AFS intercultural encounters

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
AFS
Founded 1914 in Paris , France
founder Abram Andrew
legal form Association (Germany)
International website afs.org
Website in Germany afs.de
Website in Austria afs.at
Website in Switzerland afs.ch

AFS International (originally American Field Service , AFS for short ) is one of the world's largest networks of non-profit exchange organizations for young people who spend longer periods (14 days to 12 months) abroad as exchange students or volunteers on social or ecological projects.

exchange

The exchange is currently taking place between around 60 countries on all continents. Most of the work is done on a voluntary basis. The non-governmental organization sees its goals in international understanding , world peace and intercultural learning . By experiencing a different culture , the participants should acquire intercultural competence and learn more about themselves. AFS sees itself as an organization that puts intercultural learning in the foreground and regards language acquisition as a primary access point to a foreign culture.

There are over 40,000 active volunteers worldwide. Your most important tasks are the preparation, supervision and follow-up of the program participants. In addition, each country has a voluntary board of directors and an office with full-time employees who coordinate and support the work of the volunteers.

The umbrella organization AFS International is also led by an international board. The employees of the international coordination office in New York City are available to advise the national organizations.

history

Julien Bryan in front of his Ambulance 464 ambulance in April 1917 near Verdun

AFS was founded in Paris in 1914 as the "American Field Service" by young Americans who carried out voluntary medical transports in both world wars. An exchange program for French and American students began between the two wars. Shortly after the Second World War, a school exchange program was launched, based on the idea that young people are the best mediators between different cultures.

During the first few decades, the exchange programs focused on the United States. Programs between all participating countries have been possible since the 1970s. At the beginning of the 1990s, the US-led organization was comprehensively reformed. Since then, AFS has consisted of a network of independent partner organizations in the participating countries. In addition to the international board of directors, they are connected primarily through joint agreements and quality standards.

The Chinese organization China Education Association for International Exchange (CEAIE) has been offering long-term student exchanges for Chinese students abroad in cooperation with AFS since 1997 . The CEAIE is an umbrella exchange organization founded by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Education. Since 2001, international students can also spend a year in China.

Policy statement

“AFS is an international, independent, non-profit volunteer organization that runs intercultural programs to help people develop the knowledge, skills and understanding necessary to create a more just and peaceful world. AFS helps people in their endeavor, as responsible inhabitants of this earth, to work for peace and a better understanding between the different cultures of this world. AFS believes that peace development is a dynamic process that is threatened by injustice, inequality and intolerance. AFS is committed to human dignity and the value of every human life as well as all peoples and cultures. AFS promotes respect for human rights and fundamental rights without any discrimination of race, gender, sexual identity, language, religion or social position. AFS designs its programs with the awareness of its core values: dignity, respect for differences, harmony, empathy and tolerance. "

- Extract from the policy statement

AFS worldwide

There are official AFS partner organizations in the following countries (or regions such as Wallonia and Flanders):

Egypt , Argentina , Australia , Belgium-Flanders , Belgium-Wallonia , Bolivia , Bosnia-Herzegovina , Brazil , Chile , People's Republic of China , Costa Rica , Denmark , Germany , Dominican Republic , Ecuador , Faroe Islands , Finland , France , Ghana , Greece , Great Britain , Guatemala , Honduras , Hong Kong , India , Indonesia , Iceland , Italy , Japan , Canada , Kenya , Colombia , Croatia , Latvia , Malta , Malaysia , Mexico , New Zealand , Netherlands , Norway , Austria , Panama , Paraguay , Peru , Poland , Portugal , Philippines , Russia , Sweden , Switzerland , Serbia , Slovakia , Slovenia , Spain , South Africa , South Korea , Thailand , Czech Republic , Turkey , Tunisia , Hungary , USA , Venezuela , Vietnam

However, if necessary, AFS also works with various other organizations in other countries. B. the German AFS has around 150-200 partner organizations abroad.

However, the official name of the organization can differ considerably in many countries due to the legal framework of associations and trademarks. Intercultura in Italy doesn't even have AFS in its name.

Germany

AFS intercultural encounters e. V. is a non-profit association and sponsor of free youth welfare. In 2008 the German AFS organization celebrated its 60th anniversary, and Federal Youth Minister Ursula von der Leyen was the patron of the anniversary year.

The association is a signatory of the Transparent Civil Society Initiative .

Club structure

The association is represented nationwide in more than 100 local committees in which around 3,000 volunteer employees are active for AFS. You look after guest students and their host families on site and carry out the selection, preparation and follow-up for the exchange students. In addition, many are also involved on a supraregional level (further training, moderation, project work, etc.).

The association is managed by the full-time board member Marcel Krause. The voluntary supervisory board consists of the chairman Andrea Arnemann, the deputy chairmen Sabine Bergmann and Paul Steiner and the treasurer Roman Wüllner.

