The Australia-Indonesia Youth Exchange Program (AIYEP) links youth in Australia and Indonesia through social, professional and cultural exchange and runs from October through to February every year.

This week, we talk to Tim Flicker about his AIYEP experience!

What is your occupation/what are you studying?

Careers and Alumni Coordinator, Trinity College, the University of Melbourne

What year did you participate in AIYEP and where was your program based?

2015/2016- Canberra/West Kalimantan

How did you become interested in/involved with Indonesia?

Initially, through learning Indonesian at school. I then had the chance to travel to Jakarta when I was in year 11 and was hooked.

What motivated you to apply AIYEP?

I had heard from other alumni such as Luke Dawes and Joey Eagleton about how rewarding and amazing the AIYEP experience is.

What was the highlight of your AIYEP experience?

So many highlights…. definitely one was being greeted by the entire village when we arrived in the village of Lumbang in Sambas.

What advice would you give someone who is thinking about applying for AIYEP?

Think about the skills you bring to the group, whether it be community development experience, leadership, love of sports etc everyone has a skill/passion. It’s an absolutely amazing experience and definitely recommend anyone to apply!

Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts and experiences with us Tim. Stay tuned for more AIYEP alumni profiles in the coming weeks!

Applications for AIYEP38 are open now until the 16th of June 2019, so make sure to get your application in! More information about applications can be found on the AFS Australia website.