Change the world by changing minds. Help AFSers and your community appreciate and celebrate cultural differences.
Volunteer to create change
Join a movement of active citizens helping people and communities learn to live together
Apply nowAFS transforms volunteers into global citizens and changemakers
We call that the #AFSeffect!
Create change
Create community
Create yourself
How to become an AFS Volunteer
Every volunteer makes a huge impact at AFS
Support
Plan
Train
Engaging with my community; meeting people from around the world
“Joining my local group of AFS volunteers gave me the opportunity to develop many skills, such as how to work in a team and interact with people from different backgrounds. As an AFS volunteer, I am more engaged in my community and I meet people from all over the world. Helping students, teachers and families embark on intercultural learning adventures makes me appreciate the importance of world peace and intercultural understanding.”
—Marcela Vazquez, AFS Argentina volunteer
Challenge yourself while supporting others
By volunteering with AFS you can:
- Work closely with experienced volunteers to find creative solutions
- Take on challenging situations for personal growth
- Polish practical skills to gain a competitive edge at school or work
- Train to become an intercultural learning facilitator
- Learn how to make better decisions and solve problems
- Develop leaderships skills you will use forever
AFS community changemakers in action
Be inspired by innovative AFS changemaking, social impact and community service projects that use intercultural learning activities to address local challenges and bring diverse communities together.
Meet AFS volunteers and their projects
"What I love the most about AFS is that I never fail to leave an event feeling changed in one way or another. Every time I come in contact with these wonderful people I learn more about myself and the world and can only hope I have as big of an impact on participants and other volunteers." Vinni, volunteer of AFS Germany
Meet AFS volunteers
Change in the making
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Global Conference: Our Future, Our Responsibility
AFS Intercultural Programs and our distinguished partners invite those who share our Learning-to-Live-Together philosophy to the first ever 2018 AFS… -
3rd Annual AFS Asia-Pacific International Global Citizenship Education Forum
Global Citizenship Education: Essential for Employability & the 21st Century Workforce 3rd Annual AFS Asia-Pacific International Global Citizenship Education Forum 20-23… -
Great interview at Montreal Bilboard
Missed last night’s episode of #MTLBillboard? Check it out here: http://matv.ca/…/me…/montreal-billboard/videos/5308532615001 We caught up with Kathleen Broad from AFS Interculture…
AFS Mission
AFS is an international voluntary, non-governmental, non-profit organization that provides intercultural learning opportunities to help people develop the knowledge, skills and understanding needed to create a more just and peaceful world.
AFS supports UN Sustainable Development Goals
AFS believes the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) #4 and #16 provide a roadmap to help make our world a better place for all people.
Global Goal #4:
QUALITY EDUCATION
Ensure inclusive and quality education for all and promote lifelong learning
Goal #4 focuses on the knowledge and skills needed to promote “sustainable development” and “sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development.
Global Goal #16
PEACE, JUSTICE AND STRONG INSTITUTIONS
Promote just, peaceful and inclusive societies
Goal #16 has three main objectives: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.
Empowering people of all ages to respect and appreciate differences
AFS is an inclusive community of global citizens committed to fostering intercultural learning as a powerful peace-building tool. Through AFS study abroad and changemaking programs, our volunteers help students, young adults, families and others take their first steps to becoming global citizens.
Resources and Good Reads
Volunteer on the other side of the world
Want to volunteer abroad to tackle issue that you are passionate about? AFSNext lets you choose your area of interest—from working with youth to environmental issues—in a part of the world that you would like to work in and learn from.