FM Training Manual
Contents Page Brenda’s Message……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………1 Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….2 FM1- ZAPP: The Online Management System………………………………………………………………………………………….5 FM1- HF Recruitment: Getting Started……………………………………………………………………………………………………16 FM1- HF Recruitment: Handling Objections……………………………………………………………………………………………23 FM1- HF Recruitment: Social Media……………………………………………………………………………………………………….27 FM1- HF Recruitment: Other Methods……………………………………………………………………………………………………41 FM1- HF Recruitment: Getting your HF lead to say YES!..............................................................................46 FM1- Placement Paperwork & Compliance…………………………………………………………………………………………….48 FM1- HF Recruitment: Time Management & Challenging Times of the Year………………………………………….54 FM1- HF Recruitment: Maintaining Relationships………………………………...……………………………………………….61 FM1- Working with Schools……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………62 FM1- Team Development………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………65 FM2- Managing 2vis/3vis……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….68 FM2- Student Supervision: Orientations…………………………………………………………………………………………………70 FM2- Student Supervision: Culture Shock Prevention…………………………………………………………………………….76 FM2- Student Supervision: Monthly Contact Forms (MCFs)……………………………………………………………………82 FM2- Student Supervision: Conflict Resolution, Documentation, & Crisis Management………………………….84 FM2- Student Supervision: Throughout the Year…………………………………………………………………………………….89 Miscellaneous FM Responsibilities…………………………………………………………………………………………………………98
Dear Valued ETC Manager, As a non-profit organization providing inbound international exchange opportunities for high school students, Education, Travel & Culture (ETC) has consistently held an outstanding reputation for providing personal attention and service throughout the entire process. ETC was founded as a small, personalized organization in 1998. Our mission is to promote international understanding and goodwill by providing high quality educational and cultural exchange programs. Students and families are exposed to diverse cultural experiences that foster awareness and interest in the exchange of culture, lifestyle, language and ideas. This international exchange experience contributes to the development and education of today’s youth and tomorrow’s leaders. ETC is designated by the US State Department to issue J-1 visas and has full listing with the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel (CSIET). ETC is more than an organization of employees, contractors and volunteers. ETC is a family and it has been my family for the past 10 years. As the National Field Director (FD), I am dedicated to the success of the ETC Program by making sure our students, host families, and field staff feel empowered, supported, and appreciated. The formula we use to maintain our organization’s distinction and remain at the forefront of best practice in the J1 industry is the 3 E’s. As you embark upon this exciting journey into the world of student exchange, it is important to incorporate the 3 E’s Principle into your everyday leadership and duties: Adhere to Exemplary compliance Provide Exceptional support Make Early placements You are joining the ETC team at a very exciting time! We have a highly skilled team of support staff, and our incentive bonuses and travel opportunities are outstanding. Welcome aboard the ETC Fun Ship! It’s a ship full of opportunity, humor, and life-changing experience!
All the best to you and feel free to reach out to me with questions or for support at any time, Brenda Gray-Ferland ETC National Field Director
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What is Public Diplomacy? As traditionally used, the term “diplomacy” refers to government-to-government relations (e.g., an American diplomat discusses an issue officially with a Chinese diplomat). Much newer, however, is the practice of “Public Diplomacy,” where the U.S. Government seeks to directly engage the people of another country. Public Diplomacy emerged as an important tool of American foreign policy during the Cold War. During that period, the United States brought foreign students, professors, and political and business leaders to the United States for educational and cultural exchanges on the Exchange Visitor Program. By experiencing American society and culture, many of these foreign students and leaders developed positive impressions of the American system, which they shared with their fellow countrymen upon returning home. Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Public Diplomacy took on new importance as American foreign policy actively sought to improve the image of the United States abroad, especially among young people. Educational exchanges, long recognized as one of the best ways to build positive impressions of the United States among the youth of another country, moved to the forefront of the U.S. Department of State’s Public Diplomacy efforts. Central to this emergence of Public Diplomacy as a major tool of American foreign policy is the belief that citizens of other countries would generally have a positive view of the United States if only they knew more about the American people. This assumption turns out to be true. Major research institutes consistently demonstrate that people from other countries who come to the United States are far more likely to have a positive impression of both the United States and the American people. In one particular study, the Travel Industry Association’s research arm, the Discover America Partnership, found that those who have visited the United States are 74% more likely to have a favorable opinion of America and Americans, and 66% of those who have visited are more likely to be supportive of U.S. policies. Similarly, a 2008 report entitled The Decline in America’s Reputation: Why? by the House Committee on Foreign Affairs’ Subcommittee on International Organizations, Human Rights, and Oversight found that international visitors to the United States “have more positive views about America and Americans than non-visitors by approximately 10 percentage points.” Secondary School Student Program exchanges similarly help to improve America’s image abroad. The great majority of exchange students who come to the United States to attend high school enjoy a positive life-changing experience, grow in independence and maturity, improve their English language skills, and build relationships with American citizens. These students will share with their fellow citizens their impressions of America when they return home. This is the core of Public Diplomacy and the reason that the Department of State conducts these types of educational exchanges. For these reasons, it is important that every exchange student have a positive experience and a successful program. While most exchange students generally return home with a favorable impression of the United States, the Public Diplomacy of the United States can be damaged when a student develops negative feelings toward the United States or the American people. Much of the responsibility to ensure a successful program for each exchange student falls on you, the Local Coordinator (LC). What is the Exchange Visitor Program? The Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961 authorizes the U.S. Department of State to conduct educational exchange programs. Many of these programs fall under the Department’s Exchange Visitor Program, which uses the J-1 visa to bring people from other countries to the United States for temporary study and workrelated educational opportunities.
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The U.S Department of State both creates and enforces the federal regulations governing the Exchange Visitor Program. The Department also designates U.S. organizations (known as sponsors) to conduct exchange visitor programs. These sponsors – and all Local Coordinators – are required to follow the federal regulations. At the present time, 78 sponsors are designated by the U.S. Department of State to conduct Secondary School Student programs under the Exchange Visitor Program. These 78 sponsors collectively manage the programs of approximately 28,000 exchange students each year. As a Local Coordinator, you work directly for one of these sponsors. Secondary School Student Program Begun in 1949, the Secondary School Student Program is one of the oldest and most successful Exchange Visitor Programs and is a cornerstone of the United States’ Public Diplomacy efforts. The Secondary School Student Program offers an opportunity of a lifetime to young people from around the world to study in an American high school, improve their English, and make lifelong American friends. How does the Secondary School Student Program Operate? The U.S. Department of State requires all Secondary School Student Program sponsors to be non-profit organizations to ensure that this important Public Diplomacy activity retains its volunteer spirit. These sponsors contract with foreign partners (international non-profit organizations, student recruiting agencies, or affiliate organizations of the U.S. sponsor) in other countries to recruit local exchange students to apply for participation in the Secondary School Student Program. Foreign partners then collect application information from the potential exchange students, verify their eligibility for participation, and provide this information to the U.S. sponsor. The U.S. sponsor is responsible for the selection (or acceptance) of each potential exchange student for participation in the Secondary School Student Program. Screening and selection by the U.S. sponsor includes a review of the student application and an interview to test the student’s ability in English, maturity, and readiness to participate in the exchange program. The sponsor is also responsible for the school enrollment, orientation, and monitoring of exchange students. U.S. sponsors are also responsible for the screening, selection, orientation, and quality assurance monitoring of host families and field staff. Once fully screened and selected by the U.S. sponsor for participation, an exchange student is provided the Form DS-2019, Certificate of Eligibility. This Form enables the exchange student to apply for a J-1 visa at a United States Embassy or Consulate abroad. The exchange student uses both the Form DS-2019 and J-1 visa, which is affixed to their passport, to gain entry into the United States and begin their exchange program. What is the Role of the Local Coordinator? As a Local Coordinator, you will be entrusted to carry out many of the responsibilities of the U.S. sponsor. For this reason, your work is critical to making each exchange program a success. Specifically, you will recruit appropriate potential host families. You will help these families complete their host family applications (HFA). The U.S. sponsor you work for will vet each potential host family (HF) you recruit and then select or deny the family for participation in the program. U.S. sponsors ultimately determine whether or not a family may participate in the program.
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You will also be provided the profiles of fully-selected exchange students. You will match these students, as best as you can, with the host families you have recruited and that have been fully-vetted and selected for participation. Please note that you may only show student photographs and personal information to host families that have been fully-vetted and selected for participation in the program by the U.S. sponsor. Placing an exchange student with a host family is the most important stage of the Secondary School Student program. Exchange students matched with host families who are a good fit are likely to have successful exchange programs. Importantly, you will also serve as the exchange students’ advocate and a major link in their support system while they are in the United States. You are required to maintain monthly contact with each of your exchange students and to address problems that arise.
FM’s PERSONAL SECTION: Keep the following documents accessible in a folder or pin to your memo board. If you are printing this manual, you can insert the documents into this section of your binder.
ETC FM Training Completion Certificate
Any other ETC Completion Certificates (years of service, ETC Fred Award etc.)
Name of your team’s Admin Assistant and his/her responsibilities
Your Regional Calendar
Student Roster (if applicable)
Active LC Spreadsheet
Active LC Location Map (if applicable)
Regional School Survey Spreadsheet
Development Plan (review once a month & update if necessary)
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FM1- ZAPP: The Online Management System
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Once you have completed all FM1 trainings, you will be provided with an RD account and assigned January/August students, depending on the time of year
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Enter part or all of student first name in box for that placement start date and it will generate a list of students with that name, when you select, it will take you to the Student’s Virtual Folder (see Pg.11 for more info on the virtual folder) Available (total students available) PLACED- once placement has been approved PLACED but Pending (PP)- the student application has been linked to the host family application (HFA). This occurs when HFA is in progress and CBCs are clear WELCOME HF- same as “PLACED” but it’s a Welcome Family (WF) not a permanent family WELCOME HF but Pending- same as “PLACED but Pending” but it’s a WF On Hold- Students assigned to your pool that are on hold My Pool- Students assigned to you as FM National Pool- generates a list of all available and on hold students in the National Pool Local Coordinator’s Pool- you can assign students in your pool to a specific coordinator, but it isn’t visible in ZAPP to anyone else except you, the FM, and the LC (See Pg.13-14 for more info)
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Understanding student assignments & protocol, and looking out for important facts in the student’s bio
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In this example, Claudia is assigned to FM Mechelle. If you want to show Claudia to one of your potential HFs, your RM should ask Mechelle’s RM for permission to show her Note that NP refers to National Pool. National pool means that Claudia is visible on ZAPP to all LCs & FMs In this example, Claudia is “available” - when students are on hold, “on hold” is shown in the spot where you now see “available” Generally speaking, holds are honored for 72 hours, but this may be extended if the HF Criminal Background Checks (CBCs) are taking a long time to process
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In this example, Paula has requested to be placed in the state of Oregon. ETC will do their very best to honor state requests. Paula has been assigned to Lisa because Lisa is the FM in Oregon Paula must be placed in 10th grade. ETC guarantees that our students from Spain will be placed in the necessary grade, which is usually 10th or 11th The other nationality with a grade specification is Italian. ETC does not guarantee that Italian students will be placed in the grade requested, but as the manager, it is best practice to place an Italian student at a school that will honor the student’s grade request; which is usually 11th or 12th
In this example, Anna is not assigned to any manager. She might be at some point, but for now, any LC/FM can be showing her profile Anna is a high school graduate. Managers need to find schools (usually rural, small or charter) in their region that accept graduate exchange students. Managers will need to place at least one graduate student in their region every year
In this example, Zulipikaer has a dietary restriction for religion reasons. A host family should be made aware of any form of dietary restriction, preference, or food allergy before selecting the student
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A student’s dietary restriction or preference can be used as a tool to reverse network (this concept is explained Pg. 18-19)) the student in the community. Therefore, although it can be a challenge to place a student with a peanut allergy or a vegetarian student, it can actually help you match the student with a host family who is perfect for them!
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In this example, Tom is allergic to cat and dog hair, but can live with a host family with these animals as long as the pets do not go in his bedroom Some students absolutely cannot live with cats and/or dogs at all; this will be annotated in this section and if further clarification is needed, the ETC Office can contact the student’s sending organization (SO) It can be challenging placing students with pet allergies. This means that if a student assigned to you has a pet allergy, you need to be showcasing that student to every single HF lead you get that doesn’t have cats and/or dogs in the home
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A “direct placement” or “self-placement” as it can be termed, is when the natural parents (NP) of the student have pre-selected the host family in the U.S. and the American family has (usually) agreed to host the student already
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The host family cannot be a relative of the natural family ETC is contacted by the sending organization and provided basic information on the student and the school/community of the host family o The manager in that region will first contact the school to verify that they will accept the student o Once verbal confirmation has been given by the school, ETC notifies the sending organization who will send ETC the student’s application for acceptance o The FM/LC will then proceed with screening the host family in exactly the same manner as is always required, as well as getting the signed HSAF from the school Student Placement Tracker o This is a really useful tool to see at a glance the placement status, and missing paperwork of all placements you are currently working on that are listed under you as an FM. For example: If it’s March 2017 you can select August 2017 (as shown below) and see all placed and placed pending placements for upcoming fall arriving students. Tip: review this section again once you are more familiar with ETC acronyms and protocol and have started making placements.
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You can filter results by SO and/or LC if you don’t want to see an entire list of all your placements as an FM for that placement cycle You can also select the box to only view placements that have not had a Placement Confirmation Form (PCF) sent to the SO yet. This means the placement has not yet been approved by the ETC Office and put into a placed status Below is an example of what the Student Placement Tracker results look like- you scroll across to the right to see all the data
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Note that Host Family # 1, 2, 4, & 6 in this list are repeat host families; they are hosting a student for the 2016-17 school year and have already selected the student they want to host for the 2017-18 school year. You can see that there is a HF Orientation sign-off sheet uploaded showing a 2016 date. Each one of these host families will need a *new* Host Family Orientation and a 2017 sign-off sheet uploaded before their student arrives.
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Student Virtual Folder (SVF). It has it all!
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The student’s SVF will contain more information as the placement process progresses. Initially, the information is basic, but once the student is matched with a host family and a high school acceptance form is uploaded, you will see more data, and when the student is here on program, you will literally have everything you need at your fingertips to do with that placement If you have a student on program now- go ahead and open his/her SVF and view the different access points you have, e.g. Monthly Contact Forms, viewing approved travel requests, checking something on the HF application, basic insurance information Accessing flight information, including return flights for an individual student is easy from the SVF as seen below
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Local Coordinator (LCs) & Host Families (HFs) will always ask you about insurance information and immunization records- this information can be downloaded from the student’s application on ZAPP by the Field Manager (FM), LC or HF. Click on the tabs to generate the PDF documents as illustrated above Once the Field Director assigns you students in ZAPP you will often get an email alert! This is what you do next- click on the New Student Applications Available for Screening tab then the Assign Pool icon as shown below. In this example, there is only one student to “assign”
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The following screen will appear: You usually select yourself as the FM but you can select a specific Local Coordinator in your team instead from the drop down box. Select “yes� for Regional Pool. If you did assign to an LC, you can check box to send an email alert to them. Note that the student will always be shown as assigned to you in the National Pool, even if you assign the student to an LC
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Useful functions in “Reports”
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List of unplaced students- generates an Excel Workbook of all unplaced (including on hold) students assigned to you. You can use this for tracking purposes and to send to your LCs in your weekly email communication as a quick an easy reference guide for them
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Flight Organizer- two different report options in an Excel Workbook. Useful to keep track of when your team’s students are arriving to ensure an ETC representative is at the airport to meet them, and to remember to officially welcome the student on your ETC regional Facebook (FB) page Linked Training Modules: ZAPP Training Host Family Application (HFA) Training Documents to reference:
ZAPP User Guide
HFA Set-up User Guide
Commonly Used Abbreviations
ETC Documents List*subject to change
Toolbox Resource List*subject to change
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FM1- HF Recruitment: Getting Started
How is ETC currently placing students?
