Global Citizens

Impacting the World and Our Local Community

“We are not citizens of just our hometowns or nations, “but of the world.”

- Socrates

Becoming a ‘Global Citizen’ is a trendy phrase. It can have true meaning or be a catchy line that misses the mark. At Limitless Child, becoming a Global Citizen is the start of a life-long process. the spark that ignites understanding of the interconnectivity between cultures and peoples. The opportunity to positively impact both local and global communities.

Through our Peer Sports Program, our kids travel to India, and spend 11 days with children from the slums or orphanages. They don’t distribute food, paint walls, or build a school. They play and teach soccer. They teach, play, and through shared experiences, learn about the lives of young women and girls in India. They come home changed, with new perspectives, understanding, and passions for social good.

Cultural Connections

Participating in our Peer Sports or our Play & Learning programs in India gives youth from Maine opportunities to engage with another culture and immerse themselves in the lives of extremely vulnerable children. Becoming a Global Citizen doesn’t mean sightseeing, it means making connections, understanding customs, histories, languages and most importantly making ongoing connections with the youth in India.

Local Impact

Embracing Diversity - Portland, in fact all of Maine, is becoming a more diverse community. Immigrants from Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Honduras, and countless other countries continue to join our community contributing their language, traditions, and histories. By participating in our Global Citizen program, Maine’s youth begin to see immigrants not as out of place and unconnected but as people with hopes and dreams, with fears and challenges… and as people who can contribute to all of us. No book, YouTube video or movie can truly help our youth embrace peoples from other cultures and bring understanding to their fellow students, friends and family members. Accepting our newest neighbors is not just tolerating, rather it is connecting on a level that only a Global Citizen can.

Reaching Others - Our Global Citizens program reaches youth in Maine through presentations at high schools and universities. Over the past 18 months, we’ve reached over 200 youth and hope to hit the 500 mark in 2020! In addition, we use social media to get the Global Citizen message out there. Most importantly is the one-on-one message that our participants bring to their families, friends and members of our community. You can get an idea of the passion these kids bring to Maine by checking out this video by Katie LaMare. It’s a must watch!

Inspirational Youth and Adults

Too often we think of being a Global Citizen as just helping those in need. The reality is that young people inspire each other. Witnessing how each of us, regardless of our circumstances, overcome obstacles and end up thriving inspires in a way that only personal contact can. Through our Global Citizen program, youth become inspired, share that inspiration, and become leaders in our community.

Diversity and Acceptance

Spending 10-days with vulnerable children gives our youth the opportunity to understand what diversity and acceptance mean by embracing not only a culture but a people. Building relationships across cultures is vital to creating a more peaceful and just world. A Global Citizen is someone who is aware of and understands the wider world - and their place in it. They take an active role in their community, and work with others to make our planet more equal, fair and sustainable.

Global citizens try to understand other people and have empathy for them. Global citizens act fairly in their choices, their decisions, and their words. Global citizens believe that every person has equal importance and value. Global citizens are willing to help, learn from, and cooperate with others.

Ready to act?

We believe that people learn best by doing—and then reflecting on their actions. We encourage you to reflect throughout our exchange program activities. We help you absorb what you are learning and understand how you can use that knowledge once they return home. The experiences you have can help you find what you stand for, and the mark you want to leave on your community and planet.