| First and foremost, we wish to thank you for the outstanding support you have given our participants in these difficult times. We have seen so many volunteers go above and beyond to get participants home safely and continue to care for those still in the USA, while at the same time dealing with their own personal challenges. Our appreciation cannot be overstated.
Given the extraordinary circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, and our commitment to the health, safety, and welfare of the entire AFS community, AFS is making temporary modifications to our participant monitoring. These steps will enable us to continue to closely monitor and support our participants and host families, in the spirit in which is intended by the Department of State regulations governing J-1 sponsors such as AFS, while respecting state and local guidelines around social distancing and other measures.
For participants who have departed or will be departing in the coming days: Participants will remain in the MyAFS Contacts & Visits widget post-departure, allowing you time to enter contacts and visits after they have left (note that departed students will not be visible in the Team widget). We understand that volunteers are busily supporting students about to depart, sometimes with very short notice, and may not have the time to enter contacts and visits as they occur while simultaneously working to get them home safely.
For participants still on program: It is as important as ever that we continue the support of our participants by conducting required contacts and visits while practicing social distancing and following state and local guidelines. At this time we strongly discourage volunteers from meeting with participants and host families in person, even if your area is not under a shelter-in-place order. What this means for the requirements:
• 30/60-Day In-Home Visits: Please complete any upcoming 30/60-day home visits via video conference. When submitting the “In-Home Visit” report, please note in the General Comments that the contact was made via video.
• Spring In-Person Host Family Contacts: If you have not yet completed an in-person contact with the host family this semester, please complete a spring host family contact via video conference. When submitting the “In-Person” report, please note in the General Comments that the contact was made via video.
• School Contacts: Given the widespread school closures, you are not expected to complete the customary March-May school contact.
• Monthly Student & Host Family Contacts: Please continue to complete monthly contacts via telephone or video conference for each month your participant remains on program. Video conferences can be marked as “In-Person” if you also note in the General Comments that the contact was made via video.
We recognize that some requirements may be left unfilled due to circumstances outside of your control. While we are unable to make technical changes in MyAFS to account for the modifications outlined above, we understand that lives have been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and your MyAFS To Do list may not in the end reflect the full scope of your hard work. As has been said, protecting the safety and well-being of both our participants and volunteers is our highest priority.
Please do not hesitate to contact your Volunteer Services Specialist or AskAFS@afsusa.org with any questions regarding contacts and visits. Thank you again for your inspiring commitment to AFS.
Your friends at AFS |