Take a look at the breakdown: 32% - Facebook 21% - Current/Repeat Host Families 7% - Referral from current or previous host family 7% - Personal Referral from Local Coordinator 5% - Direct Placement 5% - Non-Facebook Emails to Organizations (Churches, Soccer Clubs etc.) 3% - School Presentations/Contact with Teachers 3% - Cold Calling 2% - Festival/Booth 2% - Homeschool Groups 13% Misc. (Self, Newspaper, Meetup, Volunteer Match)
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Get to know your assigned students Read the student’s application thoroughly on ZAPP Generic profiles with letters- how do you access them? o ETC Program Assistant emails 3-10 profiles at a time to managers and admin personnel o REMEMBER to save them in a folder on your computer o The profiles are also uploaded in the “Meet the Students” tab on the ETC Website www.edutrav.org and on the ZAPP Resources section (take a look NOW!) Many of us have a fear of recruiting, which is actually the fear of REJECTION If we understand the source of our fear, then we can overcome the fear itself “When you do what you fear, the fear fades away and success appears.” Rejection is normal – don’t take it personally; just move on In order to succeed, we must first believe that we CAN Change mindset from “recruiting” to “identifying host families” Change mindset from “selling” to “sharing an opportunity” or “sharing a passion” The great thing about mindset is that YOU are in control of it! No one else has that power but you! Stay focused on your goal (what keeps you motivated) – post it and refer to it often Break your goals down into small, realistic steps Plan your work, and work your plan Be SMART with your goals- Make them: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time bound
ABR – Always Be Recruiting Always BRAND yourself (you are a walking ETC billboard!) Remember your WHY https://www.facebook.com/groups/ETCexchange/ Click on the “Files” tab and read several heartwarming student testimonials Set a reward for yourself, for example, after “x” number of cold calls/emails/FB posts I will …. (choose something that is pleasurable – e.g. ice cream) Build rapport in every interaction with a HF lead– exude enthusiasm; find a common ground Visualize the desired outcome
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Talk to a current HF and student to help keep the enthusiasm and passion fresh in your mind Success breeds confidence, confidence breeds success! Keep a “success journal” to avoid focusing on the “fails”. These achievements (no matter how small) can be referred to when you are coaching your Local Coordinators (LCs) as well Fishing is frequently used as an analogy in Sales & Marketing. Just Google “fishing & sales” and you will find an abundance of fishing/sales metaphors, many of which apply to our industry. Here is one about keeping motivated: o A very lucky fisherman might catch a fish on the very first cast, but it is much more realistic to have to cast 100+ times before catching anything. Fishermen will often have to spend several hours at the lake to be successful, but when they do finally make a catch- it’s AWESOME! You may have to call 100 people from your cold call list before getting a WARM/HOT lead, or send out 250 emails before you get a hit, or 24 people reply to your Facebook post, but only the 25th is ready to commit this year It’s a numbers game - every “NO” is one step closer to a “YES” – and that previous NO might turn into a YES someday (or they might know someone who is interested) Sometimes we don’t even realize how fruitful our effort can be. Have FAITH. It’s not uncommon for us to be contacted by someone who tells us, “I was forwarded your email by my coworker” or “my neighbor gave me your number after you called her yesterday” Follow up! It’s okay to do it and essential Reward yourself for small achievements (a simple pat on the back; self-affirmation) Allow yourself to make mistakes- learn from them. You will be more effective as a result The only way to fail is to quit Word of mouth is your biggest asset! You should make a habit of asking current HFs to nominate a family (or lots of families!) to host with ETC. Ask, “who do you know that would make a wonderful host family and enjoy hosting as much as you do?” Always talk to HF references about hosting. Each HF you screen is providing you with THREE more potential HFs! The reference might live in another region/or state- but it doesn’t matter. You can still “seal the deal” Reverse networking (RN) is KEY! o Knowing that we are matching the student’s interests and needs with a host family of similar interests and desires will increase the chances of a long term and successful placement o VERY IMPORTANT! Remember to never share personally identifiable information with prospective host families (student’s picture, DOB, phone numbers, addresses, etc.) until the host family has been fully vetted o Review the Student’s application in ZAPP in detail; look for additional and important clues that may not be included in the generic student profile; also, look in the student and natural parent letters o Note the potential challenges as well as the interests (e.g. allergies, doesn’t want to live with siblings, etc.) which should be taken into consideration when finding a host family for the student o Contacting Facebook groups for pet owners of hypoallergenic breeds can also be a great tool for networking a pet allergy student! o Facebook groups for moms who have a child with food allergies are an absolute must to contact if you are networking a student with food allergies. These moms understand what’s it’s like to manage food allergy restrictions on a daily basis, and will be much less concerned about their role as a host mom in this case o The “match” or interest doesn’t have to be precise, e.g. a student who plays badminton might fit well with a tennis family o Complete an Action Plan Worksheet (APW) for each student assigned to you. This is a very effective tool to help you plan and track what you will do/have done to network each student
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Using Meetup and Facebook groups are a GREAT way to find host families based on the student’s interests Think outside of the box = get rid of the box! Passive methods like putting up a flyer rarely workthink of creative ways to network your students One does not have to become a member of the Meetup or Facebook group for a certain interest (ex. Spanish language or volleyball,) but one can send the administrator or moderator of the group a message and ask them if they would post for you or allow for a message from our nonprofit group for the interest of the community ETC’s Marketing Department has created a plethora of general and student specific CANVA ads and flyers to use for posting on Facebook/LinkedIn/Next door etc., to include in emails, to have on the table at your booth, and to hang up on a bulletin board (see examples below) The Marketing Department sends out newly made flyers/ads via email to all FMs on the ETC Distribution List Contact the Marketing Department or your Regional Manager (RM) if you are interested in a new flyer being created, or a flyer being personalize Reverse Networking (RN) Success Stories:
“I have a success story regarding my first placement. I don’t remember all the details, but I had a female student who danced ballet. I emailed a dance school in WA and asked if they would share it with their families. Within a couple of days, I received a response from a family whose teenage daughter attended the dance studio, and they wanted to host! The host mom had an exchange student living with her when she was a high school student. She said that it was an amazing experience, and she wanted her daughter to experience the same.” – Sarah Rohler, ETC Recruiting Specialist, AZ
“I have had many successes with short-stay host families with children adopted from China and I have reverse-networked in this organization for years. Also, just this year, I placed a post on a Volleyball club site and got a host family through that post because the family's daughter played volleyball.” – Lisa Evers, FM, OR
“There was a Brazilian girl that really wanted to try ice skating. You would think that being in Phoenix, AZ, that it wouldn’t be likely to find a family using that route. However, I went online and searched “ice skating phoenix”. I found a club. It took a few clicks to find any names, but with the names were email addresses. There were only about 8, but I sent an individual email to those people with the profile of the student and talked about how excited she was to try ice skating. I got a couple of replies, which is always nice, and then one of the families did end up hosting her!” – Sheri, RM, AZ
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Writing Effective Emails o Email marketing can be very effective if the right kind of template and content is used o One email can bring us several host families and result in lives changed forever
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The #1 app on mobile phone is email One of the main reasons that people trash an email is because it doesn’t have a compelling subject line The open rate is directly correlated to the subject line and it is the MOST important part of your email Keep your subject line short and concise Be clear, clever, and enticing Avoid spam-like words in your subject line, e.g. Act Now, Urgent, Congratulations, Apply Online Avoid excessive punctuation and symbols Use a Headline Analyzer to create a great subject line CoSchedule.com-Click Here! AMinstitute.com-Click Here!
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Example of subject lines to use in your recruitment emails
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Email Design & Content o o o o o
Communicate through pictures and make them clickable- pictures and links help the reader engage Pictures get 47% more click-through activity than content without images Use photos of past/current students, NOT students you are trying to place Keep key action above the scroll line Send your email template to the Marketing Department or your RM if you want a 2nd opinion before sending or ‌
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Linked Training Modules: SDW #2 Placement Strategies that are Currently Working SDW #21 Overcoming the Fear of Recruiting SDW #31 Getting Motivated for Recruiting SDW #34 Reverse Networking in Action (call not recorded; replaced by PowerPoint presentation) SDW #28 Top Email Tips and Best Practices
Documents to reference:
Your completed CMA 1 & APW
TOOLBOX- Placement Strategies that are Working
TOOLBOX- HF Recruitment Strategies
TOOLBOX- Action Plan Worksheet
TOOLBOX- Tips on placing a student who likes Drama and Theater
TOOLBOX- Tips on placing a student who likes Music
TOOLBOX- Tips on placing a student who likes Animals
TOOLBOX- Tips on how to place an Asian Student
TOOLBOX- Tips on Recruiting Host Families through Foreign Language Teachers
Google Advanced Search for Mail Merges
How to complete a Mail Merge
Scrubbing Spreadsheets for Mail Merge
Writing Emotional Headlines
Subject Line Examples
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FM1- HF Recruitment: Handling Objections
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Believe in the ETC program Have faith that “no” doesn’t have to mean “no” forever By changing our mindset about objections and viewing them as opportunities rather than setbacks, we can overcome them much easier! An objection is not a rejection; it is simply a request for more information Have these “benefits of hosting” talking points in your “back pocket” at all times – these responses came from actual ETC host families:
Paying forward their own cultural exchange experience Having a child in the home after an "empty nest"/child left for college Showing a student real American family Overcoming prejudices Providing a different perspective on life for their own children Helping my daughter with her Chinese language practice Meeting other families through the program, creating a community Planning to travel to Europe and want some experience beforehand Learn about where my ancestors are from They complete my soul The girls have awesome big sisters The joy they bring to this home with their love, kindness, the help they offer and the fact that they integrated into our family and don't look at us as just a host this host that For us, it has helped us see more of our state and do other things we may not do so it stretched us personally Building a relationship that will last forever Learning about other cultures Chance to learn about a new culture and to share your own culture and family traditions I think the first thing would be the perspective that one gets when raising new children in your home. You learn how to be more patient with your kids and the kids living in your home for the year. These kids are so far away from home with a strange home, family, and language that is not native to them so you have to be patient and guide them during their stay here. Food has become such an important part of this family. For Tara and I, food is something that is shared with people you care about and through food you create great memories. Something that we didn't really do before is have dinner together as a family. We used to just camp out in the living room like no other families. Shortly after having the girls here, we began having dinner at the table talking about families, culture, politics, telling jokes, and have lots of laughs around the dinner table. I look forward to having dinner with my family each night.
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Lastly, you get to see them grow so much and we take pride in the amount of growth that the girls have done so far and we are only half done. When Chanistha got here she was so shy and introverted that she would hardly speak to us. Once we assured her that this was a safe space for her talk about her feelings she shared details about her life. Through this we've learned that she is truly an artist. I've learned how to look at pictures and artwork through different eyes because of her. We encourage to continue with this in the future because I think she has the potential to be a really great artist. Maple was a big concern for me. Her English was not great and communication in the beginning was very difficult. Having basic conversations with her was difficult and we had a hard time bonding. However, we stuck with her and really encouraged her to dive in with making friends and even participating in a journalism class. At this point, her improvement in the English language and grown leaps and bounds. We've learned so much about her and her family along with customs and recipes. Every day when I pick her up from school we find something to talk about and being able to talk with her is great. She now understands humor in most situations and even participates in our own sarcasm in this house. A good role model of a teenage girl for my younger girls Opened our family to more ideas such as introducing us to trying new sports Trying new foods Learning a new language and culture Supporting a student Learning about the student’s beliefs/religion Cooking new foods with the student Opportunity to travel and visit the student Able to show our homeschooled daughter what public school looks like up close Able to show our only child what it's like to have a sibling Learned more about other activities at school our child doesn’t do such as orchestra and dancing Making friends with someone from another country Learning about how our exchange student celebrates the holidays (much different than US) Able to see how confident somebody so young can be and live without their immediate family (not sure if my children could do that) Able to show them our country Makes our family be more aware of spending time together (at dinner, etc.)
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Let people know that you understand their concerns – meet them where they are at A potential host family responds with one of the most common objections by saying that they are “too busy to host an exchange student”. Below are two techniques that you can employ to help the family overcome their objection. The BEST part about these techniques is that they are never perceived as “pushy”! o 3 steps to the Objection Handling Process: Acknowledge, Inform, and Move On o Using the Feel, Felt Found technique
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Practice these techniques with a family member or your RM using role play dialogue. This will boost your confidence A list of common objections can be found in the handout listed below Don’t be afraid to add your own personal experiences when applying these techniques– e.g. “I have younger children too, and the hosting experience was enjoyable for all family members and our student; in fact, sometimes I’ve noticed that students will feel more at ease when they have young kids around!” If the lead has multiple objections, be sure to tackle one objection at a time using the techniques every time “I’m not interested” is an objection that always warrants a probe! Why aren’t they interested? Connect the skeptical lead with an existing host family to help them talk through similar concerns to set their mind at ease Many times, our biggest skeptics turn into our biggest proponents (once their belief in our program is built) Don’t forget to follow up using the schedule of your preference and recommendation from your RM o Example from an ETC Manager: “If a family indicates that they are interested (on a Thursday, for example,) I would send my first email with info Thursday evening, and a follow up Friday night, or call, and do one or the other over the weekend! I would always try different approaches to ask again. First, I will send a student or two, then I will use a different contact method and check if they received my email, then I will send another student that I have “found” after the first email and had to share because I think “this student is going to be awesome for the family”. I might call over the weekend to suggest for them to talk to one of my current HFs or just to ask if they want to schedule a meeting to get the spouse onboard or to meet a current exchange student.”
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If a lead stops responding to follow up calls/emails- don’t give up! Be persistent, but patient. The silence might be because they went out of town, or got the flu, or had a busy week at work. A lead will often thank you for not giving up on them once they eventually answer their phone! Once you become experienced in talking to people about hosting, you will “just know” when it’s the right time to make a conscious effort not to be “pushy”. Tell the lead you are not going to pressure them into saying yes. Sometimes, just feeling validated and understood can make the lead feel so relieved that they end up saying “yes” in a couple of months
On the other hand, if a lead tells you to stop contacting them, you should stop right away If a prospective host family isn’t ready to host now, there’s always next placement season. Send them student profiles anyway, and ask them if they have any friends/neighbors who would consider hosting. You can turn an objection into a new lead(s) and possibly tempt them into changing their mind and hosting anyway! Student profile = planting a seed! Furthermore, a “not now but next year” lead may be willing to be a Designated Emergency Family (DEF) now. A manager can never have enough DEFs in his/her region and should always ask! If the prospective HF agrees to start the screening process, there’s a small chance that they might agree to hosting after all, perhaps as a Welcome Family initially Convincing a current HF who says they can’t host again because they won’t love the next student as much as they love this one can be tough. Here is a great rebuttal you can use, “it’s just like having a 2nd, 3rd, 4th child – you don’t love the new baby any less, do you?!”
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Linked Training Modules: SDW #1 Objection Handling (Part 1) SDW #3 Objection Handling (Part 2) SDW #32 Overcoming Objections and Sealing the Deal!
Documents to reference:
Your completed CMA 2
How to Handle Objections from HF
TOOLBOX– Overcoming Objections
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FM1- HF Recruitment: Social Media
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Facebook is the #1 social landscape and ETC’s #1 placement strategy – use it! Facebook allows for multiple avenues to reach the community outside of your immediate social network Get inspired from the success stories from the field and create your own! Personal profile Vs ETC profile- This is a personal preference and something your RM can advise you on Some managers have not created an ETC profile because they want potential HFs to see that they live in the local area, what community interests they are involved in, and be inspired by how well the exchange student program meshes with everyday life, whether they are hosting and/or working for ETC Explore Facebook a bit more- step outside your comfort zone Make your page and posts “public” and tag people you know that live in the areas you are recruiting HFs in. Your post will be visible on their wall and will therefore increase your exposure Keep your posts and responses simple (lengthy posts will lose readers), but make them exciting! Use visualslots of photos (approved) and YouTube videos ETC has an abundance of ads that have been created for you to use – examples are below and the Marketing Department/RM can send you more
Include our company website address www.edutrav.org in your post to maintain credibility and build trust Make sure to add your contact info to the post, your email address is sufficient but you can add phone # too Include a personal story in your posts (or borrow someone else’s story) Be persistent! The more people you contact; the better response you will have! To maximize exposure, make sure you “bump” your post to the top of the feed. This is achieved by your friends, fellow ETC teammates, and followers “sharing”, “liking” and adding comments to your post regularly Keep checking notifications for comments on your posts Always follow up with anyone who posts a comment or just likes your post- never miss an opportunity! Start out at first with a short and friendly response, and then after the prospective HF responds again, you can ask them many more open ended questions Make your responses personal (include why – mutual friends, groups in common) Always ask for referrals! Use your phone - it is mobile and has great features that you can utilize Check BOTH message folders on your FB (Recent and Message Requests)
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The BEST way to send a Facebook message is through the Facebook Messenger app Understanding the difference between a Facebook Page and a Facebook Group o Facebook Pages enable public figures, businesses, organizations and other entities to create an authentic and public presence on Facebook. Unlike your personal profile, Facebook Pages are visible to everyone on the internet by default. You, and every person on Facebook, can connect with these Pages by becoming a fan and then receive their updates in your News Feed and interact with them o While Pages were designed to be the official profiles for entities, such as celebrities, brands or businesses, Facebook Groups are the place for small group communication and for people to share their common interests and express their opinion. Groups allow people to come together around a common cause, issue or activity to organize, express objectives, discuss issues, post photos and share related content o Groups are either “Public” or “Private”. Depending on the private group's settings, you may have to wait for a group admin to approve your request when you join
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Utilize the “Discover Groups” feature from the Home page in Facebook, or by searching “groups discover” in the search field
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Finding Neighborhoods through Facebook
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Do a Google search for “Neighborhoods in ___name of school district____” Find a realtor search engine focused on that school district
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Search through the homes to find names of neighborhood OR If you look at the first picture, there is a drop down bar for Subdivisions. JACK POT! It lists all the names of the subdivisions in that area!
