Support The Expansion Of Youth Exchange Programs

By Kate | Permalink |

No Comments | July 27th, 2007 | Trackback

AFS is an organization that has been organizing and promoting student exchange (not to mention volunteering, community service and hosting opportunities) for sixty years now. It is international in scope as well as non-governmental and non-profit, and describes its mission as helping people “develop the knowledge, skills and understanding needed to create a more just and peaceful world” through intercultural learning opportunities.

To coincide with its 60th anniversary, AFS is right now gathering signatures for a petition in support of a global expansion of youth exchange programs. Much like volunteering abroad, youth exchange offers the opportunity for people form different cultures to interact, learn and make positive connections. AFS points out that the need for intercultural exchanges today is a great as it ever was; so far there are over 30, 000 signatures from 180 countries. Find out more about the petition at the exchanges4peace section of the site.

AFS’s high school exchange opportunities exist in more than fifty countries; you can find basic information about each country on the relevant country page… but you need to visit the site of your home country to find out program details. I’m sadly a bit past the age where high school exchange is a realistic option, but I still found myself scanning through the programs. The language aspect strikes me as the most challenging part – non-native speakers who have been studying English since first grade are certainly at an advantage here compared to those going to, say, Russia or Iceland! AFS recommends starting to learn the host country’s language asap.

For those of us outside the upper age range for high school exchange, there is also information on volunteering abroad, community service in some countries, and hosting an exchange student, which itself could prove to be an interesting way to volunteer. Check out the site and why not add your signature to the petition to support the expansion of youth exchange opportunities while you’re at it.