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If you are a prospective volunteer, please click on the links below to see the answers to your questions regarding: If you are an active ICNY volunteer, please click on the links below to see the answers to your questions regarding: 1. What are the requirements to become a volunteer at ICNY? 1. How long does the application process take? 1. How can I prepare for the Volunteer Interview-Orientation? 1. What will the training sessions be about? 1. When will I receive a Volunteer ID card? 1. I have questions regarding my partnership(s). Who should I contact? 1. What is a Collaborative Program? 1. I would like to recommend a friend. How do I go about it? Back to top VOLUNTEERING 1. What are the requirements to become a volunteer at the International Center in New York (ICNY)? 2. How can I become a volunteer with ICNY? 3. Do I need to know another language in order to volunteer? Yes - You can volunteer between 9:30 am and 3:30 pm on Saturdays at ICNY or in one of our Collaborative Programs. We are looking for volunteers who can commit to a regular weekly schedule of at least two hours a week. Unfortunately, due to the large size of our volunteer corps and limited staff, we are unable to accommodate volunteers with unpredictable schedules. If you cannot meet this requirement, we prefer you wait to apply until your schedule is more regular. APPLICATION PROCESS 1. How long does the application process take? From 3 days up to 3 weeks - Once you have completed an online Volunteer Application Form, please give the Volunteer Services Department up to two weeks to respond. If your application is complete and satisfactory, you will be invited to attend a Volunteer Interview-Orientation. These sessions are scheduled at least once a week (6-8 PM, Mon.-Thurs.). (A Saturday session is scheduled every other month.) If you and the Volunteer Services Department agree that the International Center in New York is a good match, you will be scheduled for training. Training takes about one month. No - After you have completed your application, the Volunteer Services Department will invite you to attend an Interview-Orientation session. At that time, we will offer you a tour of our facility and you will be encouraged to ask as many questions as you may have about the International Center in New York’s programs and volunteer opportunities. Only active volunteers are allowed to enter the International Center and need to show a valid photo ID card to do so. 3. I am not a native English speaker. May I still apply to become a volunteer? Yes - In order to best serve the needs of our international members, we are seeking volunteers with native English fluency for each of our one-to-one volunteer opportunities. Non-native English speakers may be eligible for several administrative opportunities as well as group leader positions. A detailed list of these opportunities will be given to you at the Volunteer Interview-Orientation. 4. Why do I need to complete all the requested information and answer every question in the application? The information provided is used to assess whether prospective volunteers can meet the needs of our diverse international membership. Information about your background and experience helps us to evaluate whether your interests and skills match with the International Center’s current needs. The answers to open-ended questions are especially important. 5. Will my application be considered if I don’t have any previous volunteer, teaching, or tutoring experience? Yes – Although previous volunteer, teaching, or tutoring experience may make you better prepared for volunteer work at the International Center, it is not a requirement. 6. I was asked to re-answer a question on the application. Why? Many prospective volunteers are asked to re-answer a question on the application. It usually means that you either misunderstood or did not directly answer the question. If you were asked to re-answer a question, please read it again carefully and make sure to offer specific examples in your answer. Please understand that the Volunteer Services Department will only select volunteers who can demonstrate a genuine sensitivity to other cultures and an understanding of the difficulties of learning and mastering a foreign language. Your answers help us assess these qualities. 7. I was asked to expand on my answer(s) to the question(s) on the application. What does this mean? Many prospective volunteers are asked to expand on their answer(s) to one or two question(s) on the application. It usually means the answers provided are relevant but are not detailed enough and/or are not supported by specific examples. It may also mean that you did not answer with complete sentences. 8. May I provide the name of a client, friend, minister, relative, or therapist as a reference? No - Please provide the Volunteer Services Department with two references from an academic, professional, or volunteer experience. Although we do accept professional colleagues as references, we require that academic and volunteer references come from a superior. We believe that these references enhance your application by providing a more objective view of your skills and interests. 