National Volunteer Assembly
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AFS-USA will hold a National Volunteer Assembly each year. Elected Team, chapter, and at-large delegates will represent AFS Volunteers at the annual National Volunteer Assembly (NVA). The first three NVAs, in 2009, 2010, and 2011, were held in Denver, CO, Nashville, TN, and St Louis, MO, respectively. The 2012 National Volunteer Assembly will be held in Charlotte, NC.
The National Volunteer Assembly of AFS-USA will endeavor to promote and continue the work and spirit, and to perpetuate the ideals of AFS Intercultural Programs (AFS).
The National Volunteer Assembly (NVA) is the decision making body for volunteer-based program operations and governance of AFS-USA. As a central leadership body for AFS-USA, the delegates to the National Volunteer Assembly are committed to and recognize their responsibility in making decisions from a national perspective and what is best for the health of AFS-USA and the AFS International Network. The National Volunteer Assembly annually brings together the volunteer leaders of the organization for two distinct purposes.
1. The Assembly’s main role is to direct the organization toward pathways that contribute to the mission of AFS-USA, maintain the financial viability of the organization, and support our commitment to quality and promote growth.
2. The secondary role of the National Volunteer Assembly is to elect the AFS-USA National Council and some members of the AFS-USA Board of Directors.
The National Volunteer Assembly delegates will work together in an environment of shared responsibility and accountability in the delivery and support of our mission, programs and core volunteer development principles. The policies and procedures of the National Volunteer Assembly will be in accord with AFS International and AFS-USA standards, policies and procedures, the United States Department of State regulations and the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel (CSIET) standards.
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Attendance at the NVA
The National Volunteer Assembly will be open to all registered volunteers. Volunteers who atttend the NVA will either be delegates or participants. Delegates will attend the NVA as representatives of specific volunteer groups (Teams or Chapters) or be elected as "at-large" delegates. Only delegates will have voting rights at the NVA. Other volunteers can attend the NVA as participants. Participants will be able to engage in discussions, however they will not have voting rights at the NVA.
Delegates’ expenses to attend the NVA will be covered by AFS-USA. Other volunteers who wish to attend as participants, may do so at their own expense or at the expense of their team or chapter.
Delegates
All Teams will have one delegate to the NVA for each group of 40 program participants (hosting and sending combined).
- 40 - 79 program participants equals 1 delegate
- 80 – 119 program participants equals 2 delegates
- 120 - 159 program participants equals 3 delegates
The Team Chair is generally the first delegate. In cases where the Chair cannot attend, the volunteers in the Team can elect an alternate representative to attend in their absence. There is no limit to the number of delegates that one team can have. Additional delegates will be elected by the team volunteers.
Smaller Teams with fewer than 40 participants will be grouped together with other teams for the purpose of electing delegates to the NVA.
A certain number of seats at the NVA will be reserved for “at-large” delegates. The specific number of at-large delegates will be determined each year by the National Volunteer Assembly Planning Committee, with approval by the National Council. The process of coordinating the selection of the at-large delegates will be determined by the NVA Planning Committee of the National Council.
Date and Location of the National Volunteer Assembly
The location of the National Volunteer Assembly is determined by a vote of delegates at the previous year's NVA. The NVA is held in the spring of each year and the National Council will determine the exact date by October 1 of the previous year.
