July 5 2008 Update - Changes to the Volunteer Structure & Governance
From AFSWiki
Dear AFS-USA AT Leadership Volunteers, Regional & National Council Members,
The process of further development and implementation of the decisions made by the Planning and Oversight Committee (POC) as a result of the Organizational Study continues. In January and March of this year we posted communications outlining the decisions made by the POC and updates on our progress. Here are links to both those communications for your reference.
The purpose of this communication is to provide you with an update on the work and progress that have been made related to the POC decisions on the future volunteer structure and governance of AFS-USA.
As you are aware from our earlier communications, the POC decided to charge the Volunteer Organization and Development Committee of the National Council with taking their decisions related to the volunteer structure and moving forward in further defining and developing the criteria for the volunteer structure and its governance. The timeline for this project is February – September 2008 with the committee presenting to the National Council:
- Initial recommendations for input and review May 31 – June 1, 2008 at the face to face meeting of the National Council in Minneapolis, MN
- Final recommendations for approval and adoption September 6-8, 2008 at the face to face meeting of the National Council in Portland, OR
In preparation for this project and in addition to the POC decisions related to the volunteer structure, the Volunteer Organization and Development Committee have reviewed information gathered from the Organizational Study related to the volunteer structure, survey results and information from the 1st and 2nd National Leadership Summits as well as survey information gathered from Area Team Chairs who work in successful Area Teams in AFS-USA.
From all of this information, the committee identified the following goals for the new volunteer structure and governance systems:
- Revitalize our volunteer force
- Empower our volunteers to be the decision makers
- Attract a new and more diverse group of volunteers
- Allow volunteer leaders to emerge
- Promote chapter growth and encourage program delivery to be done at the local level
- Maintain and support current well-functioning Area Teams and Chapters
- Create a process for broad volunteer decision making and innovation
- Better serve our mission, our volunteers, and our participants
- Allow for more flexibility, more suited to the needs of busy volunteers
The Volunteer Organization and Development Committee have presented their initial recommendations to the National Council at their face to face meeting May 31 – June 1, 2008. From that meeting the following key concepts regarding to the volunteer structure have been agreed to:
Volunteers:
- Typically, volunteers either volunteer within a chapter or an area team. This will continue.
- However we will also create a way for volunteers who are not members of a chapter or an area team to volunteer. “Independent Volunteers” will be assigned to specific roles and responsibilities designed for these individuals such as gateway orientation, travel, e-volunteering tasks, assisting with special projects, etc. Volunteers working “independently” will have specific assignments and be supervised by specific staff or volunteers. These volunteers will not be allowed to place or host students.
- It is important to note that volunteers who are not linked to a chapter but with an Area Team can place or host students, just as is currently done.
Chapters:
- Chapters will be “affiliated” or “unaffiliated.” This means that each chapter will either be a part of an Area Team or exist outside the boundaries of Area Teams.
- All chapters will be expected to hold elections each year for the Chapter Chair position.
- All chapters within an Area Team will participate in the election of the Area Team Chair and other leadership positions.
Specific criteria for chapters are still being developed.
Area Teams:
- Current well functioning Area Teams will continue to operate. Specific criteria for being an Area Team are still under review; however, current teams will be allowed a two year transition period to allow them to meet any new criteria that they do not currently meet.
- Going forward each Area Team will define its own geographic boundaries and will be able to review and revise these boundaries on an annual basis.
- All Area Teams will hold mandatory annual meetings including all Chapter chairs and other volunteers at which time Area Leaders will be elected and other decisions relevant to the Area Team will be voted on.
National Council:
- National Council members will be elected by delegates who attend the National Annual Volunteer meeting
- The National Council will have more decision making authority than what is currently outlined in the decision making document.
- Only volunteers on the National Council will have voting rights. There will still be staff members who will participate in National Council meetings, but they will not have voting rights
National Annual Volunteer Meeting:
- AFS-USA will hold a National Annual Volunteer Meeting each year. Volunteer groups across the country will elect “delegates” to attend these meetings. While other volunteers will be invited to attend these meetings, only delegates will be able to vote on issues that are brought to the National Meeting.
- Details of the types of decisions to be voted on by the volunteer delegates to the National Meeting are yet to be determined
- Delegates to the National meeting will elect the National Council.
- We decided that the first National Annual Volunteer Meeting will occur by the end of April 2009.
- We would like to enlist the help and support of the current Regional Council volunteers to help us in the transition to the new structure and specifically with the planning of the first National Annual Meeting.
Advisory Groups:
- Volunteer Advisory groups will be formed to work directly with the key functional departments of AFS-USA including hosting, support, sending, volunteer development and other areas as needed.
The National Council and Volunteer Organization and Development Committee have developed the following timeline and next steps for this process:
Beginning July 2008
- Communication updating all volunteers in AFS-USA on the progress made on the recommended changes to the volunteer structure emailed directly to the AT Leadership Volunteers and Regional Council members
July 10-11, 2008
- Meeting of the Volunteer Development Staff and 6 volunteers in NY with Susan Ellis (Volunteer Development Consultant) to outline a volunteer development strategy for AFS-USA which will allow us to implement the new volunteer structure over the next two years
September 6-8, 2008
- National Council will have a face to face meeting in Portland, OR to adopt final recommendations of the Volunteer Organization and Development Committee in regards to details of the new volunteer structure as well as finalize details on the volunteer governance structure including the National Annual Volunteer Meeting
September – November 2008
- Regional Council Meetings and Regional Volunteer conferences will be held. We will take the opportunity at these gatherings to present details of the new volunteer structure and governance system
- Develop details and plans for the first National Annual Volunteer Meeting
In addition to this timeline and next steps, the National Council and Volunteer Organization and Development Committee have made additional decisions in an effort to help with the transition to the new volunteer structure and governance system:
- The National Council terms for Damian Pisanelli (NC rep – NW Region), Barb Kelly (NC rep – GL Region), Judy Weyand (NC Chair), and Gerry Bair (NC rep – SE Region) will be extended to April 2009 or the first National Annual Volunteer Meeting in order to ensure continuity between the current National Council and the annual volunteer meeting
- Damian Pisanelli (NC rep – NW Region), Mary Porterfield (NC rep – SC Region), Joanne Yokoyama (Interim Director Volunteer Development) and Wendy Hyatt (Organizational Development and Learning Specialist) will work with the Regional Council Chairs in developing a transition plan for the Regional Councils. The plan is for all current Regional Councils to have face to face meeting this fall to celebrate the work of these groups as they come to a close and work on the transition to the new volunteer structure
As we move forward in this process, we will continue to provide volunteers with information and updates. If there are any questions related to the information presented in this communication please email me, Joanne Yokoyama-Martin at jyokoyama@afs.org. I will make sure to forward and share your questions with the Volunteer Organization and Development Committee.
On behalf of the members of the Volunteer Organization and Development Committee: Sharon Held – Committee Chair and volunteer, Michigan AT, Judy Weyand – National Council Chair and volunteer, Mass Bay AT, May Ann Offer – volunteer, World Class AT, Sarah Yancey – volunteer, Missouri Gateway AT, Lynn Whetstone – volunteer, Silver and Gold AT, Kerry McCollum- VP Organizational Development, Jorge Castro – Chief Administrative Officer, Joanne Yokoyama-Martin - Interim Director Volunteer Development, Avinash Jhawar – Assistant Director IT, Sue Cook – Manager Field Finance, Kristen Bates – Eastern States Regional Director, Scott Hume – Central and Great Lakes Regional Director
Regards,
Joanne Yokoyama-Martin
