december parent orientation 2017

GET OUT OF YOUR ELEMENT

AMIGOSINTERNATIONAL.ORG

WELCOMETucson ChapterParticipant & Parent OrientationDecember 12, 2017

2017 Tucson Chapter Participants

Annie

Katlynn

Makenna

Amigos Participants

Participants

ParticipantsParticipants

Participants

Parents

Brothers

Grandparents

Friends

Peers

Business Associates

Teachers

Amigos Participants

Co-Workers

Service Groups

Uncles

Aunts

Neighbors

Community Agencies

CousinsSister

s

• Provide you with a good understanding of AMIGOS and how best to support your participant– See your AMIGOS Parent Preparation Guide

for additional details – Parent sessions will complement participant

training

Parent Preparation Goal

• National Office headquartered in Houston, TX with small satellite offices in the Bay Area, Washington D.C. and Nicaragua.

• Founded in 1965• Grown into 25 AMIGOS chapters around the

USA

Organization Overview

• Professional full-time staff of about 25 – Work throughout the year to develop &

support projects in Latin America• Including summer On-Call system

– Support chapters in recruiting, fundraising and training

– Manage participant travel to & from Latin America

AMIGOS National Office

Tonight’s TopicsPaperworkFamily Fee PaymentsLetter WritingWebsiteCountry Snapshots, Summer 2017Standards of ConductEquipmentUpcoming dates & logisticsBreakout Sessions

ParticipantsParents by Committee

PaperworkRebecca O’BrienPaperwork Coordinator

Paperwork DeadlinesDecember 5, 2016• Personal Information Form• Confidential Health Form I• Consent and Release Agreement/Letter of Health DisclosureJanuary 9, 2017• Confidential Health Form II (with doctor signature)-upload• Headshot picture-upload• Passport Information–online• Copy of Passport (valid through Jan. 2018)-upload• Single Parent Affidavit (participant is under 18 and parent or guardian

has sole custody)-must be notarized and uploaded• Background Check-participants 18 or older• Participant Assignment Preference Form-online (avail 12/14)April 21, 2017• Confidential Health Form III (complete AFTER march 15, 2017)• Parent Permission to Travel Form/Medical Power of Attorney-must be notarized, uploaded

The Dashboard

When the Personal Information has been completed, the Consent and Release Agreement/Letter of Health Disclosure e-signature form will appear.

DUE DECEMBER 5th:• Personal Information• Consent and Release/Letter of Health Disclosure• Confidential Health Form I

Paperwork Tips• Some forms will be filled in online• Some will require e-signatures• Some forms will be printed and then uploaded• Note: all forms listed as an “upload” document should

be scanned as one pdf and then uploaded, not as single page uploads for forms with multiple pages

• If you need assistance with scanning, please contact me

• If you need to compress a larger document to meet upload size limits, please use the following website to easily compress your pdf:

http://smallpdf.com/compress.pdf

E-signatures• The form will be emailed to the participant and

the parents/legal guardian (for participants under 18) for electronic signatures.

• E-signature forms need to be signed by the participant and both parents (for participants under 18). If parents share an email address, the form will be sent to that email address twice.

Please remember…Country assignments will not be made until all Chapter participants have complete all paperwork that is due on January 9, 2017.

Participants who do not meet the January 9th paperwork deadline will be required to attend a mandatory paperwork completion workshop with their parents.

Questions?

Please contact me at:

Cell: 981-1318Work: 529-4260

Email: robrien02@gmail.com

Family Fee PaymentsNate HattersleyTreasurer

• Check mailed to P.O. Box• Check dropped off at Monday meeting• On-line payment by card (4% fee added)

Family Fee Payment Options

To make online payments(Family fee and Letter writing donations)

Questions?

Please contact Nate Hattersley

treasurer@amigostucson.org

Letter WritingDesiree MaultsbyLetter Writing Coordinator

Monday, January6:45 PM Parent Letter Writing Committee meetingEmail 1st draft of GIVE BIG page to proof reader by Sat 1/14

Monday, January 16:1st draft of letter due!1st draft of spreadsheet 110+ names & addresses due!1st draft of GIVE BIG page: feedback from proof reader 1/162nd draft of GIVE BIG page: email to proof reader by Sat 1/21

Monday, January 23:Final copy of letter DUE!Final list of names and addresses DUE!Final GIVE BIG page approved

Monday, January 30:110+ STUFFED, UNSEALED LETTERS DUE (signed, stamped, labeled)LETTERS GO IN THE MAIL THAT NIGHT!

