Projects

Youth Exchange Program

Lions International Youth Camp and Exchange Program (YCE)

The YCE program has been around for 60 years. A Service Project in which Lions Australia and Lions International work together. The project is comprised of two major parts: international exchanges and international camps. Exchanges typically last for 4-6 weeks with the help of host families (Lions or non-Lions), sponsor clubs and host clubs. Camps last for 1-2 weeks and are operated voluntarily by the hosting Lions club. YCE gives youth from countries around the world, Including Australia the opportunity to travel around the world for the first and potentially the only time.

In January 2023 two young travellers Alex, from New Zealand and Leo, from Texas shared a week living with Lions club members prior to them joining the formal camp. The concept is during their time with a host family they experienced daily life in Australia. Which they did and enjoyed. On the 17 January 2023 they joined fellow campers at Willow Creek Adventure camp in Victor Harbor. Other participants came from Canada, Austria, Malaysia, Mongolia, and Australia. After days of planned activities at Willow Creek camp, they moved down to Noorla Yo-Long Police Blue Light camp located near Millicent. From there they were able to go down a sink hole, get involved with typically Australian activities plus explore deep into the cave areas in that region of SA.

When leaving Australia on 27 January several of these young people had experienced things they could only have dreamed of, such as seeing and splashing in the sea for the very first time or the joy of eating a hamburger.