Australian Youth Ambassadors Development Program (AYAD)

The Australian Youth Ambassadors for Development Program (AYAD) was launched in 1998 by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Alexander Downer, to strengthen mutual understanding between Australia and the countries in the Asia Pacific and make a positive contribution to development.

The program places skilled young Australians, aged between 18-30, on short term assignments of between 3-12 months, in developing countries throughout the Asia Pacific region.

Youth Ambassadors use their skills and expertise to actively contribute to international development. They gain an increased understanding of the development needs of our neighboring countries and broaden their experience by living and working in a cross-cultural environment.

Youth Ambassadors work with Australian organizations and their overseas counterparts in a broad range of areas that include health, environment, rural development, gender, governance, justice, education and infrastructure development.

There are two departures each year - one in March and one in September.

A distinctive feature of the AYAD Program is the involvement of Australian organizations and professional individuals as 'partners' in the program. Under the AYAD Partnership Program Australian companies, educational institutions, government agencies, NGOs and community organizations nominate a young Australian for an assignment that the organization sources through its own networks in the Asia Pacific region. The program then provides the administrative and financial support needed for the assignment to go ahead.

Information regarding the AYAD Program is available on AusAID's AYAD website [external site]. People interested in applying for an AYAD assignment are advised to regularly check the AYAD website [external site] for the assignments available in the next intake.

In 2005, the 16th AYAD intake will be opened for posting in Indonesia. This will be subject to the Indonesian State Secretariat's approval and Indonesia's security conditions. An In-Country Manager for managing the program, Mr Simon Bell of Austraining International has been appointed.

This page was last updated on 28 December 2005