International Households, International Influence: The Expertise of Host Households in Worldwide Youth Alternate, surveyed over 3,000 former AFS host households throughout 76 nations.
Based on the report, 60% of respondents stated that they seen an “elevated curiosity about completely different languages and cultures” in host siblings – in addition to nearly half saying their social emotional expertise had additionally been enhanced by the expertise.
“It opened the minds of our kids to the massive variety of individuals on the planet, of how folks might be so completely different and from different cultures, however on the identical time so shut and comparable.
“We created bonds for all times. That’s indescribable!” stated Susana Liepa, a bunch guardian responding to the survey from Latvia.
A number of host households additionally stated after the expertise they’d seen private development attributes resembling open-mindedness, empathy and “valuing variations”.
Daniel Obst, the CEO of AFS – which gained the PIEoneer of the Yr award in 2023 – stated that the world wants extra “intercultural understanding and empathy” in response to the report’s findings.
“By collaborating in worldwide youth alternate experiences, host households can have extra impactful experiences and be higher geared up to contribute to a extra simply, equitable, and sustainable world,” he continued.
One nameless respondent whose household hosted a scholar in Colombia stated it was an “expertise that makes the household develop in tolerance, persistence and understanding” – but it surely took effort.
“[It] helps create lasting bonds. Nonetheless, for this to occur, the household should be conscious that it’s a tough problem and should put together for it, and perceive that the host scholar is just not a visitor or vacationer however slightly one other ‘son’ – a member of the household,” they stated.
[It] helps create lasting bonds. Nonetheless, for this to occur, the household should be conscious that it’s a tough problem
Nameless AFS host guardian, Colombia
“In case you dwell like this and in case you get the younger individual to hitch this neighborhood effort, the expertise is greater than enriching and fruitful – that’s how now we have lived it,” they added.
Some 62% of the host households that responded to the survey are nonetheless related to AFS, and stated there was nonetheless a “greater influence than in households who’ve misplaced contact”.
The research stated that whereas there are challenges of internet hosting, because the respondent from Colombia detailed, the advantages “far outweigh the difficulties”.
AFS is, in response to the report, “enhancing its coaching and assist instruments… to higher put together native volunteers and workers to ship” the packages.
“Worldwide training is the very best funding we will make, and we encourage governments, educators and others to assist be certain that intercultural exchanges and world citizenship packages are accessible to all,” added Obst.
