AFS Gönüllüleri Derneği

What AFS Gönüllüleri Derneği does

AFS Gönüllüleri Derneği (AFS Volunteers Association) is a Turkish non-profit association (dernek) founded in 1999 and headquartered in Şişli, İstanbul, that coordinates the volunteer infrastructure for AFS Intercultural Programs in Turkey. It operates as the volunteer arm alongside Türk Kültür Vakfı (Turkish Culture Foundation), the licensed AFS operator in Turkey since 1974, and supports both outbound Turkish students and inbound international students through the global AFS network spanning 50+ countries. The association serves high school students seeking intercultural exchange, disadvantaged youth via scholarship programs, educators seeking intercultural communication training, and volunteer host families, with branch offices in İstanbul, Ankara, and İzmir.

Core offerings include the AFS Çalışmaları (AFS Work) coordination of student exchange, the KArE Platformu for peace-building and intercultural interaction, a three-level volunteer training system (Eğitimler) covering intercultural learning, teamwork, and change-making, and a Burslar (Scholarships) program comprising the Onur Yaser Can Scholarship (1 student annually to Belgium), the EVA Turkey Scholarship (1 female student annually), and the Diversity Scholarship (3 students annually from East/Southeast Anatolia). Domestic programs include Türkiye Kardeşleri (12 cities, 160 students, 36 educators in 2018), Hakkari Gel Gari, and the historical Fest-i Kült intercultural film festival (2005–2008). Recent EU-funded projects (SİNEZEMİN, Gençler İçin Yerel Diyalog, READ) extend work into cultural-content production and municipal partnerships.

The technology stack is minimal and operational: Fonzip donation platform with iyzico payment infrastructure for online donations, Google Drive/Forms for project management, and Zoom for virtual workshops. The revenue model combines donations (Fonzip/iyzico credit card plus Garanti Bank wire/EFT in TL/EUR/USD), membership fees (10 TL entry, 30 TL annual as of 2019), and project grants from EU programs (Erasmus+, Go For Youth), Goethe Institut, and various foundations. The association has approximately 6 stated employees supported by a volunteer base, with formal strategic partnerships including the Turkish Ministry of National Education since 2015 for the Türkiye Kardeşleri program.

Name

AFS Gönüllüleri Derneği

Legal name

AFS Gönüllüleri Derneği

Website

https://afsgonulluleri.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

AFS Gönüllüleri Derneği is a Turkish non-profit association coordinating volunteer infrastructure for AFS Intercultural Programs in Turkey. It facilitates student exchanges across 50+ countries, scholarship programs for disadvantaged youth, and intercultural training through branches in Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Intercultural Youth Exchange and Non-Formal Education

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTHAKAGAE

Language Immersion & Cultural Exchange Programs

Travel & Hospitality/Travel Agencies, Tour Operators & OTAs/Group Travel & Educational Travel Operators

SECONDARYEDAIAGAM

In-Country Placement, Homestay & On-Ground Coordination Services

Education/International Education & Study Abroad/International Service Learning, Volunteering & Gap Year Programs

Keywords

• Student exchange programs
• Intercultural learning
• Youth scholarships
• Non-formal education
• Volunteer association

Headquarters

HQ city

Istanbul

HQ country

Türkiye

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: The organization raises funds through credit card donations via Fonzip platform (powered by iyzico), and bank transfers (Wire/EFT) to Garanti Bank accounts in TL, EUR, and USD. Donations support scholarship programs for disadvantaged students.
2. Membership Fees: Association members pay membership fees. As of 2019, the entry fee was 10 TL and annual membership fee was 30 TL.
3. Project Grants: The organization receives funding from European Union programs (Erasmus+, Go For Youth), Goethe Institut, and various foundations for specific youth and intercultural projects.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

AFS Gönüllüleri Derneği coordinates the volunteer infrastructure for AFS Intercultural Programs in Turkey, organizing student exchange programs (inbound and outbound across 50+ countries), domestic cultural exchange programs (Türkiye Kardeşleri and Hakkari Gel Gari), non-formal intercultural training programs for volunteers and educators, and scholarship programs for disadvantaged youth. The association is a volunteer-led non-profit that recruits participants through school outreach, hosts orientation camps, and partners with the Turkish Ministry of National Education and Türk Kültür Vakfı.

