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 2010 National Volunteer Assembly will be held in Nashville, TN.
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.
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.
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 volunteers in the Area Team can elect an alternate representative to 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.
National Volunteer Assembly by-laws
The National Volunteer Assembly by-laws were approved by the first NVA on April 26, 2009 in Denver, CO.
