • Tuesday, May 25 from 7am - 9am ET  
  • Thursday, May 27 from 7am - 9am ET  
  • Tuesday, June 1 from 7am - 9am ET

The date for the final performance is to be determined.

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.