Product overview

AFS Gönüllüleri Derneği operates as a platform of interconnected programs focused on intercultural exchange and active citizenship. The core offerings include AFS Çalışmaları (coordinating international student exchange), KArE Platformu (peace and intercultural initiatives), Eğitimler (non-formal training with 3-level volunteer training system and capacity building workshops), Burslar (scholarship programs for disadvantaged youth including Onur Yaser Can, EVA Turkey, and Diversity scholarships), and Türkiye Kardeşleri (domestic exchange). Additional programs include Hakkari Gel Gari, SİNEZEMİN short film project, Gençler İçin Yerel Diyalog Projesi, and historical programs like Fest-i Kült film festival. The organization coordinates sending/receiving of exchange students, provides orientation camps, and conducts scholarship programs to increase accessibility to intercultural learning opportunities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• KArE Platformu: A platform bringing together all who are willing to work for peace and see intercultural interaction as the means to achieve this.
• Gönüllü Postası
• Türkiye Kardeşleri
• Hakkari Gel Gari
• Fest-i Kült

Products and services

• KArE Platformu (KArE Initiative) Intercultural peace-building platform bringing together individuals who view intercultural interaction as a means to achieve peace; serves as an umbrella for sub-programs including Hakkari Gel Gari, Türkiye Kardeşleri, Komşu Komşu, and Bir Arada.
• AFS Çalışmaları (AFS Work) Coordinates the volunteer infrastructure for AFS Intercultural Programs in Turkey, including sending and hosting activities, orientation camps, and candidate evaluations for exchange programs available in 50+ countries.
• Eğitimler (Trainings) Non-formal training programs helping individuals of all ages gain competencies on intercultural communication and global active citizenship; includes three-level volunteer training system and capacity building workshops on specific topics such as Feedback & Evaluation, Teamwork, Civil Society, and Fund Raising.
• Burslar (Scholarships) Scholarship programs enabling disadvantaged Turkish youth to participate in AFS Intercultural Programs and become empowered as active citizens; includes the Onur Yaser Can Scholarship (Belgium), EVA Turkey Scholarship, and Diversity Scholarship.
• Türkiye Kardeşleri Domestic student exchange program bringing together high school students from different cities across Turkey for a week-long cultural exchange experience with volunteer host families; operated since 2015 with Ministry of National Education permission.
• Hakkari Gel Gari Domestic exchange program hosting students from Hakkari province with volunteer families in Istanbul to promote intercultural interaction and global active citizenship awareness.
• Fest-i Kült Intercultural film festival organized by the AFSGD Ankara Branch (2005-2008), featuring films from multiple countries with Turkish/English subtitles, film workshops, and director meetings at Büyülü Fener Sineması in Ankara.
• SİNEZEMİN – Gençler İçin Kültürlerarası Kısa Film Projesi Intercultural short film project for youth aged 18-29 using cinema as a facilitation tool; delivered under the ELELE Capacity Building Programme in partnership with KATADROM, Bir Kadın Bir Hayat, Eksi 25, and Eşittir associations.
• Gençler İçin Yerel Diyalog Projesi Project creating cooperation between local governments and youth NGOs to increase youth awareness about participation in decision-making mechanisms; implemented in partnership with Şişli, Kadıköy, and Tepebaşı Municipalities.
• Kısa Film Atölyesi (READ Projesi) Short film workshop on cultural differences and similarities; part of the READ Network project funded by the European Union, implemented with Kalem Kültür Derneği and Qendra Tirana Art (Albania).
• Gönüllü Postası Newsletter platform providing updates and announcements about association activities to members and supporters.