9. I don’t have any references. Can I leave this section on the application blank? No – Please provide the Volunteer Services Department with at least one reference from an academic, professional, or volunteer experience. We believe that this reference enhances your application by providing an objective view of your experience, skills and interests. 10. When will the International Center contact my references? The Volunteer Services Department of the International Center will contact references if there are any questions about the prospective volunteer’s capacity to serve the needs of our diverse membership. In most circumstances, we will notify the prospective volunteer before contacting the references. 11. Can I stop by the International Center or call to inquire about the status of my application? Due to limited space, a small staff and the fact that we receive up to 100 volunteer applications each month, we recommend that you wait at least two weeks after you have applied to inquire about the status of your application. Please feel free to call or email the Volunteer Services Department to follow up after a two-week time period. We ask that you do not stop by the International Center before an interview-orientation because the Volunteer Services Department may not be available to meet with you. 12. I applied more than two weeks ago and I haven’t heard from the International Center. What does that mean and what should I do? If you haven’t heard from the International Center at least two weeks after you applied, please contact the Volunteer Services Department as soon as possible at volunteer@intlcenter.org or (212) 255-9555 x216. We may not have received your application or you may not have received our response. INTERVIEW-ORIENTATION 1. How can I prepare for the Volunteer Interview-Orientation? Please review our website in order to gain a better understanding of our organization and our volunteer program. Also, please prepare to share any previous volunteer, teaching or tutoring experience you may have with the interviewer. We will also ask you how you can help to meet the needs of our international English language learners and what you can bring to the ICNY Volunteer Program. Back to "Interview-Orientation" 2. I am scheduled for a Volunteer Interview-Orientation. What should I bring to the Interview-Orientation? The only thing you need to bring is your resume. It does not need to be geared toward this specific volunteer opportunity. Please bring a resume that tells most about your experience and interests as an active member of the New York City community. Back to "Interview-Orientation" 3. I am scheduled for a Volunteer Interview-Orientation tonight and I don’t have my resume with me. Should I reschedule? No – If you forget to bring your resume, please attend the Volunteer Interview-Orientation you are scheduled for and send (by email, mail, or fax) your resume to the Volunteer Services Department the following day. Back to "Interview-Orientation" If you are not able to attend the Volunteer Interview-Orientation you are scheduled for, please let the Volunteer Services Department know as soon as possible. (Space is limited and we would like to offer another prospective volunteer your space.) Please visit the link to the interview schedule that we sent to you to reschedule as soon as possible. If none of the available dates are convenient for you, please visit the page again in a few days, as new dates are added regularly. 5. I would like to sign up for a Volunteer Interview-Orientation and I can’t arrive at 6 PM. Can I arrive late? No - Eight to twelve prospective volunteers are scheduled for each Interview-Orientation session. We cannot accommodate individual schedules. Please be considerate of others and make sure to arrive no later than 6:10 PM so that all participants can take full advantage of the session. Please note that daytime Saturday interviews are scheduled every other month. If you are never able to attend a session at 6 PM on weekdays, please let the Volunteer Services Department know, so that you can sign up for the next Saturday interview. Back to "Interview-Orientation" 6. I was scheduled for an Interview-Orientation and I did not attend? Can I reschedule? Yes - Please visit the link to the interview schedule that we sent to you to reschedule as soon as possible. If none of the available dates are convenient for you, please visit the page again in a few days, as new dates are added regularly.
