Chapter

From AFSWiki

Since our founding over 60 years ago, AFS programs have been promoted and delivered by groups of caring volunteers in communities across our country, and our partner countries around the world. AFS-USA encourages volunteers to organize locally into chapters to act on behalf of AFS-USA to deliver programs and services. In order to become a chapter, groups of volunteers must meet the Chapter Charter requirements and submit a chapter charter application to the National Council for approval. Approved local chapters act on AFS-USA’s behalf to promote AFS in their communities in accordance with the policies, procedures and standards of AFS-USA.

Contents 1 Chapters 2 Chapter Criteria 3 Chapter Responsibilities 3.1 Administration 3.2 Hosting AFS Participants 3.3 Sending AFS Participants 3.4 Volunteer and Community Development 3.5 Orientations 3.6 Chapter Chartering 3.7 Annual Chapter Assessment 4 Chapter dissolution 5 Travel

Chapters

Chapters are local units organized within AFS Teams. Chapters are supported, nurtured, and monitored by Team volunteers and assigned staff.

Chapter Criteria

• Have two or more registered volunteers, not from the same family or household listed on a chapter roster.
• Have at minimum a Chapter Chair and, if the Chapter raises funds or maintains an AFS bank account, a Chapter Treasurer.
• Affiliated Chapters who do not raise funds or maintain an AFS bank account, do not require a Treasurer and will need at minimum a Chair and one additional registered volunteer.
• Host or send at least one student per 3 year period
• Complete quarterly chapter financial reporting
• Have all local funds accounted for in accordance with AFS-USA corporate financial requirements
• Have the AFS-USA Chief Administration Officer entered as co-signer on all local accounts
• Have all local funds in excess of $1000 on deposit with AFS-USA

Chapter Responsibilities

Administration

• Conduct annual election of Chapter Chair
• Maintain compliance with AFS-USA policies, procedures, and standards
• Participate in the selection of representation to the National Volunteer Assembly, either as part of a Team

Hosting AFS Participants

• Recruit and interview host families and ensure that all host families are fully screened and have all required paperwork on file.
• Make placements of hosted participants with families
• Obtain written school approvals and placements
• Recruit, train, assign, and monitor liaisons
• Provide support to hosted participants, host families and schools after arrival, including the management of local crisis or emergency situations involving AFS participants and including documented monthly contact for all participants and host families.
• Provide activities for students while in the US

Sending AFS Participants

• Recruit, screen, and select applicants to go abroad on AFS programs
• Provide application completion assistance to participants
• Advise participants about fundraising
• Conduct participant interviews
• Provide support to natural parents while participants are abroad
• Incorporate participants in chapter activities prior to departure and upon their return

Volunteer and Community Development

• Recruiting, training, integrating, and recognizing volunteers within the chapter.
• Develop and maintain positive relationships with schools and within the community
• Fundraise for the chapter

Orientations

• Conduct or ensure participants attend the following local orientations:

• Host Family Pre-Arrival Orientation
• Post-Arrival Orientation for hosted participants
• Mid-Year Orientation for hosted participants and host families. Note: The Mid-Year Orientation is optional, but encouraged.
• Pre-Return Orientation for hosted participants and host families

• For affiliated chapters, contribute to and support as part of an Team the organization and implementation of Arrival and End of Stay Orientations for hosted participants and Pre-Departure Orientations for sending participants.
• For unaffiliated chapters, contribute to and support, either in collaboration with other unaffiliated chapters or with a nearby Team, the organization and implementation of Arrival and End of Stay Orientations for hosted participants and Pre-Departure Orientations for sending participants.

Chapter Chartering

Chapters must charter annually. Chartering Information

Annual Chapter Assessment

Chapters will be evaluated annually as part of their Team.

Chapter dissolution

• A chapter may choose to dissolve.
• If a chapter has no activity in a consecutive 3 year period, AFS-USA reserves the right to close the chapter and reallocate any funds.
• Chapter charter may be revoked at any time by the National Council if rules, standards, laws or regulations are not followed.
• At the time of dissolution, all funds held in the name of AFS belong to AFS-USA.

Travel

Arrival and departure sites for hosted participants will be negotiated based on input from the Travel & Logistics Department. This is an area that is still being researched and a proposal will be developed Fall 2008.