Quantifiable outcome

• 160 students from 12 cities experienced domestic intercultural exchange in 2018 Türkiye Kardeşleri program
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• KATADROM Kültür, Sanat ve Sosyal Politikalar DerneğiminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Co-implementing SİNEZEMİN intercultural short film project for youth (18-29) with partners Bir Kadın Bir Hayat Derneği (Hakkari), Eksi 25 Derneği (Eskişehir), and Eşittir Derneği (İzmir). Funded under ELELE capacity building program.
• Şişli Belediyesi, Kadıköy Belediyesi, Tepebaşı BelediyesiminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Municipal partnerships for 'Gençler İçin Yerel Diyalog' (Local Dialogue for Youth) project, bringing together youth NGOs and local government representatives to increase youth participation in decision-making processes.
• Kalem Kültür DerneğiminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Partner in READ (Regional Network for Cultural Diversity) project, co-implementing intercultural short film workshops with Qendra Tirana Art (Albania) for youth from Turkey and Albania.
• Ministry of National Education (Milli Eğitim Bakanlığı)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Türkiye Kardeşleri domestic exchange program operates with official permission from Ministry of National Education since 2015, enabling high school students from different Turkish cities to participate in intercultural exchange programs.
• Fest-i Kült Partner FestivalsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2005International film festival partnerships: Alter Native 16 (Romania), A Night of Horror (Australia), Manhattan Shorts (USA), Kan (Poland), Filmmor (Turkey), Detmold (Germany), and various universities for special screenings.
• Türk Kültür Vakfı (Turkish Culture Foundation)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1974Türk Kültür Vakfı is the licensed AFS operator in Turkey since 1974. Founded by former AFS exchange participants, the foundation runs AFS Intercultural Programs in Turkey. AFSGD provides volunteer infrastructure for sending/hosting activities, coordinates orientation camps, and conducts student evaluations. Joint programs include Türkiye Kardeşleri domestic exchange (since 2015), scholarship programs, and international exchange coordination.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• EF Education First: Large global education company offering language immersion, study abroad, and cultural exchange programs. While operating as a for-profit incumbent at much larger scale, EF overlaps with AFSGD's cultural exchange and language immersion value proposition for youth.
• Rotary Youth Exchange: Long-running global youth exchange program run through Rotary International's network of local clubs. Operates in the same international high school exchange category with volunteer-led hosting, scholarship support, and a multi-country footprint comparable to AFS.

Direct peers

• AIESEC: Global youth-led organization providing intercultural exchange and leadership development programs. Highly comparable to AFSGD as both deliver youth-focused international exchange experiences, volunteer-driven operations, and operate through national entities with global networks.
• Youth For Understanding (YFU): International non-profit specializing in high school student exchange programs with a global network of partner organizations. Directly comparable to AFSGD in mission, target audience (high school students), volunteer-based host family model, and 50+ country footprint.
• Experiment in International Living (EIL): Non-profit intercultural exchange organization offering homestay-based programs for high school and young adult participants. Comparable in volunteer coordination, host family model, and focus on youth intercultural learning experiences.
• CISV International: Global non-profit running intercultural programs for youth aged 11+ across 60+ countries with a strong volunteer-driven national association model. Comparable in member-led delivery, peace education focus, and youth target segments.
• Türk Kültür Vakfı (Turkish Culture Foundation): Licensed AFS operator in Turkey since 1974 and AFSGD's closest partner. Operates in the same exchange space, runs AFS programs in Turkey, and shares the same target market of Turkish high school students seeking intercultural exchange.

Regional players

• Alliance of European Voluntary Service Organizations: European network coordinating voluntary service and youth mobility programs. Comparable to AFSGD's volunteer-driven model, EU funding dependencies (Erasmus+), and emphasis on non-formal intercultural learning for young people.

Emerging players

• Nacel Educational Travel: Educational travel and student exchange organization offering language immersion, high school programs, and homestay placements. Smaller scale but comparable offering mix in international student exchange and host family coordination.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/afsgonulluleri
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/AFSGonulluleri
• Facebookfacebook.com/afsgonulluleri
• Instagraminstagram.com/afsgonulluleri
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/afs-g%C3%B6n%C3%BCll%C3%BCleri-derne%C4%9Fi

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about AFS Gönüllüleri Derneği