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Senior Citizen Volunteers
Senior Citizen Volunteers Needed Across the U.S. by
Youth For Understanding
Prepares young people for challenges in global
community
 Oct.
19, 2007 Senior citizens are needed as volunteers by an organization
that helps young people around the world. Youth For Understanding (YFU)
USA is seeking seniors to help in communities across the country to
prepare young people for their responsibilities and challenges in a
changing, interdependent global community.
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The organization began in 1951, when an American
minister, John Eberly, proposed to church leaders that teenagers from
war-torn Germany be brought to the United States to live with a family
and attend high school for a year in an effort to heal the wounds of
World War II. This proposal met with approval from State Department
officials.
Today, Youth For Understanding claims it is one of
the world's oldest, largest, most respected international exchange
programs.
Since 1951, YFU offices around the world have
exchanged approximately 200,000 students. In one year alone,
approximately 4,500 students will participate in these programs
worldwide. Through the exchange experience, YFU says students gain
skills and perspectives necessary to meet the challenges and benefit
from the opportunities the fast-changing global community has to offer.
YFU USA conducts exchanges with more than 50
countries around the world. Each exchange is coordinated by a worldwide
network of national YFU organizations all dedicated to providing the
highest quality international educational experience for exchange
students and their host families, according to YFU.
With nearly 2,500 volunteers in communities across
the United States, YFU USA says it is fully equipped to support every
student and host family. Supporting our volunteers are five
professionally staffed district offices and a national office in the
Washington, DC metropolitan area. YFU USA receives scholarship support
from the Japanese and Finnish governments and from numerous corporations
and private donors.
Share Your Time, Change Your World.
Following is the appeal sent to SeniorJournal.com
for volunteers.
 "If
you enjoy working with young people and families and want to make a
difference in the world, volunteering at Youth For Understanding (YFU)
USA may be right for you.
"As a YFU volunteer youll get to know teenagers
who are adventurous, eager to learn and want to make a difference in the
future. Youll meet interesting people and enhance your relationships
with people in your community and workplace. Youll provide support and
guidance to students and families, and learn more about family dynamics.
"Most of all, youll be making a significant
contribution to improving cultural awareness and international
understandingchanging your world a little bit at a time.
YFU Volunteer Opportunities
YFU volunteers provide support to students,
families, programs, and other volunteers in a wide variety of ways. From
conducting student orientations to making classroom presentations,
problem solving with international students and their host families to
arranging social activities, there is truly a place for everyone at YFU.
Whether you are a returned exchange alumnus, a parent, a retired person,
or a college student we welcome people of all backgrounds to work with
us. Whatever your skills and interests are, there is a volunteer
opportunity to match them!
Why Volunteer?
"In addition to supporting life-changing
experiences for young people from around the world, volunteering for YFU
provides you with significant benefits. Volunteering will:
Enhance your leadership
skills.
Improve your
interpersonal skills, such as understanding people better, motivating
others, and dealing with difficult situations.
Help you develop better
communication and public speaking skills.
Share US culture and
provide the opportunity to learn more about world cultures.
YFU Volunteering is Flexible and Engaging
"YFU volunteers can choose from a variety of
positions to suit their interests, needs and schedule. The hours are
flexible, and you can even be a virtual volunteer without ever leaving
your home! YFU also gives you the freedom to promote programs in
creative ways in your own community. You can work as a team,
individually, with a friend or family member.
"A wide range of program volunteer positions are
available at YFU, including American Overseas Volunteers, Area
Coordinators and Representatives, International student volunteers and
trainers. YFU provides all the training and tools you need, in both
one-on-one and self-guided formats.
"YFU relies on the skills of volunteers to perform
a wide range of tasks, including:
Administrative
activities that help YFU provide more effective services to other
volunteers, students, and families.
Interviewing
prospective host families and/or teenagers who want to study abroad.
Planning and conducting
orientations for international students, American Overseas students,
host families, and/or natural families.
Delivering
presentations about YFU programs to groups at schools and community
events.
Recruiting host
families and/or American Overseas students for YFU programs.
Supporting
international students and their host families while on program, and
pre-departure support to American Overseas students and their natural
families.
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 How
to Volunteer
Youth For Understanding
volunteers are vital to the success of YFU programs around
the world. If you have decided to join our global family of
volunteers, there are three ways to get started:
1. Call Toll-Free 1-866-4-YFU-USA
(1-866-493-8872) and speak to a YFU representative
immediately.
2. Submit your application online at
our web site, www.yfu-usa.org. Once your application has
been submitted, you will be contacted by a local volunteer
or staff person.
3. Download the Volunteer Application,
print it out, complete is and mail it to YFU headquarters.
Or you can fax your application to 240-235-2104.
>> For more information go to
http://www.yfu-usa.org/ |
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