Host Family Orientation Coordinator
From AFSWiki
AFS-USA Volunteer Position Description
Contents |
HOST FAMILY ORIENTATION COORDINATOR
The Pre-Arrival Host Family Orientation Coordinator is responsible for planning and implementing the mandatory Host Family Pre-Arrival Orientation and providing training for all Pre-Arrival Host Family Orientation Group Leaders and Volunteers.
Responsible to:
Team, District or Chapter Hosting and/or Orientation Coordinators
Works with:
Team, District or Chapter Hosting, Support and/or Orientation Coordinators and Host Family Pre-Arrival Orientation Leaders and Volunteers.
Time Required:
- 3 hours to review the Host Family Orientation Leader’s Guide and choose the agenda
- 3-6 hours to recruit Orientation Group Leaders and Volunteers (depending on the number needed)
- 6 hours to plan and implement training for Orientation Leaders and Volunteers
- 3-6 hours on logistics related tasks such as inviting Host Families, making photocopies, arranging for refreshments, etc.
- 4-8 hours on the day of the event to set-up, facilitate and evaluate the orientation
Competencies Required:
- Well organized
- Experience in intercultural setting
- Effective facilitator in small and large group settings
- Excellent relationship and team-building skills (motivating, negotiating, mediating, problem-solving)
- Abilility to train other volunteers
- Effective at task delegation
- Comfortable with “big-picture” thinking
- Passion for the AFS Mission
- Minimum computer skills such as Word or Excel for data tracking purposes, creation of invitations, simple handouts, etc.
Materials/Resources Provided by AFS:
- Pre-Arrival Host Family Orientation Leader’s Guide
- AFS Host Family Handbook
- Host Family Pre-Arrival Orientation Coordinator Teleconference and/or on-line training module
Responsibilities:
- Review the Host Family Orientation Leader’s Guide and choose the agenda.
- Recruit at least one Orientation Leader for every twelve attendees and at least one Orientation Volunteers per event
- Locate Host Family Pre-Arrival Orientation facilities
- Communicate with volunteers and host families your designated area regarding Host Family Pre-Arrival Orientation plans.
- Ensure that former Host Family members who have had a positive AFS experience attend the event either in the capacity of Orientation Leaders or Volunteers.
- Plan and implement training for Orientation Leaders and Volunteers. Prepare panel group members, per the tips for running a panel in the Orientation Leader’s Guide.
- Ensure that repeat, replacement, and new Host Families are oriented prior to the arrival of a Participant in their home. This may include running or identifying another volunteer to run a one-on-one orientation session for families that are not able to attend the group event/s.
- Serve as main facilitator on the day of the event. (Orientation Coordinators are encouraged to identify and train a co-facilitator for the event as two facilitators are usually more effective than one in large group settings.)
- Collect and analyze feedback from attendees, Orientation Leaders and Volunteers regarding the event and provide this to the Team Orientation Coordinator and other appropriate individuals so that improvements can be made to the orientation in future cycles.
- Collect completed Orientation Acknowledgment forms from host families and send to Support Staff in the Regional Service Center.
Benefits to Volunteer:
- Develop lifelong relationships with fellow volunteers, staff, and participants
- Develop greater intercultural competence through familiarization with AFS Orientation Framework and related Intercultural Education resources
- Receive training in effective facilitation, team building, and intercultural learning activities
- Contribute to the development of intercultural competence in others
- Opportuntiy to utilise and develop team building, training and facilitation skills
- Play a leading role in developing AFS as a leader in intercultural education in the U.S. and around the world.
