How does AIESEC ensure I have a good experience in my exchange?
As part of our Leadership Development Model (LDM), both AIESEC Sending Entity and Hosting Entity deliver the AIESEC Exchange Standards. They are 16 services that each EP receives to ensure their experience abroad is complete.
The Standards are the following:
1. Personal Goal Setting: The AIESEC SE provides a space, in the form of a group or individual meeting, to the EP for setting personal goals for their exchange experience based on the Leadership Development Assessment (LDA) result and other additional goals.
2. Outgoing Preparation Seminar: The AIESEC SE offers an Outgoing Preparation Seminar (OPS) before the EP leaves for their exchange. The seminar must include at least the following: A space, in the form of a group or individual meeting, to explain AIESEC's purpose [AIESEC Way] and the elation with the EP’s leadership development, set expectations about how to prepare for travel abroad, explanation of AIESEC’s policies and procedures, as well as the AIESEC Exchange Standards.
3. Insurance: The AIESEC SE ensures that the EP has a valid insurance policy to cover basic medical costs for the duration of the exchange.
4. Expectation Setting: The AIESEC Hosting Entity (HE) provides the EP with basic information regarding the country/territory of their exchange in a written format. This on-boarding must include at least the following information: culture, political situation, safety, living standards, important contacts and accommodation conditions.
5. Visa and Work Permit: The AIESEC HE provides an Invitation Letter and supporting documents in the case a visa is needed for the EP to legally enter and stay or work in the country/territory and perform the activities stated in the opportunity.
6. Arrival Pick Up: Before the EP travels, the AIESEC HE and the EP should agree on the pick-up point and the HE should provide written information to the EP on any additional domestic transportation required to arrive at this pick-up point.
7. Accommodation: The AIESEC HE will either arrange the accommodation for the EP (obligatory in Global Volunteer exchanges, optional in Global Talent and Global Teacher exchanges) or, when accommodation is not provided, the HE will support the EP with sources to look for accommodation. The provision of accommodation should be clearly stated for each opportunity listed on the AIESEC Platform. Accommodation conditions to be listed on AIESEC’s platform must include at least the following particularities: single bed, access to clean water, access to a bathroom and access to electricity.
8. Incoming Preparation Seminar: The AIESEC HE offers an Incoming Preparation Seminar (IPS) once the EP arrives to the country/territory, before the exchange work officially starts. The seminar must include at least the following: A space, in the form of a group or individual meeting, to follow up on the EP’s personal goals that were defined before they traveled, culture and living arrangements.
9. First Day of Work: The AIESEC HE coordinates and ensures that the EP is transported in person to the place/organization of work on their first day of the opportunity.
10. Alignment Spaces with OP: The AIESEC HE must ensure that the OP provides at least one space, in the form of a group or individual meeting, to align the Job Description with personal goals at the beginning of the experience and one space to debrief on the Job description and personal goals at the end of the internship.
11. Job Description: The AIESEC HE must ensure that the job description executed by the EP corresponds with the job description of the opportunity described on the AIESEC platform. The HE must have clearly stated individual responsibilities and goals to the OP.
12. Working Hours: The AIESEC HE must ensure that the working hours related to executing the job description are the same as stated on the opportunity on the AIESEC platform and that they are within the ranges described in the program minimum requirements.
13. Duration: The AIESEC HE must ensure that the duration of the experience is the same as stated in the opportunity on the AIESEC platform, starting from the first day of work to the last day of the exchange, as well as ensuring it is within the ranges described in the program minimum requirements.
14. Opportunity Benefits: The AIESEC HE must ensure that all the benefits stated in the opportunity posted on the AIESEC platform (including but not limited to financial and non-financial compensations, transportation, meals covered, etc.) are delivered.
15. Departure Support: The AIESEC HE must offer in a written format information on how to depart from the country/territory (legal and logistic specifications) at least two (2) weeks before the end of the exchange opportunity.
16. Debrief with AIESEC: The AIESEC SE must offer a debriefing space, in the form of a group or individual meeting, to the EP no more than two (2) weeks after they finish the exchange experience. The space must include at least the following: A debrief of the leadership experience of the EP, including a space to analyze personal goals achievement, and a space to analyze the delivery of the AIESEC Exchange Standards.