Host Family Orientations

Teams must provide a pre-arrival host family orientation. The AFS Host Family Intercultural Learning Journey is designed to help host families develop greater intercultural effectiveness.

The objectives of the Participant and Host Family Orientations are designed to complement each other in order to maximize the intercultural learning potential for all family members, including the participant. Host families achieve the learning objectives below through a combination of participation in the in-person Host Family Pre-Arrival Orientation and completion of the Online Host Family Pre-Arrival Orientation. For this reason, it is essential that all Group Leaders and the Orientation Coordinator have completed the online Host Family Orientation modules prior to the orientation as well. The three HFO PDFs outline the content of the Online Host Family Pre-Arrival Orientation modules. The PDFs are a handy reference, but should not be used as a substitute for completing the online Host Family Orientation itself.

The pre-arrival orientation sessions should be framed more as helpful learning tips and discussions, rather than strict events, as is the case with students. Don't forget to address the double role of host families in the AFS intercultural exchanges - as learners and co-facilitators of learning for students.

To learn more about best practices for Host Family Orientations, you can watch an hour-long recorded webinar here.

The Host Family & Student Questionnaire is design as both a get-to-know-you activity as well as to communicate and establish family norms, rules and expectations. Host families and students are expected to review and complete the questionnaire together within the first two weeks of the students' arrival.

The Questions for your Guidance Counselor is to be completed by students, with the assistance of their host parent(s), when they are registering for school and/or meeting with school officials for the first time.

Below are handouts:

Please record your orientation event in Global Link following these instructions. Thank you!