What Does Youth For Understanding Do?

Total employees30
HeadquartersBerlin
Founded1951

Youth For Understanding (YFU) is a global non-profit educational organization dedicated to fostering intercultural understanding, mutual respect, and social responsibility. Founded in 1951, YFU has facilitated life-changing exchange programs for hundreds of thousands of students and host families in partnership with its network spanning over 60 countries. Through immersive cultural experiences, YFU aims to equip young people with the skills, empathy, and global perspectives needed to thrive in an interconnected world, contributing to a more peaceful and understanding global community. The YFU International Secretariat, located in Berlin, Germany, supports and coordinates this global network of member organizations.

Where Is Youth For Understanding's Headquarters?

Youth For Understanding officeYouth For Understanding officeYouth For Understanding officeYouth For Understanding office
*Images sourced via web search. Rights belong to original owners

HQ Function

Coordinates international policies, program standards, network development, quality assurance, and global initiatives for YFU member organizations worldwide. Provides support in marketing, communications, and advocacy for intercultural exchange.

Notable Features:

Situated in Berlin-Mitte, a central and historic district, offering excellent connectivity. The office is likely designed to support international collaboration and administrative functions for a global non-profit.

Work Culture:

Characterized by a mission-driven, multicultural, and collaborative environment, reflecting YFU's global identity and commitment to intercultural understanding. Staff are typically dedicated to youth development and international education.

HQ Significance:

Berlin's role as an international hub and a city rich in history makes it a symbolic and practical location for an organization promoting global peace and understanding. The HQ supports a vast network essential for YFU's worldwide operations.

Values Reflected in HQ: The choice of an accessible, international city and a functional, collaborative workspace reflects YFU's values of global interconnectedness, inclusivity, efficiency, and dedication to its mission.

Location:

Youth For Understanding operates through an extensive global network of autonomous, yet interconnected, national organizations in over 60 countries across the Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Oceania. This federated structure allows YFU to effectively tailor its exchange programs to diverse local cultures and educational systems while upholding universal quality standards and child safety protocols. Globally supported functions include international program development and coordination, recruitment and screening of students and host families, comprehensive orientation and support services, volunteer training and management, alumni engagement initiatives, and collective advocacy for the value of intercultural learning and youth exchange.

Street Address:

TucholskystraĂźe 10

City:

Berlin

State/Province:

Berlin

Country:

Germany

Where Else Does Youth For Understanding Operate Around the World?

Washington, D.C., USA

Address: 641 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20001, USA

Serves as the primary YFU entity for programs involving the United States, adapting global YFU principles to the American educational and cultural landscape. Plays a vital role in youth diplomacy and leadership development.

Tokyo, Japan

Address: Koshin Bldg. 6F, 2-23 Kanda-awajicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0063, Japan

Facilitates intercultural exchange between Japan and the rest of the world, promoting deeper understanding of Japanese culture globally and providing Japanese youth with transformative international experiences.

Hamburg, Germany

Address: Oberaltenallee 6, 22081 Hamburg, Germany

As a major European YFU member, YFU Germany significantly contributes to youth mobility and intercultural learning within Europe and globally, reflecting Germany's commitment to international exchange.

Buying Intent Signals for Youth For Understanding

Highperformr Signals uncover buying intent and give you clear insights to target the right accounts at the right time — helping your sales, marketing, and GTM teams close more deals, faster.

Notable news
Hiring actively
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
*Example signal, not calculated in real time

Who's Leading Youth For Understanding? Meet the Executive Team

As of April 2025, Youth For Understanding' leadership includes:

Rafael Ledesma - Chair, International Board
Anni Siltanen - Vice Chair, International Board
Michael Hill - Secretary General, YFU International Secretariat

Who's Investing in Youth For Understanding?

