Youth for Understanding is an international youth exchange organization that promotes intercultural exchange programs between South Africa, Namibia and the world. YFU South Africa is a registered non-profit, volunteer-driven organization and has been in existence since 1995. In 2023 YFU expanded its programmes to Namibia.
We form part of a world-wide family of YFU national organizations with offices in more than 50 countries. Although each national organization is registered independently, all YFU partners are bound and committed to specific international agreements and standards related to their exchange programmes.
For more information about YFU South Africa, visit our Facebook and Instagram pages, or contact us via email or WhatsApp. If you are looking for updates on our activities in Namibia, check out our YFU Namibia Facebook and Instagram accounts!
YFU Mission Statement
YFU advances intercultural understanding, life-long learning, global competencies, mutual respect, and social responsibility through transformational educational exchanges for generations of youth, families, and communities, supported by dedicated volunteers and professional staff.
Our History
The first Youth for Understanding national organization was founded in the USA in 1951. The initial purpose of YFU was to bring young post-second world war Germans to the USA to experience democracy by living with American host families and attend high school for one year. The idea spread from there, and today YFU is one of the largest and most respected international exchange organizations.
In South Africa, the organization opened its doors in Cape Town in 1994, and we received our first exchange students from Germany in 1995. Since then, YFU South Africa has received and sent hundreds of high school students on our short-term, semester or 1-year exchange programmes.
We expanded our activities into neighbouring Namibia in 2023 and conducted our first cultural exchange to Namibia in February 2024. Our first Namibian exchange student participated in the trimester programme to Germany in August 2024.
Quick Facts about YFU South Africa
- We offer short term and long term high school exchange/ study abroad programmes
- Our programmes are open to 15-18 year old high school learners
- Programmes for participants aged 18+ are available as well
- Our programs are based on sound educational principles
- We adhere to the YFU Global Standards and Quality Criteria
- We select students and host families irrespective of racial, cultural, gender or language background
- We believe strongly in post-exchange programme involvement and development of our former exchange students (returnees)
- Our host families are volunteers and are not compensated for hosting a student
- We aim to establish and maintain professional relationships with our partner schools, the backbone of our organization
- YFU South Africa is governed and supervised by an independent Board of Directors, all of whom are volunteers for YFU
- We are a registered non-profit organization under the South African Companies’ Act and are audited on an annual basis
- We are active in various regions and provinces, including in neighbouring Namibia, with our national head-office situated in Cape Town
