Chapter Requirements (View Online)

Amigos de las Americas

Chicago North Chapter

<http://www.amigoschicago.org>

Volunteers who enter the Chicago North Chapter Training Program intending to enter the Latin American Program during the summer must meet the following requirements in order to successfully graduate from the Training Program and be granted admission to the Latin American Program. Failure to abide by any one of these requirements may result in the dismissal of the volunteer from the Chicago North Chapter Training Program at the sole discretion of the Chicago North Chapter Board of Directors.
     The Volunteer must complete the Amigos Application (both the online and the paper portion) and provide all additional required documents.
     The Family of the Volunteer must either pay the full Participation Fee within the prescribed deadlines, or qualify for a Chapter Scholarship.
     The Volunteer must meet the Fundraising Requirements as outlined in the Fundraising Contract.
     The Volunteer must demonstrate the AMIGOS Volunteer Core Competencies.
     The Volunteer must meet the Training Attendance standards as outlined in the Training Attendance Policy.
     The Volunteer must abide by all AMIGOS Standards of Conduct ("The Rules") as outlined in the Standards of Personal Conduct and Community Behavior.
     The volunteer must meet the Medical Requirements receiving all necessary vaccinations, medications, medical clearances, and mental health clearances before going to Latin America.
     The Family of the Volunteer (Parents or Guardian) must participate in parent activities, playing a specific role in operating the chapter.

Each applicant must complete the Amigos application. Completed online (downloaded and printed out) and paper portions (except for the medical form and letter of reference) must be brought to the interview. It is strongly advised that if there are two parents/guardians, both be present at the interview. At minimum, one parent or legal guardian is required to be present at the interview. The final deadline for the fully completed online and paper application (i.e. with medical form and letter of reference) is November 15, 2009.

•    A $50 application fee must accompany each application. The fee:

1.    May be waived if a completed request for financial assistance accompanies the written application; and

2.    Is refundable in full if the Volunteer is not accepted in the Program or withdraws from the Program before November 20, 2009.

3.    Is part of the total Family Participation Fee of $2,300.00.

•     An interview with a Board Member, and some questions in Spanish (from a veteran Volunteer) to determine basic communication skills, is required of each applicant.

•     The Board of the Chicago North Chapter must approve each application. Each applicant will be notified of Board action on her/his application by email about November 29th 2009.

A.    The cost of the program is paid for through two sources:

1.    A required Family Participation Payment (FPP).

2.    Group Fundraising  

B.    Costs of the program include training, airfare, special chapter events, chapter operations, and summer Latin America program costs. The total cost of the program for each volunteer is expected to be $5,200.00. For the 2009-10 year the Family Participation Payment is $2,300 which includes the $50.00 deposit. Group fundraising activities fund the balance of the costs for the volunteers.  

C.    Financial assistance and scholarships are available in limited quantity based on need, merit and implementing the diversity vision of Amigos.

D.    The Family Participation Payment is due in installments according to the schedule below. If monthly payments are not current by April 2nd, the Volunteer’s air travel cannot be made with the group’s reservations.

1.    12/9/09    $450    (veterans $350)

2.    1/06/10    $450    (veterans $350)

3.    2/03/10    $450     (veterans $350)

4.    3/03/10    $450     (veterans $350)

5.    4/07/10    $450     (veterans $350)

E.    If a Volunteer withdraws, is dismissed, or transfers to International’s Correspondent Volunteer Program, the refund of the Volunteer’s Family Participation Payment will follow the guidelines set forth in the Family Participation Payment Schedule.

III.    FUNDRAISING REQUIREMENTS
A. Each Volunteer must actively participate in the chapter’s primary fundraising activity: the letter writing campaign. The goal of the campaign is to raise at least $2,900 in contributions per Volunteer.
B. All amounts raised in excess of the Fundraising Obligation will be retained by the Chicago North Chapter, and will be used to support the Amigos program.
C. To meet the goal, in December each Volunteer is responsible for providing names and viable addresses of at least 100 persons to whom he/she will send a letter, in early January, to solicit support for the Chicago North Chapter of Amigos. Prospects may include family friends, relatives, neighbors, business associates of the Volunteer’s parents, the family doctor or dentist, church, synagogue, or social organization members, etc.
D. Assistance in developing lists of prospects will be provided, if requested, to Volunteers who are approved to receive financial assistance, as well as to anyone else who requests it.
E. Proceeds from the letter writing campaign may not be credited directly to any one individual, per federal laws governing charitable contributions.
F. Important parts of our approach:
1. The chapter will lead the volunteers through each step in the fundraising process.
2. The chapter tracks each volunteer’s completion of the step-by-step process.
3. Tracking individual donors is the responsibility of each volunteer.
4. Follow-up with thank-you letters, and follow-through after returning from the field is the responsibility of the volunteer
G. Parent’s involvement in the fundraising consists of:
1. Assisting volunteer in developing the list of 100 names.
2. Helping to meet deadlines for the fundraising steps.
H. While the letter writing campaign has traditionally proven to be highly successful for the Chicago North Chapter, should the chapter goal fail to be reached by April 1, 2010 and Volunteers do not participate in the field portion of the Program, the Refund Policy set forth in the Family Participation Payment Schedule.

