National Volunteer Assembly

From AFSWiki

AFS-USA will hold a National Volunteer Assembly each year. Elected area team, chapter, and at-large delegates will represent AFS Volunteers at the annual National Volunteer Assembly (NVA).

The purpose of the NVA will be to:

• Bring together all leadership bodies in the organization (staff, Board, National Council, NVA delegates)

• Ensure that AFS leadership volunteers have the information they need regarding organizational priorities, the internal environment, and the external opportunities of the organization

• Allow volunteer delegates to make decisions on relevant topics or issues regarding operations, governance, and program strategy

• Allow volunteer delegates to elect the members of the National Council

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 (area 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 area team or chapter.

Delegates

Area 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 AT Chair is the first delegate. In cases where the AT Chair cannot attend, the AT Chair-Elect can attend in their absence. There is no limit to the number of delegates that one area team can have. Additional delegates will be elected by the area team volunteers.

Unaffiliated chapters will also have one delegate to the NVA for each group of 40 program participants (combined hosting and sending). The Chapter Chair will be the first delegate. Unaffiliated chapters with fewer than 40 participants will be grouped together with other unaffiliated chapters 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 Council. The process of selecting the at-large delegates will be determined by the NVA committee of the National Council.

Date and Location of the National Volunteer Assembly

The National Council will determine the date and location of the National Volunteer Assembly each year.