Announcing a new feature on the afsusa.org/host-family webpage!
Visitors to the hosting webpage will now be able to start an automated chat to learn more about the hosting experience, or troubleshoot a few common issues they may be facing, such as logging in to their application, finding support, or simply contacting the right department based on their question. The new chatbot will be going live very soon, so go check it out! It will appear as a small box in the right-hand corner of your screen when visiting afsusa.org/host-family. Feedback or suggestions for improvements are welcome and can be sent to marketing@afsusa.org.
Meet the Students Changes: A sneak peek!
The new Meet the Students tool on afsusa.org/host-family is intended as a promotional tool for potential host families. It will be replacing this current tool. Staff and volunteers can think of it like a “student bio book”, shared toward the beginning of the year to showcase the diversity and breadth of our students. Volunteers should continue to use the Placements Tool in MyAFS to (1) view available students in your area and (2) support efforts to create a positive host family/participant connection that will result in a positive exchange experience.
It is important to note that these changes are being implemented to improve/increase the number of our hosting leads, which was identified as a priority by staff and volunteers. Both staff and volunteers were consulted when designing this new tool.
The primary changes to Meet the Students are:
- Accessibility right within our hosting webpage: The tool will appear as a search bar at the top of the page, beneath the Become a Host button
- Filter option changes: Category of interest only; not all the student tag options will be included
- No zip code search functionality: All students will appear regardless of designated placement area
- Students will still show even if placed*
*This is being done to (1) showcase AFS-USA’s breadth of hosted participant home countries year-round, a key differentiating factor from other exchange organizations, and (2) create an opportunity to bring prospective host families in so they can better understand the benefits of hosting with AFS-USA. If a family is interested in a student that is already placed, they will be redirected to available students.
We will follow up with another announcement once the new Meet the Student tool goes live! As always, please reach out to us at marketing@afsusa.org with any questions, comments, or suggestions. Thank you!