Becoming an ACA, Inc, Country Contact
ACA Country Contacts provide American Citizens Abroad with a globally active network of individuals, each committed to representing ACA in her/his community/communities of local Americans. This network is one of ACA’s key means to tap into the enormous pool of collective brainpower of Americans abroad. Country Contacts (CCs), as all persons active in ACA, are members who work on an unpaid, volunteer basis.
Each CC is provided with a letter of appointment, a certificate of appreciation, and access to a section of the ACA website that is not shared with the general public. The CC section of the website contains various guidelines for ACA Country Contacts; a detailed list of our global Country Contacts (so volunteers around the globe can get to know each other); and advertising tools such as the ACA brochure, logo, and business card template. The group is informed of in-the-mill projects and consulted for views and advice on numerous issues; however, all final policy determinations are made by ACA, Inc., as the organization must speak with one voice.
Each CC must provide a general “game plan” for how s/he plans to raise ACA’s visibility and membership in his/her area. Upon request, ACA will provide CCs with various promotional materials and other documents, electronically or in hard copy. Funding for local activities must be generated locally, via means compatible with ACA’s philosophy.
Country Contact duties are defined only in a general fashion, as conditions vary widely in different areas of the world, as do the concerns of local Americans. This permits development, both on a local and on an international level, reflecting the efforts expended by the individuals involved.
The basic concept is simple, to permit maximum flexibility. It involves:
1. Taking steps to increase ACA membership, in consultation with ACA Headquarters. As membership fees are a primary source of funding for ACA’s Washington and global outreach; the more members the organization has, the more can be done on behalf of Americans worldwide.
2. Establishing and maintaining contact with:
a. embassy and consular officials,
b. appropriate local press organs and associations, and
c. appropriate local communities.
In support of this effort, ACA supplies periodic press releases, alerts and other timely mailings.
3. Undertaking to keep ACA abreast of developments in each country/region which affect or are of interest to the American community, and to respond to requests for specific information from ACA and those interested in learning about ACA.
4. Participating in ACA work alongside a Headquarters-coordinated team concentrating on specific issues.
5. Other functions as agreed upon.
ACA Country Contacts have annual appointments, automatically renewed unless there is notification to the contrary by either party. Each Country Contact is ex-officio a member of the ACA Board of Directors.
ACA currently has Country Contacts in over 60 cities around the world. If you would like to become an ACA country contact, send an email to: info@americansabroad.org