Volunteer FAQ's

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.

Staff Contact: Megan Meagher, mmeagher@intlcenter.org or (212) 255-9555 x213.

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: Megan Meagher, mmeagher@intlcenter.org or (212) 255-9555 x213.

4.) Some volunteers have a pink Expiration Date sticker on their ID cards; others have a yellow sticker. What does that mean?

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.

Staff Contact: Your volunteer supervisor. If you are a One-to-one Partner: Anna Petelka, apetelka@intlcenter.org or (212) 255-9555 x211.

1.) I have questions regarding my partnership(s). Who should I contact?

Please contact your partnership coordinator:
- If you are a Conversation, Pronunciation, or Writing partner, please contact Anna Petelka (One-to-one Partnership Manager) at apetelka@intlcenter.org or (212) 255-9555 x211.
- If you are a Career Skills partner, please contact Andrea Horner (Member Services Associate) at ahorner@intlcenter.org or (212) 255-9555 x212.
- If are volunteering in one of our Collaborative Programs, please contact Cam McDonald (Collaborative Programs Associate) at cmcdonald@intlcenter.org or (212) 255-9555 x204.

2.) I’ve 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.

3.) I completed training a couple of weeks ago and I was not assigned a partner yet. What does that mean?

Several reasons may explain this situation, dependent on the specific one-to-one opportunity you choose to pursue:
- If you were trained to become a Conversation Partner, 1) an unusual delay might occur if your availability does not match with our members’ current needs –your daytime availability, for example-, or 2) a technical problem prevented you from receiving your partners’ contact information.
– If you were trained as a Writing, Pronunciation, or Career Skills partner, remember that you may have to wait a few weeks before we can find a member who needs practice in your area of specialization and who is available at the same time.

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.

5.) Is that OK to meet with my partner outside the Center?

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.

6.) I need to cancel and reschedule a meeting with my partner. What should I do?

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.
Please be considerate by trying to stick to the initial schedule you agreed upon.

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.

8.) I need guidance about leading a one-on-one partnership. Who can help me?

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 $140-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.

10.) Do I have to pay for the Pronunciation or Advanced English 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.

11.) I completed 10 sessions with my partners. How can I 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). 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).

13.) Can my partner and I meet more for than 10 sessions?

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.

14.) Can I change partners?

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.

1.) What is a Community Outreach Program?

ICNY’s Community Outreach Programs atake 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.

2.) How do I sign up for a Community Outreach Program?

If you would like to participate in the Community Outreach 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 Community Outreach Programs Manager Cam McDonald at cmcdonald@intlcenter.org.

3.) Where are the Community Outreach Programs located?

We have Community Outreach Programs in Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and throughout Manhattan. As our partnering organizations sometimes change, please click here for a list of our current partners and a map with their locations.

4.) How long does a Community Outreach Program run?

Community Outreach Programs last anywhere from 10 to 18 weeks.

5.) When do the Community Outreach Programs run?

The Community Outreach Program usually runs 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.

6.) With whom will I be working in a Community Outreach Program?

Each partnering organization is different. The organization you work with will determine with whom you will work.

7.) Will I be working with the same person/people each week?

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.

8.) How many partners will I have in a Community Outreach Program?

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.

9.) Do the partnering organizations pay for ICNY's services?

No - The partnering organizations do not pay for our programs, nor do they charge their learners for our services.

10.) I am active in ICNY's on-site volunteer program, may I sign up as a volunteer for one of the Community Outreach Programs?

You are welcome to contact our Community Outreach Programs Manager Cam McDonald at cmcdonald@intlcenter.org 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 Community Outreach Program but I have not heard anything about it. When will I hear?

About a week before the start of the Community Outreach Programs 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.

12.) What do I do if I cannot come to one of the sessions?

While attendance is very important, we understand that on occasion a volunteer cannot make a session. If you will be absent, please notify both Cam McDonald at cmcdonald@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 x204 and let Cam know.

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!

3.) I have witnessed an inappropriate situation in the Center. Who should I tell?

Please inform a staff member immediately. Depending on nature of the situation, we encourage you to speak with Beverly Brown Ruggia, managing Director, Mary Beth Holman, Director of Outreach and Recruitment, or Anna Petelka, One-to-one Partnership Coordinator.

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 in the Program Office if you would like to review the current offerings.