VOLUNTEER AGREEMENT

Volunteer Agreement

Welcome to the International Center in New York. This Agreement describes the general policies and procedures that we require all volunteers to follow.

SECURITY

Please show a valid photo ID when entering the building. You may be asked to sign in after 6 PM on weekdays and on Saturdays.

When entering the Center, you must show your valid volunteer card, picture side with expiration date, to the receptionist. YOU WILL NOT BE ALLOWED IN THE CENTER WITHOUT A VALID PHOTO ID.

GENERAL RULES

Volunteers must make a minimum six-month commitment to The International Center.

Smoking is prohibited everywhere in the building.

The use of cell phones is prohibited inside the Center.

No food or drink is permitted ANYWHERE outside the Lounge.

The Conversation Partner Room is for partnership meetings only.

The Lounge is for socializing and eating. Please do not engage in a partnership there unless the Conversation Partner Room is full.

The Library is a quiet study area where conversation is limited. Partnerships cannot be conducted in the library.

Library books can be checked out to be used in the main center for partnerships, and books with tapes can be checked out to be used in the Language Listening Lab. All library books and tapes must be returned to the library by 7 PM. Books cannot be taken home. Please treat the books with care.

PRIVACY POLICY

Addresses and phone numbers of volunteers, staff, and members will be held in confidence and not released without prior permission.

BOUNDARIES

While the Center encourages free and open communication between volunteers and members, the Center also stresses cultural sensitivity and awareness. Certain topics of conversation and behavior, while acceptable in one culture, may not always be acceptable in others. Please refrain from inquiring about the personal affairs of others, imposing your company on others, or giving advice to anyone without invitation. No one is required to answer personal questions or to participate in conversations that make him or her uncomfortable.
Only qualified professionals should give medical, legal, or psychological advice. No volunteer should give or accept these types of advice at the Center.

POLICY ON FREEDOM FROM HARRASSMENT
The International Center will not tolerate, condone, or allow sexual harassment, or harassment based on race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age or disability as described below:

DEFINITION OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT
For purposes of this policy, sexual harassment is defined as unwelcomed or unwanted conduct of a sexual nature (verbal or physical) when: (a) this conduct unreasonably interferes with an individual's work or activities; or (b) this conduct creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment.
Examples of conduct that, standing alone or as part of a continuing or repeated series of acts, may constitute sexual harassment include, but are not limited to: unwanted sexual advances; demands for sexual favors in exchange for favorable treatment; sexual jokes, flirtations, advances, or propositions; verbal abuse of a sexual nature; graphic verbal commentary about an individual's body, sexual prowess, or sexual deficiencies; leering, whistling, touching, pinching, coerced sexual acts or suggestive, insulting, or obscene comments or gestures; display of sexually suggestive objects or pictures; name calling; story telling, gossip, comments, or jokes that are derogatory toward a particular sex; asking questions about sexual conduct or sexual orientation or preferences; or harassment consistently targeted at only one sex, even if the content of such harassment is not sexual.

DEFINITION OF HARASSMENT
For purposes of this policy, harassment is defined as verbal or physical conduct that denigrates or shows hostility or aversion toward an individual because of his or her race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age or disability, or that of his or her relatives, friends, or associates; and that: (a) has the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment; (b) has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work or activities; or (c) otherwise adversely affects an individual's work or activities.
Examples of conduct that, standing alone or as part of a continuing or repeated series of acts, may constitute such harassment include, but are not limited to: epithets, slurs, negative stereotyping; threatening, intimidating, or hostile acts that relate to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, or disability; written or graphic material placed on walls, bulletin boards, or elsewhere in the Center, or circulated in the Center, that denigrates or shows hostility toward an individual or group because of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age or disability.

VIOLATIONS AND TERMINATION
If, in the estimation of the staff supervisor, volunteers are not meeting the above expectations or if they are (a) not performing the job as described in the volunteer interview and training, including maintaining their time commitment, or (b) not conducting themselves in a professional manner with staff, members and volunteers, then the staff supervisor will request a meeting with the volunteer. The two-step process outlined below will be followed:

Step 1: First Meeting
The volunteer and staff supervisor will discuss problematic areas and how improvement can be made; a review period will be set.

Step 2: Second Meeting
The volunteer and staff supervisor will discuss the progress made during the review period. If the staff supervisor determines that the volunteer is still not meeting the above expectations, the volunteer will be asked to meet with the Volunteer Services Director to discuss reassignment or, if necessary, termination.

The International Center reserves the right to cancel volunteer participation at the management's discretion

By submitting the application form, you understand and accept the terms and conditions of this Agreement and agree to fulfill the expectations it outlines.

Please close this window to return to your application.