Come volunteer with AFS in the land down under! There is a variety of environmental and conservation projects available where you can both enjoy and help preserve the beautiful Australian bush.
Your ArrivalAll AFS programs to Australia depart from Los Angeles. You and your fellow AFSers will travel together and will arrive at one of the multiple Arrival Ports: Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide or Perth.
Your arrival orientation lasts one day and is intended to prepare you for your first weeks in a new country. This will be an international orientation and your opportunity to meet participants from around the world. In addition to covering the rules and safety tips, there will be an emphasis on approaching your experience from an intercultural learning perspective.
After your orientation, you will travel to your host community by plane, train, or bus, depending on the distance from your arrival port.
Host Family Placement
As with all AFS programs, you will be placed with a volunteer host family who will provide lodging, meals, and support to you during your stay.
Participants may be placed throughout Australia. You may be placed in a city, a town or in the country, including Tasmania, the Island State. But most are hosted in rural or remote areas, not cities. Placement of vegetarians is often difficult, especially in rural areas.
At the end of your time abroad there will be an evaluation camp in the days prior to departure. This is your chance to reflect on your experience and to share with other AFSers. You will also prepare for the cultural readjustment that is a part of returning home.