IV.    AMIGOS CORE COMPETENCIES
A. The Amigos Core Competencies are the behaviors that the Training Program and the Summer Field Program are designed to develop. It is not expected that Volunteers enter the program with all these skills developed, nor graduate with these skills fully developed. Nonetheless, development of these skills beyond a minimum level is expected at the completion of the training program, before the Volunteer leaves for Latin America.

B. Amigos Volunteers are empowered young leaders who:
1. Understand their roles as AMIGOS volunteers.
2. Organize information and resources.
3. Make sound decisions.
4. Solve problems.
5. Are skilled interpersonal communicators.
6. Have strong conversational skills in Spanish or Portuguese.
7. Appreciate and recognize human diversity.
8. Know effective methods for staying safe and healthy.

C. Amigos Volunteers advance community development at home and abroad:
1. Plan, implement, and evaluate projects.
2. Utilize approaches to education and development that build community.
3. Strive for sustainable programs.
4. Assess community resources, assets, and opportunities.
5. Collaborate with host communities and partner agencies.

D. Amigos Volunteers strengthen multi-cultural understanding in the Americas:
1. Are culturally sensitive.
2. Understand the process of cultural adjustment.
3. Understand the impact of culture.

E. Amigos Volunteers learn through service:
1. Understand their personal motivation for service.
2. Understand the principles of service learning.

F. Performance Evaluation:
1. Volunteer performance will be assessed periodically evaluated by the training staff.

V.    TRAINING ATTENDANCE POLICY
Amigos Training has two separate components: the Training Sessions and Workshops and the Language. These are described in detail below.  Chicago North expects that all volunteers adhere to the attendance policy.

Training Sessions and Workshops
•    Training Workshops are held between December and May. The calendar of mandatory events is provided with the application.
•    The Workshops are comprised of a series of :
   
    1 Sunday Kick-Off event
    1 weekend retreat (Friday-Sunday)
    1 overnight retreat (Saturday-Sunday)
    9 Sunday afternoon trainings (2.5 hours each)
    1 weekday night at Poder Learning Center Service Project (5:00-8:30 p.m.)

Language
• Completion of one year of high school Spanish and enrollment in the second year or the equivalent. (Exceptions to formal language instruction may be made in the case of native Spanish speakers.)
• Conversational Spanish at the level of communicating basic needs and simple social interactions.
• Conversational Spanish language assessment will be done in the early portion of the program. If the assessment demonstrates that the volunteer does not meet the conversational Spanish requirement, the volunteer will be required to complete Spanish tutoring. A separate contract will be drawn up for those Volunteers who require tutoring in Conversational Spanish.
 
Attendance
The Chicago North Chapter expects that Volunteers will take responsibility for their own training. We assume that Volunteers are involved in the training program because they understand that successful completion of all the components of the Training Program enables them to maximize their safety and promote successful completion of the Latin American Program. Consequently:
Chicago North Chapter AMIGOS volunteers are required to:
• Attend all meetings, workshops, and the retreat.
• Participate in all language tutoring sessions (if required). 
• Submit to the Training Director, in advance, a Training Exception Acknowledgment if another activity is expected to create a scheduling conflict.
• If a Volunteer must miss a training activity for any reason, or must arrive late or leave early, it is the responsibility of the volunteer (NOT THE PARENTS) to call one of the Training Directors (or language tutor) in advance. While all AMIGOS activities are mandatory, we understand that unavoidable conflicts may arise during the year.
A volunteer is considered to be TARDY (arriving late to a training activity), if s/he arrives at least 15 minutes after the start time. First, second, and third tardiness violations will require the volunteer to meet with the Training Director (TD) and any subsequent violations will require the volunteer to meet with the disciplinary subcommittee of the Training Committee (TC).
1. If a Volunteer has any unexplained absences from training activities, s/he will be required to meet with the TD. Third violations will require a meeting with the TC.
2. If a Volunteer has a problem for a fourth time (tardy or unexplained absence), the Volunteer will be asked to appear before the Chicago North Chapter Board of Directors. Discussion will focus on why attendance has been difficult and determine how to prevent missed training in the future. The Board, in its discretion, determines whether Volunteers absent from training will be eligible for the Latin American Program.

