Core Principles of Volunteer Development
From AFSWiki
The following core principles are intended to serve as important cornerstones of our volunteer development program.
1. AFS-USA will be an organization which seeks, tracks, and maintains enduring relationships with all its supporters
We will actively work towards a model of volunteer development whereby any individual who supports AFS in any way has the opportunity to maintain a relationship with the organization. This relationship can include, but is not limited to being a participant on an AFS program, host family, natural family, volunteer, donor, school official, and/or community leader. In order to support this relationship, we will have a database and process that allows us to capture all AFS supporters and track their involvement with the organization. We will recognize and encourage all AFS supporters to contribute to AFS based on their desires and abilities and recognize that the ways in which supporters may wish to contribute may change over time.
2. AFS-USA will be an organization of continuous learning
We are committed to continuous learning throughout the organization. We recognize that one of the reasons why people volunteer with us is for the opportunity to learn and gain new skills and to develop their intercultural awareness. We will ensure that all volunteers are provided with the ongoing training and resources they need for their positions, as well as to support our mission of intercultural education and understanding. Our commitment to learning and training extends to staff as well. We will ensure that all staff as well as leadership volunteers are trained in basic volunteer management practices.
3. AFS-USA will be an innovative volunteer organization
In order for AFS-USA to continue to grow we need to be innovative in our approach to volunteer development. This means that we are committed to experimenting and trying new strategies to strengthen and diversify our volunteer base by recognizing the changing nature of volunteerism in the U.S. and continually adapting the ways we recruit, integrate, train, and communicate with volunteers. In addition as an organization we will work with volunteers to continuously identify new and /or better approaches to supporting and delivering our programs. We recognize that having fun as well as providing time and space for creativity are key elements to supporting innovation in an organization and we will work towards making sure that these elements are not lost. We are committed and will continue to develop the means and the programs to support the needs of the 21st and 22nd century volunteer.
4. AFS-USA will be a well managed volunteer organization
We are committed to being a well managed volunteer organization. This means that we will have clearly defined volunteer policies and the processes in place to support them. All volunteer roles will have specific position descriptions, and volunteers will be provided with the training, support, materials and information they need to fulfill their roles. Volunteer positions will be linked to a career ladder which will enable individuals to move to higher levels of responsibility according to their own interests and continue to build upon their experience in the organization. Along the way they will receive performance feedback and recognition on a regular basis, in order to encourage their ongoing development. In exchange, AFS will hold volunteers accountable to accomplishing what they commit to do and to perform in accordance with the same quality standards and expectations that it has for its staff.
