American Corner – A Public Information and Activity Centers

 This is a youth skills development and reconciliation support programs and American Corner Jaffna renovation, maintenance and support services. The goal of the project is to reconcile between different ethnic and religious minorities through American Corner programs and to improve rights including for women, disabled persons, and freedom of expression principles with the following objectives

• To train youth in language skills through English Enrichment Course and defined alternative language course called DynEd
• To train and empower youth to engage in different media forms through digital storytelling, coding and digital maker space
• To increase the standard of the American Corner space and spaces for more patrons through thematic programs and services

Progress 2020:

The American corner has been conducted the following courses/ activities in free of charge.

• Business English: 1 batch completed for 23 Students.
• YouTube Studio: 2 workshops ( 2 days)completed . Trained youth on storytelling and YouTube channel creation. Facilitated by Mr. Jeevithan. 42 Students attended the two workshops.
• English Enrichment Course 1st batch of 21 students completed on February

New batch started but due to the COVID 19 Now the classes are being conducted online from July 2020 with 20 students in the class virtually.

• Makerspace1 program started for students of 15 has been interrupted by the temporary closure of the ACJ.
• Two 3-Day workshops have been completed in Thondamanaru and Tellipalai for 43 students on innovation and technology during September and October 2020.

Special Programs:

• ACJ has collaborated with American Centre in Chennai to host a program for the Martin Luther King Jr Day on January 20, 2020. ACJ invited youth and AC program attendees to participate in the memorial lecture at the Presidents College in Chennai.
• ACJ Collaborated with American Centre Hyderabad Chennai on Innovation During Pandemic: Stories from South Asia, a panel discussion comprising Indian and Sri Lankan panellists. This program was streamed live on ACJ Facebook page.

COVID-19 – American corner has been Temporarily closed from March 18 and conducted 20 online programs on the below topics

• Countering Hate speech -Market yourself online
• Entrepreneurship             -Business development in the new normal
• Youth and Peace Building -Spirit of Volunteering
• Public Speaking Sessions -Fighting Fake News series
• Cyber Security
• English Language Teaching Methodology series with Regional English Language Office (RELO) India.
• ACJ has started and completed first virtual English Language Program ‘English Enrichment Course’ for 17 students who have completed the course online.
• ACJ also conducted three series of closed group discussions about US elections for youth groups from each American Space in Sri Lanka. An average of 30 participants took part in the discussion.