The office is located in Hamburg, further regional offices in Stuttgart (south), Berlin (east), Cologne (center / west) and in the existing office in Hamburg (north). The association has around 100 full-time employees.

numbers

Over 2,300 teenagers, young adults and families from Germany took part in an AFS program in the 2017/18 program year.

Student exchange

With AFS in Germany, young people between the ages of 15 and 18 can spend a school year or half-year in another country. Shorter school visits lasting from six weeks to three months are also possible with AFS. The students live with a host family and go to school on site. For some shorter programs, a return visit from an exchange partner is also part of the program.

Voluntary service

Since 1981 the association has also offered places in voluntary service programs, including a. in the weltwärts program (since 2008), in the International Youth Voluntary Service (IJFD) and in the in-house Community Service Program (CSP). 610 young adults took part in the voluntary service programs in the AFS program year (corresponds to the German school year) 2015/16.

Global Prep Vacation Programs

Under the name Global Prep, AFS offers two- to four-week holiday offers at home and abroad for young people aged 13 to 18. The offers usually have a thematic focus and also offer intercultural learning opportunities. In 2018, for example, there are Global Prep vacation programs in Egypt, Argentina, China, Costa Rica, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Great Britain, Canada, Spain and in the USA (Maryland, Florida, San Diego or Oregon).

Scholarships

Financially needy families receive partial scholarships. More than 30 percent of the annual AFS program participants receive scholarships from various sponsors: companies, foundations, public bodies and the AFS scholarship fund. There are special scholarship programs for participants with a migration background, depending on where they live, and for employees' children.

Since 2008 there has been a special scholarship from the Kreuzberger Kinderstiftung for young people attending secondary school or a comparable type of school. Further scholarships are tied to the exchange country. In addition, AFS Germany offers the parliamentary sponsorship program in some constituencies .

Austria

structure

Arrival Camp 2007 in Linz

AFS exchange programs for intercultural learning (AFS Austria for short) has around 3,000 members and around 800 volunteers. They are supported by the full-time employees of the Vienna office.

The office in Vienna is headed by General Secretary Ingeborg Suppin-Fabisch. Doris Strauss is the honorary chairwoman of the organization. AFS Austria is divided into nine national committees. These correspond to the borders of the federal states . The national committees are organized as independent associations and jointly support AFS Austria.

history

The first AFS exchange students from Austria left for the USA in 1949. Around 300 young people from Austria now take part in the AFS exchange programs every year. The length of stay is between three and twelve months.

Today around 140 young people from all over the world come to Austria with AFS every year. The exchange students and their host families are provided with a volunteer supervisor during the duration of the program, who serves as a contact person to help with ambiguities, difficulties and problems. In addition, various support events take place.

Switzerland

structure

AFS Intercultural Programs is organized as an association with corresponding statutes and entry in the commercial register. The highest body is the general assembly, at which all paying members of the association (currently more than 1,500) of the respective financial year are entitled to vote. The association is managed by a 9-member board. The daily tasks related to cultural exchange are handled by the office in Zurich with 17 employees.

history

In 1953 AFS Switzerland became part of the network and the first young Swiss people were able to gain experience in cultural exchange. In 2003, AFS Switzerland celebrated its 50th anniversary with a charity gala for young people whose financial situation would not have allowed an exchange.

Today around 350 young people from Switzerland take part in an AFS cultural exchange program for three to eleven months every year. Around 250 young people are in exchange in Switzerland.

EFIL

At the European level, EFIL (European Federation for Intercultural Learning) works as the umbrella organization of many AFS partner countries in and around Europe. The EFIL network currently includes 22 AFS partner countries: Egypt , Belgium (Flemish and French organizations), Denmark , Germany , Finland , France , Iceland , Italy , Latvia , the Netherlands , Norway , Austria , Portugal , Russia , Sweden , Switzerland , Slovakia , Spain , Turkey , Tunisia and Hungary .

EFIL does not operate an active student exchange between countries, but supports member organizations in the field of intercultural learning. The main activities include networking and lobbying , training and seminars for volunteers and full-time employees, setting up new partner countries in Europe and coordinating Europe-wide projects.

The office is based in Brussels and is led by General Secretary Paul Claes. The chairman of the honorary board is Roberto Ruffino, co-founder and former general secretary of AFS Italy.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Our History at the AFS foundation ( Memento from September 11, 2014 in the Internet Archive ), tabular history of the AFS.
  2. ↑ AFS student exchange with China ( Memento from December 16, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) (as of March 9, 2005; PDF; 1.1 MB).
  3. ↑ Policy statement on afs.de, accessed on October 7, 2014.
  4. ↑ Intercultura https://www.intercultura.it/
  5. ↑ www.transparency.de ( Memento from September 5, 2017 in the Internet Archive ), accessed on February 27, 2014
  6. ↑ Imprint on afs.de
  7. ↑ Activity report for the 2017 delegates' assembly. Https://www.afs.de/initiative-transparente-zivilgesellschaft.html?file=files/_media/content/5_afs/PDF/ueber-afs/transparenz-qualitaet/bericht_2017_afs.pdf