VI.    STANDARDS OF CONDUCT
A. The Volunteer must keep in mind that all aspects of the training program are a preparation for the Latin American program and that his or her behavior reflects on AMIGOS at all times. For this reason, the Volunteer must conduct him or herself in an appropriate manner during all training activities. This includes:
1. Participating actively and positively in all training exercises, discussions, feedback sessions, etc.
2. Demonstrating respect for the Training Directors, Veteran Trainers, Volunteers, and other participants.
3. Using maturity and good judgment throughout the training.
4. Turning in all items of paperwork complete, on time, and filled out correctly and honestly to the best of his or her knowledge.
B. The Volunteer is also required to follow the Amigos Standards of Conduct and Community Behavior during each Amigos Event the Volunteer participates. (Note that these rules do not apply to Volunteers outside of Amigos Events.) The "Rules" are as follows:
1. The AMIGOS volunteer will not engage in any behavior that may be harmful to the health and safety of the volunteer or others, nor will the volunteer engage in any behavior that may be detrimental to the program.
2. The AMIGOS volunteer will not use or possess any drugs which are illegal under the laws of the United States or the host country.
3. The AMIGOS volunteer will not consume any alcoholic beverage.
4. The AMIGOS volunteer will not leave his/her assigned work area without prior permission from a member of the AMIGOS Latin American Program Staff. (Not relevant to training in the United States.)
5. The AMIGOS volunteer will not engage in amorous conduct.
6. The AMIGOS volunteer will not operate any motorized vehicle or ride a motorcycle. (Volunteers may drive to and from Amigos events.)
7. The AMIGOS volunteer will not handle firearms.
8. The AMIGOS volunteer will not use tobacco products.
C. Parents and Volunteers recognize that should a Volunteer break any one of the Eight Standards of Conduct specified above while in Latin America, that volunteer, at the discretion of the President and CEO of Amigos International, may be sent home early.

VII.    MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS
A. The Confidential Health Form must be completed by Parents and Volunteer (part of the Application). Form must be completed fully and honestly.
B. It is of special importance that information related to Volunteers’ mental health be completed fully and honestly. While the occurrence of a mental health issue will never be the only reason an applicant is not accepted into the program, this information can be a critical part of the field staff’s decision as to where to locate the volunteer in the field.
C. The Physician’s Confidential Health Form must be completed by the Volunteer’s Physician or Clinician.
D. The Spring Medical Update Form must be timely completed by parents (or physician/clinician if appropriate) in May.
E. All vaccinations required by the specific country of field service must be obtained, in conformance with the specific guidelines and timeframes for each vaccination. These may include:
1. Tetanus/ diphtheria
2. Polio
3. Measles/Mumps/Rubella
4. Typhoid
5. Hepatitis A & B
6. Malaria
7. Tuberculosis skin test
8. Yellow Fever
F. Short-Term Medical Insurance for up to $100,000 is included in the cost of the program fee, and covers the Volunteer while in the field.

VIII.    PARENT SERVICE TO AMIGOS CHICAGO NORTH CHAPTER
A. Amigos de las Americas is a non-profit organization. The local chapters are operated and managed by volunteers. Only the Trainers receive a financial stipend. The Chicago North Chapter operates throughout the year to provide the wide array of services and activities necessary to adequately prepare volunteers to enter the field in the summer.
B. Parent tasks are a key part of the Amigos organization. Parent tasks provide three critical benefits to the program:
1. Provides necessary services to keep the program functioning smoothly.
2. Enables the parents to fully understand and become comfortable with the Amigos program, the personnel involved, the training their children receive, and the requirements to enter the field.
3. Demonstrates to volunteers their parents’ support of their involvement in the Amigos program.
C. Parent or Guardian service is a requirement for high school-aged Volunteer participation in the Amigos program.
D. Each high school volunteer must have at least one Parents/Guardian participate in one of the parent tasks.
E. Parent tasks, assigned by the Board, include at least the following positions:
1. Social Committee
2. Country Get-Togethers
3. Board Meeting Host
F. At least one parent/guardian will be required to:
1. Attend all parent meetings
2. Provide services for assigned role
3. Attend additional planning meetings, if needed, for assigned role.
G. Should a Volunteer’s parents or guardians be unable to participate, the Volunteer may, as an alternative, find an adult individual who is willing to serve as a "Friend of Amigos" and will participate in the parent activities for the Volunteer.

IX.    DISMISSAL FROM THE CHAPTER
A. Volunteers and their parents or guardians must meet the Program Requirements defined in this document. The Chicago North Board reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to dismiss a Volunteer from the Program at any time if the Volunteer or parents fail to meet these Program Requirements or for other good reasons.
B. Examples of grounds for which the Board, in its sole discretion, may dismiss a Volunteer from the Program include, but are not limited to, the following:
1. Missing AMIGOS functions.
2. Payments being in arrears.
3. Failure to complete Fundraising activities.
4. Engaging in any behavior that may be harmful to the health and safety of the Volunteer or others, or that may be detrimental to the reputation of the Program.
5. A recommendation of dismissal from the training staff following an evaluation of the Volunteer’s performance.
6. Failure to comply during Training with AMIGOS International Standards of Personal Conduct and Community Behavior.
7. Failure of a Volunteer’s parent or guardian to provide at least 6 hours of service to the Chicago North Chapter.           
                                         

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS               
I acknowledge that I have read and understood the above requirements for graduating from the Chicago North Chapter Training Program. I understand that failure to abide by any of these requirements may result in my dismissal from the Training Program at the sole discretion of the Chicago North Chapter Board. I  understand that failure to successfully complete the Training Program will render me ineligible for the summer 2009 Latin American Program..


__________________________________    ______________________________

Volunteer Signature                      Date

__________________________________    ______________________________
Parent/Guardian Signature            Date

__________________________________    ______________________________
Parent/Guardian Signature            Date

Revised 01OCT2009