(Please note that space is limited. If you are unable to attend the Volunteer Interview-Orientation you are scheduled for, it is really important that you let the Volunteer Services Department know as soon as possible.) TRAINING 1. What will the training sessions be about? All training sessions are hands-on training where a group of up to 10 volunteers and 10 members discuss various topics under the supervision of a teacher and volunteer trainer in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL). Each new volunteer has to go through a two-hour Intercultural Communication training session. Then, depending on the specific volunteer opportunity you sign up for, you will be required to go through two two-hour training sessions covering topics such as vocabulary, pronunciation, grammar, and writing. Back to "Training" Six - Each new volunteer needs to complete three two-hour training sessions. These sessions are scheduled from 6 to 8 PM on weekdays. (Intensive one-day Saturday training sessions are scheduled every other month from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM.) Provided your application is approved after the Volunteer Interview-Orientation, we will sign you up for training for three consecutive weeks on the same weekday (for example: three Tuesdays in a row). Although we hope you will attend the whole cycle you are signed up for, we understand if you need to reschedule one of the sessions. If that is the case, please contact the Volunteer Services Department as soon as possible at training@intlcenter.org or (212) 255-9555 x222. 3. I have a TESOL certificate/degree and/or extensive ESOL teaching experience. Do I need to attend ICNY training sessions? Yes - Even if you have extensive experience teaching or tutoring English and/or you are certified to teach English to speakers of other languages, going through the ICNY training will give you important insights about ICNY’s unique conversation model, our members’ backgrounds and specific needs, as well as an opportunity to meet with one of the certified and experienced teacher trainers on our staff. We encourage you to share your specific situation with your trainer to make sure your specific needs are met as well. 4. I cannot attend the training session(s) I am scheduled for. Can I reschedule? Yes - If you are unable to attend the training session you are scheduled for, it is really important that you let the Volunteer Services Department know as soon as possible. Please contact the Volunteer Services Department as soon as possible. (Please note that space is limited to ten new volunteers.) Staff Contact: Spencer Bastedo, training@intlcenter.org or (212) 255-9555 x222. Back to "Training" No – Because up to ten volunteers and ten members attend the orientations, we cannot accommodate individual schedules. Please be considerate of others and make sure to arrive no later than 6:10 PM so that all participants can take full advantage of the session. Please note that daytime Saturday training sessions are scheduled every other month. If you are never able to attend a session at 6 PM on weekdays, please let the Volunteer Services Department know so that you can sign up for the next Saturday session. 6. I am scheduled for a training session tonight and I will have to leave before it ends. Can I do this? No – If you cannot attend the whole training session, we prefer that you let the Volunteer Services Department know in advance and reschedule so that you can take full advantage of the session and so that none of the members who participate in the session are left behind when you leave. (An equal number of members are included in all training sessions in order to enhance your experience.) ID CARDS 1. When will I receive a Volunteer ID card? A yellow temporary volunteer ID card will be given to you as soon as you are accepted in the program (usually at the conclusion of the Volunteer Interview). Your ICNY photo ID card will be given to you after you have completed your ICNY training (usually at the end of the third training session). If you have started volunteering but did not receive your photo ID card, please stop by the Front Desk to pick it up or contact the Volunteer Services Department if it is not at the Front Desk. 2. Why do I have to show my ID card every time I come to the Center? In addition to staff, only active volunteers and members in good standing can access the International Center. For security reasons, please help our Front Desk staff members by showing your ID card EACH time you enter the International Center. Please understand that there are no exceptions to this rule (even if the staff member or volunteer at the Front Desk knows you). 3. I have lost my Volunteer ID card. What should I do? Please ask the Front Desk to make sure your ID was not returned to the International Center. If it was not, please let the Volunteer Services Department know so that we can prepare a new ID (IDs are made once a week by a volunteer). We will give you a yellow temporary ID card for use until you receive a new photo ID. Staff Contact: Spencer Bastedo, sbastedo@intlcenter.org or (212) 255-9555 x222. Back to "ID Cards" New volunteers get a pink expiration date sticker on their photo ID cards. You are eligible for a yellow sticker if you are actively meeting with two different member partners and after you have met at least three times with each of them. This sticker enables you to take advantage of the Theater Desk