What you will need: The basics• Not less than 110 names, addresses, zip codes and email addresses

• 110 #10 envelopes (self-sticking are best)

• 110 #6 envelopes (smaller envelopes that fit inside)

• 330 Avery mailing labels• 110 labels for fundraising letters• 220 labels with your name and home address

• 280 stamps – commemorative stamps are more appealing• 110 for fundraising letters• 110 for return envelopes• 60+ for thank you notes

• 60 to 75 thank you notes

When the money starts pouring in • Ensure checks are made out to Amigos (otherwise, deposit

and write check)

• Verify that participant name is on memo line

• Turn in checks at Monday meetings EVERY WEEK

• Participant logs donations on personal spreadsheet

• Participant sends thank you note and receipt (form will be provided)

• Chapter sends receipts for donations of $250 or more per tax code

https://

amigoslink.givebig

.org/

c/Net/a/amigostuc

son

GiveBig.org

Chapter WebsiteJohn D’AndreaWebmaster

Chapter Websitehttps://tucson.amigosinternational.org

• Also http://www.amigostucson.org• A work in progress• Tab layout• Calendar• Financials• Training• Leadership• Media

Mailing List and Files• General communication mode• General distribution lists• Committee distribution lists

• Google Drive files• Storage• Downloads• Uploads

Country SnapshotsAriana GarciaTraining Director

AMIGOS Program Goal: AMIGOS seeks to develop leadership skills in

young people, enabling them to be global catalysts for social change.

AMIGOS Program Activities: – Youth engagement – Community-service – Cross-cultural understanding

*For more detailed and up to date descriptions of each project area, visit www.amigosinternational.org

Latin American Program Activities

• Mexico• Panama• Costa Rica• Dominican Republic• Nicaragua• Paraguay• Ecuador• Colombia

www.amigosinternational.org

2017 Project Areas

Hidalgo, MexicoFood Security, NutritionCollege Track AvailableDates: June 21 – August 10

Partner Agencies:– Utopia Huixcazdhá– Sistemas para el Desarrollo Integral de la Familia (DIF)– San Miguel de Proyectos AgropecuariosWork Area: – State of Hidalgo in Central Mexico– Cooler temperatures (50-80° F) Culture: – Strong indigenous presence– Food is a mix of indigenous (nopales, fruit, and beans),

and traditional Mexican food (tamales, barbecue, and mole)

Yucatan, MexicoEnvironmental Sustainability, Indigenous RightsDates: July 1 – August 10

Partner Agencies: – El Centro Comunitario de Yaxunah– Alternativas Yucatecas Integral para el Desarrollo

Humano (Alter-int)– Fundación Haciendas del Mundo MayaWork area:– Yucatan Peninsula, sea level elevation,

predominantly tropical jungles, usually warmer climate

Culture:– Diet consists of tortillas, beans, corn, tamales,

tacos, etc. – Strong indigenous presence

Coclé, PanamaEnvironmental SustainabilityDates: June 20 – August 2

Partner Agencies: – Ministries of Health and Environment– Autoridad Nacional de AmbienteWork Area: – Central Panama; hot, wet climate. Very green– Summer = rainy seasonCulture: – Family oriented lifestyle; rice, lentils, chicken,

tropical fruits, and sancocho (regional chicken soup); lots of soccer and baseball

– Easy place to be vegetarian

Azuero, PanamaEnvironmental SustainabilityDates: June 28 – August 15

• Partner Agencies: – Ministry of Health– The National Authority on the Environment

• Work area: – Lower elevation, coastal and tropic areas of

Panama in the Azuero Peninsula– Warmer and rainy

• Culture: – Family oriented lifestyle; rice, lentils, chicken,

tropical fruits, and sancocho (regional chicken soup); lots of soccer and baseball

Perez Zeledon, Costa RicaEnvironmental SustainabilityDates: June 13 – July 13 OR July 19 – August 15

• Partner Agency: – Casa de la Juventud

• Work Area: – Host communities in southern Brunca region.

Participants spend alternate weeks in partnership with local youth in three separate national parks!