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Go to Facebook and type in the name of the community in the search bar Then Click the “More” tab and go to groups
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LAST From here you can do a couple things… o
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You can automatically send a friend request to be part of the group- if you are added with no questions great! Introduce yourself and make your post o You can private message (PM) the admin for the page and ask that you be allowed to post on the group. They may allow you or they may send you to a more appropriate group Verify that you have the right city in the right state when you are searching for and posting on groups Search local schools’ Facebook pages or the group you just joined and look for mutual friends, and then PM them Post on a school’s Facebook page when you are recruiting HFs specifically for slots at that school Look for people that are members of the same groups as you and/or share the same hobbies/interests and use that as an ice breaker when you PM them Post in each group you are a member of 1-2 times a week, switch the post up a bit each time Screenshot the group you posted to keep a record of where/when you posted and the membership #
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Don’t post on too many groups at once or your account might be suspended
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National groups- check to make sure that there aren’t already ETC staff posting on that group, if you post as well, it can be seen as “overkill”. Exercise common courtesy within our organization in this situation
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Make sure posts are very specific to the area or organization that you are targeting – use reverse networking strategies
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Timing is Everything! See the best times to post on Facebook and LinkedIn: o http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/232392 o http://www.businessinsider.com/best-times-to-post-on-facebook-instagram-twitter-2015-7 o However, you should experiment posting in your region(s) at different times - analyze your best response times. What might be a peak time for responses for one manager, might not be the same for you Information about Facebook’s algorithm and how to leverage it: o https://www.singlegrain.com/facebook-news-feed/facebooks-news-feed-algorithm/
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Examples of ETC Facebook posts from around the country:
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Hello Mamas! If you have a heart for helping others - this is a perfect opportunity! We are looking for host families for foreign exchange students for the fall, but need to apply NOW. And an added bonus for you - you can learn more about other countries and cultures in the process. Such a small gesture on our part with HUGE results on theirs! Hosting is easy – you provide a bedroom for the student, 3 meals a day and transportation to school activities (which can be a school bus at their expense). The students come with their own money for things like clothes, school or sport fees, etc. They have their own medical insurance, too. I am currently hosting TWO, yes, two exchange students. One is 16 years old from China and the other is a 17-year-old Italian boy. Our family has been filled with so much joy and love from these two great teens. And all of our lives and theirs will be changed forever! I’m looking for a homestay for Sebastian. He’s 17 years old and from Mexico. He has one older brother and his favorite subjects in school are math, physics and information systems. Sebastian’s really interested in computer engineering and hopes to make that his career in the future. He also loves sports, especially tennis. Other things he enjoys includes volunteering with his church, and family activities like movies and barbecues. Sebastian has requested to be placed in CO. Sebastian has a mild allergy to cats. We have many more students from various countries. This is a chance in a lifetime for these teens. Will you consider hosting? Message me today for more information! www.edutrav.org
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Looking for wonderful families NOW for exchange students for the 2015-2016 school year. Would you be interested in learning about another culture and helping a teenager to make their dream come true? We are currently looking for host families for our Foreign exchange students for the 2015-2016 school year. Would you be willing to open your home and hearts to one of our students? We place students from all over the world that have one thing in common - they want to experience America. Not only is it a life changing experience for them, but also a life changing experience for your family! Most people walk away with a new member of the family, new traditions and menu ideas, great memories and a vacation invitation from abroad! Moreover, hosting an international teenager who is excited to learn about American culture helps you to appreciate our wonderful country and culture through another pair of eyes! Students would not arrive until late July (about 1 week before school starts). Please PM me if you would be interested in more information, or if you know somebody that may be interested. I would love to talk with you more. www.edutrav.org
This FM "BUMPS" up her post by adding in the comments: Do you like drama, hiking, horses, volleyball, and art? I have students with similar interests that would love to share that as part of their American experience.
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_____ Families Do you have an interest in helping youth? Making a REAL difference in the world? Being a host family for a high school exchange student does just that! You can help bridge the gap of international acceptance by welcoming an international teen into your family for the 2015-2016 school year. Introduce your family to the student’s culture, traditions, and language while the student learns and experiences the American culture and what is means to be part of an American family. The memories created are unforgettable and life changing! Ask me how your family can have the experience of a life time by hosting an exchange student with ETC. We have students from China, Japan, Korea, France, Italy, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Mexico, and many more! ** I am also looking for part time (paid) coordinators throughout the US to help welcome these students as well. Sarah Candelaria 505-573-0705 scandelaria@edutrav.org https://youtu.be/_rD5WpHTTWk 37 Confidential Property of ETC Communications and Training Department
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LinkedIn o
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Ideas for keyword searches in LinkedIn.com – teacher, retired teacher, language teacher (specific teachers to help spread the word!)
Nextdoor.com o Placing students in your own neighborhood has many benefits o Join your neighborhood community
You can talk about your job with pride and passion List your employer as ETC and include web address www.edutrav.org You can select 5 or 6 linked neighborhoods (in close proximity) to show your post in Check in and “thank” people for their post from time to time Make comments when you agree or have information to share as this raises your exposure on the site Keep posts short and comment on your post every couple of days to bring the post back to the top!
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Ask your friends and associates who live in a different neighborhood to post in their Nextdoor.com group as well Before responding, always read the member’s Nextdoor.com profile to ensure a prospect’s appropriateness level for hosting, as a “pre-screen”
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Meetup
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There might be a fee to join/annual dues Reach out to the organizer of the group and ask if they will share the information you provide with the group. It’s important to mention we are a non-profit organization o Consider actually joining the group and attending an event(s). You will then get the opportunity to actually meet people and talk to them face-to-face which gives you more credibility o Some groups have strict requirements about joining, e.g. one manager reported that she had to pass an Italian language test to join an Italian Meetup! o Can easily get blocked for SPAM or soliciting. Only message a few groups at a time. If an organizer reports you, your account will be blocked or cancelled o One manager asked the local French Language Meetup group if one of her French students could give a presentation to the Meetup group for International Education Week (IEW). They agreed and one of the people in the group ended up hosting the following year! Linked Training Modules: SDW #6 Using Facebook for Recruiting SDW#35 Using Social Media for Recruiting SDW #40 Best Facebook Recruiting Tips!
Documents to reference:
Your completed CMA 3
TOOLBOX- Tips on Recruiting with Facebook
Facebook Advertising
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FM1- HF Recruitment: Other Methods
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Cold Calling/Dialer o 13% of telephone communication is impacted by the actual words that we say whereas 87% of telephone communication is impacted by our voice quality (friendly, enthusiastic, sincere, good pace, voice inflections, etc.) o When asking your RM or team admin for a cold call list, know that it can be very specific (income, kids, neighborhood, etc.) o Role play with your RM and arrange to listen in on your teammates’ recruitment calls so you can gain some familiarity with speaking to a stranger on the phone about hosting o Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance – the 5 P’s o Set realistic and attainable goals o Time block your cold calling time- don’t over commit and be resentful o Be prepared! Have in front of you: ZAPP Specifics on the students in your team who you are placing ETC Portland Office and website info Objections and “Do Not Call” responses o Relax and be in the right frame of mind. If you are in a rut/bad mood- don’t call! o Have a positive mindset- change your view on speaking to strangers o Know what you are going to say – have an outline/script o Play a game to motivate yourself to keep going, e.g. once I get to 100 dials, I get a bar of chocolate, or the “no game”- I won’t stop calling until I have reached the 50th person to tell me no (which usually means you will get a yes in there somewhere!) o Smile and dial! o Keep your introduction concise and have a purpose (looking for a host family for _____ student or ________ high school) o Don’t ever ask to speak to a specific person by name the first time you call- there are several reasons why this can create suspicion or a misunderstanding with the person who answers the phone o Don’t let yourself sound like a telemarketer= be natural and don’t sound scripted o Be conscious of the speed in which you are talking. Many of us talk more quickly when we are nervous, and this can make it difficult for the other person to understand what we are saying, especially if we have an unfamiliar accent o Engage your listener immediately to ensure you keep them on the line past the “hang-up stage” o Try to make a personal connection as quickly as possible by letting them know what you love about the ETC program/hosting o The mirroring technique is very effective on cold calls; mirroring is when we subconsciously imitate the gesture, speech pattern, or attitude of another o Be an active listener. This builds trust and rapport o Ask lots of opened ended questions o Take detailed notes and refer to them in future interactions, e.g. info they mentioned about their child’s extracurricular activity, vacation plans, what college their oldest child goes to o Make sure you ask for the person’s name and spell it out phonetically in your notes so you pronounce it correctly the next time you call to follow up. The best time to do this is once you have established a basic connection or a little later once the connection is deeper and they are asking lots of questions
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Set clear expectations at the end of the call for the next step, e.g. I will be sending you an email today, offer a visit (if appropriate) or confirm the day/time you will call next, checking the BEST number to reach them on as this might not be the number you called them on during the initial call o Always thank the caller for their time. This shows courtesy and professionalism and leaves a lasting impression which is positive o Be sure to send an email with profiles to the lead when you say you will; preferably within a couple of hours. Use the email tips in the previous section as a guide for sending a captivating email, but make it personal and mention something you talked about on the call o Make sure to FOLLOW UP! One ETC manager will say this if she’s already left a few messages without a response: “I thought of you earlier when I was __________and I’m just checking in with you to see if you have any more questions for me about hosting or the student profiles I sent you.” o Bad cop/good cop- Tag team with your RM so that you aren’t always the person calling. Your RM can call and say, “I am _’s manager and I’m just calling you to see if he/she was able to answer all of your questions.” There are several other variations of this very effective “second voice” technique o Refer to notes about follow up in the Overcoming Objections chapter as a refresher o If they absolutely cannot host, then “plant the seed” and ask for a referral, e.g. “would it be ok if I send you some information about our program to share with your friends and family? We rely on word of mouth to increase awareness in the community.” Community Outreach o School Presentations International Education Week (IEW) is an excellent opportunity to spread the word about ETC and hosting. Your students do all the work; you don’t need to present! Just be there for them to video/take photos/and talk to staff/students afterwards Even if it’s difficult to get teachers to agree to let you present in their class time, many after school club organizers will be happy for you to come and talk to the student members about hosting, e.g. FFA, French Club, Robotics Club and so many more! Don’t limit school presentations to high school. If you can bring a student with you; middle and elementary school presentations work GREAT! You can possibly send flyers home with the students in their backpacks o Booster Clubs Gymnastics/dance/cheer/football etc. moms are an amazing source of host family referrals Subject to the discretion of the Field Director, ETC may be able to provide a referral fee to a booster club in exchange for them recommending a HF who ends up hosting that cycle o Local businesses Many states have a Non- Profit Awareness Week, e.g. Colorado: March 5-11th 2017 If you have a spouse/relative/friend who is prominent at a local business or large corporation, see if you can set up an “educational” or “nonprofit awareness opportunity” for its staff members. This could be as simple as having a booth in the break room, to more of an official presentation for select staff members o Places of Worship Start with the congregation that you are a member of and arrange to present some information about our cause to one of the groups that meet regularly, e.g. Ladies Fellowship, Youth Group, MOPS Ask your family & friends to set you up with something similar at their congregation o Medical/Service Providers in your Neighborhood It’s as simple as talking to your family doctor, dentist, physiotherapist, chiropractor, nail technician, hair stylist, massage therapist, mechanic, realtor, owner of your favorite restaurant about hosting next time you’re there The common question, “how have you been?” is the perfect segue for you to tell your provider all about the new organization you are working for or the student you need to find a host family for Take the opportunity to talk to other clients as well- this is really easy to do in some establishments, e.g. nail salon
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Community Teachers & Instructors o Search LinkedIn for professional instructors o Check Nextdoor.com for folks advertising their services or people asking for recommendations for services, e.g. piano teacher, Spanish tutor, dance studio Flyers & Ads o Volunteer Match o Banner on homeschool website or mom’s blog o High School concert/theater program o Local newspaper o Local family/parenting magazines Please get approval for the ads listed above from your RM or the Marketing Department o o
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Electronic bulletins/newsletters, e.g. school/church Putting up flyers on physical bulletin boards, e.g. local coffee shop, dance studio, church
Booths o How to find festivals in your area: 1. Visit these websites to search them out: fairsandfestivals.net and fairsnet.org 2. Google Search – type in the name of the city & “festival” or “expo” or “events calendar” 3. Contact local parks and recreation departments - check out their Calendar of Events 4. Contact your local Chamber of Commerce – check out their Calendar of Events o Select booths that cost <$100 and will be well attended, family friendly is best. Sometimes an event organizer will waive the fee completely if you volunteer in some capacity as well o Booths with a shorter time frame are preferable (1 day vs. 4 days)
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o o o o
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A farmer’s market that has over 500 people in a 2-hour window for only $25 table is a good booth to have! Especially in our OPEN school neighborhoods HAVE FUN! You need at least 2 people at your booth- to help with distributing, talking, setting up and breakdown etc Host parents and teen host siblings are very valuable volunteers to have helping you. They provide validation for what we do and the testimony they provide is very impactful Exchange students are WONDERFUL to have at your booth WITH you to pass out flyers and TALK to people - the outgoing happy bubbly students SELL our program better than anything we could ever say or do! People are intrigued by the students Always be branded, e.g. ETC T-shirts Decorate the table with colorful flags, pictures of past/current ETC students, and international items. You can get candy from various countries at TJ Maxx/Marshalls & Cost Plus World Market Your RM should be able to provide you with some booth kit items Have customized flyers at your event. ETC will need plenty of time to have these prepared and mailed to you Display your business cards in a card stand Have a sign-up sheet for people to sign up "For More Information" – this is one of the most important components of your event Table top flags, maps or a globe also make great decorations and attention grabbers Have a large bowl of candy, toothpick flags, pencils etc. as "giveaways" Use colorful helium balloons around the tables of your booth- only $1 at Dollar Store and free helium! Crafts or games are a fun addition and will draw people to your table. Always be engaging
Have extra student flyers available AND put together a 3 ring binder with several generic student profiles in plastic sheet covers so they can look at our "inventory." Have generic profiles on the table
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Have a "Prize Drawing" for something that people would be interested in signing up for - it's a great way to collect names. However, it is important that you build a rapport with everyone you talk to. Someone who just wrote their name down for a prize draw is not a “warm lead”- they will likely not return your calls/emails because there was no connection/interest at the time Use MORE colorful flyers and LESS of the expensive glossy brochures since most people just "toss" what they take home from a festival or expo anyway. Remember we are NON-PROFIT and professional so make the best booth you can, as inexpensively as you can Make sure that all ETC representatives remain professional and engaged with the “audience” at all times. Reps should not sit behind the table as this creates a barrier (literally and metaphorically) Similarly, it is very off-putting to see volunteers playing on their phones at a booth. It will likely make people ignore your booth and go to the next one Follow up with every good lead that same NIGHT with an email! People have a short me memory/attention span Don’t be discouraged – not every event will go as planned. Sometimes it is more about people just SEEING the logo. Perhaps someone will talk to them about a student and they will recall seeing something at the event on that. You just NEVER KNOW! TALK TO EVERYONE!!!!
ADDITIONAL TIP: If people ever tell you that they can’t host but are happy to “spread the word”, “put up a flyer”, or “speak to their friend/coworker”, it is important to remember to follow up with them a short time afterwards. Even if you give them your business card or contact info, it’s unlikely that they will think to call you back to let you know the outcome. It’s an important step in getting referrals to make sure you stay in touch with the original person you meet to connect you to their contacts.
