Organization overview
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AFS is a volunteer based organization
Mother of AFS participant to Argentina shares,
When Lindsey first left home, I was having trouble adjusting to her absence, so I called one of the local volunteers and she really comforted me and reassured me everything would be all right.
One of the things that sets AFS apart from many other exchange programs is that we are a not-for-profit organization whose program is delivered primarily by local volunteers. Starting with the American Field Service ambulance drivers, AFS has always valued the contributions of volunteers. AFS is supported by about 100,000 US and international volunteers, making it one of the largest volunteer-based organizations in the world.
You will rely on AFS volunteers before, during and after your child’s AFS program. Most AFS volunteers are people whose lives have been touched in some way by an AFS experience. AFS volunteers help select the students who will go abroad, find host families for incoming students from other countries, support the students and families during the program, promote AFS locally, raise money for scholarships and AFS activities, and in some cases organize service activities for participants. AFS is organized slightly differently in each AFS partner country but generally there are local volunteers organized into regional units who are all supported and assisted by national and sometimes regional staff. These volunteers will be a great support to you and your child during the AFS experience.
Educational goals
A natural parent of an AFSer on the language program to France writes,
Marty had a wonderful experience learning another culture. Language camp was also good and he met some great kids from the US. He has kept in contact with this family and hopes to go back during his college years. His confidence has increased –‘I can do anything.’ He was always an understanding child, but I think he is even more aware of others actions/feelings.
AFS is an educational organization, not a travel organization. By providing opportunities for intercultural learning, AFS benefits program participants, their families, schools, host families and communities and helps to promote global education. We have designed our programs to maximize the experience and trained our staff and volunteers to provide the participants with the best possible environment for learning. By stressing learning, providing orientations and working with trained volunteers and staff, the AFS participants are better able to face the challenges of immersion in a new culture and reach a deeper level of understanding.
Over the course of the past 50 years, throughout which AFS has offered its programs, we have concluded that the natural conflicts that arise when two people with different cultural backgrounds come in close contact, provide a basis for learning about each other’s culture and an opportunity to develop skills in resolving conflict. AFS’ goal is to encourage an open attitude about working through difficulties.
The AFS learning experience helps participants and those with whom they come in close contact to acquire useful skills, attitudes and knowledge for coping sensitively and intelligently with the urgent challenges of the global community.
What AFSers may learn and how they may change
Here are some of the goals we have for the participants who join our programs. We hope that by the end of their program participants will:
- Have an increased awareness and appreciation for their host country and culture
- Gain foreign language and cultural behavioral skills
- Have a greater understanding of other cultures and sense of a "world community"
- Be more adaptable
- Be more aware of opportunities available to them
- Have developed improved critical thinking and conflict resolution skills
- Have developed greater independence and responsibility for themselves
- Be more confident in their decisions
- Have a greater awareness of the US and its culture
- Value diversity and see differences as a source of strength
Commitment to quality
The AFS Mission, Core Values and Quality standards are shared by all AFS Partners worldwide and are the foundation upon which all partners agree to operate their programs. They represent what all AFS organizations agree are the essential elements of quality programs and what AFS commits to provide to all participants, natural families, host families and schools. They also serve as the foundation for the AFS Standard Policies and Procedures, which were developed by AFS International in consultation and cooperation with partners worldwide.
Program fees and finances
AFS partner organizations are not-for-profit. The fees are based on reasonable costs for providing the services outlined in the Participation Agreement according to the quality standards. AFS Intercultural Programs and the AFS partner organizations publish reports annually which provide information on the source and use of organizational funds. Besides the actual expense of the exchange, participant fees, as well as donations, cover volunteer and staff training and administration costs.
What is covered in the participation fee:
- Round trip international travel with the AFS group (except in the Canada Short Summer Language Study Program)
- Travel within the AFS host country to the host family and back to the departure airport
- Pre-departure, gateway, arrival and end-of-stay orientations (In the case of the Canada Short Summer Language Study Program, gateway and arrival orientations are combined.)
- Information, and in some cases, assistance in obtaining necessary visas and travel documents prior to departure (Please note, most countries charge fees for processing visa applications. These fees are not included in the participation fee you pay to AFS.)
- Emergency 24 hour telephone assistance in the US and host country
- AFS staff and volunteer support, including a local contact person here and abroad that helps ensure the best possible experience for every participant and family
- Enrollment in a school in the host community (if applicable)
- In the case of community service programs, placement within an organization that can provide a service experience
- Placement with a carefully selected host family, who provides room, board and guidance (Community Service programs may include accommodation and the worksite with occasional host family stays.)
Evaluation of programs
Because we wish to continually improve on our program quality, we provide participant, host family, natural parent, host school and volunteer evaluations. AFS will review its programs through feedback from evaluations to identify areas for improvement in program content and services and will share evaluations with partner countries. AFS periodically conducts volunteer workshops, which provide an opportunity to evaluate the success of the program from the volunteer perspective. In addition, at AFS gatherings and orientations, AFS staff and volunteers have an opportunity to hear feedback from participants.
