FAQs about Amate House for Prospective Sites
What are the benefits of hosting an Amate House Volunteer?
1. It’s cost-effective: Amate House Sites have the opportunity to utilize a motivated, service-oriented, recent college graduate for full time employment from August through June for a low cost contribution of $13,000. Amate House covers the health insurance, living expenses, transportation to & from work, and provides a small stipend for the Volunteer. The Estimated “Public Value” of each full-time Amate House Volunteer is anywhere from $15,000 min.-$45,000 max, according to a survey of our sites.
2. Quality employees: Amate House Volunteers complete an extensive application process with the Amate House staff before committing to a year of full time service. Amate House Volunteers choose our program because they desire a year of intentional service, leadership & professional development and formation.
Amate House Volunteers are also well supported by the Amate House staff. Throughout the course of the year, our staff maintains a close relationship with each Volunteer and regularly checks in with site supervisors to make sure that the experience is a quality one for all parties. Because of this support, Amate House has had a nearly 100% retention rate of Volunteers, over the course of the year, for the past 10 years. Our Volunteers add an immeasurable quality to sites that choose to work with Amate House.
What are the criteria for Volunteer Service Sites?
The site needs to be committed to the education, formation, and development of young adults and the development of service opportunities. Mentorship must be provided for the Amate volunteer and sites must show an interest in providing opportunities for the personal & professional growth of volunteers as well as their leadership development.
We have a commitment to serving communities and populations that live at or below the poverty level and/or are marginalized in some ways. We also require that our sites offer a placement that involves at least 60% direct service or direct community involvement (as opposed to administrative or clerical tasks). This enables our volunteers to be eligible for an AmeriCorps education award after they complete their term of service.
Last but not least, all volunteer placements must have a full and complete job description on paper. This is not only required for our own files but to also fulfill our AmeriCorps requirements.
What kind of hours are Amate House Volunteers able to work?
Amate House expects its volunteers to be working at their sites a minimum of 35 hours per week. On average, they should be working no more than 40 hours a week. Please note that Amate House Volunteers work day shifts only. Evening work should be limited to one night a week.
When do Amate House Volunteers begin work?
Amate House Volunteers typically will begin work during the third week of August and end during the second week of the following June, approximately 10 months total.
Are there other requirements of the Volunteer Service Sites?
A site supervisor must be identified and be willing to work with the staff of Amate House in the development and ongoing support and supervision of the volunteer. The liaison should have the authority to enter into an agreement with Amate House regarding the terms of the volunteer’s service. Site supervisors are also required to attend a site supervisor orientation meeting in July. The Site Supervisor must be willing and able to meet with the volunteer on a regular basis to provide support and direction to the volunteer.
The site must allow the volunteer time off on Wednesday evenings and on Sundays. Volunteers must arrive home by 4:30 PM every Wednesday to participate in formational/educational activities with their community. The site will also allow the volunteer time off for Amate House Retreats, in-service days and recruiting activities as necessary. Scheduling is done well in advance and sites will be notified of these dates and times at the Site Supervisor Orientation.
The site must allow the volunteer ten days of vacation and three sick days during the volunteer year. This may coincide with preexisting breaks (such as Christmas vacation for schools). Amate House asks that the volunteer not be granted more than 10 days vacation regardless of the organization’s policies; sick days are only used for illness and cannot be transferred to vacation days.
How do the Volunteers get to their Service Sites?
Amate House provides transportation for Volunteers to and from their work site. Some volunteers travel by car, other take public transportation depending on the location of the site and where the volunteer is living. The site must reimburse Amate House at the current federal re-imbursement rate for use of Amate House vehicles for work purposes and travel within the course of the work day.
How does the Volunteer placement process work?
First, the prospective volunteer interviews with the Program Staff at Amate House. Amate House then declines or accepts the prospective volunteer based on the interview, application essays, a résumé and four recommendations. The prospective volunteer may also visit a site that is of interest to him/her during the interview process. The visit provides information to the volunteer; it is not an interview.
Once accepted into the Amate House program, the volunteer receives a site list composed of all schools and agencies that have completed the Amate House Site Application Process and are consistent with the Amate House mission of providing direct service to those in need. The volunteer then chooses 2-3 sites that interest them and interviews are set up with each site. The Program Director will contact the site and provide the site supervisor with the volunteer’s résumé and references (if requested). The interviews are conducted by phone or in person, depending on where the volunteer is from (some come from far distances). We encourage the Site Supervisors to conduct the interview in the manner in which they would normally interview any applicant for employment. This is a time for the Site Supervisor to evaluate the candidate as well as share information about the position available and the organization itself.
The site then decides if the volunteer is a good match for their work place. The site supervisor contacts the Amate House Program Director to confirm the placement or decline the volunteer. Please note that the volunteer may choose another organization. We cannot guarantee that all sites will receive a volunteer as it depends on the volunteers’ interests as well as the number that decide to participate in our program.
Within two weeks of placement, the Amate House Volunteer will sign a contract to confirm site placement commitment. The Site will sign a contract confirming the agreed upon Site Contribution to Amate House.
Who do I contact about becoming a Service Site for Amate House?
You can contact Annie Devine, the Program Director.