American Youth Hostels-Chicago Inc

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IN A TYPICAL YEAR, AYH CHICAGO HOSTS TRAVELERS FROM MORE THAN 80 COUNTRIES AND MORE THAN 90,000 GUEST STAY OVERNIGHTS ANNUALLY. THE HOSTEL IS PART OF THE AMERICAN YOUTH HOSTELS, INC. (AYH) NETWORK OF 15 HOSTELS NATIONWIDE. THE HOSTEL STAY CREATES THE OPPORTUNITY FOR CULTURAL EXCHANGE AND UNDERSTANDING AND IS FUNDAMENTAL TO ALL OTHER PROGRAMS WE OFFER. THE HOSTEL IS PURPOSELY DESIGNED WITH SPACES AND AMENITIES THAT BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER AND ENCOURAGE INTERACTION IN AN INCLUSIVE AND INVITING WAY. WE STRATEGICALLY DEVELOP AND USE SPACES TO DELIVER CULTURAL EXCHANGE EXPERIENCES TO OUR GUESTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS. AS TRAVELERS GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER, THEY DISCOVER THEIR SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES, BREAK DOWN STEREOTYPES AND SOCIAL BARRIERS, EXPAND WORLD VIEWS, AND HELP TO CREATE A MORE TOLERANT WORLD.DURING THE REPORTING YEAR, THE COVID-19 GLOBAL PANDEMIC CONTINUED TO CAUSE AYH CHICAGO TO LIMIT OPERATIONS, AND AS SUCH SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED THE NUMBER OF GUESTS THAT WE WOULD NORMALLY BE ABLE TO HOST AND PROVIDE OVERNIGHT STAY PROGRAM SERVICES TO. AS AYH CHICAGO REOPENED IN JUNE, WE TOOK STEPS TO ENSURE THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF GUESTS AND STAFF. A FULL SET OF COVID RESPONSIVE OPERATING STANDARDS WERE IMPLEMENTED THAT INCLUDED ENHANCED CLEANING PROTOCOLS, STAFF TRAINING, SLEEPING ROOM CONFIGURATIONS/CAPACITY LIMITS, AND MASK AND PHYSICAL DISTANCING REQUIREMENTS. ADDITIONALLY, AYH CHICAGO ADHERED TO WYSE TRAVEL CONFEDERATION'S COVID-19 SAFETY STANDARDS.

GUEST LEARNING PROGRAMS: AYH CHICAGO DELIVERS EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES IN THE HOSTEL TO FACILITATE THE SHARING OF CULTURAL PERSPECTIVES AMONG GUESTS, AND FOR CONNECTING GUESTS WITH THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. THROUGH VOLUNTEER FACILITATION GUESTS ARE GIVEN OPPORTUNITIES TO BETTER UNDERSTAND OTHER CULTURES, REFLECT ON THEIR OWN PERSPECTIVES AND UNDERSTANDING, AND TAKE ACTIONS CONSISTENT WITH THEIR LEARNINGS. PROGRAM DESIGN IS ALIGNED WITH AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES (AACU) VALUE LEARNING RUBRICS IN THE DISCIPLINES OF INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP. EACH YEAR, IN ADDITION TO THE HOSTEL STAY PROGRAM, AYH BOSTON TYPICALLY DELIVERS OVER 1,100 FACILITATED LEARNING PROGRAMS TO MORE THAN 16,000 PARTICIPANTS. WITH THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, IN-PERSON EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING, AS WELL AS ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE HOSTEL AND COMMUNITY DURING THE FISCAL YEAR HAD TO BE SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED OR ELIMINATED ALTOGETHER. PROGRAM DELIVERY WAS MOVED TO A VIRTUAL PLATFORM FOR SOME PROGRAMS ON A VERY LIMITED BASIS.

NATIONAL SIGNATURE PROGRAMS: AYH CHICAGO PARTICIPATES IN NATIONAL SCOPE PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO ENHANCE THEIR INTERCULTURAL UNDERSTANDING AND CONTRIBUTE TO A MORE TOLERANT WORLD. TRAVEL SCHOLARSHIP GRANTS GIVE QUALIFIED 18 TO 30-YEAR OLD'S THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE IN EDUCATIONAL TRAVEL WITHIN THE USA AND AROUND THE WORLD. AYH BOSTON ALSO SPONSORS A TRAVEL SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM TO GROUPS OF INNER-CITY YOUTH WHICH PROVIDES THEM EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES AT SEASONAL HOSTELS IN THE NEARBY CAPE COD AND ISLANDS AREA. SLEEP FOR PEACE ENGAGES HOSTEL GUESTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN ACTIVITIES THAT CELEBRATE THE UNITED NATIONS INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE AND EXPLORE HOW THEY CAN CONTRIBUTE TO A PEACEFUL SOCIETY. THE GREAT HOSTEL GIVE BACK PROGRAM IS OFFERED TO GROUPS OF SIX OR MORE PEOPLE AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO RECEIVE A FREE NIGHT'S STAY AT OUR HOSTELS DURING THE MONTHS OF JANUARY AND FEBRUARY FOR EACH DAY THEIR MEMBERS VOLUNTEER IN THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY. IOU RESPECT BRINGS YOUNG PEOPLE TOGETHER FROM WESTERN AND MIDDLE EASTERN COUNTRIES INCLUDING THE US, GERMANY, FRANCE, TUNISIA, LEBANON AND EGYPT FOR TWO WEEK HOSTEL BASED INTENSIVE DIALOGUE, TRAVEL AND REFLECTION. THESE AND OTHER SIGNATURE PROGRAMS PROMOTE CROSS-CULTURAL EXCHANGE, MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING AND TOLERANCE. . AS WITH GUEST LEARNING PROGRAMS, THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC REQUIRED A STOP OF ALL IN PERSON SIGNATURE PROGRAMS. PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN SLOWLY REINTRODUCED IN 2022 AS TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS AND HEALTH DIRECTIVES ALLOW.