National Council Candidates Pre-NVA Questions 2011
From AFSWiki
1. What opportunities can the National Council take advantage of to promote volunteer development that leads to improvements in program quality, as well as volunteer satisfaction?
Emily Betz Close
I believe that the keys to volunteer development, program quality improvement, and volunteer satisfaction are the following: recognition, empowerment and community. My response to this question finds deep roots in my own experience as a volunteer, as well as my observations of fellow volunteers worldwide. Personally, I feel the greatest sense of fulfillment and satisfaction when my skills are recognized, cultivated and put to use. To give one example, a group of AFSers who attend a training session to which they have been invited in order to cultivate a specific skill or talent accomplishes all three goals: the organization increases its base of knowledgeable volunteers, the performance of those participants improves locally, and the attendees find energy and motivation in the community of other volunteers working toward the same goal. Events like the NVA, Training of Trainers, gatherings involving contact with volunteers from our partner countries, interest-based committees and groups such as the Returnee Initiative--all of these types of opportunities help us develop personally and professionally, make our contributions to AFS more efficient and effective, and create an enthusiastic atmosphere that others will want to be a part of. Other opportunities can be found through working with returnees and teachers to reestablish AFS as the intercultural authority in schools so that we can develop our volunteer base while also benefiting hosting and sending efforts.
We as volunteers absolutely need to step up our involvement in the national and international level of our organization. We have a passion for our local schools and chapters but often get so involved in the daily and local focus that we forget there is a bigger organization out there that we are a part. We have this huge pool of talented men and women, teachers, healthcare workers, artists, politicians, CEO’s, families and students; the list is unending. Our resources are so amazing because we alone in the exchange industry have cultured and developed a volunteer structure. We need volunteers, whose experiences, skills and successes can productively strengthen and promote AFS USA to become a vibrant part of today’s international exchange opportunities.
I believe the National Council’s role in this is three-fold. First, we must be innovative in developing and sustaining an open communication platform giving the larger volunteer body the opportunity to be informed on all facets of our organization. Second, we must actively recruit those volunteers who exhibit leadership skills and solicit their participation in “managing and resorting” our operations. Lastly, we need to set and reaffirm high standards of accountability for all our participants whether volunteer, staff or students. We need to focus on compliance, moving us to lead again in the ranking of exchange organizations nationally. We need to look at diverse ways of accomplishing our traditional tasks and realize that we must create alternative opportunities to match an ever-changing population and market. Our world is not stagnant and AFS USA through its volunteer leadership must become a vibrant and moving component of the intercultural exchange community. That success, growth and vibrancy will promote continuing quality and sustain volunteer satisfaction.
Any organization that utilizes volunteers in pursuits of its mission should recognize that volunteers are differently motivated -- looking for affirmative motivations, and may not feel the same connection to organizational metrics as do directors or professional staff. The AFS National Council needs to continue to find ways in which volunteers at all levels feel connected to and recognized by the organization. We need to provide our volunteers with the timeliness of information in order that they can be successful and in a timely was, recognize them or their units for helping the organization meet our overall goals.
I believe that we can promote volunteer development, better communication and teamwork if our Volunteers felt more informed and included. One way to include our volunteers is to hold monthly webinars. Each webinar would be hosted by a National Council member along with a staff member related to the topic for that monthly webinar. Each month a different topic would be discussed which will encourage volunteers to be more informed, help to educate and allow discussions regarding successes and challenges related to that topic. During the Webinar Volunteers would be encouraged to ask questions, have a way to follow up with those questions and offer solutions or suggestions. This will also have the ability to be in touch on a more personal level with our National Council. A library of webinars could then be created as a reference for our volunteers to refer to or view at a more convenient time for them if they are not able to attend the webinar.
One of our biggest challenges with regards to volunteer development is the generational gap. Our current volunteer base is comprised of veteran, long term volunteers who after 15, 20 or even 30 years of involvement have seen it all and “can do it easier, quicker, better, and faster myself”. These volunteers take ownership; will devote their time, energy and every spare moment to completing anything they are involved with. They also see the necessity and value in continuing to remain involved to insure the success of AFS and their team/chapter. Our upcoming volunteers, who may be younger and less experienced, may be feeling a bit overwhelmed at the experience that our veterans have and see a “singular” one time event as their complete volunteer activity, not realizing how much they are needed. As an organization and teams/chapters we need to educate, entice and enlighten our Host Families, Liaison, Educators and Returnee’s how vital and important each of them are. A roadmap for success as a volunteer organization, beginning with our Veteran Volunteers, our current life line and the best practices they have refined during their many years of volunteering to share with the volunteer base. This could be done at the National Level by capitalizing on Global ” Volunteerism” , Community Service, that is taking hold of our world and that we see advertised on billboards or in newspapers. This could be carried onto to the local level by personally reaching out to our volunteers as well as our communities in soliciting their involvement with AFS.
