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Nonprofit

How AFS Is Seamlessly Delivering Training to 6,000+ Learners in 100+ Countries With Bridge LMS

Nonprofit AFS Intercultural Programs transformed into an education-first organization using Bridge to distribute learning to employees and external learners globally.

  • Company AFS
  • Industry Nonprofit
  • Company Size 1,500+
  • Region Global
  • Use Cases Employee Development, External Learners
6,000+
learners enrolled in training.
100+
training delivered to 100+ countries.
The Challenge

Reaching Global Learners, Overcoming Accessibility Barriers, and Tracking Data

AFS offers blended learning opportunities for high schools, universities, adult learners, and professionals in over 100 countries. The organization specializes in building intercultural skills such as cross-cultural communication, conflict resolution, and teamwork in diverse teams.

A strategic objective for AFS was to reimagine its training and development for employees and volunteers. This objective was part of a broader vision to provide virtual and blended learning opportunities for students participating in its exchange programs. Through these goals, AFS aimed to reposition itself as more than just a bilateral exchange program and become known as an international education provider dedicated to offering quality intercultural learning materials and experiences.

To achieve this goal, AFS needed to replace its existing LMS. The organization needed a solution to host key certification programs and show the effectiveness of this training to key stakeholders. Its existing platform wasn’t Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant, didn’t adhere to the federal regulations required to serve universities and similar institutions, and its accessibility standards weren’t sufficiently aligned with then-current Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).

We were a very established organization when we adopted Bridge, but we were also a nonprofit, which meant we didn’t have a ton of extra funds set aside for innovation. As a result, we had to prove that this new learning infrastructure was worthwhile—and we quickly found that Bridge wasn’t just more efficient, but that it was really making a difference for our learners.

LS

Linda Stuart
Director of Global Education Innovation, AFS
The Solution

Training Global Teams in Multiple Languages With Bridge LMS

AFS selected Bridge LMS as a sophisticated hosting option for its certificate scheme, and the learning team felt that Bridge was capable of overcoming the barriers that had previously prevented them from distributing training to external learners.

Beyond this, the organization quickly discovered that Bridge’s features and capabilities offered additional benefits. Its multi-language capabilities, for example, helped the team distribute content in 100 countries, ensuring all learners had access to the same high-quality training. Similarly, AFS has made effective use of Bridge’s centralized content repository and dedicated mobile app, giving learners access to an array of multimedia content they can use offline. Learners consistently provide positive feedback on Bridge’s ease of use.

To achieve a comprehensive, organization-wide transformation into a virtual education and exchange provider, AFS began using Bridge’s features for a wide array of purposes across the institution. Internally, AFS uses Bridge as an employee development platform for its managers and directors, and Bridge also plays a part in onboarding for its many international volunteers.

AFS also leveraged Bridge in its virtual exchange programs and as part of the blended learning curriculum accompanying the organization’s mobility programs. While live settings remain a factor for aspects of AFS’ training, they’re now accompanied by asynchronous learning in Bridge that learners are required to complete prior to joining live sessions.

We’re now running programs for populations that may not be in formal education settings currently. AFS is a way for them to join these transformational initiatives, and digital platforms like Bridge give us the reach and the tools to convene these global cohorts. If we have the ability to do it, we also have the responsibility to do it.

LS

Linda Stuart
Director of Global Education Innovation, AFS
Give your deskless workforce access to learning anywhere.
The Impact

Accelerated Employee Development, Measurable Business Results, and Award-Winning Elearning

AFS was able to prove, through a mix of formal studies, qualitative interviews, and reporting and analytics, that Bridge accelerated internal employee development and growth. Access to data and reporting in Bridge also helped the learning team prove that blended and online learning is a more effective and efficient alternative to purely in-person training programs.

6,000+ learners
Enrolled in training in minutes using Bridge.
100+ countries
Training delivered to learners in 100+ countries and multiple languages.

This demonstration was particularly notable when global travel restrictions brought in-person exchange programs to an immediate halt. AFS was prepared to meet a sudden need for virtual learning and exchange opportunities thanks to its Bridge-based resources. In fact, while other exchange programs struggled to offer students a virtual solution, AFS was able to rapidly enroll almost 6,000 exchange students into Bridge.

Externally, AFS has established a reputation as a significant presence in the world of global education by hosting its virtual learning in Bridge LMS. This shift in AFS’ strategy and public image was cemented when the organization was selected as a finalist in multiple categories at the prestigious PIEoneer Awards. This awarding body recognizes extraordinary achievements in international education, and AFS’ recognition as a serious contender in 2020 and 2022 highlights the efficacy and staying power of its transformed identity

It was a huge task to pioneer a new pathway for AFS and ensure that people saw us as more than an exchange. Bridge played a substantial part in transforming our identity externally, and I think I can say with confidence that it has been transformed.

LS

Linda Stuart
Director of Global Education Innovation, AFS
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Company Snapshot
AFS
  • Company AFS
  • Industry Nonprofit
  • Company Size 1,500+
  • Region Global
  • Use Cases Employee Development, External Learners

Train Your Entire Workforce With Bridge LMS

Managing internal and external learners doesn’t have to be complicated. Bridge is flexible enough for HR and L&D teams to manage training in one account. With one-click translation, segmented subaccounts, automated smart groups, and a dedicated mobile app, Bridge can help you get the right training to your learners, no matter their location, language, or requirements.

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Behind the Scenes

Deliver Training, Measure Impact, and Develop Skills in One Platform

Automated user management.
See how AFS is delivering training to more than 6,000 people, tracking their progress, and surfacing data to tie this learning to performance.
On-the-go learning for deskless workers.
Reporting that drives impact.
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