and the Language Exchange Program. Yellow sticker status is contingent upon an ongoing ICNY volunteer commitment of at least two hours a week. 5. My Volunteer ID card has expired and I am currently volunteering. What should I do? As soon as your ID card expires, please drop it off by the Front Desk. If you are currently an active volunteer, you will get an updated sticker within a week. Please pick it up at the Front Desk. ONE-TO-ONE PARTNERSHIPS 1. I have questions regarding my partnerships. (I would like to get new partners or I can no longer meet with my partners.) Who should I contact? Please contact your partnership coordinator: 2. I have lost my partner’s contact information. What should I do? Please contact the Information Desk at (212) 255-9555 x214 with any questions regarding your partners’ contact information. Back to "One-to-one Partnerships" 3. I completed training a couple of weeks ago and I was not assigned partners yet. What does that mean? Several reasons may explain this situation, dependent on the specific one-to-one opportunity you choose to pursue: In any case, please feel free to contact your Partnership Coordinator to follow up and consider offering a more flexible schedule. (See question #1 above.) 4. Do I have to log in to the computer in the Conversation Partner Room every time I meet with my partner(s)? Yes – It is really important that you log in all of your official volunteer hours on the computer so that the Volunteer Services Department can follow up with you and make sure there is no unexplained interruption in your partnership meetings. Also, logging your volunteer hours into ICNY’s database is our only formal way to account for your extraordinary contributions and commitment to our funders. Back to "One-to-one Partnerships" No - All official partnership meetings must take place at the International Center, either in the Conversation Partner Room or in the lounge. Please log in your hours in the computer each time you meet with your partner. Back to "One-to-one Partnerships" Please contact your partner directly to reschedule. In case of emergency, please call the Information Desk at (212) 255-9555 x214 to leave a message for your partner. 7. My partner did not show up at our first meeting. Who should I tell? Please try to reach your partner to confirm your next meeting and please leave a message at the Information Desk at (212) 255-9555 x214. Back to "One-to-one Partnerships" Although we hope the ICNY training will give you all the tools you need to confidently lead a one-to-one partnership, we understand that you might feel you need some more advice and guidance. Please feel free to email or talk to any of the staff members from the Program Department (a trainer or your Partnership Coordinator, for example), who are the most qualified to answer your questions and give you suggestions. We also encourage you to use the extensive resources in our Library. 9. Why do members have to pay for a partnership? ICNY is a not-for-profit organization that charges a modest fee for membership and offer scholarships to qualified individuals. The $150-fee for the one-to-one partnership program helps us cover the expenses related to the management of our largest program. It is also our experience that fee-based programs help to improve attendance on the learner’s side. Back to "One-to-one Partnerships" 10. Do I have to pay for the Pronunciation workbook? Volunteers can choose to pay for the book outright or can make a deposit and return the book in good condition at the end of the partnership. Back to "One-to-one Partnerships" Please contact your Partnership Coordinator as soon as you would like to get a new partner (at least two weeks in advance, if possible). Please specify your preferred start date and preferred time to volunteer. 12. Can I take a break before I get new partners? Yes – We understand that you might want to take a break at the end of your partnership(s) and before you get new partners. Please contact your Partnership Coordinator as soon as you would like to get a new partner (at least two weeks in advance, if possible). Yes, if your partner signs up for a new partnership – Please ask your partner to stop by the Information Desk to pay the partnership fee before meeting extra sessions with the member, and please let your Partnership Coordinator know that you will renew the partnership. The partnership fees are imperative to the successful day-to-day operations of ICNY. Yes, if there are extenuating circumstances - Although we expect volunteers to work with members regardless of their personality, personal interests, country of origin, and situation, we hope that you will report any problems in the partnerships (regarding attendance, for example) that merit a change in partners. Please report any problems to the Volunteer Services Department and to your Partnership Coordinator as soon as possible. Back to "One-to-one Partnerships" COLLABORATIVE PROGRAMS 1. What is a Collaborative Program? ICNY’s Collaborative Programs are programs that take place in community-based