Linked Training Modules: Cold Calling Training Dialer Training SDW #7 Cold Calling Tips (Part 1) SDW # 8 Cold Calling Tips and Successes (Part 2) School Presentations Training *NEW* SDW #4 Recruiting through Teachers/Instructors in the Community SDW #5 All about Booths!
Documents to reference:
Your completed CMA 4
Cold Call Script & Tips
Answers to Questions about the Dialer
Media Kit
Yes I Want More Information – Sign Up Sheet
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FM1- HF Recruitment: Getting your HF lead to say YES!
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Someone is interested – NOW WHAT?!
o o o o o o o
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Assess the strength of the lead, if you aren’t sure discuss with your RM Anticipate the objections and be prepared with your rebuttal(s) Decide which student profiles to show Send the HF 3-4 student choices and ask them to rank them in preference- email them the profiles or direct them to the “Meet the Students” link on www.edutrav.org Let the HF know that they may not get their first choice- this prevents the HF from getting upset if the student they choose has been chosen in another region prior to you realizing If you have to notify the HF that the student you originally showed has now been placed, put a positive spin on it and have a replacement student(s) ready to show If the HF is best matched with a student assigned to another team- what do you do? You ask your RM to speak to the RM of the team that the student is assigned to and they will verify that it’s ok for you to show that student to your prospective HF. RMs work together to get the HF the best match possible! If you don’t see a really good match on ZAPP for your HF, add the criteria/student request to your “wish list” and send to your team’s admin, e.g. Japanese boy who like baseball. Your admin can be on the lookout for students that match these characteristics. You still need to check ZAPP several times a day, but having another pair of eyes is very helpful Leads from a cold call- most of the time your communication following the original cold call is via email/phone. Try to set up a face to face meeting/Host Family Interview (HFI) as soon as you can, but continue to build that personal connection from a distance so the prospective HF does not start to get second thoughts Lead from a Facebook/Next Door post- an interested lead will usually have quite a bit of back and forth communication with you via online messaging so it is important that you get some voice-to-
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voice time with the lead as soon as possible to establish a rapport and build some trust and validity in you, and the program Lead from an email blast- as above, try to set up a voice-to-voice meeting so you can connect with the lead before they lose interest Lead you met at an event- this can be the BEST way to solidify a quick hosting commitment and many of the hurdles found in the descriptions above are not present because your initial connection was established, and possibly strengthened at the very first meeting. That being said, the HF may still have lots of objections afterwards (possibly from a spouse whom you didn’t meet at the event), and the follow up schedule (via phone) is just as important Meeting the HF before they commit- many families will not commit to hosting until they have met you/you have been to their home to meet the entire family. This is also the case for starting screening paperwork; for some folks, they need the face-to-face reassurance before they do ANYTHING that is considered taking a step towards making a commitment! In this case, consider taking an exchange student with you (if they have agreed ahead of time), as this will be a huge help in getting the “yes” that you’ve been waiting for! Meeting the HF after they commit- some families do commit to hosting and choose their student before you meet. This is fantastic, but do make sure that you schedule the HFI promptly and remember that first impressions are extremely important. Be on time and look and act professionalyou don’t want to lose a family who was initially really committed You’ve sealed the deal. It’s the best feeling in the world! Embrace the HF’s excitement and your excitement and use that to motivate you to find more host families, including asking this HF for referrals! Send the ZAPP Host Family Application login to the HF as soon as they are ready to allow you to do this. (Refer to the “HFA Setup User Guide” if you are unsure how to set up a HF Account in ZAPP). Explain in a non-pushy manner that they should complete at pages 1-3 of the HFA very quickly You may have to use a school locator tool on the district website to confirm the correct school that the HF is zoned for. If they don’t have kids in high school- they may not know Always double check the school info on page 3 of the HFA to ensure it is accurate Request the student your lead has chosen be placed on hold as soon as they have selected him/her. Email the Admin Manager, Field Director and your RM Hold to Placed but Pending (PP)- when can you request this? Email the Admin Manager, Field Director and your RM once the Admin Assistant in the Portland Office confirms that the Criminal Background Checks (CBCs) are clear for all family members over the age of 18 Once the student is in PP, very promptly send the school acceptance paperwork to the school official at the host family’s high school Each school/district will have their own policy on what you must send them so that they can sign our High School Acceptance Form (HSAF). See Pg. 50-51 and Pg. 62-64 for a more detailed explanation Your RM/team admin will usually have this information already on the school survey spreadsheet, but at the very minimum, you will need to send in the completed HSAF and the PDF of the student’s application, which you download from ZAPP If the student application file is too large to send via email, ask your team’s Admin Assistant to minimize the file size
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FM1- Placement Paperwork & Compliance
For your FIRST placement & guiding your new LCs through their FIRST placement! -
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Screening the host family for suitability to be a homestay family for an ETC student. Does the HF… o Have a genuine interest in hosting an exchange student? o Want to provide room, board, and an opportunity to experience life as a member of the family? o Have a bed available for the student that is not convertible or inflatable? o Want to involve the student in family and community activities? o Want to monitor the student’s academic progress? o Have a desire to help guide the student with budgeting their money while on program? o Have the flexibility to provide transportation to extracurricular activities? Pay close attention to: o Declaration of a crime committed or CPS involvement or If the HF is receiving government assistance for food/housing o Family members with behavioral & emotional disorders o Family members with major lifestyle constraints due to a medical issue o Any obstacles that would impede the success of the placement, e.g. religious rigidity o Eating habits- does the family rarely eat meals together or have a diet that is not at all balanced/healthy? o Household income – how many family members? Mean income for that area. Does it appear feasible for the family to COMFORTABLY afford to feed another child as well? o Pre-manufactured homes- for ETC to consider approving, these must be double-wide, be in good condition, have decent living space & have nice grounds Some items mentioned above will automatically disqualify the HF from hosting, per US State Department regulations Other items listed above may disqualify the family from hosting, and at the very least a written statement/supporting evidence will be required to approve the potential HF o Evaluating if the host family home meets ETC’s standards, e.g. o Cleanliness o Clutter- what’s too much? If in doubt, show photos to your RM o Condition of the home- does it need major structural or decorative updates? o Ratio of bathrooms to family size o Ensure that if a student is to share a bedroom, that is can only be with one host sibling of the same gender and similar age. o Female students sharing a bathroom with a male host sibling- allowable but not preferable o Pets- is the home/grounds large enough for the number of pets? Are there any vicious dogs that might pose a threat for the exchange student? Are there any apparent cleanliness issues associated with the pets? E.g. lots of “accidents” on the floor, or a strong odor of pet urine Grounds of home/neighbors/neighborhood in general. Consider: o The overall appearance of the neighborhood- what did you think when you drove up to the house? What do you think the student or natural parents might think? o Is the yard/grounds reasonably well kept? Completing & Reviewing Host Family Applications (HFAs) o If it has a space, it must be filled in!
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Check with Portland Admin Assistant to verify that CBCs are clear before completing rest of the HFA and going out to do HFI- this will save you wasted time/resources if the HF are disqualified based on CBC results Update photos and host family letter every year for repeat host families HF photos should only contain people who live in the HF home and not extra relatives/friends as this is confusing to SOs and students Don’t upload photos to the photo link at top of photo page. Upload as shown here:
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Fully review HFA and highlight any issues to the Portland Office – i.e., if the family says “yes” to the questions of government assistance/crime/CPS contact, the office will follow up Host Family References (HFRs) o Require 2 for a traditional HF placement o Require 3 for an atypical placement, e.g. same sex family, single parent placement with no kids at home o References cannot be family members or ETC staff o If the references provided on page 3 of the HFA are not returning your call, or the # is disconnected, ask the HF for another reference immediately o Ensure that all questions have been answered and marked and that the bottom section is filled out (at least partially) with comments made by the reference during your call Host Family Interview (HFI) o All HF members must be present at interview if they live in the home. Ask yourself- why does this HF want to host? o Although you must ask all questions on the interview form, try to sound natural and non-scripted and be open and spontaneous in your approach o Are there any impending family changes which would change the dynamics of the family, e.g. child returning from college, military deployment/homecoming, job transfer, elderly relative moving in? o Address certain issues during the HFI – if family says that church attendance is required or that they remove their children’s phones as discipline in the HFA, clarify those things with them at the HFI and include that part of the conversation in your notes on the Host Family Interview Form(HFIF) o If you ensure you cover this in your notes thoroughly, there won’t be a need for the Portland review team (Admin Assistant & Program Manager) to ask for clarification/more info!
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Bring your camera so you can take the required photos at interview- remembering that if you go in the evening it might be too dark to get a good shot of the exterior of the home If you feel more comfortable, write/type your confidential notes (page 3) after you’ve finished the interview and returned back home. If you do this, ensure that the host family signs the HFIF.
High School Acceptance Form (HSAF)
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Make sure that the data listed on page 3 of the HFA (above) is accurate. A lot of HFs & LCs have no idea who the school official is or the start/end dates for next school year. The official school district calendar available online is one of the most accurate sources to verify dates. The school Receptionist or Counseling Secretary will confirm who the school official in charge of exchange students is. It could be the Principal, Assistant Principal, Counselor, Registrar, or a dedicated person at the district office Once the highlighted sections of page 3 of the HFA have been completed (and you click confirm), the data should import into to the SVF (as shown below). There are a few items that will not transfer over and you must fill the data in manually. These key ones are marked in red on the screenshot, but please be aware there may be more The electronic form in the SVF and the actual paper signed form are two different things (see below) The data in all three locations must match Once you get the signed paper HSAF back, select the date it was signed from the drop down box of the SVF HSAF, as shown below and select confirm. If there is a previous HSAF uploaded, never delete or replace it, only upload the new HSAF Ensure that the school start/end date are correct, with special attention paid to the start and end years
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Paper HSAF
SVF HSAF
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Double Placements (DPs) o Each set of natural parents & student must sign a Double Placement Agreement (DPA) form o The host family must sign a Double Placement Agreement form o The school must sign their own DPA form o The FM or team Admin Assistant will normally complete the DPAs o FMs must review the DPAs carefully to catch any mistakes. Please double check the spelling of the student name, DOB etc. This information must be correct for this form to be valid o The FM sends the natural parent/student to the Admin Assistant in the Portland Office who will then send to the SO for signatures o The school DPA is normally sent to the school official with the two HSAFs so that everything can be signed together o The HF often signs the HF DPA at the Host Family Interview but it can be done at any time
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Single Parent Placements (SPPs) o Completing the Single Parent Acceptance Form (SPAF) should be the first step once you know you have a Single Parent Placement (SPP) and the CBC is cleared o If there is a child at home full time, you don’t need one! o FMs must review the SPAFs before sending to the Admin Assistant in the Portland Office to catch any mistakes. Please double check the spelling of the student name, DOB etc. This information must be correct for this form to be valid o SPAFs should include a description of the host mother’s “additional support network through my family, friends and connections in the community.” This does not mean a list people and phone numbers and is not for additional references o ETC needs a description of how the host mother has an additional support network o Below is an example of the type of narrative ETC requires on the form: I volunteer every week and the student can join me. My son, who is in college, comes to visit on weekends often. My sister, her three kids and I all get together for dinner 2 times a month. I have two neighbors with kids who attend the same high school. I also am very active in my church and love going to art events in the community. o The SPAF is two pages. Please be sure you/the LC fills out the top portion of the 2nd page along with making sure the first page is complete o The host parent should understand that this form will be reviewed by the student’s natural parents – essentially the SPAF is their opportunity to show that while they live alone they still have a strong social life and are a part of their community and that they can share that with their student. This is the purpose of the form and the type of information we are looking for o After confirming that the SPAF is correct, the Portland Office Admin Assistant will send to the Sending Organization (SO) for approval o After the SO approves, the Portland Office will proceed with reviewing the placement as normal o A third reference is always needed for single parent placements Procedure for asking for placement to be approved by the Portland Office o Enter the following in the subject line of the email to the Admin Assistant: “HFA Review” and detail who the LC, student and HF is in the main body of email o Portland office will review and let you know what is missing o It can sometimes be ok to request a “HFA Pre-Review” which means the HFA is partially complete= just missing the HSAF, but the Portland Office will not actually approve a placement until everything has been 100% uploaded/submitted What happens after the placement has been approved? o Placement Confirmation Form (PCF) and the host family application is sent to the SO o Student/HF contact can occur for the first time, though please ask that the host family wait a day or two prior to contacting the student to allow the SO to provide the placement info to the student o You will be able to view in ZAPP that the placement has been processed by noting that the current status for the student is listed as “placed”. Host families cannot be provided with the student’s contact information until the student is the “placed” status in ZAPP. This applies to host families that are currently hosting as well as families that have hosted in the past. o A Host Family Welcome Packet (HFWP) will be mailed to the HF from the FD’s office after PCF has been sent
Linked Training Modules: Host Family Application (HFA) Training
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FM1- HF Recruitment: Time Management & Challenging Times of the Year
Working from Home - Best Practices for Maximum Productivity! -
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Set up a dedicated workspace o Ideally away from everyone else in an environment that is as much like a traditional office space as possible o Room should have a door that can be closed o Invest in an ergonomic chair o Make it a pleasant workplace that you enjoy working in o Make workspace organized and clear at end of workday so it’s good to go first thing in morning o Be ready – water, snack so you don’t have to keep getting up o White board for reminders/priority tasks o Some people have 2 workspaces! They move to a new location for increased productivity o Working on the go- laptop, notebook, bag, phone with stuff backed up on Cloud- some people can be completely paperless Set Personal Goals o Be realistic o Timeframe, based on benchmarks o Write down your goals o Tell your close family & friends what your goals are to keep you accountable= personal support group! o Break down large goals into smaller goals Planning o 5 P’s o Rollover undone tasks into next day o Plan night before for next day o Sunday night for week ahead o Put in recurring reminder dates for month ahead on calendar o Balance between planning and doing o To-do-list= break down smaller tasks o Month at a glance to add notes- helps keep records/reminders o Memo feature on phone o Satisfying to cross off list when task complete Prioritizing Tasks o Assess according to Eisenhower’s Urgent/Important Principle
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o Evaluate according to Covey’s quadrant (below) o Time limits on phone calls- set expectations o Delegating o Is it really a crisis? Prepare LCs for this as well Scheduling o Utilize a scheduling tool that works for you o Identify the time of day when you are at naturally at your peak of productivity and schedule activities/projects on your calendar at that time of day o Schedule essential actions o Schedule high-priority activities o Schedule contingency time o Schedule discretionary time Managing Interruptions & Distractions o Turn off instant messaging/social media notifications during certain periods of the day o Use voicemail to screen calls o Learn to politely say no! o Communicate with team/manager that you are working on an important project and need to focus. If people are aware that you need some time for a specific project, they won’t interrupt you o Use alarms to help you stay on task Time blocking o Productivity decreases when you try to manage multiple projects at one time o Multi-tasking can slow you down o Maximum capacity when you just focus on one task Manage your email effectively o Turn off audible alerts o Block time for checking email o Never delete ETC related emails- paper trail is important o Respond to emails within 24 hours- urgent emails right away o Organizing file folders in Outlook- handout o Color coding and categorization of emails, rather than folders o How to Set Rules in Outlook: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBeH4-P2qnQ https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Manage-email-messages-by-using-rules-503073630e794f6a-95c0-04b922a2ff13 Don’t procrastinate o Recognize it- admit it- FIRST STEP! o Create a solution- accomplish what you can in a short period of time, set a timer o Start small so you aren’t overwhelmed o Buffer time o Take a “mental health break” or time out to exercise time to refocus o Have an accountability partner o Delegate- LCs and team admin if your RM agrees
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Meeting placement benchmarks/goals- how are you going to do this? o Assistant Field Managers & Field Managers must place a minimum of 12 students a year to remain in the role o This is achieved by goal setting and completing a detailed “Regional Development Plan�, which is usually done in the first half of January o Timeline- your RM will personalize a timeline for you which will very clearly show the % number of placements you will need to have by each date target
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In this example, the FM has a TOTAL goal of 25 placements for 2017 The FM has to get 15% (4) placements by January 15th. The January cycle students get accepted and are found in ZAPP as early as mid-September If the January 15th benchmark is met, the rest of the benchmarks are easier to meet! By June 1st, which is when many school deadlines are, this FM should have placed 60% of their total goal = 15 students Successful FMs often exceed their Jan- June benchmarks so that the July/Aug benchmarks are less challenging to meet Similarly, FMs ensure that they have a few schools in their region(s) that do accept students in July & August so that they can comfortably meet their overall goal o If you meet your targets you are on track for success and have definitely earned the chance to take the “Recruitment Rock Star” crown! o Remember that January placements help you qualify for the incentive trip much quicker o “The early bird gets the worm”: early placements get the best selection of students Recruitment during the holiday season o Although seemingly more challenging, the holiday season offers many opportunities to connect to well-qualified and prospective host families o Make the most of the festive mood and frequent gatherings during this time of year o People are typically in the “holiday spirit” during this time of year and could be more open to hosting (giving back, serving others, etc.) o A creative conversation starter idea is to have a “gift wrapped” binder with a bow and label it “Best Present Ever!” to include student profiles, and profound pictures of past students enjoying the American holidays with their host family and other international students, as well as quotes from students, etc. Take to events and have out on your coffee table! o Listen for cues when people post or talk about New Years’ Resolutions with an international, travel or foreign language theme- Incorporate into reasons why they should host an exchange student o Grow internationally! Serve others this year! Give your family the gift of ____________ (country). For families who dream about traveling and visiting other countries but cannot afford to. All great email subject headings! o School/church events, e.g. Winter Wonderland nights, concerts, PTA meetings, HOA meetings- tap into the notion that people are more giving during the holiday season o Incorporate your own personal story in Facebook posts and email; making it relevant to each holiday/time of year o Remember to recruit friends and family in all states across the country! Don’t limit yourself to recruiting in your local area only o Time blocking is particularly crucial during the holiday season and remember to “de-stress” daily in order to recharge Summer Recruitment o Summer (June-August) can create some recruitment challenges, but if you are prepared and make a strategy in advance specifically for the summer months, you will succeed
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Market through your friends and their kids. If they are attending a summer camp, ask them to drop flyers off Vacation Bible School (VBS)- start contacting VBS leaders/pastors in in late April/early May to find out how you can be involved with networking for local HFs at VBS, which usually takes place in June or early July
If approved by the FD, ETC will donate funds to the youth/VBS fund for every family referred by the church who ends up hosting – this is a huge incentive to pastors & youth leaders to assist with budgeting for the event Some leaders will allow you to hand out flyers/talk to the parents picking up children at VBS, or they will send the flyers home with the craft the child has made that day ETC has an abundance of ads that have been created for you to use for VBS and the Marketing Department can send you more like this:
If you are a member of the church, it’s a great idea to personally volunteer to help with VBS which gives you access to the parents at drop off/pick up
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Try to involve your current CYP exchange students and host families in networking activities to build interest and credibility in our program
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Plan ahead how you will obtain signed HSAFs once school is out for the summer. Before school concludes, get the office hours for the school official who signs the forms, and if you are already on good terms, ascertain if he/she may still sign your form even though they are not in the school building Most school districts remain open throughout the summer. It might be possible to get a HSAF signed through the district personnel, once the staff at the school are out of office It can be beneficial to go in person to the school to try and get an HSAF signed during the summer months- with no students, the school official or his/her secretary may have more time to meet with you 1:1 – be sure to take the ETC School Admin Manual with you!
