Community service, also known as volunteering, is a vital part of American society and culture. Whether done on their own initiative or through the high school, host family, a community organization or with the cluster enrichment activity, volunteering is an important way to learn about the host community and increase mutual understanding, and helps students develop leadership and organizational skills to bring back to their home community.
AFS has a long-standing tradition of volunteerism and firmly believes in the value and benefits of community service in shaping students’ experiences in the U.S. As a result, some of the enhancement activities will also be community service opportunities. Students may also find community service opportunities through their high school.
| Program | Number of Required Volunteering Hours |
| YES | 25 hours |
| FLEX | 25 hours |
| CBYX | 25 hours |
| YES/FLEX Semester | 15 hours |
Students can track their hours using the Community Service Hours Tracking Sheet. Liaisons and cluster coordinators can guide students in choosing and recording their volunteer hours. Travel time to and from the location is not counted toward the total volunteer hours. Toward the end of the program, the YES, FLEX or CBYX Specialists will collect each student’s tracking sheet in the spring.
To qualify as community service toward the certificate, an activity must be unpaid and provide a benefit to the community beyond the student and their host family. Some examples of qualifying activities are:
- Stocking and distributing food at a food bank
- Mentoring or tutoring a child
- Volunteering with/fundraising for any nonprofit organization or charitable cause
- Participating in a community service project through a school club (Honor Society, Key Club, etc.)
- Assisting a teacher before or after school
- Shoveling snow for a neighbor in need
- Volunteering with a parent/teacher organization in the school or school district
- Selling tickets, working concession stands, or ushering at sporting events, concerts or theater productions (if not required for a class)
- Time in service club meetings spent planning or organizing volunteer activities (but not for other club activities)
Examples of activities that do not qualify as community service include doing chores for the host family; participating in non-volunteer cluster activities such as visits to local government offices or informal social gatherings; making required IEW presentations at school; attending classes, workshops, or events; raising funds for the student’s personal benefit (e.g., for a trip, field trips, dances); or participation in clubs, student council, sports teams, including as team manager, and school plays, because these are not volunteer activities but typical extracurricular activities in American school systems.
Here are some virtual volunteer opportunities that may interest students!
- Librivox: Record audiobooks in many languages https://librivox.org/
- LearningAlly: Typing out images and illustrations in books https://learningally.org/Get-Involved/Volunteer-Opportunities
- Translators Without Borders: Translate texts into different languages for NGOs and nonprofits https://translatorswithoutborders.org/
- There are many more virtual opportunity ideas here: https://www.pointsoflight.org/virtual-volunteering-opportunities/
The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) also offers a certificate of appreciation for the completion of 100 or more hours of community service. Many students try to make it their goal to receive this additional certificate at the end of their program.