ISC - Diplomatic Corps

ISC Diplomatic Corps

Volunteers make a WORLD of difference.

The International Services Council of Alabama promotes global peace and understanding in the community through citizen diplomacy.

The visitors we host are emerging leaders in their part of the world. You can have an impact on their world view and the possibilities of life which many have never considered, help them acquire new knowledge and expertise through interaction with you, and also learn from them about their country, their culture, and their professional experience.

Last year we hosted 107 visitors from 49 different countries.

Those visits required the work of 769 volunteers working 5811 hours.

The ISC Diplomatic Corps represents ISC, the U.S. Department of State, the State of Alabama and the City of Huntsville, and so must have a special esprit d'corps. All volunteers must be culturally sensitive, have excellent communications skills both written and oral, have a professional appearance, and have an interest in and curiosity about international cultures.

We would like to share with you how you can make a significant contribution to world peace through education and personal example.

There are many ways that you can be involved in ISC programs that suit a variety of schedules.

You can help with:

• Hosting international dignitaries for dinner in your home
• Accompanying international dignitaries to their meetings as an ISC local guide.
• Meeting with international dignitaries to share professional expertise.
• Taking international dignitaries shopping.
• Greeting international dignitaries at the airport.
• Providing a local tour.
• Assisting in ISC office.

Volunteer to help.

Office volunteers...

Who: Volunteers who are interested.

What's required:

PC skills
Filing skills
Telephone skills

Resource people...

Who: professionals who meet with visitors

What's required:

Specific subject expertise for discussion with visitors.

Programmers...

Who: Volunteers who are interested.

Intellectual understanding of goals and objectives of specific visitor programs.
Ability to identify resources in the community that meet the objectives of visitor programs.
Creating plans for visitor itineraries. - placing requests by phone or email to Resources to meet with visitors.
Ability to explain to Resources what IVLP is about and what's required during a meeting.
Excellent written and oral skills for creating itinerary.

Home Hospitality Hosts: opening up your home

Who: volunteers who are interested in opening up their home to dinner guests.

Enjoyment of entertainment
Ability to prepare good meals
Ability to understand special dietary needs of visitors
Ability to create a welcoming and relaxed atmosphere for visitors to experience our gracious Southern hospitality
Knowledge of putting together a congenial group of people to provide visitors with a good American experience

Local Guides...

Who: volunteers that are interested

Acquire basic knowledge about the Huntsville area and Alabama in general to be able to respond to basic visitor questions (e.g. what's Huntsville's population, how many students are at UAH, etc.) review itinerary and travel routes
Meet visitors 10 minutes before they start their itinerary to review itinerary content
Be sure visitors are carrying itineraries with them: accompany visitors to all meetings on their itinerary
Carry a cell phone - introduce the IVLP program visitors at meetings

Airport Greeters...

Who: ISC Board members

Call ELO a day in advance to let them know that you'll be meeting them at the airport meet and greet visitors at the airport
Introduce visitors to the van driver or take them to the rental car as appropriate
Follow the visitors to the hotel (whether they're in the van or in their rental car)
Be sure that visitors are comfortably checked in at the hotel: check if they need to eat, if the rooms they have are appropriate (e.g. smoking/non-smoking, doubling up with other visitors), and be sure that the packets we've prepared for them are at the front desk.