– Climate varies by area (40-90°F)• Culture:

– Volunteers are generally in mestizo communities, Ticos are famous for their café con leche, gallo pinto (rice and beans), and “Pura Vida” approach to life

San Juan, Dominican RepublicCivic Participation and Youth LeadershipDates: June 14 – August 9 OR June 14 – July 13 (4 week option)

• Partner Agency: – Plan International

• Work Area: – Southwestern DR; varied climate (hot and dry

to cool and rainy); extends from Haitian border to the southern beach

• Culture:– Active and outgoing; people love music and

dancing; baseball is very popular; lots of beans and rice; yucca, spaghetti and boiled plantains

Matagalpa, NicaraguaPublic HealthDates: June 13 – July 26

• Partner Agencies:– Asociación para el Desarrollo Integral Comunitario (ADIC)– Centro de Servicios Educativos en Salud y Medio

Ambiente (CESESMA)– Union de Cooperativas Agropecuarias (UCA San Ramon)

• Work Area: – North-Central Nicaragua; cooler temperate climate (75-85° F),

summer = rainy season• Culture:

– Family oriented lifestyle; rice, beans, fruits and veggies!; complicated history with the U.S. but very welcoming to U.S. visitors!

– Easy place to be vegetarian!

Madriz, NicaraguaChildren’s Rights and Civic ParticipationDates: June 28 – August 16 OR June 28 – July 26 (4 week option)

• Partner Agency: – Plan International

• Work Area: – Northern Nicaragua; cooler temperate climate (75-85° F),

summer = rainy season• Culture:

– Family oriented lifestyle; rice, beans, fruits and veggies; complicated history with the U.S. but very welcoming to U.S. visitors!

– Easy place to be vegetarian

Guaira, ParaguayPublic HealthDates: June 20 – August 15

• Partner Agency: – Ministry of Health (SENASA), Plan International – Plan International

• Work area:– Southern Paraguay roughly an hour and a half southwest of

the country’s capital, Asunción. Paraguarí is made up of fertile forested lowlands, with hills in the northeastern area and the Tebicuary River along the southern border

• Culture: – Diet consists mostly of beef and yucca

Chimborazo, EcuadorYouth EntrepreneurshipCollege track availableDates: June 29 – August 10

• Partner Agency: – Plan International– Grupo Social FEPP

• Work Area: – Andean region, hot in the sun and cold at night. High

elevations. • Culture:

– Mostly indigenous communities which are highly organized, value work ethic, and are more formal and reserved than mestizo communities. With patience and respect they will treat you as family.

– Food includes rice, potatoes, cuy, rice, and beans

Baranquilla, ColombiaGlobal Health and Social TransformationCollege OnlyDates: June 7 – August 9

• Partner Agency: – Universidad del Norte de Colombia (UniNorte)

• Work Area: – Northwestern Colombia; coastal Caribbean area; homestay

placements will be urban to semi-urban• College Credit:

– 3 credit hours from UniNorte; 42 classroom hours– Volunteers participate in two week classroom module before

field work with non-profit development agencies• Special Considerations:

– Only for participants currently enrolled in college; no incoming freshman

• Activities set to meet participant Training Objectives in these sections:

1. AMIGOS 1012. Community Development3. Youth Leadership4. Multicultural Understanding

• Chapter training attendance policy

AMIGOS Training Program

• Our organization holds all participants to a high set of expectations outlined in our Standards of Conduct.– These allow us to partner with

communities and agencies that would otherwise not collaborate with foreign youth.

– Each individual is accountable to many stakeholders for upholding the AMIGOS legacy.

Understanding the Standards of Conduct

1. No detrimental behavior2. No drugs3. No alcohol4. No leaving community without permission5. No amorous conduct6. No motorcycles – not even sitting on them7. No handling firearms8. No tobacco products9. No bullying

AMIGOS Standards of Conduct

Next Meeting

• Monday, January 9, 2017 @ 6:45 PM

• Participants, Training Staff, Letter Writing Committee

• U of A Highland Commons Building (Campus Health Services)

• Room B307

Map to UA Highland Commons

Map to Room B307

Retreats• Dates

– January 21st & 22nd: Colossal Cave Campground– February 11th & 12th: Molino Basin Campground– April 1st and 2nd: Catalina State Park

• Check-in by 7:00 a.m. (typical) at specified location– Depart and travel as a group– All drivers get a copy of vehicle assignments, driver cell

phone numbers, and directions/map

• Sign-out required upon return to departure point

Equipment• Lending Library

– Backpacks– Cots

• Individual contract agreements required– Must be signed by participant and parent

• Equipment must be cleaned and turned in upon return from summer– Responsible for replacement if lost or

damaged • Will be given out in March

Group Q and A

Breakouts

• Participants

• Committees• Letter Writing• Transportation• Events• Spanish Training Support

https://tucson.amigosinternational.org

Thank You!

https://amigosinternational.org