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“Plan your work for today and every day, then work your plan” – Margaret Thatcher
Linked Training Modules: SDW #18 Time Management SDW # 30 Time Management (for managers only) SDW #19 Overcoming the Holiday Hurdle SDW # 33 Gearing Up for Summer Recruitment
Documents to reference:
Your completed CMA 5
Email Folder Suggestions
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FM1- HF Recruitment: Maintaining Relationships
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It is best practice for your team to have a “Previous HFs spreadsheet” for the region (your RM or team admin can ensure you have a copy) HFs should be contacted 1-2 times every year about hosting until they tell you not to! Calling the HF and sending emails is most common, but some managers like to send an actual mailing Emails and mailings can be sent in conjunction with special occasions like Thanksgiving or HF appreciation week; this can be the “reason” you are contacting them but you can let them know that you have students that need a host family Ask previous HFs to recommend potential HFs every year too; also known as the “3rd person approach” it works well to minimize any expectations on the family and appears very natural rather than pushy You can also use the “as a valued ETC host family, you get priority access” approach with current/previous HFs. For example, as soon as the first fall cycle students are available on ZAPP to show (usually early January), you should send your families the profiles and remind them that there is a greater selection of nationality etc. in the early stages. Make them feel privileged and cherished The correspondence should ALWAYS include student profiles Always try and find out what type of student your HF wants to host again/in the future; this helps you determine the most enticing student profiles to send them! Always update your spreadsheet with notes on the last contact you had; your RM may ask to view the spreadsheet Be sure to invite your previous HF to monthly activities, or at the minimum, the regional holiday party We understand that some HFs like to take a “break from hosting”, but by keeping in contact with them you keep the door open for them hosting again, or helping us find another HF in an emergency situation The previous HF/teen host siblings may also be very happy to volunteer to help at ETC booths/events You should also keep a spreadsheet of previous LCs for the region and send a once a year holiday greeting. This is useful for many reasons including: Contacting them for HF/ LC referrals in the community Asking them to be a 2vi representative if your current rep is not available Assistance for emergency housing Volunteer help at booths/events Some LCs want to return to the role in the future
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FM1- Working with Schools
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Prospecting new communities o Two great websites for doing research on schools are: www.greatschools.org (for ratings) ETC’s standard is 5+ www.schooldigger.com (for finding schools and doing research in your area) o This is a great website to figure out school boundaries. Sometimes the schools, or districts themselves, don’t even have this info: http://www.hometownlocator.com/ o http://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools which ranks high schools by state o Is the school accredited? o At least 300 enrollments at high school level? Typical objections from schools about working with us o A lot of schools don’t get funding for foreign exchange students o Many schools have had negative experiences with exchange students in the past (other orgs.) o Some schools will exclusively work with another program and they don’t intend on changing! How to overcome the objections o Get testimonials and references from other local schools o ETC will provide quality students to the school, screening o Drop by the school and take a gift- be visible o Volunteer at the school so you become a more familiar face o ETC School Admin Manual is a great resource to send to school administrators- Click Here! o Ask the school if they would consider taking a “trial student” - this has been very successful In addition: o Administration may change so the decision not to work with you may change o When you have a great relationship with one school, it’s a great way to get into and build credibility with others o Don’t give up on getting into a school – be persistent, e.g. call, follow up with email, call again, keep calling, visit in person, etc o Send a thank you to school after speaking with them, e.g. “Thank you for your time in talking with me. I am looking forward to building a relationship with your school and working with you during the upcoming school year.” Projects/tasks related to schools o Sending emails to check on policies/# of slots o Complete school Surveys o Complete school applications o Attend annual district meetings o Some HFs don’t know which high school they are zoned for. Here is an example of a school locator tool which most large districts across the U.S. have: School Finder- Click Here!
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Sample Email sent to school contact person
Sample of School Survey spreadsheet
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Maintaining a good relationship o Communicate with the counselors who will be working with the students and set expectations that you, let them know will be there for support, etc o Supporting students is important because it shows the school how we handle situations, issues, etc. and builds trust
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Be attentive and responsive to email and requests from the school Don’t only contact the school when you need something – share good stories about their current students too o Follow the District policies very well so that you don’t lose trust o Talk to schools about IEW (International Education Week) early on o Show an interest in the school staffs’ lives, e.g. make a positive impression, bond on a personal level where appropriate o Continue to volunteer o Take a treat to the school with a note and your business card o Thanksgiving – make a greeting card that has photos of ETC students saying “ETC is thankful for you!” and send to contacts at the schools o Send notepads as a gift with the ETC logo Networking once the relationship is well established o Contact the Booster Club President and ask if you can speak at their next meeting o If you attend a school event, introduce yourself to the Principal and other staff members establish and build those connections o Talk to foreign language teachers
Linked Training Modules: School Development Training SDW #25 Building School Relationships
Documents to reference:
Your completed CMA 6
Why Should Schools Welcome FES
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FM1- Team Development
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LC Lead Generation o Use the same sources you use for HF Recruitment to source Local Coordinators, e.g. Facebook o Individuals who were exchange students themselves or who have any kind of “international connection” make very effective LCs o Candidates with an education background are also attracted to the LC role and are very comfortable working with teens o Any event for HF Recruitment is also an opportunity to find volunteers and LCs- our booth signup sheets include a box to check for interest in working for ETC o Host Moms- current and previous. At least 25% of our field staff were originally host moms before they became an LC/FM o Working with the ETC Recruitment Specialist- The RS can source LCs using Volunteer Match and other non-profit job boards. Paid ads may also be approved, e.g. banner on mom’s blog or homeschool coop. Please request from your RM/ the FD and specify region/zip code and how many school spots are available in that region LC Lead Follow up o Use the same rules for HF follow- up. After any interest, promptly reply and be sure to make the interaction personal, yet professional. Show your enthusiasm, share what brought you to ETC o Implement some pre-screening to ensure they are a good fit for ETC, e.g. do they have a home computer/scanner, their own transportation, understand that this is supplemental income and not a full time or salaried position? Screening & Hiring Candidates o Review the Local Coordinator Hiring & Training (LCHT) Flow Chart and discuss with your RM to determine who does what and when in this process o As the FM, even if another ETC staff member recruited and screened the LC candidate, it is your responsibility to contact the candidate as soon as possible, and absolutely no later than when they are first sent the “next steps” paperwork Training o Overview of mandatory and available training for ETC Local Coordinators and the frequency required:
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Building & Mentoring a Team (BMT) o Relationship Building Read the Local Coordinator Profiles (LCPs) for every LC on your team (read the section about why they want to work with ETC and refer to it often to remind yourself of what is motivating them to work with our program) Complete the “Know your LCs” worksheet for each LC on your team o Core Values Ensure that you instill how important ETC’s 3 E’s are to your team, not just once but regularly as you mentor your coordinators through different circumstances
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Retention Strategies Send weekly team emails that are inspirational and motivating When scheduling communication with individual LCs, do so in the manner that they prefer and at a time that works best for them and their personal life Track what you have discussed during each coaching call with LCs so you can refer back Promote your assigned students to your team, e.g. Student of the Week (STOW) and an Action Plan Worksheet (APW) and give realistic and practical tips and goals to help them recruit HFs Incorporate the “Tuesday Tip”, placement incentives, SDW call reminders, IEW, student trips into your communication so that you remain informative and consistent with communication from the FD/ETC Office Showing Appreciation TIP: Make recognition a team effort! o HOW? By using “peer-to-peer recognition,” you can boost your team’s morale by encouraging them to spotlight each other’s strengths and recognize each other As a leader, it is important to encourage a positive workplace environment (your team will feed off of you.) It’s equally important to make sure that your team feels appreciated and learns to show appreciation towards each other o Here are some examples of how to do this: Spotlight – Propose a peer-to-peer spotlight for your meetings. Then highlight one team member’s personality and efforts in those gatherings Rotating Prize – Have a rotating prize, like a second-hand bowling trophy, or some other item the team thinks is fun, which can be transferred from employee to employee. This could be virtual also!!! Low-Stakes Activities – Arrange for low-cost activities for the team to engage in together. (Ex. Having a donut tasting contest and voting for favorites.) Ask around – Ask your employees for their nominations for exceptional colleagues. Sometimes they see work you don’t. (We do this with our Fred recognition program! Encourage nominations please!) Encourage Civility – Sometimes a team needs to go back to the basics: saying “Please”, “Thank you”, and “You’re welcome” Do What You Can – When teams are spread geographically, it can be harder to foster recognition, but no less necessary. Try to find what you can do instead of what you can’t. National Random Acts of Kindness Day is Feb 17th
Linked Training Modules: Building and Mentoring a Team Training (BMT) LC Retention Training (for managers only) *NEW* SDW #43 Increasing Appreciation Efforts
Documents to reference:
Your completed CMA for Building & Mentoring a Team
LCHT Process Flow Chart
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FM2- Managing 2vis/3vis
The 2nd Visit Interview (2VI) is required by the US Department of State and must be conducted by a person other than the Field Manager (FM), Local Coordinator (LC), relative or close friend of the host family, or person who recruited the host family. The purpose of this visit is to reconfirm the suitability of the host family and their home for hosting as well as to reconfirm the information listed on the 1st interview form, including the list of members residing in the host family home and the photos of the home. The 2nd Visit Interview MUST take place within the first 60 days of the student’s arrival in the host family home. If the family is designated as a “welcome” or “temporary” family, the 2nd Visit Interview MUST occur within the first 30 days of the student’s arrival in the host family home. If a permanent host family is not found shortly thereafter then a second follow-up visit must be conducted within 30 days following the first visit. The 3rd visit interview may not be conducted by the same person who conducted the 2VI, and all other interviewer restrictions apply. If a student moves to a new host family, a 2vi/3vi is required each time. This also applies if the host family and student move to a new home together. It is the responsibility of the designated 2nd Visit Representative to interview all host family members in the home; however, the student does not have to be present. If it is not possible to have ALL host family members present at the interview, please notify the Administrative Assistant in the Portland Office. TIP: It is absolutely essential for the 2vis and 3vis to be done before the deadline to remain in compliance with the US Department of State. There is no flexibility with this at all. It is best to conduct the interviews earlier than later to ensure that they are completed by the due date. Management & Tracking o Most managers in an established region have a regular team of interviewers, which can be comprised of LCs, host parents, or a dedicated person who just does 2vis o It is recommended that if you make a placement(s) in a new area, you hire a 2nd visit interviewer at the same time – this careful planning ensures that you have an interviewer lined up even before the student arrives and the interview is due o Although the 2vi is referenced in the Host Family Orientation (HFO) PowerPoint and the host family application, it is advised that the Local Coordinator gives another verbal reminder once the student arrives to include the reason why a 2nd interview is required o The Portland office will provide a spreadsheet showing 2VI and 3VI deadlines. Managers must inform the Administrative Assistant in the Portland Office who will be conducting the interviews, provide contact information for the interviewers and when they are scheduled to occur o Once you have assigned each 2vi/3vi to a representative and received their agreement that they will be able to conduct the 2vi/3vi on time, you will need to notify each host family via email o A suggested template notification is included in the FM 2vi guide, but you can edit it as you see necessary. The important items to include in the email are: the purpose of the 2nd home visit, the name of the person who will be calling them to schedule the interview, and the due date of the interview o A HF will feel blindsided and offended if they do not get an official notification from the manager that someone will be calling to schedule this interview
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It is suggested that you keep a tracking system (Excel spreadsheet) to ensure that the interviews have been assigned, scheduled and completed Review all completed 2vi forms before uploading. Check that the representative has completed all necessary sections, that the forms are dated and signed and look for any “red flags” in the notes that requires your IMMEDIATE follow-up
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Payments- BEFORE a 2vi payment is requested on your Local Coordinator Payment Request Form (LCPRF), the 2vi must be uploaded AND the Admin Manager must have a W9/Direct Deposit (DD) form on file for the representative who conducted the 2vi/3vi. The W9/Direct Deposit (DD) form should never be uploaded into ZAPP along with the 2vi. Please see more information on LCPRFs in the final section of this manual
Linked Training Modules:
2VI/3VI Training *NEW* Documents to reference:
2vi-FM Guide
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FM2- Student Supervision: Orientations
A Host Family Orientation (HFO) is mandatory and must be conducted after a host family has been fully vetted, approved by the Portland Office, and before the student arrives HFs are mailed a HF Welcome Packet (HFWP) from the FD’s office once the placement is put into “placed” status- remind the HFs to bring their HFWP to the HFO, but have some spare just in case A quality HFO is essential for minimizing student moves Any LC or FM presenting a HFO must have completed the ETC HFO training in Proprofs, no exceptions! ETC updates the HFO PowerPoint presentation and Facilitator Guide every year. In conjunction with the training, you are provided with very robust tools to deliver an HFO that is both in compliance with US State Department Regulations, but also that goes above and beyond to ensure that ETC HFs feel supported and excited about their upcoming hosting experience Best practice is to schedule a group HFO with you leading as the manager and your LCs assisting you Put your regional HFO for fall and January arriving students on the calendar well in advance to ensure maximum attendance. Make sure the date you are scheduling it for is not a holiday weekend or that there is no conflict with a popular local event Ensure that you book the venue for the HFO several months before the actual date to ensure you are able to secure the best venue for the outcome you desire Consider scheduling a makeup session for those that cannot attend. If necessary, you can conduct an individual HFO Timing o Schedule a time block of 3.5-4 hours to be sure you have enough time to complete your o HFO thoroughly o Schedule breaks in the HFO o Keep on track with your time- have an LC keep an eye on this for you so you don’t overrun or spend too long on one topic If you are using a TV to show the PowerPoint (recommended) – please bring a HDMI cable with you in case the venue doesn’t have one Name tags- see handout for a great design! Have a positive mindset from the beginning to the end, even if things don’t go as smoothly as you thought they would. The host families and LCs will appreciate your great attitude and it is contagious!!! Try to arrange a “guest speaker” in advance, e.g. a previous/current host parent who is really upbeat and knowledgeable about hosting Have questions available that you can place in a hat and have HFs read when you need to insert some humor or a change of subject or if people seem to be getting distracted - see handout Separate HFs by country or school district for small group discussions Use visuals to keep participants engaged o Show videos, e.g. videos of students that you made in previous years, YouTube video “The Evolution of an Exchange Student” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EleyPsMoGQA o Photos of examples of gift baskets, welcome posters, anything you need to talk about that would really help get the message across with a visual representation! o Assign the role of “group photographer” to one of your LCs during the HFO - post the pictures from your HFO on your regional Facebook page. The incoming students will be excited to see their HFs having their orientation!
