Distribution of Responsibilities

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This table provides an outline description of the various AFS-USA operations and helps to identify the boundaries between volunteer and staff procedures.

Contents

Distribution of Responsibilities Chart

Program
Operations 		Volunteer Staff

Hosting Operations

Intercountry contacts All contacts between the U.S. and partner countries are handled by the National or Regional Service Centers.
Intercountry Contracts Contracts between U.S. and partner countries are handled by National Service Center.
Material Development Staff will design and produce, with input from National Council, all materials needed for host family recruitment, applications and hosting orientations.
Matrix Management National Service Center determines overall matrix. This is spelled out in the Intercountry contracts.
Capacity Determination Area teams, with input from local teams, project hosting numbers for the upcoming program year. Regional Service Centers compile those numbers and forward them to the National Council prior to matrix determination for that year. National Service Center, using input from National Council, sets matrix for program year.
Interpreting AFS Rules and Regulations Local and area volunteers must work within those interpretations. Appeals on rulings should be made through the National Council. Regional and National Service Centers make final recommendations on the interpretation of AFS rules and regulations.
Record Maintenance Areas are responsible for coordinating and tracking monthly contacts with hosted students and schools according to CSIET guidelines. Regional Service Center keeps original documents on file. Keeps copies of all correspondence documenting student's experience.

Student Placement

Local Promotion/ Recruitment Local & area volunteers plan and execute local promotions to find host families. Local teams keep area team informed of plans, and vice versa, to prevent duplication. Area teams works with Regional Service Center as necessary.
Student Applications Area teams fill their matrix by guaranteeing a student application to their area or to a local team. They may give an application to a local team for placement with a specific family. Regional Service Center receives student applications from sending country, reviews application and agrees to guarantee student or assign a finalist status based on international guidelines and the placement possibilities of the region. RSC updates and maintains the database; and assigns and distributes applications to area teams. Regional Service Center monitors the process of applications distributed to the area teams.
Match Students Local teams and area teams place students with families utilizing either the regional pool of students or by placing from the pool of students guaranteed by the area team. It is the area's responsibility to produce completed paperwork in a timely fashion.
Secure School Approval Local volunteers contact school to secure approval, and get necessary signatures on School Confirmation Placement Form, in order for student to attend the school and adhere to USIA guidelines.

Orientations

Orientation Volunteers prepare and lead the following orientations for hosting programs. These may be done at a local or area level:

Area teams have a responsibility to ensure that the required orienations are offered to AFS participants.

Regional Service Center staff provides orientation materials and training for volunteer leaders, as necessary. They can also participate in orientations as requested by volunteers.

Support

On-going Adjustment Local volunteers stay in touch with students and host families for day to day needs and adjustments.
Crisis Counselling/ Support: (support cases that are bigger than local team can handle) Local volunteers contact area team for assistance. Area team assigns case to an Area Team Support Coordinator who works with student personally or advises local volunteer. Area Team Support Coordinator documents all contact with student, host family and local volunteer and reports to Regional Service Center by phone or in writing. Area Team Support Coordinator, in consultation with Regional Staff, may recommend student for early return or replacement in another local team, either within the area or negotiate with another area team to replace student. Regional Service Center Staff will document all information and inform partner country of all developments. If the situation does indeed progress to an early return, it is necessary that all steps taken be documented from the first contact of student with local volunteers. Regional Service Center negotiates early return with partner country enlisting support of Regional Director if necessary. Regional Director approves all early returns.

Other

Provide Enrichment Activities Local volunteers are responsible for organizing enrichment activities for students and families throughout the year. Local teams may join together to plan events. Events can also be planned at area level.
Volunteer Recruitment, Development and Support - Hosting and Sending Recruitment:
  • Local volunteers recruit new local volunteers and provide candidates for membership on the area team.
  • Area team is recruited from the Local Units and experts on various subjects can be recruited from the general public.

Development and Support:

  • Area Teams hold meetings and offer training to Local Units.
Recruitment:
  • Regional Service Center staff distribute lists of returnees, former host and natural parents and other volunteer sources to area teams.
  • National Service Center provides computer system and national data base of constituency.

Development and Support:

  • Regional Service Center Staff provides multi-area conferences for informational, planning and training purposes.
  • National Service Center Staff provide training manuals, job descriptions and financial accounting procedures.

National Service Center provides Area Team Coordinator training on an annual basis.

