Contact and Visit Requirements

From AFSWiki

AFS Summary of Requirements:

a. At a minimum, volunteers must maintain a monthly schedule of personal contact (in person or on the phone) with the student and the host family;

b. The student’s first monthly contact must be in person;

c. The host family’s monthly contact must be in person once in the fall (prior to January 1) and once in the spring (after January 1);

d. An in home visit must occur within 60 days of the student’s arrival to any Permanent placement, and every 30 days for any Welcome and Temporary placements, by someone other than the volunteer who conducted the Host Family Interview.

Requirements as published by the Department of State (DoS):

62.25 (d) Program administration. Sponsors must ensure that all organizational officers, employees, representatives, agents, and volunteers acting on their behalf:

(11) Maintain, at minimum, a monthly schedule of personal contact with the exchange student. The first monthly contact between the local coordinator and the exchange student must be in person. All other contacts may take place in-person, on the phone, or via electronic mail* and must be properly documented. The sponsor is responsible for ensuring that issues raised through such contacts are promptly and appropriately addressed.

(12) That a sponsor representative other than the local coordinator who recruited, screened and selected the host family visit the exchange student/host family home within the first or second month following the student's placement in the home.

(13) Maintain, at a minimum, a monthly schedule of personal contact with the host family. At least once during the fall semester and at least once during the spring semester, (i.e. twice during the academic year) the contact by the local coordinator with the host family must be in person. All other contacts may take place in person, on the phone, or via electronic mail* and must be properly documented. The sponsor is responsible for ensuring the issues raised through such contacts are promptly and appropriately addressed.

"*"AFS does not accept e-mail as a valid method of making contact (as per CSIET standards)

Visit Contact and Visit Resources for more information

Visit Department of State to see more of the regulations.