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Include photos and a blurb of students who still need placements in your presentation- this can encourage the HFs to take a 2nd student (double placement) or for them to ask their friends/coworkers about hosting a specific student Have your monthly student activity calendar for the upcoming school year already planned and printed ready for the HFO. It is very useful to have a sign-up sheet ready so that HFs can sign up to volunteer to host one of the monthly activities, e.g. holiday party Send an email after the HFO to all HFs that attended- thank them and use this as an opportunity to mention items you may have not covered as adequately as you would’ve liked and to reinforce important matters, e.g. Expectations Worksheet (EW) If a student moves to a new home while on the program, the new family must receive the same thorough HFO, with the exception of the flight arrivals section Please note that although the student may have already gone through the culture shock of arriving in a new country and living with a different family dynamic, it does not mean that this topic should be ignored at the HFO for student moves. Often times, even if a student is happy to be moved to a new host family, they will have an adjustment period in that new HF, somewhat like the first arrival feelings and the new HF needs to be prepared for this, as well as on the lookout for homesickness or other difficulties Remember to get every HF to complete a HFO sign-off sheet (including Abuse Notification policy). The sign offs can usually be uploaded by your team’s admin, but you should familiarize yourself with where to upload these in ZAPP
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A Student Orientation (STO) is mandatory and should be conducted within ten days of the student’s arrival Firstly, it is important that you (or the LC) communicates with every student in your region to introduce yourself, give them some inside info on the school/local area/weather/tourist attractions, send an activity calendar (if it’s finalized), and be welcoming and encouraging Although the email you send can be a template (for efficiency), be sure to personalize it and send it to individual students (not a group email) You will request the Student Welcome Packets (STWPs) for your students to be mailed to the address of the person conducting the STO. In some cases, you may have remote placements and the LC will be conducting the STO. Be sure to order the correct amount for the number of students placed in each region A Sexual Abuse & Assault Resource Sheet will need to be added to each student packet. These are provided for the county that the HF resides in, and many are already created and available in the ZAPP Resources section. Your team’s admin can help create new ones if you have placed in a new county for the first time. Here is an example:
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The students are given their packets at the STO- you may consider pre-labelling them with their names to prevent them getting lost, or ask the student to write their name on the packet as soon as you hand it to them at the STO Order ETC T-shirts for all your students from the Portland Office so that they are shipped to you, or your remote LCs in plenty of time. Make a “guesstimate” on the sizes you will need based on gender/height of student
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A quality STO is essential for helping exchange students adjust to the culture, family environment and school in the U.S. Any LC or FM presenting a STO must have completed the ETC STO training in Proprofs, no exceptions! ETC updates the STO PowerPoint presentation and Facilitator Guide every year. In conjunction with the training, you are provided with very robust tools to deliver an STO that is both in compliance with US State Department Regulations, but also that goes above and beyond to ensure that ETC students feel supported and excited about their upcoming homestay experience Best practice is to schedule a group STO with you leading as the manager and your LCs assisting you Put your regional STOs for fall and January arriving students on the calendar well in advance to ensure that HFs can plan accordingly. Try to avoid Labor Day weekend for STOs as this often conflicts with HF plans Ensure that you book the venue for the STO several months before the actual date to ensure you are able to secure the best venue for students to relax but also focus on the material being covered Many of the same tips for HFOs apply to STOs, e.g. duration, scheduling breaks, playing ice breaker/culture/active games, using visual stimulation. Here are some other tips: o Incorporate select current students in the STO so that they can offer a unique perspective, advice, and personal experience which the incoming students will better relate to o Separate students by country or school district for small group discussions- this is essential for really large groups. Assign at least one adult (LC or host parent) to each small group o Invite an American high school student as a guest speaker to the STO to inform the exchange students what high school in America is really like o Arrange for a law enforcement officer to talk to the students at STO about the dangers of drugs, alcohol, and getting involved with the “wrong crowd” in high school o Provide information on school culture in the U.S. For example: credit and due dates of homework, tardiness to class, hall pass, dress code o Speak slowly and avoid too much slang unless you tell them what it means o What would you do if game- questions in a hat o Ask questions/a fun quiz to confirm understanding o Show a state tourism video to engage the students visually and get them excited about their home for next 5-10 months o Remember to get every student to complete a STO sign-off sheet, which includes their U.S. cell phone # and email address. These can usually be uploaded by your team’s admin, but you should familiarize yourself with where to upload these in ZAPP
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STOs for January arriving students: o It will be a smaller group, e.g. 5 versus 25! o Consider having the regular STO first and then a student monthly activity afterwards in which the new students can meet and bond with the students already on program o Discuss integration into American family dynamics and the major cultural differences. For example: Asian students have different study and sleep habits that can create frustration for the host family. Asian students think it’s rude to have casual conversation with their parents, yet American parents will interpret the silence/minimal conversation as rude. Make sure that students understand expectations and the importance of open communication o As you provide the information, add in your own experience when you can to make it relatable o Have new student (SEM/CYP) paired up with a “buddy” (current student) for support It is mandatory for every ETC student to receive a Departure & Re Entry Orientation (DREO) about 4-6 weeks before their last day of school. Plan your region’s spring and fall DREO when creating the team calendar for the school year ahead. The DREO should be mandatory for all students who are finishing their program that semester. Host families are welcome to attend but it is entirely optional
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Any LC or FM presenting a DREO must have completed the ETC DREO training in Proprofs, no exceptions! It can be combined with a monthly student activity but be sure to schedule the DREO segment before the activity Allow 1.5-2hrs for the orientation depending on the size of the group Facilitator materials and student workbooks are mailed to the individual who is conducting the DREO. These materials, along with the DREO PowerPoint are reviewed and updated annually Please ensure you are requesting enough copies for all students that need one The student and HF must review the student workbook together and on a regular basis after the DREO – make sure that your LCs are aware of this, and that you have a verification system in place to check that this has been occurring for each student/HF DREO Situation Topics are very helpful and can be found in ZAPP Optional skits that can be utilized at the DREO are attached Break up the large group into smaller groups to discuss reverse culture shock (students are more inclined to share their feelings) RAFT handout should be used (to help with reverse culture shock) Each student must sign a DREO sign-off sheet Linked Training Modules:
Host Family Orientation (HFO) for Presenter SDW #36 Making Your Host Family Orientation (HFO) Successful! Student Orientation (STO) for Presenter SDW #11 Student Orientation (STO) Golden Nuggets SDW #22 STO - Golden Nuggets Departure and Re-Entry Training (DREO) Documents to reference:
Your completed CMA 7
TOOLBOX- Planning your HFO
TOOLBOX- American Customs that will Shock your Student
HFO Questions
101 Things to Do with Your Student
HFO Nametags
TOOLBOX- Planning your STO
Student Orientation Questions
STO Nametags
Support Team- Getting ready for the Student Orientation (STO)
RAFT
ETC Student/HF Event Checklist
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FM2- Student Supervision: Culture Shock
How to help prevent Culture Shock: -
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Delivering a quality HFO and STO is the best place to start in minimizing the negative effects of culture shock Use the Analogy of “playing a game”- A student arriving in U.S doesn’t know “how to play the game”- all the other “players” (American residents) know how to play the game. And it can be quite confusing for our students The mindset of ETC staff members needs to be non-judgmental towards the student and show empathy to their situation, e.g. put yourself in their shoes… At the same time, ETC staff members must help the HF to understand the new culture in their home and the difficulties that their student is facing. ETC has many tools to help you do this. ETC staff members must also guide the student as he/she integrates into everyday life with the host family It is important to remember that ETC students are still children despite acting like adults at times Although our students must abide by the ETC Terms of Participation (TOP), the HF and field staff must be mindful that teenagers are “in training” to be adults and that process isn’t always smooth. Teens need regular redirection and guidance. Think back to when you were a teenager! Remember that our students come from many different social and economic backgrounds, and family dynamics. This directly affects their relationship with their host family and how well they integrate into the exchange experience HF/ETC representatives have to understand the student’s background/culture; lack of knowledge can create misunderstandings and major conflict Country Factoids are really useful! This is information that Silvia and Brenda produce each month on a particular country and its people, e.g. typical family structure, family mealtimes, major holidays/celebrations; these are posted on the Facebook ETC page Utilize our ETC Culture Guides. These guides offer information on the Geography, History, Religion, Food, Holidays, Youth, Education, Family Structure, Roles and Values, Communication Styles, Social Norms and Interesting Facts about each nation Understanding that communication between teens and their parents varies by culture/nationality the expectations could be very different for the exchange student and HF about how much time to spend together, who initiates a conversation etc Students and HFs should chat about the cultural differences Play Redundancia (a foreign language simulation game) with the HF, encourage the HF to play with their student as well. This is located in Zapp Resources Suggesting activities for the student and host family to do together is key (e.g. preparing a meal, learning a new chore, watching and learning about American sports on TV etc.) Integration/engaging with the HF- hot topic area of concern! The student must put extreme effort into the integration part, with the help of resources provided by ETC, e.g. Toolbox handouts Expectations worksheet (EW) – This is a preventative tool that MUST be used. This is also a great tool to start the conversation about how different family life is in comparison to their life in their native country
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Make sure that your host family utilizes the EW and that it is reviewed with the student after the first few days of settling into the family and once again half way through the student’s program (i.e. January or June) The HF should make updates to the EW as needed. It needs to be referred to throughout the year in order to keep the expectations up to date with the student HF should re-clarify the items on EW; student repeats back to the HF to confirm their understanding
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English Language Communicating in English in the new environment is extremely difficult for the student, even if the student has met the minimum language requirements for the program, or even if they are considered very proficient in their skill! This is due to the fact that once they arrive, they are not used to the accents, tone, speed of delivery, colloquial expressions etc o It is important for you and the host family to know that although the student is proficient, it may not seem like it at first. The student is now having to think, speak and process all language in English. This is quite different from the time spent in the classroom back home. It is important to all student’s time in the beginning to adjust o If the student is still struggling after the first few weeks, tutoring will be required if the language barrier is inhibiting the student’s progress, e.g. in school or in the host family. Tutoring is paid for by the student/natural parents - Chores o
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Chores are not always common for teens from other countries. Exchange students must accept that American teens have to do chores- this can be a cause of culture shock for our exchange students o HF’s must not assume that because the student refuses to do a chore that they are being defiant; maybe they don’t know how, e.g. cooking o HF’s must SHOW the student HOW to do chores listed on the EW, e.g. the scaffolding technique. In education, scaffolding refers to a variety of instructional techniques used to move students progressively toward stronger understanding and, ultimately, greater independence in the learning process Student spends long periods of time in bedroom o Understanding why students stay in room – could be cultural, what they are used to at home? Is the student copying the host siblings who also stay in their room? What else is there for the student to do besides staying in room i.e. are other family members engaging? o Instituting an open door policy for student’s bedroom except when sleeping, undressing and studying can be helpful o Be specific about time periods you want the student to stay out of room, e.g. 2 hours in the evening engaging with HF for dinner, games, watching a movie (refer to EW) Too much electronics use and/or too much contact with him o o o o o o
Electronics can be left in a designated area after 10pm at night The student can use a basic alarm clock instead of the alarm on their phone Having a regular, weekly time for the student to Skype/phone with their parents is helpful. This can prevent excessive, random contact and is something the student will look forward to If the student requests to speak to their natural family at any time, the HF cannot refuse and must provide the electronic device for the student to do so. This is a DOS guideline If there are repeated or excessive requests to speak to natural family, the HF must report this to ETC Remember that all students sign the Terms of Participation regarding electronics which state they must limit non-academic electronic use to no more than 30 minutes per day AND that they should not be contacting their natural family or friends more than one time per week as
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this can create further homesickness and interfere with the integration into American culture and host family life Poor personal hygiene o
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Hygiene- showering, changing and laundering clothes, washing hands after using restroom, using deodorant, brushing teeth 2x a day o HF could include some personal hygiene products in the welcome basket Punctuality issues
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o Scared of trying new food, will only eat limited items o Eating a poor diet, lots of snacks instead of proper food/meals o Afraid of eating unhealthy food and gaining weight o Any of the above situations may indicate a possible eating disorder (ED) o Look for other signs of ED Helpful Tips o
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Use the “Student Worksheet Chart” (in conjunction with the Expectations Worksheet) to customize desired behaviors for a particular student and to track progress. Make sure this chart is posted in view and filled out on a daily basis The phrase “I shouldn’t have to explain” should be nonexistent vocabulary when conversing with exchange students. This applies to both host families and local coordinators ALWAYS include THE WHY when talking with students, e.g. why curfews are important (safety); why washing hands after using the restroom is important (sanitary reasons) Reverse the situation when talking with students, e.g. “If your natural parents prepared a meal for someone in your home, and they refused to eat it, how would that make you or your family feel?” “When you are on your phone all the time, it makes us feel like…”- Explain how the student’s actions affect the family to help the student see it from the HF’s perspective Consistently follow up and always remember compromise is important Some students experience culture shock as a result of being really disappointed with one or two aspects of the host family or the host family home. It is the job of the LC and FM to communicate with the student to learn if this is in fact the cause
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Remember that hosting is parenting- discuss this in the HFO and remind HFs later (connecting with previous HFs in the region) Some host parents don’t have kids or haven’t raised their kids to that age yet- they will need a LOT of guidance but not know they do Some host parents are afraid of or unwilling to parent/discipline Some host parents think that the exchange student will just adapt and fall into line by copying the host siblings Siblings of the same age as the student can cause some typical sibling rivalry – they won’t necessarily be best friends Students placed in a home with young kids may not be used to young kids. The HF needs to be mindful of that and not take offense if the student doesn’t know how to interact with the child
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Your student has been raised by different parents= different morals, guidelines, expectations Patience is a virtue! Encourage your host families to be patient with the child – it’s a learning process and they might need to remind the student over and over until they get it right! Don’t do everything for your student, e.g. picking up after them. This is enabling the frustrating behavior and will make it much more difficult to correct later on Help them be empowered and responsible from the beginning and reinforce expectations If behavior continues- don’t forget to use the Student Worksheet Chart mentioned above. Make sure this chart is posted in view and filled out on a daily basis (i.e. Refrigerator) It might seem like a lot of effort, but in the long run, it will prevent resentment Help your HF to understand the culture of the student… check out https://www.ifitweremyhome.com/ and make sure they have read the Culture Gram included in the host family welcome packet (HFWP) Effective communication is the key! Student Homesickness- help the HF understand the different phases of homesickness & know the signs However, the HF should not feel that they are at fault for homesickness – it is a natural occurrence in the student’s program that most students will go through at one point or another HF should be communicating with the student after school/in the evening about how they are feeling things are going, e.g. school, friendships etc If the student seems bored or lonely, the HF (in conjunction with the LC) should be encouraging the student to participate in extracurricular activities 101 things to do with your student (referenced in HFO section)
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Setting proper expectations from the beginning is critical, e.g. at the STO Students should tour school and be given a map/understand how to get from class to class Let students know that it will take time to make friends and that they are not alone (everyone is faced with these challenges); there is hope! Students need to make friends with American students (not just other exchange students) Find out where their English skills are lacking, e.g. pronunciation, vocabulary, etc. and what their strengths are (e.g. reading); focus on strengths to build confidence Encourage HFs to ask about homework daily; check online portal weekly and discuss with student any deficiencies, e.g. missing homework Encourage HFs to check what student is wearing each morning (dress code compliant?) in order to prevent having to take a change of clothes to the student during the school day Encourage the student to get involved in CLUBS and STUDENT GOVERNMENT and SPORTS! The goal should not be solely on making the team; they will still make new friends during the try out process! Students should not be changing classes when they feel like it, and without prior permission from you, the manager. It has a negative impact on both the student, the counseling department, and the teacher of the new class. The best remedy for this is to ensure that class choices are appropriate for the student at registration, e.g. English/US History are mandatory, math class should be at the right level for the student’s ability, there should be no more than one study hall during day, and AP classes are going to be too challenging for a lot of students