In some ways, these two questions, while covering A LOT of territory - volunteer development leading to program quality improvements AND volunteer satisfaction...then how to overcome and manage it all...really meld together. I'm not sure I can look at them as totally separate entities.
Volunteers need to be trained at appropriate levels. Not everyone attending a conference is at a 101 level. I've seen improvement in attempts to have training at different levels. This must continue and expand.
As a volunteer, I don't always know where to go with my concerns or where my concerns go when voiced. We're the ones doing the legwork and we're often 'dictated to' rather than listened to. I realize that AFS has no control over how some things are handled. But perhaps a central clearinghouse of some kind overseen by a committee that was able to take concerns to the appropriate place and provide answers in a timely fashion would help. I think it would lead to volunteer satisfaction. People like to know they've been heard! And it's always good to know that others share the same concerns.
Volunteers need paid staff to remember that they are just that...volunteers! The bulk have full time jobs and families which require their attention.
I think keeping track of our returnees is a monumental task, yet one which could provide a huge return on such an investment. Has AFS ever considered a returnee commitment - a student must agree to doing x number of presentations/school visits/help with interviews upon his/her return? Granted, some may be moving to college, but their 'return work' doesn't have to take place in their home community.
An untapped source of volunteers is host brothers and sisters! I'm one of those! I didn't become a returnee until I was an adult, but I was volunteering long before that! If the host sibling had a good experience they too may want to give back!
What can I offer to overcome these challenges? I certainly don't have all the answers. But I can offer a commitment to: provide leadership to encourage thinking outside the box, listening to others, gather and disseminate information and to keep AFS values and it's mission statement in mind at all times.
I think that the work that the Diversity Council is doing will help to promote volunteer development. Also, one of the things that we do on our Team is that we have the current host families become volunteers during out orientations. We have been for the most part pretty successful with this. We have computers handy and then have them log on and apply right there. Also, I think that AFS really needs to promote with its volunteers the importance of cycling out of roles and letting new volunteers take those roles. Volunteer Satisfaction could be dealt with through surveys, awards and evaluations.
2. What is the biggest challenge to AFS volunteer management and operations? What do you offer that would overcome this challenge?
Emily Betz Close After initiating the changes in the volunteer structure in 2008, now is the time to be evaluating the efficacy and providing support where it is needed. As I look over the goals, I am impressed to note that I have personally felt the effect of the changes. I feel "revitalized" through a new sense of motion. I see through the NVA the emphasis on giving decision-making capability to individuals and teams. I am observing the efforts of the Returnee Initiative as it grows and strives to attract a “new and diverse group of volunteers” among our own AFS network. I think that I, myself, have been identified as a "volunteer leader". (I could go on, but maybe at another time!)
Still, as I reached out to friends and fellow volunteers to learn their thoughts, the same issue kept coming up: much work, few hands. I've heard from so many volunteers that they feel overwhelmed. They do an amazing job with limited time and assistance, despite increasing demands brought on by new government regulations. Giving volunteers more decision-making power is excellent, but finding ways to ensure that they feel supported and informed goes hand-in-hand with that goal. Communication structure is the essential driving force that will be necessary to unite these thousands of talented volunteers in order to ensure that their work has the maximum impact. So, what can I do about that? I see connections. At work, my natural contribution has been to re-think, redesign, and forge connections between areas where they did not exist before. I want to listen and problem-solve, and make suggestions for structures and resources that can help each volunteer feel like a functional piece in a larger puzzle.
