Guiding Students & Strengthening Families Nationwide: The AFS Orientation Advisory Group 

Guiding Students & Strengthening Families Nationwide: The AFS Orientation Advisory Group 

Written by: Jennifer Grace, Silver & Gold Area Team, National Council Communications Committee Member

Building Confidence Through Connection

The AFS Orientations Advisory Group (OAG), led by Martha Friend of the Intercultural Learning (ICL) Department and volunteer and new co-chair Kathy Kreiger from the Western NY Area Team, plays a crucial role in ensuring every exchange student and host family receives the guidance, preparation, and encouragement they need. This dedicated group reviews orientation content, supports volunteers, and strengthens the student learning journey from arrival to return—building a consistent, high-quality orientation experience across the country.

Watch a short video about this advisory group here.

Goals for the Year: Improving Consistency Across Every Orientation

In 2025, the Orientation Advisory Group focused on advancing consistency, support, and quality through three major priorities:

  • Strengthen and streamline orientation materials for volunteers, hosted students, study abroad students, and host families—reviewing international materials and adapting them for AFS-USA needs.
  • Expand training and support systems for orientation coordinators by continuing national calls, exploring online training modules, and piloting a mentoring model for new orientation volunteers.
  • Continue the integration of Global Competency Skills and the Student Learning Journey into all orientations and touchpoints for students, families, and volunteers.

2025 Achievements: Building Community & Better Tools

Last year brought important progress that strengthened both orientation content and volunteer collaboration.

  • Launched new hosted student orientation leader guides and materials, making it easier for teams to lead consistent, engaging orientation events across the country.
  • Created a quarterly newsletter and national volunteer calls, fostering a growing community that shares ideas, tips, and best practices. Volunteers repeatedly expressed how valuable it is to “finally feel connected to others doing the same work,” Dona Goede, 2025 co-chair said.

Spotlight: The Icebreakers & Energizers Booklet — A Game-Changer

One of the most celebrated new resources is the Icebreakers & Energizers Booklet, developed directly in response to volunteer feedback.
AFS volunteers consistently said they needed new, interactive ways to keep students energized, talking, and engaged—especially during longer sessions.

The result? A living resource filled with field-tested activities that can turn a quiet room into an enthusiastic, connected group.

As one volunteer put it, “These activities transformed our orientation—students were laughing, participating, and opening up in ways we hadn’t seen before.”

The booklet continues to grow as volunteers share new ideas from the field.

Tackling Challenges: Ensuring Support During Changing Times

The Orientation Advisory Group faces significant challenges—many rooted in broader changes within schools and hosting patterns.

  • Arrival orientations have become harder to organize due to through-ticketing, reduced hosting numbers, and limited co-support funding.
  • Teams often struggle to provide high-quality orientations, they are time consuming for volunteers and the group aims to help ease the burden of these mandated events.
  • Tracking the impact of orientation materials—without overloading volunteers with communication—is an ongoing concern.

The Orientation Advisory Group (OAG) continues to expand support tools, connecting volunteers across teams, and developing more accessible resources to make local orientation events easier and more consistent.  Martha Friend shares, “We encourage the engagement of more volunteers at orientations across a wider spectrum of the team – for example returnees/alumni, support volunteers, new volunteers –  this enriches the event and engages more volunteers with AFS.”

Join the Orientation Advisory Group: Opportunities for Volunteers

With several members nearing the end of their terms, the Orientation Advisory Group is welcoming new volunteers who are passionate about supporting students and families during their most important moments.

Ideal experience includes:

  • Hands-on involvement with orientations—as an attendee, facilitator, or coordinator
  • Experience in education, intercultural learning, or youth programs (a bonus, not a requirement)
  • A willingness to serve a three-year term, participate in monthly meetings, and share thoughtful ideas
  • Commitment to building strong community connections and elevating the AFS orientation experience nationwide
  • Enjoy brainstorming for ideas to help make volunteers’ lives easier and orientations more engaging for students.

If you are inspired by helping students feel confident, helping host families feel prepared, and supporting volunteers across the U.S., the Orientation Advisory Group offers a meaningful way to contribute at the national level.