Story time

YES 2026

YES 2026

From 22nd to 26th June, we exchange students took part in the biggest YFU seminar of the year, the YES (The Youth Empowerment Seminar)! It was the last seminar before we all returned home. It gave us the opportunity to share our experiences in our host countries with 297 other exchange students and 111 volunteers from 46 different countries.

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A Weekend in Krakow: History, New Friendships, and Unforgettable Memories

A Weekend in Krakow: History, New Friendships, and Unforgettable Memories

Hanna, a student from Japan who spent 10 months on an exchange program in the Czech Republic. In her text, she shares her experience from a YFU weekend trip to Krakow, including a visit to the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum, meeting exchange students from across Europe, and personal moments full of emotions and new friendships.

 
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Hosting Families Sharing Meeting in Ostrava

Hosting Families Sharing Meeting in Ostrava

On Saturday, 6 June 2026, a pleasant sharing and reflective meeting for former, current, and future host families took place in Ostrava. We gathered in the garden of our colleague, volunteer, and experienced host mum Katka Rubišarová, who kindly hosted the event.

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YFU Host Families and Students Meet in Tábor

YFU Host Families and Students Meet in Tábor

At the end of the school year, YFU host families and international students in the Czech Republic met in Tábor to look back on the past few months, share their experiences and enjoy a day full of discovery, friendship and inspiring encounters.

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Homesharing: Gain a Family on the Other Side of the World

Homesharing: Gain a Family on the Other Side of the World

Make the World Your Home

Homesharing with Youth For Understanding (YFU) is not about renting out a room or providing short-term accommodation for an international student. It is about sharing your life, your home, and your everyday routines.

By opening your home, you do not gain a “guest” — you welcome a new family member. At the same time, your own world expands far beyond the borders of your country.

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20 Years of YFU Czech Republic: Stories That Change Lives

20 Years of YFU Czech Republic: Stories That Change Lives

On May 2, YFU Czech Republic celebrated a major milestone: 20 years since the story of our organization began in the Czech Republic. Two decades filled with stories, courage, friendship, discovery and experiences that have often changed lives in ways no one could have imagined at the beginning.

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A Day of Discovery and Sharing in Kutná Hora

A Day of Discovery and Sharing in Kutná Hora

Last Sunday, we came together in Kutná Hora for a day of exploration and sharing. We met in Sedlec, where eighteen participants gathered in a wonderfully diverse group. International students, their host families, siblings, grandparents and even four-legged friends all joined us. Ages ranged from our youngest five-year-old participant to a host grandmother. It was wonderful to see everyone enjoying the day together.

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Meeting of Host Families in Brno

Meeting of Host Families in Brno

At the end of March, host families took part in a joint meeting in Brno. They were treated not only to a tour of the unique water reservoirs at Žlutý kopec, but also to a pleasant walk through the city and the opportunity to share their experiences of hosting in a friendly atmosphere.
 
 
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Spring Volunteer Seminar and General Assembly Through a First-Timer’s Eyes

Spring Volunteer Seminar and General Assembly Through a First-Timer’s Eyes

Have you ever wondered what it looks like inside our organisation? Who makes sure everything runs smoothly? That students can go abroad, have a good experience, host families keep growing, and volunteer coordination works like clockwork? I had the chance to look behind the scenes of YFU, specifically during the General Assembly, also known as the Board meeting. This is where decisions are made and voted on that affect the organisation’s day-to-day functioning, as well as a review of the past year and what could be improved in the future. This year’s Spring Volunteer Seminar and General Assembly took place during the third weekend of March in Kolín.

 

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