Safety and Security FAQs

The safety and well-being of our participants is our primary operating principle and our foremost concern, and we take great pride in our reputation for approaching every exchange with caution and responsibility. We reevaluate our safety protocols year over year and are working to adjust and improve them continuously.

Our exchanges are held to the strict safety standards set by our Chief Operating Officer, who brings more than 30 years of operational experience to the organization. Every Exchange Manager goes through a number of mandatory trainings around safety, risk management, abuse and harassment prevention, and crisis response. Each exchange itinerary is reviewed for potential risk and ultimately approved by a member of the Operations Department. Throughout the exchange, the Operations Department communicates with Exchange Managers around relevant weather alerts, national news updates, and airline updates.

As we state in our organizational values, we are obsessive about the details of our work and dedicated to its constant improvement—safety first, and adventure right behind it. We care deeply about making sure that each exchange participant has a positive experience, and all of our safety protocols are in service of supporting that goal.

Our Operations Department monitors the national news daily and communicates with any impacted Exchange Managers in order to keep the safety of the students, staff, and families on exchange top of mind.

Itineraries are also reviewed daily by the Operations Department to see if the day’s activities may need to be modified due to unforeseen circumstances, from changes in the weather to unexpected local protests.

Yes. Exchange Managers are expected to accompany their hometown and traveling students at all times. If there is an instance in which the Exchange Manager must step aside, the Hometown Week Helper will step in to assist. Anyone 19 years of age and older who is involved in facilitating our exchanges must complete both state and federal background checks before participating in American Exchange Project.

They will need a REAL ID or a U.S. passport.

All traveling students are required to have a REAL ID or U.S. passport to participate in American Exchange Project. If you don’t have a REAL ID or U.S. passport, you must get one or the other before traveling. Your student’s Exchange Manager will work with you and us to make sure your student has the documentation they need ahead of their exchange.

We completely understand being nervous, but we work very hard so that your student will have the easiest travel experience possible. To that end, we will always be available to help along the way. (We give students several phone numbers if they need to reach someone on our National Staff while traveling.)

By the time your student steps on that plane, they will have met their travel Exchange Manager and their host family, so they’ll see friendly faces right when they arrive. Before you know it, those nerves will turn to excitement as they get ready for the adventure of a lifetime.