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What many people find to be a joyous time of year may be the hardest of all for a student due to missing their holiday traditions and time with family The student needs to understand that their feelings are normal The student should be encouraged to express and verbalize their feelings Limiting contact back home is especially important around the holidays The student needs to stay busy/get involved in projects Exercise is important Encourage the student to stay out of their room and be involved with host family activities
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Students Skyping with natural parents is helpful (especially when done with host families involved in traditional activities,) but be aware – communication with the host family is important – bridging the gap between HF and Natural Parents (NPs) Include students’ holiday traditions and foods into the host family holiday experiences. The exchange in culture goes both ways and will help the student to acclimate during what can be a very difficult time Here is a website which includes holiday traditions for each country – very useful http://www.theholidayspot.com/christmas/worldxmas/ Set expectations early Be sensitive to differences Korean students have a more difficult time around the New Year as it is the same time that Koreans celebrate their New Year (which is huge for them!) Please keep this in mind for your Korean students
Linked Training Modules: Cultural Training - Part 1 Cultural Training - Part 2 SDW #12 Initial Culture Shock (Part 1) - Helping Students Integrate into Host Family Life SDW #13 Initial Culture Shock (Part 2) - Helping Students Integrate into Host Family Life (cont'd) SDW #14 Initial Culture Shock (Part 3) - Helping Host Families Adjust SDW #15 Initial Culture Shock (Part 4) - School Issues SDW #20 Holiday Blues: Helping Students Cope with Homesickness Reverse Culture Shock Training *NEW*
Documents to reference:
Your completed CMA 8
HF Expectations Worksheet
Culture Shock & Homesickness
Homesickness Tips (tips from students)
How to make American friends at school
Culture Guides for each country
Emergency Procedures Manual for Field Staff
TOOLBOX – American High School Expectations
TOOLBOX – Assistance for EW Student Worksheet
TOOLBOX – Basic Etiquette
TOOLBOX – Communicating with Teens
TOOLBOX – Cultural Differences
TOOLBOX – Culture Shock Phases and Symptoms
TOOLBOX – Culture Shock Prevention
TOOLBOX – Culture Shock Symptoms
TOOLBOX – Dress Code Alert
TOOLBOX – Exchange Student Daily Interview Questions (for school)
TOOLBOX – Families Worksheet
TOOLBOX – HF & Student Activities List
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TOOLBOX – Knowing What to do When
TOOLBOX – List of Common HF Concerns
TOOLBOX – Nutrition and Health
TOOLBOX – Retain & Support your HFs
TOOLBOX – Setting Rules as a HF
TOOLBOX – Student Adjustment Cycle
TOOLBOX – EW Student Worksheet Chart
TOOLBOX – Teenagers
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FM2- Student Supervision: Monthly Contact Forms (MCF)s
As the FM, you are not only expected to complete your own MCFs to a very high standard, but you will be checking the MCFs of all students assigned to your team. The crucial training to enable you to do this is the MCF Reviewer Training, but here are just a few tips for you and your LCs to follow:
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You can send an e-mail alert to Local Coordinators through ZAPP if it’s getting close to the due date and you notice they haven’t started their MCF(s) yet. See above It is the manager’s responsibility to remind LCs to complete MCFs on time (by 25th of month) and if there is a consistent pattern of tardy MCFs with one LC, you will need to address this with the LC and remind them that per the LC Agreement (contract), they will receive partial or no payment for late MCFs The student’s natural parents (NP) and Sending Organization (SO) will see the information on the entire form – the more detailed the better! Try to avoid using internal organizational acronyms, e.g. EW, STO, etc. The natural parents and SOs will probably not understand them No sections or areas should be left blank, and please read the description for each box carefully Ratings – always probe deeper as to WHY the student or host parent responded with a particular number for the rating; don’t suggest a number based on words like “good” or “okay.” The student and HF should be generating the numbers Click on the SAVE button often (every few minutes) to save your work Make sure dates are exact and that they are consistent with the dates for activities/meetings in the report For home visits – the home visit date is the last time the LC was in the HF home; it doesn’t have to be the date when the MCF questions were asked Section 3 - if the LC doesn't meet with the HF that month (but met with them the prior month), they should write that they met with the HF last month (and the date) and some information about the
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meeting. Then, comment that they are planning on meeting with the HF the next month (and the proposed date.) Section 4 –Use the “Sandwich Technique” – i.e. Positive Statement>Area of Opportunity>Positive Statement; and keep it interesting for the natural parents! Feel free to ask additional questions that you want to find out from your student(s) to help them meet their needs and personal goals Grade sheets can be downloaded from student/parent portal or teachers can complete the paper one Make sure to click on the SAVE button before uploading the grade report! Otherwise, all previous work will be erased A Supplemental Questions form is required each month and it is specific to that month. The Communications Team (CT) emails the supplemental form at the beginning of each month Each FM has their own preference regarding LCs and submittal of the MCF form (LCs rather than you clicking on the submit button for each MCF); you should seek guidance from your RM and communicate your expectations to your LCs When an LC or FM hosts a student, it is MANDATORY that the RM or CT speaks to the student privately on occasion. This way, the student will know that there is an unbiased person they can consult with if any issues arise Similarly, if an FM is hosting, once the LC has completed his/her MCF for the student each month, the RM should be the individual reviewing the MCF, not the FM
Linked Training Modules:
Monthly Contact Form (MCF) Training SDW #16 Monthly Contact Forms (MCFs) MCF Reviewer Training Documents to reference:
Your completed CMA 9
MCF Step-by-Step Guide
MCFs Great Example
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FM2- Student Supervision: Conflict Resolution, Documentation, & Crisis Management
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It may be necessary to revisit the Disciplinary Documentation training a couple of times to make sure you fully understand this component, not only as an LC, but to realize your role and responsibility as the manager handling student issues and subsequent documentation. Your RM can also guide you through the more complex cases The ETC Terms of Participation (TOP) is a list of rules and expectations for our students that we use as a benchmark for behavior, setting goals and reference when a student is not following program rules. You should keep a copy saved on your desktop for easy reference The TOP is signed by every student and their natural parent before coming on the program and a copy of this can be found in section 17 of the student’s application Please review the TOP in great detail to familiarize yourself with them The TOP document is located in the: o ETC Student Handbook o ETC Host Family Handbook o ETC Local Coordinator Handbook o ZAPP Resources Section The ETC Disciplinary Documentation process is derived from the TOP Here is a basic pictorial representation of ETC’s Disciplinary Process for adverse student behavior
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The goal of handling any reported adverse behavior/academic struggles or student/HF conflict is to first establish all sides of the story and collect statements, and secondly, to try to resolve the issue through mediation/conflict resolution and written goals for the student to help them correct their behavior so that there is a positive outcome for all concerned This is the Disciplinary Flow Chart that you must use as a tool to refer to whenever conflict or a student not following rules is reported to you:
Disciplinary Action Documentation Flowchart Letter of Encouragement (LOE), Warning Letter, Positive Action Plan (PAP), Probation (PROB), Final Probation (FP), and Termination Letter 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
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LC notifies AFM/FM/RM of issue. AFM/FM/RM provides basic advice on next steps, e.g. contact the other party, schedule a meeting w/student, tools to use, mediation, etc. LC writes a brief summary of the issue(s) in an email to AFM/FM/RM. FM/RM e-mails report and detailed summary of facts to CT Department (cc: RM if being sent by AFM/FM) (Summary should provide factual information only – not opinions.) CT Department may choose to report issue(s) to SO. (This determination will be made on a case by case basis.) LC then speaks (**not texts or emails) with BOTH student and host family separately AND together to obtain each side of the story. This is the Mediation. LC also shares tools with host family and/or student pertaining to issues needing improvement (i.e. TOOLBOXES: Homesickness tips, How to make American Friends, etc.) a. LC sets timeline (usually 2 weeks) for student to show improvement in areas needed. b. LC follows up with HF and student a few days after mediation to see if improvements are being made. c. After a waiting period of 2 weeks, LC talks with HF and student to check on progress. LC determines if disciplinary document is needed and/or if another mediation should occur. ** (Please note that these conversations in Step 6 need to be voice to voice or face to face only. Emails, Facebook, text etc. are not acceptable for disciplinary action follow up.) LC obtains written statements from BOTH student and host family after speaking separately with them. a. HF statement should include their side of the story and specific examples of what the student is or is not doing. b. Student statement should include their side of the story on ALL issues being addressed. You can phrase it to the student as – “This is your opportunity to tell your side of the story. Your host family states you are still staying in your room, etc.” This gives them a chance to reply to all issues and explain themselves. LC obtains a current copy of the completed Expectations Worksheet. LC/AFM/FM/RM decide if documentation needs to be requested at this time. If so, LC sends all of the following to the AFM/FM who then sends to RM and CT Department: a. Summary of conversation(s) and issues as well as updates since last email to CT Department. HF and student statements, Expectations Worksheet and details of requested documentation (PAP, Probation, etc.)
** CT Department makes the final determination regarding disciplinary action. 11. Once all above documentation is received, LC/FM/RM allows for up to 48 business hours for the documentation to be completed. (Please note: If the LC has an appointment scheduled, this will 85 Confidential Property of ETC Communications and Training Department
not guarantee that you will have your documentation in time. All documentation will be written in the order it was received and will also be prioritized by the severity of the situation. For example, a Final Probation will be prepared prior to a PAP regardless of the order it was received. If you request a PAP, you need to allow up to 48 hours for it to be completed regardless of when the LC/FM appointment is.)
12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17.
** Student must be told verbally about ANY documentation prior to it be delivered to them. Under no circumstances should documentation be a surprise. Please make sure you are completing steps 1-8 before any documents are issued. CT Department writes the disciplinary documentation AND returns to RM (cc: Brenda Ferland, Field Director) who then sends to FM/AFM/LC for disbursement CT Department sends disciplinary documentation to SO and also to include student’s statement or summary of the statement, as well as summary of issues reported and steps taken. LC personally delivers documentation and ensures student and HF understand the terms of the disciplinary action. LC obtains signatures. LC sends signed copy back to CT ASAP! LC follows up with BOTH host family and student on progress being made within 1 week. LC/AFM/FM updates CT Department & RM on progress within 2 weeks if needed.
Communications & Training Department (CTD)Kirsten Boone – Communications & Training Manager – Kboone@edutrav.org Silvia Phillips – Communications Specialist – Sphillips@edutrav.org ***Additional Stipulations for PROBATIONs and FINAL PROBATIONs ** RM and/or FM ALSO needs to speak with the student personally to assess situation PRIOR to any documentation being requested. RM/FM is to include the summary of the conversation in Step 10. ** The ETC Field Director, Brenda Ferland, makes the final assessment based upon initial summary. If Brenda/CT Department consider the issue very serious, CT Department will prepare a disciplinary letter immediately and this letter maybe given at LC/student meeting. This is only to occur in rare circumstances and is to be decided by Brenda and the CT Department. -
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Three primary issues often contribute to conflict – culture, character, and teenage development Don’t argue about who is right or wrong. Do explore each other’s stories; there is no truth – only perception Don’t exaggerate by saying “Always” and “Never”, e.g. “My host sister NEVER listens to me!”. Instead, redirect the informer by verbalizing examples of when the host sister actually did listen. This facilitates an open mind and heart Demonstrate the importance of seeing the positive side of things, e.g. ending a meeting on a positive note by having everyone say something good about each other Utilize the Student Worksheet Chart as a family tool when appropriate (not just a student tool); Have the student and/or family members come up with the behaviors so to create a sense of buy-in and so that it’s easier to hold them accountable for their progress (or lack thereof) Diffusing the situation by having the student spend time at a friend’s house while the LC can speak with the student and host family separately allows everyone to “cool off” and allows the LC to get all sides of the story Never threaten to send a student home. Any student behavior that is grounds for termination per the TOP, can be stated as that, but only the Executive Director and Field Director can make the decision to terminate a student from the ETC Program The final step to the disciplinary process is termination from the program. Termination is the last resort, and can be the consequence of failing to adhere to the terms of a Final probation within a
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given trial period. Here, the Department of State is formally notified that the student is being repatriated, or sent home. Here, the ETC Office will issue an Official Termination Letter, terminate the visa and the LC/FM will assist as necessary in communicating the decision to the student, host family and school. In most cases, the LC/FM will also be required to withdraw the student from the school. ETC administrators will terminate the visa and communicate with the Sending Organization, who will in turn tell the student’s natural family. The student is required to leave the United States promptly after the visa has been terminated Field staff, including Local Coordinators and Field Managers should never contact the Sending Organization or Natural Parents. This applies even before the student arrives, and during the student’s program. ETC has a distinct line of communication established which needs to be followed. The Field Director and Communications Team (CT) are the only ones authorized to contact the Sending Organizations. Having this streamlined process helps to eliminate potential issues such as conflict of interest, language barriers, and misunderstandings Keep your RM involved with all issues – from the beginning! Have individuals use “I statements” and reflective listening (paraphrasing) during the mediation process Follow up!!! Disentangle intent from impact! Look at these separately As a manager you are responsible for: o HF/Student mediation o Counseling & Listening o Advising LCs on the next step to take o Communication with office o Following Disciplinary Documentation procedure o Assisting with emergency pick-up/housing Student Relocation o Ensure that one Designated Emergency Families (DEFs) is in place for every 2 students placed, e.g. if you have 10 students in your region, you should have 5 DEFs. Keep in mind you need a DEF for each area a student is in – i.e. if you have 10 students in 7 different areas, you will need 7 families/LCs to act as DEFs o Following move protocol and communication with office: When you want to move a student, you must first get approval from your RM that the move should occur Then, you (the field manager) must notify the Admin Assistant in the Portland Office & the Communications Team (CT) as soon as you decide the move should happen. If you are not 100% certain a move will occur but it seems likely, still inform all of the above to be safe The Portland Office will review the new family’s HFA and let you know if anything is missing/needs updating After the HFA has been reviewed and approved, you (the field manager) must notify the Portland Office, the CT and your RM of the plan and exact move date you are requesting. If approved, the CT will notify the SO of the move. This notification must take place before the move takes place You must have PRIOR approval from all parties before a) The HFO can occur and b) Any move can take place. HFOs cannot occur until a new family and their application has been approved by the Portland Office and the CT have been informed. Moves can also not occur until an HFO has been done If all the above steps have been completed and after the HFO occurs, the student can be moved. (Reminder: The HFO cannot take place until Portland Office approves the family application). The move is made official in ZAPP by the Portland Office on the actual move date
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Please note: If an emergency move must take place over a weekend, contact your RM immediately to assist in the above steps. The RM is required to contact the FD and Program Manager in Portland to receive approval for the move. The Program Manager will then review the application and proceed as usual. If approved, the Program Manager will inform the SO to make them aware prior to the move taking place. Outside of these emergency/short notice situations, follow the above steps
Linked Training Modules:
Student Support Issues Training (SSI) Communicating with Teens Training *NEW* SDW #17 Conflict Resolution - Examples and Strategies Disciplinary Documentation Darkness to Light (D2L) Youth Mental Health and Awareness (YMHA) Training Student Safety Procedures/Emergency Training *NEW* SDW #42 Students & Drug Abuse Documents to reference:
Your completed CMA 10
ETC Terms of Participation
Adjustment Issues & Conflict
Tips for Dealing with Conflict
HF Expectations Worksheet
Student Expectations Worksheet
TOOLBOX – Top 6 Tips for a Successful Mediation
TOOLBOX – Cultural Differences
TOOLBOX – Stages of the Mediation Process
TOOLBOX – How to Navigate through a Mediation
TOOLBOX – FM – Student Moves Guide
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FM2- Student Supervision: Throughout the Year