My personal observations, both as a member of a local volunteer team and as a Volunteer National Council member, are that our long-standing volunteer base has become somewhat inflexible. I am not saying that we do not try because we try without fail or pause. I am saying that we have championed a job well for a long time and are not very welcoming to new ideas, new processes or sometimes even new people. I believe the largest challenge and most necessary change to our volunteer management and operations must be in refocusing ourselves to become successful in new ways. I am an advocate for longer term (not necessarily older) volunteers intentionally stepping back from their traditional roles, giving advance notice and committing to work on building a new team (not necessarily younger) of people to create a contemporary schema for getting jobs done today. Modern day volunteerism has changed. We have a more transient population, busy lifestyles and competitive marketing from many sources for our time. AFS Leadership and volunteer management need to redirect our organizations focus to teaching and mentoring people to volunteer and participate in today’s market, using today’s technology and becoming today’s AFS. I am a team builder. I am a teacher in everyday life; it is a passion not a career. I am someone who desires to be a part of a leadership group looking to build and grow the attributes chosen for our brand.
- Trustworthy
- Supportive
- Connecting
- Inspiring
I want AFS volunteer management and operations to connect with the people and resources that we have today. I want AFS volunteer management to be supportive in finding ways to use the talents and skills that volunteers are willing to give in whatever portion of time that it may be given. I want AFS volunteer management to be trustworthy, reliable and responsive. As chair of the Communications Committee last year, I worked with our team to start a journey into improving our communication processes. This year I step down as chair as the group now moves into an Advisory Group capacity, led by a volunteer chair with volunteer members working together with our staffed communication departments. I offer skills tailored to motivating and moving people to respond and grow and would hope to have this next term as an opportunity to continue building that area of our volunteer management.
The biggest opportunity that AFS volunteer management and operations has it to fully identify, engage and recognize volunteers. Identification through current volunteers, host families and connected groups (school groups, parents groups, etc.) will strengthen the future of the organization. I have had over 24 years of experience in working directly with volunteers in order to achieve the goals of the organizations with which I worked. At one point in my career, I was directly responsible for over 2,300 adult volunteers serving 18.000 youth as part of a national organization. I oversaw such functions as recruitment and training, as well as retention and recognition. Volunteers want to know that their efforts, no matter how big or small, make a valuable contribution to the success of the programs that they serve.
Our volunteers do what they do because they have the passion and enthusiasm for AFS and to help AFS with their mission as well as to create one world where our differences bring us together and make us stronger. Their reward is that of a successful program, an enlightened student and a host family whose greatest desire is that their AFS son/daughter will always remember they have 2 homes!! With Compliance issues, the State Department Regulations and other possible changes, how do we continue to keep our volunteers positive and motivated. The State Department regulations which produced our new compliance guidelines will continue to increase and change. Coupled with the down economy, lower sending and hosting numbers and the financial struggles we are facing as an organization. Any one of these challenges on a personal level would be a lot to deal with let alone as an organization where each volunteer takes what they do on the behalf of AFS personally and with heart. We need to lighten the burden of these issues, by finding a way to make them easier to digest, understand and comply with. I believe our Volunteers have the solutions to the challenges. A Volunteer Advisory Group with its sole purpose to brainstorm, offer suggestions, inspire and help create solutions can be the most effective course to institute changes. Soliciting our Volunteer base as to what has worked for them, makes them a part of the solution and will enable us to work proactively with upcoming changes and even perhaps some of the operational issue we currently struggle with.
With regards to management, I believe that our volunteer’s don’t have a connection with the National Council or our Board of Directors, nor do any of us have a clear understanding of exactly what take places and the effect our National Council has on our behalf. I believe that we should have a quarterly or midyear report card or perhaps a “The State of AFS” report either by way of a webinar, or email. Our Volunteers have the desire to succeed and the expectation to understand the National Council’s inner workings, their accomplishments, our future as they see it, the path we are taking and what it means and how it affects them. Again, monthly webinars hosted by a National Council Member would be a great way for the missing interaction between the volunteers and the National Council. A webinar would allow our volunteers to feel more connected and in touch with our National Council and Board of directors. Only having yearly contact with our volunteers leaves 11 months where there is no personal contact.
Nancy Satola
See response above
I think that one of the biggest challenges for AFS volunteer management is keeping new volunteers engaged and active. Almost like a paying job, it might be good to enter a volunteer’s skill set and what their interests are. Also, like above, to do a yearly evaluation to see where they are, if their interests have changed and what their current interests are. This could be done by the Team Chair or someone on the team. I would set up a general evaluation for the volunteers. Also, to help them grow into new roles or share a role to get a taste if they would like to permanently take on the role.
