Get Involved with AYA
Bring the World to Your Community
Calling all changemakers! Interested in a rewarding and impactful part-time role?
Give your community the world while making a difference in the lives of host families and exchange students. Join the AYA team as a Local Coordinator or a Host Family Recruiter to help foster global understanding and make life-changing intercultural experiences possible—right in your own backyard.
Local Coordinators: Champions for High School Exchange
Are you passionate about cultural exchange? Do you enjoy building relationships in your community?
AYA Local Coordinators (LCs) make a real difference. They find caring host families provide guidance throughout the exchange year, and foster meaningful relationships between students, schools, and communities.
As an LC, you’ll become a mentor, advocate, and community connector, helping exchange students feel at home while ensuring host families and schools have the support they need for a successful exchange year.
In this part-time, flexible role, you’ll receive compensation for every exchange student and host family you place and supervise. You’ll also enjoy ongoing professional support from AYA, along with amazing perks — including opportunities to travel on AYA’s annual international incentive trip and to connect and grow within our vibrant, inclusive national network.
At a Glance: Key LC Responsibilities
Local Coordinators are a pivotal part of the AYA community! Responsibilities include:
Enjoy Unique Perks
As an LC, you can learn about new cultures and make a meaningful impact on exchange students’ and host families’ lives, all while you enjoy these exciting benefits:
Grow Professionally and Travel Globally
Each year, AYA hosts its annual National Meeting for Local Coordinators at a premier international destination. The event combines professional development with unforgettable travel, featuring cultural exploration, tours, professional development workshops, and networking with colleagues, AYA staff, and international partners.
Join the AYA Local Coordinator team for the chance to take part in this educational and fun trip!
AYA National Meeting 2026 – Athens, Greece
November 12 – 16, 2026
Wyndham Grand Athens
2 Megalou Alexandrou, Athens, Greece 10437
You Support Students. We Support You.
Just as Local Coordinators provide trusted support to exchange students, host families, and school faculty, our dedicated national team in Stamford, CT, is here to support our LCs whenever they need it.
You’ll have everything you need to succeed as an LC — from expert guidance to on-demand tools and resources, including:
Become a Local Coordinator
Excited to impact your community through intercultural adventures? Submit your application to join the AYA Local Coordinator team today!
Host Family Recruiters: Share the Joy of Exchange
Love people and connection? Turn your social skills into something meaningful.
As an AYA Host Family Recruiter, you’ll spread the word about hosting an exchange student through community networking, social media, and everyday conversations. When a referred host family is approved and matched with a student, you’ll earn compensation for your referral — and help bring the world a little closer together, too!
Host Family Recruiter Responsibilities
Perks of Being an AYA Host Family Recruiter
How We Support You
Our Host Family Recruiters are backed by the AYA
the AYA national team and a network of Local Coordinators who are always ready to help. From your first outreach to your first successful referral, you’ll have expert guidance and practical tools every step of the way.
- Guidance and training: Tips, strategies, and best practices to help you connect with potential host families and share the AYA mission.
- Marketing tools and resources: Professionally designed materials and online content to make spreading the word easy and effective.
- Ongoing support: Quick answers, encouragement, and advice whenever you need it from the AYA team and Local Coordinator network.
Start Spreading the Word
Help bring the joy of high school exchange to families in your community—become an AYA Host Family Recruiter.