As the Support Coordinator, you help to oversee all AFS participant and family support within the team. In this role, you serve as a member of the Volunteer Leadership Team and work with the team to identify, coordinate, and empower volunteers locally to have the skills, training, and support they need to provide a quality intercultural learning experience to all AFS participants and families. You also act as the primary liaison between the National Participant Support Department and the Team for support cases as needed.
Tasks
- Ensure all hosted participants, host families, and natural parents of Americans Abroad have a local support volunteer
- Provide training to and serve as advisor for local support volunteers
- Assist in direct support and work with Hosting Coordinator in the host family move process
- Ensure compliance with AFS support standards as outlined in the Team Agreement
- Ensure required contacts and visits take place for all hosted students, host families and schools, in situations where the team does not have a volunteer Compliance and/or Liaison Coordinator
- Manage serious support situations in direct consultation with the Participant Support Department
- Meet with host families, hosted participants, and liaisons as needed to assist in problem solving and conflict resolution
- Ensure written, dated documentation of all support cases; collaborate and consult with Participant Support Staff keeping them informed of ongoing cases
- Serve as liaison between Team and National Participant Support Specialist
- Develop and maintain a list of local support professionals to call upon as needed (i.e. lawyer, grief counselor, clergy, etc.)
Training
- Required
- DoS (Department of State) Certification (annually)
- HSA (Hosting and Support Affiliation) training (annually)
- Recommended