Aunt and uncle family

From AFSWiki

AFS term referring to volunteers who act as extended family members for our hosted stus, in that they take students places from time to time, are there to talk to student if student needs to talk—generally another outlet for stu to rely on to adjust to life here.

See also aunt and uncle family best practices.

Here is the text from the published guide for Aunts and Uncles--

Do Not Rework The text in this article has been uploaded from the attached pdf file. It has been uploaded to the wiki in this form so that it may be easily read, searched, and referenced or linked-to from other areas of the wiki. However, the content is not intended to be reworked. Unlike a Legacy Article where the content is intended to be broken out, this content is to remain a complete and verbatim copy of the attached pdf. (Further definition found here.)

AFS Aunt & Uncle Family Guide for Volunteers
(revised May 2004)

The Role of the AFS Aunt & Uncle Family

AFS volunteers are instrumental in providing a quality experience for all participants. They work together at many levels to ensure that participants and host families receive the support vital to a successful experience. Although support for AFS participants is provided through a community of volunteers as well as regional and national offices, the Aunt & Uncle Family provides a valuable service to the overall support of the participant, family, and the local unit volunteers.

The primary role of the Aunt & Uncle Family is to be a friend of the AFS participant. The Aunt & Uncle Family is an “extra” layer of support for the AFS participant and the host family. AFS encourages the Aunt & Uncle Family to have regular contact with their participant. Inviting the participant to dinner, taking them to a sporting or music event, going on a camping trip, and helping with transportation are all examples of Aunt & Uncle activities. An Aunt & Uncle Family may also volunteer to host the participant for an occasional weekend.

AFS encourages the Aunt & Uncle Family to be aware of the host family’s needs and wishes when scheduling activities with their participant. The Aunt & Uncle Family plays an important role in helping both the AFS host family and participant have a successful year, while getting to know a young person from a different culture.

The Aunt & Uncle Family in no way replaces the vital role of the Participant-Family Liaison. This is the volunteer who has assumed the role of primary contact and support for the participant and host family. AFS liaisons are required by AFS guidelines to document regular, monthly contact with the participant, family, and school. Often former host families, former Aunt & Uncle Families and sending families become liaisons for AFS.

Becoming an Aunt & Uncle Family

Often an Aunt & Uncle Family will be selected by the host family or volunteer because they have a special interest in common with the participant. For example, the participant may have requested access to a particular religious service. The Aunt & Uncle Family could provide that access on a regular basis. A participant may have a special interest in fishing, skiing, government process or African-American Culture. Becoming an Aunt & Uncle Family is a great way to educate one’s own family on what it is like to host an AFS participant for the year.

Anyone can become an Aunt & Uncle Family. They may already be friends or neighbors of the host family. They may be new to the community or longtime residents. They may be former host families, AFS returnees, or actual relatives of the host family. They can be young or old, with or without children, single, married—in other words, anyone with an interest in cross-cultural learning and exchange would make a good Aunt or Uncle. Many Aunt & Uncle Families eventually become liaisons or host families after exposing their family to the hosting experience.

Involvement can be as casual or intense as each party feels appropriate. Attending a participant’s soccer game, observing their performance in a school play, or attending a graduation ceremony are great ways to support the participant. Spending a year away from home can be a challenging experience; it is an incredible help for exchange participants to know they can count on the love and support from their Aunt & Uncle Family!

Aunt & Uncle Families will register as official AFS volunteers. Contact your local AFS volunteers to find out how to complete the volunteer registration process.

The AFS Communications Network

If situations or issues surface during the normal course of contact, the Aunt & Uncle Family should bring the issue to the attention of the local volunteers. They should avoid “fixing” the situation or suggesting solutions before consulting the liaison. The following flow chart shows the communication links between the local volunteer and the chapter, area, region and international community of staff and volunteers:

CHAPTER/LOCAL VOLUNTEERS

Participant-Family Liaison

Chapter Support Coordinator

TEAM VOLUNTEERS

Team Support Coordinator

Team Liaison Coordinator

REGIONAL SERVICE CENTER STAFF

Participant Support Coordinator

Participant Support Manager

AFS-USA NATIONAL STAFF (some programs)

AFS PARTNER COUNTRY STAFF

Working in close partnership, each member of the above program-support team—from the local volunteer who maintains regular contact with the participant to the national and international office staff—provides a vital service to the participant as well as to one another.

An Important Note about Confidentiality

Confidentiality is an essential component in the relationship between the participant, the family and the Participant-Family Liaison. Family matters of a personal nature should be discussed only with the appropriate AFS support volunteer or staff, and then only when relevant to the participant’s welfare.

Tips for Being an Effective AFS Aunt & Uncle Family

• Let the host family and the participant know your role—to be another friend and support.
  
• Let the host family and the participant know that you care about them sincerely and want to help them have the best year possible.
  
• Be sure to consult with the host family before making plans with the participant.
  
• Express a genuine interest in the participant’s culture and traditions.
  
• Try to put the participant at ease. Be informal and convey an attitude of acceptance.
  
• Join the host family and participant in AFS activities.
  
• Encourage the participant to invite another friend along on your outing—double the fun!
  
• Be aware that emotional ups and downs are normal for exchange participant and host families as they adapt to new surroundings and situations.
  
• An Aunt & Uncle is not expected to be a counselor to the participant or the host family, but rather a friend to each. If either the participant or host family informs you of misunderstandings or conflicts between them, do what you feel comfortable with. The best advice is for them to talk to each other about the issue, then to discuss it with their liaison. Should a serious issue present itself, it should be reported to the local unit coordinator at once.
  
• Introduce your AFS niece or nephew to friends and neighbors—spread the AFS story!
  

Have Fun!

The AFS experience should enrich more than just the direct participants. Schools, friends of AFS participants, community groups and AFS volunteers can all benefit from the bonds of friendship and understanding that result from having known an AFSer. We wish you a joyful learning experience as you help guide an AFSer through a life-changing experience. May you enjoy this voyage of discovery that you are taking together and help create a better world because of it. Thank you and good luck!

Questions? Call your Local Host Family Support Contact, Team Support Coordinator, or Regional Service Center at 1-800-876-2377

Reference Material

Media:AFS_Aunt_and_Uncle_Family_Guide.pdf