United Planet Receives $400,000 Grant to Expand Virtual Internship Opportunities for U.S. Secondary School Students

United Planet has been awarded a two-year $400,000 grant from ASA to provide global virtual internships to equity-deserving American students.

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, UNITED STATES, April 25, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- United Planet, an international non-profit organization based in Boston, has been awarded a two-year $400,000 grant from the American Student Assistance^® (ASA) to provide virtual internship opportunities across the world to equity-deserving American secondary school students and to expand its advocacy around global citizen leadership and sustainable development education. ASA is a national nonprofit changing the way kids learn about careers and prepare for their futures.

ASA recently announced that it has awarded more than $6 million in grants to 16 mission-aligned nonprofit youth-serving organizations from across 15 states. The grantees' initiatives are focused on improving career readiness outcomes for middle and high schoolers from under-resourced communities. United Planet is one of these 16 organizations receiving a part of this funding .

The grant will fund the expansion of immersive virtual global citizen leadership skill-building internships to empower youth for success in a global economy and interconnected world. The grant will help enable the development of global competency, 21st-century active citizen leadership, and advocacy for sustainable development education with a particular focus on addressing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

David Santulli, Founder and President of United Planet, expresses his gratitude for the grant. “We are incredibly grateful for the support of ASA to prepare American youth through virtual internships and training for success within a global economy, interconnected world, and the multicultural communities in which they live. By developing American youth as global citizen leaders, we will open up a world of opportunity for them and prepare them as leaders within their own communities and beyond."

A recent study by ASA found that while 79% of high school students would be interested in a work-based learning experience, only 34% were aware of any opportunities for students their age. “We are honored to support United Planet to increase access to invaluable work-based learning opportunity in the form of internships, which will help young people understand their options, uncover the way they like to work, and begin to build the social capital that is needed for long-term career success,” said Julie Lammers, Senior Vice President of Advocacy and Corporate Social Responsibility at ASA.

With this backing and collaboration, United Planet is empowered to extend the reach of its initiatives and advocacy efforts. This includes the provision of immersive global citizen leadership internships and the amplification of their endeavors in advancing sustainable development education. ASA’s support is pivotal in United Planet’s overarching mission to empower deserving American youth with equitable opportunities, preparing them for success in an increasingly interconnected global landscape and economy.

The application process for the virtual internships has already started. High school students and faculty members can apply for the internships through United Planet’s website. The next round of internships will be from August 5th until October 4th. The deadline for the application is July 1st.

About United Planet
United Planet is a non-profit organization with a mission to create a global community, one relationship at a time. Established in 2001, United Planet offers personalized, immersive, service-learning, international experiential learning, and internship experiences in more than 40 countries. Volunteers and interns have helped address important global issues—such as health, children and education, and environmental sustainability while developing leadership and other 21st-century skills, building bridges across divides, and forging cohesive and productive cross-border relationships both in-person and online.

About American Student Assistance^® (ASA)
American Student Assistance^® (ASA) is a national nonprofit changing the way kids learn about careers and prepare for their futures through equitable access to career readiness information and experiences. ASA helps middle and high school students to know themselves—their strengths and their interests—and understand their education and career options so that they can make informed decisions. ASA fulfills its mission – in schools and beyond the classroom—by providing free digital experiences, including Futurescape^®, Next Voice™, and EvolveMe^®, directly to millions of students, and through advocacy, impact investing, thought leadership, and philanthropic support for educators, intermediaries, and others. ASA fosters a generation of confident, crisis-proof young people who are ready for whatever path comes next after high school. To learn more about ASA, visit www.asa.org/about-asa.

For media inquiries, please contact Mohammad Hijazi, Marketing & Communications Manager at United Planet via mohammad@unitedplanet.org.

Mohammad Hijazi
United Planet
+1 617-874-8041
mohammad@unitedplanet.org
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