Since 2008 EFIL has engaged actively in developing and supporting new AFS organisations. The foundation for starting this process was the General Assembly in Lisbon 2007 where the member organisations endorsed EFIL’s Strategic Directions 2007-2012. They include implementing initiatives to enlarge the Federation which will result in larger and healthier programmes, and thus help build up overall network sustainability. Currently the department of Partner Development covers the 10 following countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Ireland, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, and United Kingdom.
EFIL has developed and contributed to the development of new organisations in various ways including starting from scratch with feasibility visits, leading to a new network of volunteers, such as in Romania and Bulgaria, but also working with past participants and volunteers in the Balkans that were willing to start AFS again after the war in Yugoslavia was over. Also, EFIL has worked with existing organisations who cooperated with single AFS partners and slowly have become part of the AFS network.