The Kansas City Chapter covers AMIGOS program costs through a combination of family payments and fundraising activities. This approach allows us to keep costs to families low while teaching valuable fundraising and community outreach skills. All volunteers are required to fully take part in each fundraising activity as fundraising skills are an important component of AMIGOS training program and raise awareness of AMIGOS programs in the community. The Kansas City Chapter participates in a combination of letter writing and a Mexican Dinner.

LETTER WRITING/DONOR CONTACTS

Each volunteer is required to send out a combination of letters and emails to friends, family and supporters to request individual tax-deductible donations(the revenue from this effort is pooled). Letters are written by the volunteer with considerable help provided by the chapter during the process.

FEES

Application Fee: $50

Family Fee: $4,250

Fundraising Goal: $2,500

FEES INCLUDE

• Round-trip international airfare
• Training materials and workshops
• Secondary short-term international medical insurance
• Program excursions
• Food, lodging, and transportation in Latin America
• Supplies for community project and extracurricular activities
• 24-hour On Call Emergency Management System
• Travel hotline and support

Click here for more information about our Fees & Funding.

DUE DATES AND PAYMENT OPTIONS

• Participants pay their family fees beginning December 15, 2019. The fee must be paid by April 15, 2020.
• Fees can be paid online or by mail.
• Payment plans are available.

AMIGOS actively recruits and supports inclusion of volunteers from diverse backgrounds. AMIGOS provides need-based financial assistance with distribution determined by family income, number of dependents and special financial circumstances. We provide funds to qualified applicants as deductions on the family fee, with a maximum assistance of 75%. Financial assistance applications are due November 4, 2019.

The transformative AMIGOS experience starts before leaving home.

With 50 years of experience preparing young people for travel and service abroad, AMIGOS training offers unparalleled global youth leadership development. Pre-departure training equips volunteers with the critical thinking, communication skills, and technical knowledge they need to make a meaningful impact across cultures while staying healthy and safe. The Kansas City Chapter AMIGOS training is youth-led, experiential learning that prepares volunteers for their AMIGOS experience, builds a community of youth and families with shared values, and develops life-skills to help students succeed beyond AMIGOS. Training sessions are facilitated by the Training Team and include guest speakers from the community and the Kansas City Chapter Board of Directors..

SERVICE LEARNING

The Kansas City Chapter incorporates service-learning into the AMIGOS training to add depth and first-hand experience to the curriculum. Service‐learning is a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility and strengthen communities. Volunteers will self identify and propose a “community based initiative” or CBI to serve the local area. Projects have ranged from tutoring, establishing a dance camp, setting up a blood drive, clean-up events or a special event held for a children’s home. Volunteers are able to learn the challenges of setting up a CBI while giving back to the local community.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE TRAINING PROGRAM INCLUDE:

• Unparalleled leadership development
• Cross-cultural awareness and understanding
• Hands-on training for technical aspects of the program
• Extensive health and safety training
• Opportunities to practice Spanish
• Creating a community of young people with shared values

THE TIME COMMITMENT FOR TRAINING ACTIVITIES INCLUDES:

• 35 hours of training on Sunday afternoons
• Monthly parent training/information sessions
• One full day spring retreat
• Service learning requirements
• Four online assessments to determine readiness for the summer

TRAINING CALENDAR

TBD