Learning More About AMIGOS is easy as 123, ABC!
If you are reading this and not already an alumni or involved in some way you probably have a few questions brewing.
You may have known a friend of your cousin who did AMIGOS and couldn’t stop talking about their CBI and PSUP and chapter. And you’re thinking HUH?!? If you’re not already involved with AMIGOS this all probably sounds like mumbo-jumbo. Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Here at AMIGOS our mission is to be inclusive and provide an enriching program that is available to all who are interested. But with so much amazing things going on and so many long names we tend to use acronyms. We are trying our best to be better at this but here is a quick guide on how to traverse the AMIGOS waters as a newbie.
1. First of all attend an information session. You can do this at your local chapter (don’t worry I will explain that soon) or online. It is super easy to attend with no commitments and learn everything about what your summer with AMIGOS could look like. Bring your parents, whether they are totally on board or need more convincing, an info session is the perfect first step.
2. Check out our social media so you can get a feel for what our participants do in the field.
3. Ok, ok, I said I would explain so here you go. Chapters. The heart and soul of AMIGOS. Without the chapters we wouldn’t have such an amazing group of alumni to boast about! Chapters are local organizations that work with the AMIGOS participants in their surrounding community before, during and after their AMIGOS experience. We have 24 amazing chapters across the US that train, fundraise, support and prepare you to have the summer of a lifetime.
Follow up questions:
a. Why join a chapter? If you live near one of our chapters (you can find them here) we encourage you to connect with them. Our chapters offer a lower family fee because they fundraise as a group each year to help pay for your total program cost. Also our chapters are full of amazing people of all ages who have interests similar to yours and are there to support you the whole way through! It’s a great way to meet new people and stay connected for many years to come.
b. What if I don’t live near a chapter? That is totally ok! We have over 100 participants each year that have amazing and successful summers without being a part of a chapter. Those people are called National Office Participants… oh geeze I should probably explain that too!
4. National Office Participants are AMIGOS volunteers through and through. They train in Houston immediately before their program and can fundraise independently if they would like. Who becomes a National Office Participant? Well they are high school and college students who don’t live near a chapter, maybe missed a chapter deadline or cannot commit to the chapter training schedule. Don’t’ worry, if this is you we want to make AMIGOS a possibility so let us know!
5. And here is a quick overview of those other acronyms I mentioned! Just FYI.
a. PSUP: Project Supervisor, these are the amazing people who volunteer their entire summer to support and mentor our participants. Many of them are alumni of the program and this can be
an option for you someday too!
b. CBI: Community Based Initiative, this is the service project you will be working on while in your host community. Your project is community based because you will work alongside the community members and youth to plan and carry out a project that will be sustainable and empowering for the community. These projects range widely because our communities range widely and no 1 plan is perfect for all.
6. Have more questions and need more info?? I’m not surprised. AMIGOS is an experience unlike any other and I encourage you to ask all the questions you need to before you participate. Give us your info here and one of our staff will reach out and answer everything you need, fundraising, health and safety, requirements and so much more!
Don’t pass up the opportunity to get involved and grow as a young leader committed to social change!
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