U.S. Volunteer Opportunities

Why Volunteer For P.I.E.-USA?

P.I.E.-USA offers people interested in interacting with youth in the international arena the opportunity to serve in the capacity of Area Representatives, or local support personnel, for high school foreign exchange students. Students are screened for their academic ability, motivation, maturity, adaptability and overall character. They range in age from 15 to 18 years and represent more than 40 different countries. Some students stay for only a semester, while most participate in the full 10-month program. While in the United States, students stay with volunteer host families in 48 states and study at the local high schools. The students speak English, though the level of proficiency varies depending upon their nationality. P.I.E.-USA ensures that each student is fully covered with medical and accident insurance, and students bring their own personal spending money.

P.I.E.-USA has a large network of volunteer Area Representatives located in communities across the country. These individuals provide advice and support to the families and students; they basically run the program at the local level.

Each volunteer Area Representative is supported by an Area Coordinator and a full-time paid staff. Area Coordinators and program staff provide initial and on-going training, guidance, support and supervision. Area Representatives are provided with toll-free phone numbers to facilitate access to support staff. Additionally, in emergency situations, the staff at the international headquarters can be accessed 24 hours a day. Area Representatives are never without help or assistance when they need it.

Managing the program for the students and families is probably the most enjoyable and rewarding part of an Area Representative's job. It is through this contact, as the representatives guide these young ambassadors through the maze of living in another culture, that life-long friendships are formed. There are triumphs and challenges in each program as the students and the families learn to adapt to each other. Drawing on the training and support that each representative receives, the challenges are overcome and the triumphs are celebrated.

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Volunteer Responsibilities

The responsibilities of an Area Representative for P.I.E.-USA encompass the selection and screening of potential host families, and providing ongoing support and supervision for those families and the students they host.

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Specific responsibilities include:

1. Becoming familiar with, and implementing, P.I.E.-USA policies and procedures as outlined in the Area Representative Manual;
2. Contacting the local high school(s) to introduce the program. Becoming familiar with school board policies, deadlines and quotas as they pertain to student exchange. Obtaining permission to enroll a P.I.E.-USA student prior to confirming a placement with a host family;
3. Establishing the program in the community by acting as the local spokesperson/contact at schools, churches, civic organizations and area firms;
4. Identifying, interviewing, selecting, matching and preparing local families;
5. Managing the completion of necessary paperwork for each placement;
6. Greeting arriving/departing students at the local airport;
7. Conducting appropriate orientations for program participants;
8. Maintaining monthly contact with the students, the host parents and the high school counselors, and submitting monthly reports summarizing this contact;
9. Moving a student whenever a student's well-being or safety may be in jeopardy.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

"How much time will this take?"

P.I.E.-USA is fairly flexible on this issue. Many representatives are employed full-time in other fields. Their student and family contact is conducted in the evenings and on weekends. We believe that program volunteers should enjoy their work. Therefore, representatives should determine how much time they would like to devote to the program and target the number of students they would like to represent accordingly. For new representatives, it is probably best to work with no more than one or two students during the first year.

"Are Representatives assigned a specific area or number of students?"

Representatives are assigned a specific area. The Area Coordinator works with the representatives to determine which schools and which areas each will handle. Within certain guidelines, a representative may have a large or a small area, depending on preference. Each representative will set the number of students he or she will handle with the Area Coordinator.

"Do I need any experience?"

We have found that people who have raised (or are in the process of raising) children have a good background from which to draw when dealing with exchange students. Work in a related field such as teaching or social work helps, as does past travel experience or a background in international studies. The most important criteria, however, is the genuine desire to interact with and assist the students and the host families.

"Do I have to host a student to be a Representative?"

No, but you should have the ability to take a student in an emergency situation for a temporary period of time.

"If I am hosting, can I represent my own student?"

No, each student needs to have a representative who is not a member of his or her immediate host family.

"Do I have to speak another language?"

No. Since the students have all studied English and are expected to function in a regular high school program, communication in English should not present a problem.

"What type of training is provided?"

In addition to providing each representative with a comprehensive training manual, P.I.E.- USA periodically schedules training seminars covering various counseling, public relations and administrative issues.

"What type of support network is available for Area Representatives?"

P.I.E.-USA has an extensive network of support available for its Representatives. Each Representative is assigned an Area Coordinator. This person manages, advises and assists a group of Representatives in a given area. Each Area Coordinator works with a Regional Coordinator. The entire field staff is supported by a full-time staff in the international headquarters in San Diego, California. In addition to being accessible during regular business hours, these individuals are on 24-hour call to assist with emergencies.

"How do I find host families?"

Our most successful Representatives network to find families. They identify potential host families through their contacts at the schools, at churches they attend, at civic organizations they belong to, at bridge groups they participate in, etc. If a family they approach is not interested at that time, they ask for several referrals. They continue to network out, but never lose the names of families who said, "Not now, maybe later." P.I.E.-USA will also pass along leads from families who have contacted the organization about hosting through its various promotional activities.

"Do you protect your volunteers from liability?"

P.I.E.-USA carries comprehensive liability insurance which covers host families, students, Representatives and staff members in the event that something related to the exchange should cause them any liability.

"Is there an opportunity for advancement?"

Yes. Many of our Rrepresentatives have gone on to become Coordinators; some have even joined our full-time staff.

"As an Area Representative, will I be paid?"

The position of Area Representative is essentially a volunteer position. An initial fee is paid for placing a student in a family, a fee is paid for the monthly filing of the progress reports, and a support fee is paid at the end of the year. These fees, however, are primarily meant to cover expenses incurred as a result of the Representative's efforts.

"How can I become an Area Representative?"

To begin the process of becoming an Area Representative, complete the online pre-application, e-mail the program at info@pieusa.org, or call 1 - (888)PIE-USA1 (888-743-8721).

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Pre-Application To Become A U.S.Area Representative (Volunteer)