Within the framework of a ALLEF exchange a child will spend 6 months in a European country. They live in the family of their exchange partner, attend school and participate in all the family’s normal activities. An equally important part of the exchange is hosting the guest child in the UK. The goal is to completely integrate each child into their host family.

Spending in effect an entire year together during the exchange, the children and their respective families often develop long lasting friendships. Our exchange programme delivers much more than the usual school language exchange or holiday for older children or teenagers. Most children quickly become fluent in the language. Children often develop an abiding love of the other country, its language and culture. Many participants have recorded that the exchange experience has boosted self-confidence, self-reliance and learning.

In selecting participants we look for children and parents who are highly motivated to undertake an intensive exchange. In this way the exchange child gets to know a new and different way of life and at the same time is embedded in a loving family environment.