Project Description

About AFS
AFS Intercultural Programs initiated with the attempt of the volunteers who were the ambulance drivers during the 1st and 2nd World War and believe that the world peace could be achieved through the establishment of relationships between individuals from different cultures, which breaks down the prejudice, respect on diversities and increase the intercultural understanding. AFS Intercultural Programs have spread all over the world continuously over 60 years.
Today, AFS is a global network of students, families, friends, and volunteers who devote themselves to intercultural learning experiences and AFS Intercultural Programs are the world’s leading regarding student exchanges. Since 1947, more than 380.000 students participated in the program in more than 50 countries worldwide.
Students who participate in AFS Intercultural Programscontinue their secondary education in a different country while staying with volunteer families and being part of an extraordinary exchange experience, which cannot be taught in any classor found in any textbook.
AFS is committed to providing intercultural learning experiences that help people become agents of positive change in the world. Increased cultural competence is the stepping stone for a global tomorrow and a diverse today.

AFS Sending Work

We organize pre-departure and post-return orientation camps every year in three big cities of Turkey in order to support adaptation periods of students. In these camps carried out with AFS International’s standards, our volunteers who have similar experiences transfer the information, skills, experiences needed before and after their exchange years.

School presentations
We make presentations at schools to introduce AFS to wider masses before the written examination (1st assessment).  We inform the participants about the history, values and goals of AFS, as well as application requisites. Volunteers visit different regions to receive more applications for the program.
Written exams (1st assessment)
The prerequisite of being an AFS’er is to succeed in this stage. Exams take place in 6 cities across Turkey and volunteers organize all the logistics.
Interviews (2nd asessment)
Volunteers assess the candidates who succeed in written examination with interviews based on which the candidates are selected.
Family visits
Volunteers visit candidates’ families in order to get know them thoroughly, inform them about all the processes, and answer their questions.
Brunch event
Each year in April, we meet with the families of AFS’ers whose children are in their exchange year. During the brunch, we share our experiences, answer their questions and help them overcome their worries.
Farewell and greetings
Every year we are saying good bye from airport to participants who go to their exchange countries. Likewise, we go to airport to greet AFS’ers who complete their AFS year.

AFS Hosting Work

We organize orientation camps in order to ease the adaptation process of students who are hosted in Turkey. We aim to help students gain necessary knowledge, skills and experiences to ensure they get the maximum from their exchange years with 4 orientation camps carried out by our volunteers throughout the year.

Consultancy
Our volunteers stay in contact with the students and monitor their progress closely during their exchange year.
Language support
We aim to contribute to the process of language adaptation of hosting students via Turkish classes offered by our volunteers.
Orientations for the host families
Students who come from abroad become a member of the family during their exchange year. We help both students and their host families with different orientation trainings about intercultural communication.