All Host Families are expected to complete the Online Host Family Orientation prior to their student’s departure from their home country.
Please note, teams are expected to offer a local Host Family Orientation. Teams have the option to hold in-person or virtual orientations. However, any in-person orientation must include a virtual option given that some volunteers, participants and host families will be more comfortable attending a virtual orientation.
AFS-USA staff have developed Best Practices for Organizing In-Person Events and Orientations to aid volunteers in their event planning.
Volunteers must continue to follow state, territorial, tribal, and local recommendations and requirements for in-person gatherings.
When planning your Host Family Orientation locally, we ask that you use the current Host Family Orientation PowerPoint, adding any Team-specific information as appropriate. This presentation is based in part on the AFS Host Family Intercultural Learning Journey which complements the AFS Student Intercultural Learning Journey. Host families and participants are active partners in the intercultural learning experience, who are guided by local volunteers throughout the process. For this reason, and to ensure compliance with J-1 visa regulations which determine our orientations, we ask that all Teams use the orientation materials provided by AFS.
2021 Host Family Orientation Materials
As Teams may wish to share some resources directly with Host Families via email, we are providing related handouts, along with the current Host Family Orientation PowerPoint Presentation, below. (Please note, the PowerPoint Presentation is read or view only. If you would like to edit your copy, please download it or save a new copy.) The 2019 Leaders Guide is available for your reference below.
- 2021 Host Family Orientation Presentation
- Participant and Host Family Questionnaire
- Host Family Handbook and Addendum
- The Global Family Tools Platform Intro Video
- Questions for your Guidance Counselor
- AFS Chain of Communication
- Keys to a Successful Year
- Tips for Adjusting
- AFS Orientations for Students
- Cultural Exploration and Expectation Questions Tool
- 2019 Host Family Orientation Leader Guide
Please record your orientation event in Global Link following these instructions. Thank you!