YFU) Y Advances Intercultural Under- Standing, Mutual Respect, and Social Responsibility Through Educational Exchanges for Youth, Families and Communities
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Volunteer Handbook Mission Statement outh For Understanding (YFU) Y advances intercultural under- standing, mutual respect, and social responsibility through educational exchanges for youth, families and communities. Important Contact Information YFU USA District Office: 1.866.4.YFU.USA (1.866.493.8872) YFU USA Travel Emergencies: 1.800.705.9510 YFU After Hours Emergency Support: 1.800.424.3691 Youth For Understanding USA, consistent with its commitment to international understanding, does not discrimi- nate in employment or in making its selections and placements on the basis of race, color, national origin, reli- gion, gender, or sexual orientation. Volunteer Handbook i Welcome to YFU! Willkommen! Yokoso irashmashita!* Bienvenue! Bem-Vindos! elcome to the world of Youth For Understanding (YFU). Since 1951, Tervetuloa! W YFU has advanced intercultural under- Vitjte! standing, mutual respect, and social responsibility through educational exchanges for youth, families and communities. Begun as a post-war effort to bridge divisions and diminish stereotypes, YFU has Benvenuti! grown into a world-wide network with programs and Sveicinati! offices currently in 64 countries. None of this growth and progress could have Velkommen! taken place without the support of volunteers. Velkommen! Thousands of people have put their knowledge, skills, and caring attitudes to use by becoming YFU volunteers for teens and their families from around the world. ¡Bienvenido! As you work through this Volunteer Handbook and Valkommen! begin your work in international exchange, the most important thing to remember through it all is... Mabuhay! ENJOY! Bem-Vindos! Welkom! Dobro pozchalyat!* Kalosorisote!* The languages used above, in clockwise order on the page beginning at One o’clock are: Japanese, Portuguese, Czech, Latvian, Danish, Swedish, Russian, Greek, Dutch, Tagalog, Spanish, Norwegian, Italian, Finnish, French, and German. Note: the * indicates the word is written in its transliteration form, i.e., using the Roman alphabet rather than Cyrillic, Greek, Hiragana, or Katakana. Volunteer Handbook iii “There would be no Youth For Understanding if it wasn’t for the volunteers. What a job they do!” - YFU Founder, Rachel Andresen (1959) Dear YFU Volunteer, Thank you for serving in one of the most important jobs we have at YFU: that of a volunteer! For more than 60 years, YFU has depended upon the dedicated efforts of trained volunteers to deliver the YFU program in local communities around the world. YFU’s impact on the world would not be possible without the direct engagement of volunteers. Whether you will be mentoring an international student, finding and interviewing host families, or reviewing scholarship applications, you make a positive, direct, and oftentimes, profound impact on the development of a young person and through them on our world’s future. This is my first year leading this incredible organization. From my earliest days atYFU, I have heard wonderful stories about the ways that YFU volunteers bring out the best in our host fami- lies, our young ambassadors, and through their work, discover the best in themselves. We challenge YFU students to look at themselves as young ambassadors, representing a myri- ad of countries from around the globe. We hope that you, too, will see yourselves as critical ambassadors from the United States. From Maine to California, Florida to Washington State and in Hawaii and Alaska, you showcase the best that our nation has to offer when you re- ceive and interact with our young people and their host families. I sincerely hope you will thrive in your new role as a YFU ambassador and look forward to hearing your unique YFU story. Thank you for dedicating your time and energy to make a difference in the life of a teenager and host family who are exploring new cultures and advancing intercultural understanding, mutual respect, and social responsibility. Thank you for helping support YFU families in your community to expand their world. Thank you for everything you do to fulfill YFU’s mission. With warm regards, Michael E. Hill President & CEO Youth For Understanding USA Volunteer Handbook v Table of Contents CHAPTERS 1. Youth For Understanding USA The Organization.............................................................................................................1 2. Volunteering For Youth For Understanding USA.............................................................................................................3 3. Volunteer Training............................................................................................................................................................5 4. International Students & Host Families...........................................................................................................................7 5. YFU Support System.......................................................................................................................................................11 6. American Students ........................................................................................................................................................13 7. Working With Schools....................................................................................................................................................16 8. Public Relations..............................................................................................................................................................18 9. Orientation Services.......................................................................................................................................................20 10. Language Services.........................................................................................................................................................23 APPENDICES 1. Rachel Andresen, Founder of Youth For Understanding ............................................................................................26 2. YFU Country Listings.......................................................................................................................................................27 3. YFU USA Offices..............................................................................................................................................................28 4. YFU USA National Organization Chart...........................................................................................................................29 5. YFU USA District Organization Chart.............................................................................................................................30 6. District Staff Positions....................................................................................................................................................31 7. Volunteer Positions .......................................................................................................................................................32 8. Program Time Line.........................................................................................................................................................35 9. YFU USA Acronyms & Terminology.................................................................................................................................36 10. Volunteer Agreement.....................................................................................................................................................37 11. Volunteer Conflict of Interest Statement.......................................................................................................................40 12. Student Policies And Procedures...................................................................................................................................41 13. United States Department of State J-1 Visa Regulations.............................................................................................48 14. CSIET Standards for Long-Term International Educational Travel Programs.............................................................56 15. International Basic Standards for Educational Exchanges of Youth For Understanding...........................................60 Volunteer Handbook VII CHAPTER ONE Youth For Understanding USA THE ORGANIZATION 1. What is Youth For Understanding? Basic Standards for Educational Exchanges of Youth Youth For Understanding (YFU) is a worldwide net- For Understanding (appendix 15), developed by the work of interdependent, yet autonomous organiza- YFU International Advisory Council in consultation tions committed to advancing intercultural under- with all YFU national organizations. All YFU national standing, mutual respect and social responsibility organizations have agreed to adhere to these stan- through educational exchanges for youth, families dards. The standards guide each country in assuring and communities. “YFU,” as it is most often called, a level of quality, but allow each organization to pro- is one of the world’s oldest and largest international vide such quality through its own style, approaches, youth exchange programs. and cultural context. 2. What is YFU’s history? 5. How is YFU USA financed? Dr. Rachel Andresen founded YFU in Ann Arbor, Most of YFU USA’s annual operating revenue comes Michigan, in 1951 (biography in Appendix 1). The from tuition paid by the families of exchange stu- first