Sending Memo Dec 15 2010
From AFSWiki
In This Issue
Hello from the Sending Team at AFS!
- During early December, the Sending Team has been working with volunteers to fill in the Sending Plan, which outlines local, volunteer driven sending activity. We have also been preparing upcoming webinar trainings for volunteers and planning for January field trips. In addition, we are preparing for the hiring of the seasonal staff who will begin to review applications in January.
- In this issue, we have provided a number of helpful tips, as you support AFS sending locally.
- As we move into the remainder of 2010, we send our sincere gratitude for all you do for AFS. We send our best to you and your families, wishing you the best of holiday seasons.
Monthly Volunteer Call - January 11, 2010
We will hold the first monthly sending volunteer call on January 11, 2011. Be sure to RSVP for Monthly Sending Volunteer Calls. This is a great way to stay in the loop on sending updates, training and strategies.
Would you like to contact sending leads in your area?
Reaching out to students in your community, who have recently expressed interest in AFS is a wonderful way to welcome students and parents into the AFS family. As a volunteer, you are able to offer students and parents support and encouragement as they begin the journey to becoming an AFSer.
Here is how you and your fellow volunteers can be in touch with students in your community who have expressed interest in AFS programs, in just 3 easy steps:
- Send an email to Max Miller at mmiller@afs.org to request a Salesforce license.
- Review the Salesforce 101 - Tutorial to get the basics.
- Then check out Best Practices for Lead Follow-up to reach out to leads via email and invite them to an Information Event or pick up the phone and reach out using the Talking Points For Contacting Leads.
Staff Updates
We welcome to the Sending Team, Tara O'Connor as the replacement Outbound Programs Coordinator. She will be working with the target teams in the West. Here is an updated list of Sending Staff.
Get the word out about your AFS events!
With the holidays, be sure to invite students in your local area to your AFS events. Here is a simple way to spread the word about your local AFS events. Just provide some basic information following this simple link and we will post your event on the website, as well as send an email to your local students. Just click here to 'Add an Event'
Spring Departure Updates
- Pre-departure Orientations: It is time to schedule pre-departure orientations for SH departure students. The first departure is January 12-13. Follow the steps to create your orientation activity in Global Link, and attach your students to the event.
- Travel News Sending Travel for the SH11 Cycle is about to begin! As of December 23, 2010 updates on sending travel and orientation will be available.
Global Link Update
Based on requests from many of you who often need help with sending throughout the year we have recently granted all of AFS's registered volunteers access to view Sending services cases and sending online applications. Now, when you reach out to volunteers in your area that do not traditionally help with sending you won't run into any problems with their ability to look up sending students in Global Link.
Financial Assistance
*Financial Aid: We are now accepting need-based financial aid applications for programs departing in the summer/fall of 2011. Average awards will be between $200-$1,500 based on financial need. The Scholarship Committee will begin reviewing applications and offering awards in January 2011. Please check the Global Leaders page for additional detail. *Scholarships: We will be offering limited merit-based scholarships for programs departing in the summer/fall of 2011, including an exciting opportunity for students to put their creativity and videography skills to the test to receive a $3,000 scholarship for a year program to Egypt, India, Turkey, Russia or China. Please check the Global Leaders page in January for further details.
NSLI for Youth Interviews
NSLI for Youth are getting off to a start in December! The applications of NSLI for Youth semi-finalists will be visible in Global Link on Monday, December 20th. A few regions are able to get a head start. Students will be interviewed in Tulsa, Oklahoma and in Washington, DC on December 18th. The San Diego Team has generously offered to interview students who live abroad over the phone in December, as well. The plan is to get a head start so that volunteers at American Councils can begin to review students files, and we can announce the finalists earlier than last year.
Other teams around the country will interview students in January. All interviews are due by February 7th. We recommend that you check Global Link on Monday, December 20th to see how many students in your team have made it past the first round of screening and will be semi-finalists.
If you have questions about the NSLI-Y interviews, please contact the NSLI-Y Seasonal Interview Coordinator Staff at NSLIYinterview@afs.org or 1(800)876-2376, ext 1165. They are available from 9:00 am til 8:00 pm Eastern, Monday through Friday.
AFS Greeting Cards
Volunteers will be receiving 10 AFS 2011 greeting cards with inserts promoting Sending opportunities in 2011. We ask that the cards be sent to friends, family members and contact who have students eligible for AFS programs abroad in 2011. The insert includes information on how students can save $25 off the preliminary application fee. Our focus is to welcome new people into the AFS family in the new year!
RESOURCES
- RSVP for Sending Training and Volunteer Calls
- RSVP for Monthly Sending Volunteer Calls
- Order Sending Materials
- Educator Newsletter, sign-up for the Global Classroom
- Sending Plan Template
- Sending Staff
