Participation Fees

When a student decides to participate in an AFS Program, he or she must ensure that he or she is able to pay the participation fee associated with the program. These fees vary depending on the program and the destination chosen. Fundraising activities allow participants to raise money to help pay their participation fees. There are many activities that can be organised, so put your imagination and skills to work!

Before beginning to organize an activity, it’s important to take the time to think through the different tasks that need to be done.

Organizing an activity

Steps to ensure that your fundraising activity is a success:

Form a team: Ask your friends and family members to help you. Give each person a role.
Make a budget: It’s important to know how much your activity will cost.
Create a timetable: You need to plan for your activity – book a space, buy gifts, organize entertainment, order food, communicate with the media (newspapers, television, radio and social media), print tickets and posters and set up an information booth about AFS Interculture Canada.
Book a space: Make sure that you choose a location that will allow as many people as possible to take part.
Find sponsors: You may be able to find sponsors for your activity.
Send out invitations: Once you have completed the steps above, send out invitations to people who you know, to local government, the local newspaper and businesses in your region. Make sure that your invitations are clear.
Communicate with the media: The goal of your event is to generate interest in your project in order to solicit donations as part of your fundraising efforts. The day of the event you should coordinate the activities and thank everyone for taking part.

Fundraising ideas

Grocery bagging: Ask the supermarket in your community if they will let you bag people’s groceries with a little box for donations.
Car wash: Ask your friends to help you. Ask the owner of a gas station or grocery store if you can use a section of their parking lot and their water supply. Your local hardware store may be able to provide soap and sponges, you just need to ask!
Bottle collection: Make sure you get permission from the municipal government.
Garage sale: Talk with your municipal government about the laws around this activity because often a permit is required.
Selling products: Selling products is a popular fundraising activity. Ask your family what products they would buy before ordering anything.
Theme dinners or video screenings.
Endurance games: Marathons, yoga, rock-a-thons in a shopping centre, walk-a-thons, skate-a-thons (ice skating or roller blading)
Other ideas? BBQs, school bake sales (cupcakes, muffins), raking leaves in the autumn or shoveling snow after a storm in the winter, cooking competitions, Christmas gift wrapping at a shopping centre, collecting loonies at a sporting event, karaoke party, sponsorship activities like competitions to see who can eat the most, musical or cultural activities like a concert or a film screening, art or photography exhibits, a hat or denim day at work or school.

All participants have to pay $75 (non-refundable) when they register. Participants agree to pay the participation fees according to the current rates:

Summer departure (between June and September):

1^st payment: 1 October
2^nd payment: 1 February
3^rd payment: 15 March

Winter departure (between January and April):

What’s included in the cost of the program?

International return airfare;
Transfers between the airport and host family;
AFS’s medical insurance plan;
Food and accommodation with your host family;
Orientation camps in your home country and your host country;
24 hours emergency service in Canada and in your host country;
International medical assistance;
A network of volunteers ready to help you throughout the duration of your experience.

The following are not included : passport and visa, required vaccines, glasses and contact lenses, dental check-ups, school uniforms (if needed) and pocket money for personal expenses.