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.
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Types of Chapters
Unaffiliated Chapters
Unaffiliated chapters operate as stand alone local volunteer units. Unaffiliated chapters must follow the Chapter Charter and Annual Chapter Review process established by the National Council. Unaffiliated chapters will be supported, nurtured, and supervised by assigned staff as they build their capacity.
Affiliated Chapters
Chapters located within the same geographic area are encouraged to work together in larger teams called "Area Teams" for mutual support and economies of scale. Being affiliated with an Area Team will have associated privileges such as more direct representation in governance structures and limited control of co-support funds as part of the Area Team. Affiliated chapters will be supported, nurtured, and monitored by Area 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 Chair and a Treasurer (not in the same family or household).
- Host or send at least one student per 3 year period
- Complete an annual chapter report
- Participate in an Annual Review of performance and quality standards
- 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 $500 on deposit with AFS-USA
Chapter Responsibilities
Administration
- Conduct annual election of Chapter Chair
- Participate, with staff (in the case of unaffiliated chapters) or area team leaders, in the annual commitment setting process for hosting and sending
- Maintain compliance with AFS-USA policies, procedures, and standards
- Participate in the selection of representation to the National Volunteer Assembly, either as part of an area team or in conjunction with other unaffiliated chapters
- Participate in the chapter annual reporting and assessment process
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
- Provid 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 Area 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 area team, the organization and implementation of Arrival and End of Stay Orientations for hosted participants and Pre-Departure Orientations for sending participants.
Please note: The number of participants required for hosting and sending orientations will be based on input from the Intercultural Education and Quality Department. This is an area that is still being researched and a proposal will be developed Fall 2008.
Annual chapter report
Unaffiliated Chapters are required to submit an annual report providing the following information:
- Roster of chapter leadership
- Roster of volunteers
- Roster of schools
- Commitments to host
- Commitments to send
- Report of chapter funds raised and spent during past year
On an annual basis, chapters will be provided with all information currently in our system for review and update.
Affiliated Chapters will need to submit all required chapter financial accounting documents.
Annual Chapter Assessment
Unaffiliated chapters will be evaluated annually using objective quality standards which reflect clear, articulated expectations in areas such as on-time placement, paperwork completion, liaison assignment, monthly contact documentation, orientation requirements, and volunteer registration and training. The annual review will also include data from the customer service evaluations.
All data will be reviewed and compared to a 3-year average to determine trends. If the review results trigger concern, a committee of the National Council, will make recommendations regarding next steps. Affiliated chapters will be evaluated in the context of the annual area team evaluation.
Affiliated chapters will be evaluated annually as part of their Area 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.
