The 2022 National Hosting Kick-Off, led by the Hosting Advisory Group and Field Staff and Leadership, was held on January 19, 2022 from 8:30-9:30pm Eastern.
Thank you for attending to all who attended - over 80 volunteers and staff helped us kick-off the 2022 hosting placement cycle!
As a follow-up to the Kick-Off, please find the following resources to support Area Team’s planning for the 2022 hosting placement season:
- Recording of the 2022 National Hosting Kick-Off
- Powerpoint slides from the 2022 National Hosting Kick-Off
- Links/Downloads to resources to support Area Team planning for successful 2022 hosting placement season
- Inspirational AFS Video
- Answers to questions posed in the chat by attendees
When will YES and FLEX participant applications/participant bios be available?
YES/FLEX apps will begin to be available in late January on a rolling basis through the spring.
When will CBYX applicants become available online?
According to the AFS-GER selection timeline, CBYX applications are typically transferred to AFS-USA around March 1. Therefore, CBYX applications should be expected to start being distributed during the month of March as they are reviewed and all application components are confirmed to have been completed.
How many SP students this year? Breakdown of numbers of YES, FLEX and CB students expected this year?
YES NH22 (full academic year students): 219
YES SH23 (semester MAS students): 14
CBYX NH22: 57
FLEX NH22: 50
Any changes in SP countries?
No changes are expected.
Will SP apps come out on Monday and Friday also?
Yes.
Will staff or AFS volunteers be writing SP bios?
Volunteer Bio Writers will have the opportunity to write bios for these participants.
What is the connection about “Highlight Students” - why are they highlighted? How can we promote them?
The MyAFS Student Highlight feature brings the highlighted students to the top of the available students page in MyAFS and puts a colored box around their bio. These are typically students who have been identified, for one reason or another, as a priority or as a student who hasn't had many leads. AFS-USA applies a Student Highlight to encourage more active sharing of their bios. These participants can be promoted as you would any other student.
Please talk more about the HOU for repeat host families.
The Hosting Onboarding Unit (HOU) primarily works with new inquiries. In addition, for families who haven’t hosted for a longer period of time (over 5 years), the HOU will check in on their interest in hosting, and forward the inquiry accordingly.
I see in many leads’ contact logs that you contact them at least once a month, and sometimes more. I think this is overkill, especially if I have been in contact with them and they have said they can't host this year and I have rolled over their lead.
Leads are contacted monthly on the national level about information sessions and may also receive emails about new hosting blogs, articles, etc. Please reach out to your Field Specialist with specific concerns so they can be addressed (perhaps by assigning a subscriber alert or notifying marketing).
Could SP kids help write bios? They are having trouble finding opportunities [engaging with AFS].
Yes, SP returnees who are registered AFS-USA volunteers can write bios. If you are aware of anyone who is interested in learning to write bios, please share the invite for the Bio Writing Training to be conducted by Julie Ball and Amy Kiana Rendon-Patel on February 2, 2022 at 8pm Eastern. Interested bio writers can register for the training here.
Have any ads been purchased in social media...Facebook, etc.?
Yes, ads are purchased on social media, google, YouTube, and other platforms each year on the national level using multiple targeting methods. We also use consultants to assist with ad placement. Local area teams can post ads targeted to their local areas as well and can utilize designs provided by marketing@afsusa.org.
Did host families receive the invite directly to their emails [for planned Host Family Meetings]?
Yes
Are these host family virtual gatherings regional?
Host family gatherings are held nationally.
Will volunteers know if the families in their areas are attending the Host Family Info Sessions?
This depends on where the attendee is in the hosting process. If they are working with a volunteer, then yes, they will be notified that a family attended an info session. If they are new to the process, they will be contacted and vetted through staff. Sometimes families sign up on the website, without creating a service case in Global Link, which means we do not always know where the family is from regionally.
Were volunteers informed about the current host family virtual gatherings?
Yes, information was sent out in the Volunteer Newsletter that goes out each Friday. The information was also posted on Workplace.
I thought Belgium (Study Abroad) was full too?
Yes, correct, the program to Belgium (YPscNH22-BFR) is now closed.