What We Do

For four weeks each summer, Northern Irish teens are guests in homes in the Milwaukee metropolitan area.  Belfast area Protestant and Catholic 14 to 16 year-old boys and girls live with host families and get to know youth of a different faith tradition.  

Belfast participants are selected based on their interest in the program and their leadership potential as perceived by a selection panel in Belfast.  The month-long stay includes a series of educational, recreational and ecumenical activities.  The objective is for the Northern Irish teens to be taken out of the stressful "us vs. them" atmosphere, and brought into a neutral zone.  Catholic and Protestant teens can then explore conflict resolution and other issues in a thoughtful manner.  Other goals include creating new relationships, building cross-community trust, and having a great time.

American "host teens" are involved as well, participating in the Discovery sessions, learning about the prejudices in their home communities, working with the Northern Irish teens on prejudice-reduction, and equally participating during the entire month.