Youth For Understanding has been backed by several prominent investors over the years, including:

As a non-profit organization, Youth For Understanding is primarily funded through program fees paid by participants or their families.
Additional financial support is derived from donations from individuals, alumni, corporations, and philanthropic foundations.
Various national YFU organizations receive grants from government agencies (e.g., the U.S. Department of State for specific programs like FLEX and YES).
The extensive global network of dedicated volunteers provides crucial in-kind support, significantly reducing operational costs.

What Leadership Changes Has Youth For Understanding Seen Recently?

Hire0
Exits0

Information on specific executive hires or exits at the YFU International Secretariat or changes to the International Board within the last 12 months is not prominently publicized. Leadership roles, such as the Secretary General, are typically stable, and board member changes follow scheduled election cycles within the global network. National YFU organizations would have their own executive leadership updates.

What Technology (Tech Stack) Is Used byYouth For Understanding?

Discover the tools Youth For Understanding uses. Highperformr reveals the technologies powering your target accounts — helping your sales, marketing, and GTM teams prioritize smarter and close faster.

Youth For Understanding Email Formats and Examples

Email addresses for Youth For Understanding staff, particularly at the International Secretariat (yfu.org) or major national offices (e.g., yfuusa.org, yfudeutschland.de), generally follow common professional patterns. These often include combinations of first name, last name, or initials.

Common formats include [firstinitial][lastname]@[domain] (e.g., jdoe@yfu.org) or [first].[lastname]@[domain] (e.g., jane.doe@yfuusa.org). The specific domain varies by national organization.

Format

info@yfu.org (General contact for YFU International Secretariat)

Example

70%

Success rate

What's the Latest News About Youth For Understanding?

yfu.org Official Website • November 17, 2023

Youth For Understanding International Exchange Conference 2023 Highlights Global Collaboration

Youth For Understanding shared visual highlights from its 2023 International Exchange Conference. The event brought together representatives from its global network to discuss strategic priorities, share best practices in youth exchange, and reinforce their collective commitment to fostering intercultural education worldwide....more

YFU USA Official Website • July 19, 2023

YFU USA Awarded Grant to Administer Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) Program

YFU USA announced it has been awarded a significant grant by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs to administer the Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) program. This program provides scholarships for high school students from Europe and Eurasia to spend an academic year in the United States, living with a host family and attending a U.S. high school....more

YFU National Websites • Ongoing

Youth For Understanding National Organizations Continuously Recruit Students and Host Families

Across its global network, YFU national organizations are continually seeking enthusiastic students for exchange programs and welcoming host families to open their homes for an enriching intercultural experience. These efforts are foundational to YFU's mission of building bridges of understanding....more

Highperformr's free tools for company research

Explore Employees by Region or Country

See where a company’s workforce is located, by country or region.

View Funding Details

View past and recent funding rounds with amounts and investors.

Understand Revenue Insights

Understand company revenue estimates and financial scale.

Track Active Job Openings

Track active roles and hiring trends to spot growth signals.

Review Product and Offerings

Discover what a company offers—products, platforms, and solutions.

Get SIC or NAICS Codes

Get the company’s official SIC and NAICS classifications.

Analyze Website Traffic Trends

Analyze visitor volume, engagement, and top traffic sources.

Discover Social Profiles and Engagement

Explore LinkedIn, Twitter, and other active social profiles.

Identify Top Competitors

Identify top competitors based on similar business traits.

Research and Discover Companies with Highperformr — Smarter, Faster

Explore companies in depth — from the tech they use to recent funding, hiring trends, and buyer signals — all in one powerful view.

Highperformr AI helps you surface the right accounts and enrich your CRM with verified company and contact insights, so your teams can prioritize and engage faster.

  • Track intent signals to find buyers who are actively in-market
  • Enrich contacts and companies instantly, no need to switch tools
  • Automate workflows to stay ahead of every change
  • Connect your CRM & tools for seamless data sync and activation

Thousands of companies, including Youth For Understanding, are just a search away.