The Building Bridges Coalition, a project of the Brookings Institution’s Initiative on International Volunteering and Service, is a consortium of leading international volunteer organizations, universities and colleges, corporations, and government agencies working collaboratively to double the number of international volunteers serving abroad by 2010 — from 50,000 to 100,000.

AMIGOS is especially supportive of this effort, due to its recently launched Strategic Growth Plan, that will double the annual number of high school and college students involved in AMIGOS’ leadership and international service programs by its 50th anniversary in 2014.

“We firmly believe this is the perfect time to expand participation of youth in meaningful civic engagement throughout the Americas,” said Untermeyer, who has served as Executive Director/President of AMIGOS since 1998.  “Our motive is simple – the world needs more globally minded, self-confident, and community-oriented youth, and AMIGOS is one of the best-established and most respected avenues for instilling the requisite skills and perspectives to achieve that vision.”

The Building Bridges Coalition is one of three key components of the Brookings Institution’s Initiative on International Volunteering and Service. The Public Policy Group, co-chaired by Senator Harris Wofford and John Bridgeland, focuses on policy development and education, and advances recommendations that include doubling the Peace Corps and creating a Global Fellowship to sponsor individual volunteers. The Research and Impacts Group, led by the Center for Social Development at Washington University in St. Louis and Brookings Fellow David Caprara, focuses on assessing the status and impacts of international volunteering and service and promoting effective practices.