What is the AFS Host Family Learning Journey?

In an AFS program, host families do more than welcome an exchange student—they accompany them on a learning journey.

Hosting an international student provides a rewarding and transformative experience for the whole family. Before, during, and after their AFS Global Family Program, every AFS host family benefits from an educational curriculum based on a proven approach that we developed over 75 years of expertise in intercultural exchange.

Through their learning journey, host families gain key knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to develop as active global citizens. These abilities include self-awareness, effective communication and empathy, open-mindedness, and global concern. Working through these learning objectives builds a foundation for families’ active global citizenship, encouraging them to make positive changes in local, national and global communities. They become Global Families.

Besides impacting students and host families participating in our programs, AFS’s reach extends to others who come into close contact with them, such as AFS volunteers and the school community. We call this the #AFSeffect.

Download the AFS Framework for Active Global Citizens

The AFS Host Family Learning Journey is a carefully designed curriculum that engages families hosting AFS students with content related to intercultural learning at every step of their experience: before students arrive, during their time hosting an AFS student, and after students return to their home country.

This unique approach prepares host families for their intercultural experience and supports them at each moment as they build their intercultural awareness and understanding as active global citizens. It includes local orientation sessions, guided reflection, online tools and other educational activities that help families better support their hosted student’s adjustment into the new culture, as well as their global citizenship education experience outlined in the AFS Student Learning Journey.

Before an AFS Program: Discover

Online tools: As they prepare to welcome an AFS student, families can access the Global Family Tools online platform. Here, they can access information about the program, such as rules and guidelines, as well as learning resources about cultural differences, cross-cultural communication, and culture-specific insights about the country of origin of their AFS student.
Local activities: Before the host student’s arrival, families participate in a locally scheduled group orientation session that provides opportunities for families to reflect on who they are and what they know and think about their own culture to have a meaningful intercultural experience. This orientation, led by AFS staff and volunteers, will be a great way to meet other families in their local community who are also participating in an AFS Global Family Program.

During an AFS Program: Develop

Local activities: Once the hosting experience begins, families are supported by AFS staff and volunteers to identify, explore and understand both their own and the culture(s) of the hosted student. Local orientations take place within the first week of students’ arrival in the local community, in the middle of their program, and right before the end of their stay. Host families also receive constant individualized support. At least once a month, they work with trained AFS volunteers to discuss their experiences and develop constructive coping strategies for any challenges that may arise.
Online tools: During the hosting experience, families are also encouraged to continue to explore the Global Family Tools online platform. In addition to information and learning resources, families can find suggestions for activities to do with their host students. They also have the opportunity to become part of a community of Global Families and meet like-minded and diverse people from around the world.

After an AFS Program: Debrief

Local activities: After students return to their home country, families participate in a group orientation session to reflect on their hosting experience. This is an excellent opportunity to continue their involvement with AFS by becoming AFS volunteers and exploring other AFS programs they can join. The end of an AFS Global Family Program is really just the beginning of a lifelong connection to the AFS global network!

What AFS programs are supported by the AFS Host Family Learning Journey?

The AFS Host Family Learning Journey was developed to support all AFS Global Family programs, that is, all families hosting an AFS exchange student.

What are the AFS Global Family Tools?

How are AFS volunteers and staff trained to support the AFS Host Family Learning Journey?

AFS volunteers and staff are trained on many relevant topics, including Foundations of Intercultural Learning and Global Competence and Core Facilitation Skills. These AFS network-wide training programs are designed to improve the intercultural and global competence of our volunteers and staff, enhance their expertise in helping others become more interculturally competent, and become certified to facilitate the content of AFS programs for students and host families.

Find out more here.

Is there a learning journey for AFS Students?

Similar to the AFS Host Family Student Learning Journey, the AFS Student Learning Journey is a carefully designed curriculum that combines online and in-person educational activities to engage students with content related to intercultural learning and social innovation at every step of their AFS program: before travel, during their time abroad and after students return from the program.

This unique approach prepares students for their intercultural experience and supports them at each moment, providing guided reflection to help students process their everyday experiences in a new cultural environment and learn from situations when differences challenge them. Students also learn from each other as they can connect online globally with all exchange students in an AFS program at the same time and interact in person locally with their peers.

Find out more here.

Does AFS offer other learning opportunities for host families?

AFS Global Family Programs

AFS High School Program

Duration: 3 to 10+ months, starting at the beginning or the middle of the school year. Students will be 15 –18 years old.

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AFS Short Programs

Duration: 2 –11 weeks, starting throughout the year. Students will be 15–18 years old.

The AFS Host Family Learning Journey

Our global citizenship education curriculum for families welcoming AFS exchange students