Skip to main content

Support Agreement Guide

  • Updated

Click here for a helpful learning video on the Support Agreement from AFS’s Microlearning Library for volunteers. 

Purpose 

A Support Agreement is a written document developed through collaboration between volunteers, AFS-USA Support and Learning staff, AFS partner country staff, and sometimes participants and host families. It is developed as a response to moderate or serious concerns regarding a participant’s adjustment on program or program experience. (Click here for more information on Tools for a Continuum of Issues). The purpose of a support agreement is to help the participant- and sometimes the host family and volunteers as well- focus on specific goals and action items that have been identified as necessary for the success of the placement and program. 

The support agreement is normally used as a “next step” in a support process if the participant does not follow or fulfill their Plan for Success. It could also be used to address the first occurrence of a very serious behavior problem that the participant needs resolve to remain in the exchange program and succeed. 

Support agreements are normally signed by the participant, support volunteer (such as the liaison, Support Coordinator, or Associate Support Coordinator), host family, and sending parents, and it requires AFS-USA and AFS partner staff concurrence and review. 

Similar to the plan for success, a support agreement should clearly describe concerns and challenges and what the participant needs to do to resolve them. Support agreements also note actions and goals for the host family, AFS volunteers, and sometimes AFS staff to commit to as well. Preparation of the agreement requires close communication with Support and Learning staff at the national office for guidance, and coordination with the partner country staff who interact with the sending parents.

Please find the Support Agreement Template here. 

Basic Concepts

  • The AFS intercultural learning experience is a learn by doing, trial and error process. It is to be expected that errors will be made and adolescent students will require assistance. The host family and liaison provide basic assistance. Other volunteers such as the liaison, support coordinator, and associate support coordinator provide further assistance, should that be required.

  • Participants generally enter the program with the perspective that behaviors and attitudes that have worked for them since birth will be appropriate with a new host family. Often this is not the case. Significant adaptation may be required.

  • Problems should be approached as a chance for the participant to learn from the experience. When problems occur, the AFS Learning Objectives help the participant focus on the learning required for a successful exchange experience.

  • Support should be positive and directed to helping the participant understand the issues and resolve the problem(s), while still understanding the seriousness of the need to adjust.

  • If conflicts remain unresolved, the Support Agreement shows that support and guidance was given and efforts were made by the volunteers to resolve an issue. This can be crucial later on if the sustainability of the student’s program is questioned and an Early Return discussed.

Related Support Counseling Tools

The Process for Developing a Support Agreement

  1. Identify the issues: The initial requirement is to identify the significant issues, consulting with those involved to get their perspectives. This includes the host parents, liaison, and any others who have significant interaction with the participant related to the issues. There may have been verbal support counseling sessions, in which volunteers have already gathered information on the perspectives and concerns of those involved. Possibly the participant completed a Plan for Success and some or all the issues that have not been resolved are identified in the plan.

  2. Talk to your Support Staff person: Call your Participant Support and Learning Specialist at AFS-USA's National Office and discuss what you have found out. Request guidance on the appropriate method to address the issue(s). If it is agreed to use the Support Agreement format, proceed with guidance given and the procedure described herein.

  3. Conduct the support meeting: Follow up discussion with the student after a Support Agreement is decided upon as the next step, can be helpful and important. Discuss all the issues with the participant. Give the participant feedback on how others see the situation, and ask the participant for their assessment and perspective. Develop a list of significant issues, hopefully that are agreed to or at least understood by the participant. A review of AFS expectations as listed in their welcome materials, and of the AFS Learning Objectives, may be useful as you work to help the student come to understand the need for them to make real adjustments.

  4. Write the Support Agreement: The actual drafting of the Support Agreement can begin through drafting by volunteers or staff. Input from the student, host family, staff, volunteers, and partner staff are all crucial. When drafting, consider:   
    • Does the participant wish to continue the program, and if so what do they want to achieve? Discuss what AFS hopes the student will learn from the experience (as described in the AFS Learning Objectives) and how specific objectives relate to the issues. 
    • Ask the participant to consider their concerns and personal goals, and the applicable AFS Learning Objectives and then propose what should be in the Support Agreement. 
    • Use of the SMART Goals: (Specific, Measurable, Acceptable, Realistic, and Time-framed) 
      • The actions to be taken should be specific not general in nature.
      • The actions should be measurable so progress or completion can be verified.
      • The actions should be acceptable to all parties involved.
      • The actions should be realistic rather than idealistic.
      • There should be a time frame for accomplishment.
    • Be concise: The Support Agreement should focus on only the major issues of the placement or compliance with AFS rules. A concise list helps the participant to keep focused during implementation. Ideally the Support Agreement should be no more than two pages.
    • For volunteers supporting students hosted by State Department Sponsored Programs, such as YES, FLEX, and CBYX students:
      • Sometimes additional language may need to be added to the student's Support Agreement in order to make scholarship expectations clear as well. Please consult with your Participant Support and Learning Specialist in these cases.
  5. Confidentiality: The support volunteer needs to tell the participant that information on what was discussed during the counseling session and the document they have developed will only go to select people connected to their support. That will include the liaison, Support Coordinator or Associate Support Coordinator, support staff at the AFS-USA National Office, and the staff in the AFS partner country office who will send the support agreement to the participant’s sending parents. The sending parents can often help motivate the participant to make behavioral changes identified in the agreement.
  6. Continued Use and Review: Volunteers are highly encouraged to enforce the Support Agreement as a live document, to be in effect for the remainder of the student’s program. As such, we want the documents, and all the points included in it, to remain true and relevant to the student. Consider proposing revisions or amendments of the document throughout the year or if circumstances change and the student’s takes steps in their adaptation process successfully.
  7. Consequences: The participant needs to understand that the exchange program requires learning appropriate behaviors to adapt to living with a host family and as a student on a J-1 visa to apply themselves to achieve passing grades at school. After repeated attempts, a pattern showing failure to adapt or failure at school may be a cause for an early return. Outlining this reality in the agreement can be important to help the student understand the need for their adaptation.  

Volunteers are encouraged to identify a review date, to meet again and assess progress on the support agreement and the goals and tasks that have been assigned. Normally, a review date is best assigned roughly two weeks after the agreement is signed, to allow sufficient time for all parties to begin demonstrating honest and consistent effort.  

If a student is found to be in nonadherence with the tasks and goals outlined in the support agreement, a possible next step may be an AFS Warning Letter.

 

Resources

Volunteers should consider the following resources to assist in evaluating the issues and drafting the Support Agreement: 

  • Liaison monthly reports available in Global Link. 
  • The participant’s application, specifically those sections that might have some bearing on the issues. (Letter to host parents, natural parent’s comments, teacher’s comments, school transcript.) 
  • The Participant and Host Family Questionnaire that records the family expectations, usually in the participant’s welcome orientation handbook. 
  • The completed Plan for Success if applicable. 
  • Country specific host parent handbooks that describe cultural differences that may have a bearing on the issues, available here. 
  • Support and Learning staff at the national office who have extensive experience participant adjustment and behavior challenges. 

Related articles