Here you will find a helpful cheat sheet for volunteers to better understand the role of each of their staff people. You can find who the specific individual contacts are for your team in the Team Directory widget on MyAFS.
Which Region Am I In?
Who Do I Contact?
Below you will find a brief description of the most frequently-contacted staff roles at AFS-USA. If you are unsure of who to contact, no problem! Just send an email to AskAFS@afsusa.org, and we will make sure your message gets to the correct person.
As of June 2020 there is one Regional Director for every two regions and one Participant Support Specialist for every three regions. Below are some of the reasons you may contact these staff members:
Regional Field Specialist / Hosting Programs Specialists (HPS))
- Engages volunteers to identify and screen families for hosted students before students arrive
- Works with volunteers to identify families for hosted students if they need to move while on program
- Builds community and school relationships
Regional Field Specialist / Volunteer Services Specialists (VSS))
- Handles AFS volunteer issues not related to student support, hosting, or study abroad
- Volunteer registration and integration contact
- Orientation or event planning
- Compliance
- School fee reimbursements
Regional Directors (RD)
- Establish a strategic vision and a work plan for managing and developing their assigned region
- Maintain the health of the volunteer base in their regions
- Keep in regular contact with volunteer leaders.
- Manage the Regional Field Specialists in the region
- Each RD works with two regions
Participant Support Specialists (PSS) / Hosting Support / Sending Support
- Work directly with volunteer Support Coordinators, Associate Support Coordinators, and Liaisons
- Questions, concerns issues when students are on program
- Some Area Teams have a different PSS for Hosting students and Study Abroad students.
- Each PSS works with 3 regions.
Study Abroad Specialists (SAS)
- Work directly with students/parents interested in study abroad
- Selecting an appropriate program
- Completing the application process
- Engages volunteers in working with and interviewing parents and students interested in study abroad
Travel and Logistics
- Works directly with volunteers to process Travel Waivers, Parental Permission forms, and Program Releases
- Signs DS 2019s for Hosted Students
- Arranges travel for Early Returns
- Coordinates Arrivals and Departures
Field Finance
- Work directly with Treasurers on all Field Finance issues
- Area Team/Chapter financial reporting
- Reimbursements for volunteers
- Vendor payments
- Opening/closing bank accounts
- Obtaining Certificates of Insurance