Volunteer

American Councils seeks U.S.-based volunteers to evaluate applications from high school students interested in participating in youth exchange programs.

Volunteer evaluators support youth exchange programs, which prepare the next generation of leaders and establish long-lasting ties between the U.S. and other countries. To volunteer, you must participate in a training workshop. Subsequently, hours are flexible. Submit an application of interest to get started.

About the programs:

FLEX Global is a highly competitive, merit-based exchange program funded and administered by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA). It allows high school aged students from select countries to spend an academic year in the United States living with a host family and attending U.S. high school. FLEX Global builds on the legacies of the Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) program, which has operated for over 30 years, and the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) program, which has operated for almost 25 years. FLEX Global aims to develop a network of young leaders who understand and support U.S. culture and priorities, with a focus on entrepreneurship, technology and SI, and leadership.

The U.S. Department of State’s National Security Language Initiative (NSLI-Y) provides scholarship programs to American teenagers to study a language that is critical to U.S. national security and economic competitiveness. NSLI-Y encourages young Americans with an interest in language learning to apply for this scholarship. This program is a part of a U.S. government effort that prepares American citizens to better engage with the world through language.

Our next group of volunteers will serve between October 2026 and March 2027.

Please email volunteer@americancouncils.org for more information.