Tasks for New Hosting Volunteers
From AFSWiki
Here are a few ideas of small tasks to ask newer volunteers/AFS friends to do:
Contact past hostfam leads
Fams that said they would host in the future, fams that were too busy in the fall, etc, etc). Have a host mom in mind that is having a great experience for the third time? Does she love to share her experience? Then perhaps she's a candidate for:
- Form A follow-ups (staff can help with lists)
- Past email responses from “plea emails” (staff can help with lists)
- Any families you've documented in your own notes
Contact sending families
- Contact SH/NH sending as well as recent returnees.
Contact brand new leads from high schools
- Indicate that they may be receiving a call or email from the regional staff of AFS, but as a local representative, you want to make sure to contact them right away and speak with their parents (ask hosting staff for lead summaries after a trip).
Compile a short bio book
Have a liaison that is great with the computer?
- Refer to guidelines listed in CSIET Host Family Recruitment Standards
Post a flyer
- Churches, offices, kids' schools, holiday bazaars, etc.
- Anybody can do this.
- Hosting Tear-Off flyer
Make an announcement
- Podium Announcements at church, PTA, etc
- For those who have good public speaking skills and interest
Call supportive teachers and ask them to make an announcement in their classes
- A new volunteer who has a relationship with the school and teachers such as a fellow teacher, parent of student, or otherwise involved in the school
Contact hosted students and ask for their feedback
- Example: do they know a family that would be a good host family?
- More experienced volunteer who has had some communication with those students already.
Events
- At Thanksgiving dinner, get everyone to fill out Form As when they are comatose from all the turkey. Ha ha!
- Wine parties
- Cocktail events
- Desert nights
Young returnee being a "buddy" to a family hosting a student
- Partner a young returnee with a liaison to work with a student and family.
Maximize personal network
- Ask new volunteer what organizations they are already involved in
- If they are good speaker, they could conduct the presentation from their own personal experience as liaison, returnee, host family etc. or
- Arrange for currently hosted students and recent returnees to hold presentation at that/those organizations