organizations and public schools throughout NYC. Twice a year for 10 – 18 weeks, we send a group of volunteers to each partnering organization to work with their ESOL learners in small conversational groups for an hour to an hour and a half. Back to "Collaborative Programs" If you would like to participate in the Collaborative Programs, and are not yet a volunteer please fill out an online application. If you are already a volunteer and would like to participate in the Collaborative Programs, please contact our Collaborative Programs Manager at rbrown@intlcenter.org. Back to "Collaborative Programs" We have Collaborative Programs in Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and throughout Manhattan. As our partnering organizations sometimes change, please visit our website for a list of our current partners and a map with their locations. Back to "Collaborative Programs" Collaborative Programs last anywhere from 10 to 18 weeks. Back to "Collaborative Programs" The Collaborative Programs usually run twice a year, once in the fall (September – December) and once in the spring (January or February through May or June). On occasion, we run short term programs at other times throughout the year. Back to "Collaborative Programs" Each partnering organization is different. The organization you work with will determine with whom you will work. A brief description of all of our current Collaborative Programs can be found here. Back to "Collaborative Programs" While we try to keep you working with the same person/people each week, often your partner(s) will change because your partner(s) may not come every week and/or new people sign up. Back to "Collaborative Programs" The number of partners you work with each week may change depending on how many volunteers and learners are at your site. In general, you will work with one to three partners. Back to "Collaborative Programs" No - The partnering organizations do not pay for our programs, nor do they charge their learners for our services. Back to "Collaborative Programs" You are welcome to contact the Manager of Collaborative Programs to express interest in participating in one of the collaborative programs. Please be reminded that you are still expected to complete your partnerships on-site. 11. I signed up for a Collaborative Program, but I have not heard anything about it. When will I hear? About a week before the start of the Collaborative Program you will receive a reminder email with the location of the organization, contact information for a contact there, as well as any other pertinent information. Back to "Collaborative Programs" While attendance is very important, we understand that on occasion a volunteer cannot make a session. If you will be absent, please notify both Rachel Brown at rbrown@intlcenter.org and the site coordinator at the site where you volunteer as soon as you know you will not be attending. If this is not possible, please call 212.255.9555 x218 and let Rachel know. OTHERS 1. I would like to recommend a friend. How do I go about it? Please send your friend's name and contact information to the Volunteer Services Department at volunteer@intlcenter.org. Please also refer your friend to our website. Thank you! 2. I have an idea/a project of interest to other ICNY volunteers and/or members. With whom can I share it? We welcome any new ideas and initiatives that can help us to build ICNY as a vibrant community. Please send an email describing your idea or project to volunteer@intlcenter.org. Thank you! Please inform a staff member immediately. Depending on nature of the situation, we encourage you to speak with Beverly Brown Ruggia, COO, Mary Beth Holman, Director of Outreach and Recruitment, or Anna Petelka, One-to-one Partnership Manager. 4. What is the Theater Desk? How does it work? The Theater Desk presents opportunities for members and volunteers to enjoy New York City’s rich cultural life including dance performances, concerts, plays, and films. You need a yellow sticker on your volunteer ID and an ongoing two-hour per week volunteer commitment to take advantage of the Theater Desk. For a small donation ($3-5/ticket) you and a friend can enjoy these events. Your donation covers the administrative cost of running the Theater Desk Program. The Theater Desk hours of operations are subject to change as it is generously staffed by volunteers. 5. What is the Language Exchange Program? How does it work? ICNY offers an informal Language Exchange Program for volunteers and members. You need a yellow sticker on your volunteer ID and an ongoing two-hour per week volunteer commitment to take advantage of the Language Exchange Program. You can review our log of member requests in order to learn, practice or improve upon another language. You will exchange English (or another language you are fluent in) for one of the languages offered by our members. You will determine when and where you will meet as well as the length of the exchange. Please ask an ICNY staff member if you would like to review the current offerings. |