As the manager, you will be integral in the promotion, communication, support, and advisement of the following student matters: Communicating with HFs about flights- make sure the flight arrival time is going to work for the HF as soon as the Portland Office gives you the details. Conversely, if the HF finds out about the flight details before ETC does, please notify the Portland Office Checking with LCs to make sure they have sent a “Welcome Email” to the student- to build a bond prior to arrival (this was mentioned in the Orientations section) Airport Greetings- ensure that an ETC representative is there to meet the student, and if something prevents this from happening at the last minute, verify that the LC has met with the student within the first 72 hours of their arrival Verifying that home visits are taking place bi-monthly for all students and that the home visit is legitimate and includes meeting with the family members in the home at least once per semester Verifying that LCs are meeting with their student every month face to face as part of ETC requirements for supervision Planning & Communication of Cross Cultural Monthly Student Activities o Consistent reminders, use social media, call individuals if they don’t respond o Arrange carpools/transportation to events to encourage attendance o Start the year with a camping trip or other event as it helps the students/LCs to bond and creates enthusiasm to attend future events o Build value at the STO and HFO – about the exchange experience and importance of the activities and events (the WHY) o Have two events on the calendar for the year that are student only- no HFs o Don’t over complicate matters when scheduling- choose events that are reasonably priced, that don’t require a deposit, that are fairly local, and that appeal to teenagers o Alternate between Saturdays and Sundays o Having an event in a HF or LC home is great because it produces a relaxed feeling (more casual,) and the students are more likely to open up with one another o In April, ask for feedback from the students and host families (through a survey) o Here is the FREE website from where you can create your own activities calendar! http://www.calendarlabs.com/school-calendar/ o Delegate some of the planning and chaperoning to LCs o Do try to attend all events as the manager o Don’t forget to ask for a group or non-profit rate when planning events or activities o Take lots of photos to post on social media Create and maintain your regional Facebook page (use to promote events, highlight students etc.) Sexual Abuse Prevention
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o o
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Please refer to the “ETC Abuse Prevention & Notification Policy” and the “Your Body Belongs to You” pamphlet The D2L program in which we are a Partner in Prevention, and handouts mentioned above form the basis of ETC’s sexual abuse prevention program which is mandatory for all students, host families, volunteers, and ETC staff to be trained on and abide by Respect student’s cultural differences and boundaries regarding physical affection/touching Respect student’s space and allow for locked doors/privacy Limit opportunities for speculation or risk Understand that abusers often become friendly with potential victims and their families, enjoying family activities, earning trust, and gaining time alone with children Choose group situations when possible and/or make sure that multiple adults are present who can supervise If you eliminate or reduce one-adult/one-child situations, you’ll dramatically lower the risk of sexual abuse to that child Set an example by personally avoiding one-adult/one-child situations with children other than your own ONE-ON-ONE TIME with a trusted adult is healthy and valuable. It builds self-esteem and deepens relationships These are things you can do to protect the student: Drop in unexpectedly when the child is alone with any adult, even trusted family members Make sure outings are observable, if not by you, then by others Ask about the specifics of the planned activities before the child leaves your care - notice the student’s ability to be specific
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Talk with the child when he or she returns - notice the student’s mood and whether the child can tell you with confidence how the time was spent Find a way to tell the adults who care for children that you and the student are educated about child sexual abuse - be that direct o If any allegation of abuse is reported, regardless of the circumstances, the student must be relocated immediately and a full investigation must be made including a report to the Dept. of State and local authorities Emergency Procedures o Host families and field staff are instructed to always seek medical attention for the student when needed o Final determination for medical care in the case of a student injury will be made by ETC. Therefore, it is essential that all injuries be reported to the Communications team immediately for review o The student’s insurance card and medical release must be presented to the medical provider to obtain treatment o It is wise to have an extra copy of all student documents in a separate file at the host family home o For serious medical emergencies, contact your RM or FD immediately and if it is out of hours, please call (877) 222-9803 (24-hour answering service available) o Proceed with the doctor’s advice for emergency treatment while keeping ETC informed o The ETC Office/CT will contact and relay advice to and from the Natural Parents via the SO o ETC, and all of its representatives, are mandatory reporters of any sexual, physical, or emotional abuse Just a hunch? Tell RM/FD as soon as possible Rape or physical? Advise the student not to take a shower and DO NOT ASK THEM ANYTHING If the student offers information? Say “Thank you for telling me” and “You did the right thing.” o ETC prohibits smoking and the use or possession of drugs and alcohol o Host families should be reminded not to serve students alcoholic beverages o If the student is discovered partaking in a severe infraction of the law, the host family or field staff should contact the RM/ETC Office/FD immediately o For a lost child- contact your RM/ETC Office/FD AND your local law enforcement agency as soon as you have determined the student is missing or has been abducted - do not delay in reporting this to law enforcement o If known, provide law enforcement with the date, time, and location where the student was last seen o If known, provide law enforcement with the name(s) of the last person/people who saw the student prior to the disappearance Vaccination requests from schools – ensure that students are not vaccinated without NP consent- contact Admin Assistant in Portland Office with requests. Insurance o Insurance generally does not cover pre-existing conditions, wellness care, immunizations, school physicals, dental/orthodontic care, or eye treatment (with the exception of dental or eye emergencies) o Students should keep an emergency fund in the event a doctor or hospital requires immediate payment o Students are responsible for ensuring that all medical providers are paid promptly
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Upon arrival, each ETC student is provided with an insurance identification card - if the Sending Organization is providing insurance, the student is issued the card before departure o It is recommended that host families make a copy of the insurance card to keep one at home, and one in the car so the information is always readily available - the LC also has access to the student’s insurance information via ZAPP in the student application o Some medical providers also require proof that the host parents are the student’s guardians. Encourage your host families to print the Statement of Guardianship, Authorization & Medical Release form located in section 17 of the student’s application, and keep this with the insurance information o Students are required to carry their ETC ID cards and insurance cards with them in their wallets, at all times o Within the first few weeks of arrival, the student/HF should access the insurance company’s web site or call the provider to obtain a list of local doctors within their insurance network o If you have any questions you are unable to answer about insurance, please contact the Program Manager, Jocelyn Oswald, in the Portland Office. However, all questions regarding insurance should be directed to the claims processor, not ETC Permission to Travel Requests (PTRs): PTR requests should be submitted to the Admin Assistant in the Portland Office if one or more of the following apply: o Air travel o The trip costs more than $200 o The length of the trip is more than 72 hours o Unaccompanied travel or travel with someone other than the host family o International Travel (including Mexico & Canada) o PTRs should be submitted 2 weeks prior to the date of travel o PTRs for international travel should be submitted at least 3 weeks prior to the date of travel along with a brief daily itinerary of the trip o International travel requires the original DS 2019 be mailed to the Portland Office 3 weeks before the date of travel. o If the student is not traveling with the host family, CBCs are required for all adults attending the trip o CBCs are not required for church or school groups, unless requested by the natural parents o Instruction Sign-Off (ISO) form is required if the student is missing more than 2 days of school o If the student is traveling unaccompanied, additional information about the trip will be requested. It is important to mention this type of travel is rarely approved o If the student has been issued any disciplinary document the RM/FD will need to approve travel before the PTR is sent to the SO for approval o The Program Manager will approve international travel upon receiving the PTR, a brief itinerary of the trip and the signed DS 2019 form
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Promoting ETC trips o Help students with registration/payments/arranging carpools for ETC trips o ETC trips should be promoted at the STO, monthly activities, and on social media IEW o Encourage participation and explain why it is important, start at the STO o Attend as many of the IEW presentations as you can o Review the IEW training again at the end of October to properly prepare o LC’s/FMs can create an event for the student’s to present at, e.g. International Night (see photos below) o Encourage students to be creative and think out of the box such as to sing, dance, use videos, food, puzzles, games, etc o Call churches to see if a youth group might be interested in having a presentation o If you get several students doing presentations at the same place, don’t forget to contact the local newspaper! A little get PR can go a long way! o Girl Scouts & Homeschool groups are great folks to contact about presentations o Suggest to students that they create and present a power point presentation about their country, culture, traditions, foods, etc. They can bring an artifact (flag, clothing, statue, etc.) to share. Instead of a main dish, a dessert from their home country is good too! o Students can present in their history classes, International clubs at school, and church youth groups during the week o Tell students to make it fun and relatable o Students can ask their teachers if they can present in all of their classes. This gives them the opportunity to recreate interest in them. This can also be helpful for the students who are having trouble meeting people. It gives their classmates the opportunity to freely ask questions about them and their country o Students can present to their team if they play a sport
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HF Appreciation Day o Have a host family appreciation event (e.g. painting party, ceramic painting, etc.) – make sure to utilize this time to chat with students on an individual basis; have them include a handwritten sentiment to their host family on their piece of work o The designated ETC Host Family Appreciation months are October and April o Per DOS standards, students are not required, and should not be encouraged to pay any money to, or buy gifts for, the host family. If the student is willing to show appreciation through taking the family out to dinner, gifts, etc. then that is okay o Encourage students to pay attention to what the family members like – so as to get an idea of what they would appreciate o Remind your students about showing appreciation to their host families at the start of the year (in the Student Orientation,) during the Monthly Contact Form meetings, during the holidays and at the end of the year during the DREO (Departure and Re-Entry Orientation.)
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Listen to SDW #38 & SDW #43 again for a refresher in best practices and to hear additional ideas! Community Service Tips o “Community service is a great way to increase self-esteem and also combat homesickness in students.” o http://www.helpguide.org/articles/work-career/volunteering-and-its-surprisingbenefits.htm o https://www.teenlife.com/blogs/why-community-service-work-beneficial-teenagersGet o http://money.usnews.com/money/personal-finance/articles/2012/04/04/whyhelpingothers-makes-us-happy o #GivingTuesday - Each ETC manager is required to plan some activity sometime within the month of November or December. We also want Local Coordinators to either do the same, or join another group. It can be as simple canned food drive at the Christmas party. Remember to take pictures! o Find more information and ideas on the Giving Tuesday website www.givingtuesday.org They've created a directory to help you find organizations, charities, events and more in your own community o Giving Tuesday is part of our ETC social media campaign we would like YOU to take an #UNselfie for us to share on social media o Talk to your students about community service at the STO and find out what their interests are so you can find a giving opportunity that will be interesting to them o Talk to your host families about community service at the HFO and find out if they are already involved in volunteering - Spring Semester Tips o o
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Help students budget for prom, e.g. dress, make up, hair, etc Encourage safety while discussing prom, parties, etc. with your students – let them know that it’s okay for them to call you or their host family for help (e.g. to be picked up if they feel uncomfortable or are in danger) o Reinforce group dating (esp. for prom) o Ask the host families to help with carpooling on prom night o This time of year can influence students to want to lose weight for a number of reasons i.e. wanting to look good in their prom dress, wanting to be at a lower weight before they return to their home country, etc. Encourage your host families to contact you immediately if there are any concerns of an eating disorder/monitor your student’s behavior closely – communicate with RM o Remind students that their bodies will return to “normal” when they go home o Expectations Worksheet – review with the HF and Student at home visit in January or February o Do some sort of community service activity in the Spring with the students (it’s a great learning experience as giving back and serving the community is important) o Do a brief HFO/STO refresher – highlighting rules that the students are struggling with o Have August students create a “bucket list” when they arrive and then revisit it in the beginning of Spring – prioritize the things left to be accomplished; the Spring Semester goes by so fast!!! End of Year Tips o
Let the students know that shipping/mailing boxes can be very expensive and to be proactive as airlines often have strict baggage rules
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All students are expected to depart for their native country no later than a few days after their last day of school unless the student has a Permission to Extend stay form on file All student visas are voided on the program end date (last day of school) Permission to Extend Stay: Admin Assistant in Portland Office will send an email to students about 2 months before the end of their program which includes 2 attachments – PES Explained and the PES Form PES form must be filed with the Portland Office at least one month before the last day of school (no grace period)
Dear Student, As a reminder: Your J-1 visa expires on your last day of school. If you have made plans to extend your stay in the U.S. for more than seven (7) days after your last day of school, you will need to complete the attached “Permission to Extend Stay” form and send it back to ETC by Monday, April 17th. You can only remain in the U.S. for up to 30 days after your last day of school. You must not stay longer than 30 days. If you are granted the 30-day extension by ETC, you must remain in the U.S. until your departure to your home country. You cannot travel to Canada, Mexico, the Bahamas, or any other foreign destinations during this time period, as you will not be able to re-enter the U.S. once you leave it. This form is also a program release from ETC and both pages must be completely filled out. Attached is a form explaining how to fill out your form. Please read carefully. Once you have filled out the form completely and signed your name, return the form to your Field Manager or email back to this address. ETC will forward it to your sending organization for required signatures and approval. You are not responsible for getting your natural parents to sign the form. Failure to submit the completed form by the deadline can result in denial of extension. If you have already submitted a form, there is no need to send it again. If we do not approve your extension, you must exit the U.S. within seven (7) days after your last day of school. Enjoy the rest of the school year, and let me know if you have any questions!
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Allow students to receive credit for their US schoolwork once they return home Often required for students from: South Korea, Mexico: Apostille Brazil: Convalidation Spain, Italy: Apostille and Convalidation
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Students should: Check with school in home country Meet with US school counselor prior to the end of the school year to request an official transcript be mailed to the ETC Office at the end of the school year Return or pay for all school items before school is over Pay processing and (optional) shipping fees on the ETC website Fill out processing form prior to departure, and submit to info@edutrav.org o After ETC receives processing form, payment, and transcript: ETC (Portland Office) takes care of the rest! Refer any student questions to ETC Office All countries but Italy can take 4-6 weeks Italy can take 3 – 7 months Linked Training Modules:
SDW #9 Preparing for Student Arrival SDW #24 Student Monthly Activities SDW#38 Host Family Appreciation SDW #43 Increasing Appreciation Efforts SDW #39 The Secret to Community Service International Education Week (IEW) SDW #41 Spring Semester Tips SDW #29 End of Year Tips Documents to reference:
Completed CMA 11
TOOLBOX – IEW Ideas & Tips
TOOLBOX – Show your HF Appreciation
TOOLBOX – Prom Guide
TOOLBOX – Student & Community Service
Show Your Host Family Appreciation
Support Team- Eating Disorders
PES Explained
Student Activity Ideas
ETC Monthly Activities
Student Activity Ideas
ETC Trip-Event Checklist
2016-2017 Insurance Info
Important Insurance Guidelines
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Miscellaneous FM Responsibilities
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Don’t forget that these important HF changes must be reported to the ETC Office. As you talk to your LC’s, review MCFs, converse with students and HFs at events, and peruse Facebook- always ask yourself if you have remembered to report these new circumstances to the ETC Office: o Family member moves in/out o Loss of employment o Criminal charges o New contact information o Family is moving house with the student (a HF Address Change Form & new HFI/photos will be required and should be emailed to the Portland Admin Assistant) Communicating with leadership o Weekly calls with Regional Manager o Student placement updates/APWs to RM/FD o Team Skype/conference call meetings with other FMs o Participating in Skills Development Workshop (SDW) calls o Attend annual training meetings Regular requests from Portland Office o HFs need to update CBCs (annually) o Host siblings turning 18 need to submit CBCs o Verify School End Dates o Fall SEM to Spring SEM Extensions o Questions/clarification about PTRs Local Coordinator Payment Request Forms (LCPRFs) o All questions about payments must be directed to the ETC Admin Manager, and not the ETC Bookkeeper, Colleen Mesecher o There are two types of LCPRFs- Recruitment/2vi and Oversight o The LCPRFs are Excel Workbooks- please refer to the templates in the ZAPP Resources o Each Workbook has examples in italics at the top to illustrate how to complete the workbooks o The Admin Manager will send out Outlook reminders with the due dates of both LCPRFs. Reports are due by noon o Remember that your LCs and 2vi reps are counting on you, the manager, to get paid o Adapt a tracking system that works for you to ensure that recruitment payments, 2vis/3vis, and monthly oversight are never missed o Never request payment for a placement that is not in “placed” status yet o Never request payment for a 2vi/3vi if the form has not been uploaded to ZAPP o Do not request payment for an MCF that was not completed yet Expenses o Under certain circumstances, managers may be able to claim expenses for items purchased for ETC related business o Expenses must be pre-approved by the RM and/or Field Director (FD). Any expense that has been submitted on the Expense Workbook (Excel Spreadsheet) that was not preapproved, will not be paid
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If ETC reimburses you for an expense, you cannot then claim it when you file your taxes Ask your RM or Team’s admin for assistance completing the Expense Workbook for the first time
Linked Training Modules:
FM Specific Procedures Training *NEW* Documents to reference:
LCPRF- Oversight
LCPRF- Recruitment
Submitting Payment Requests
Appendix
ETC Decision Tree *subject to change
Regional Manager Map*subject to change
Staff Distribution List*subject to change
Staff Bios*subject to change
Admin at a Glance*subject to change
Admin Duties*subject to change
99 Confidential Property of ETC Communications and Training Department