Sending Operations

Intercountry Contacts All contacts between the U.S. and partner countries are handled by the National or Regional Service Centers.
Intercountry Contracts Contracts between U.S. and partner countries are handled by National Service Center.
Material Development Staff will design and produce, with input from National Council, all materials needed for student recruitment and student applications.
Travel Arrangements
Departure
Staff makes all international travel arrangements from the Gateway city to the hosting country. Staff suggests travel arrangements between student's hometown, or nearest airport, and the Gateway city. Natural Family may choose to follow those arrangements, or make their own.
Return
Staff makes travel arrangements from hosting country to a Gateway city in the U.S.. Staff suggests travel arrangements from the Gateway city back to the student's home town, or nearest airport. Natural Family may choose to follow those arrangements or to make their own.
Matrix Management National Service Center determines overall matrix. This number is specified in the Intercountry contracts. Regional Service Center manages the matrix regionally, and negotiates additional spaces to a country and/or the redistribution of spaces allotted between regions.
Capacity Determination Area teams, with input from local teams, project sending numbers for the year. Regional Service Center compiles those numbers and forward them to the National Council prior to matrix determination for that program year. National Service Center, using input from Regional Service Center, sets matrix for program year.
Interpreting AFS Rules and Regulations Local and area volunteers must work within those interpretations. Appeals on rulings should be made through the Regional or National Council, depending on the scope of the issue. Regional and National staff make the final recommendation on the interpretation of AFS rules and regulations.
Record Maintenance Regional Service Center keeps original documents on file, and keeps copies of all correspondence documenting students experience.
Program Monitoring Area Team Leadership Volunteers will monitor day to day operations of local teams. Operations include recruitment for sending, How to support new applicants, natural parent support. Regional Service Center will provide support, training and information to area teams.

National Service Center staff is responsible for evaluations, questionnaires to families, schools and students, compiling and disseminating results.

Student Applications

Student Recruitment Local volunteers have the primary responsibility for recruiting applicants per the targets area teams set. Local volunteers can request help, financial and/or human, from the Area Leadership Team for special recruitment efforts that exceed the local teams resources. The Area Leadership Team evaluates these requests. Area teams may initiate area-wide recruitment efforts. Staff maintains and monitors the national toll-free public information line. Any leads generated through national efforts will be referred to the area teams, and local volunteers in a timely manner. Staff, will initiate and track regional recruitment efforts.
Country Selection/Assignment Local volunteers help applicants select programs and countries appropriate for the abilities, ages and interests. Area volunteers assign preliminary placement status and country assignment. Regional Service Center confirms or changes the status and country assignment. In case of a change, the area volunteer is first consulted.
Notification Local volunteers keep in regular contact with candidate during application and country and family placement. AT Sending Coordinator receive weekly placement and matrix updates from Regional Service Center. Regional Service Center sends leetter to candidate confirming country placement, and family papers once they arrive from the partner country. Regional Service Center remains in contact with applicant in the interim as needed.
Retention of Applicants Local volunteers match applicants with returnees as soon as a country assignment is made.
Retention Materials
Staff develops and distributes a series of letters and Country Info sheets to candidates.
Resource People
Regional Service Center maintains an up-to-date list of returnee and other resource people, such as school staff interested in AFS. These lists are distributed to the appropriate area team and local volunteers on a regular basis.
Awarding Scholarships Local teams award locally raised funds according to their own scholarship guidelines. Area teams may award money from scholarships managed at an area level. Both local teams and area teams must inform Regional or National Service Center of any scholarship awards, using designated forms. Staff administers national restricted scholarships and general fund awards.

Orientations and Support

Orientation Local and/or area volunteers prepare and lead at least three orientations for sending programs:
  • Pre-departure orientations for winter and summer departure students and their parents.
  • Pre-return orientations for parents of students on Semester or Year programs.
  • Post-return orientations for students.

Area team volunteers ensure that the required orientations are being offered to AFS participants. Area teams report attendance to Regional Service Center.

Regional Service Center staff provides orientation materials and training, as necessary. Regional Service Center staff will provide information and training to help organize and/or recruit volunteers to run orientations. Regional Service Center makes sure that all orientations are being offered.
Support/Crisis Counselling Natural parents hear from their students abroad, call the local or area volunteer. AT Support Coordinators are Regional staff. Hosting partner country contacts Regional Service Center regarding student in crisis. Regional Service Center contacts volunteers to support natural family. Should the crisis occur after office hours, the Duty Officer acts as the regional staff. They are likely to contact the natural family directly since they do not know the local volunteers. The Duty Officer keeps the situation in check until the Regional Service Center reopens and takes over.
On-going Adjustment/ Counselling and Support Local or area volunteers are the Natural Family's primary contact for information for the duration of an adjustment problem or crisis. Area Volunteers provide ongoing support and any counselling that the Natural Family might require. Local volunteers request guidance from Area Leadership Volunteers and Regional Service Center, as needed. Regional Service Center is responsible for training and supporting Area Leadership Volunteers to provide quality counselling and support to the Natural Family.

Other

Fundraising Local volunteers are responsible for managing fund raising efforts on a Local level. Local teams should notify the Area Leadership Team of local fund raising plans. Coordinated efforts between local teams, between areas, and at a regional level can be planned. Regional Staff, may oversee larger, regional, fund-raising efforts. Staff informs all area teams and Local Units about Regional fund-raising efforts. National Staff will pursue corporate sources of funding.
Returnee Involvement Local and area volunteers should include recent returnees at all their events and make every effort to keep track of their alumni. Staff is responsible for maintaining an accurate database for all program participants and to distribute to volunteers up-to-date lists. Staff develops and implements a system for tracking returnees who relocate to different Regions facilitating their involvement and shares this information with area volunteers.
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