Every summer, Greenheart Exchange staff members hit the road on “Going Greenheart Tours” (GGHTs) to meet with hundreds of Summer Work and Travel participants, host organizations, and other program stakeholders. During GGHT trips, staff, participants and host representatives also volunteer in the local communities through service projects with community organizations.
In this blog post, our own Taylor Kay, Senior Director, Work and Travel Program gives us a deep dive into the wonderful role of GGHTs in extending program success. He explains the plethora of benefits for staff, participants, host organizations and the local communities hosting Greenheart Work and Travel participants.
Greenheart and Host Organization Expectations of Work and Travel Participant Arrivals
“What we’ve got here is a failure to communicate” – Cool Hand Luke (1967)
Communication is so important. Participants should be planning out their travel and informing their host employer of their arrival day, time and location. Of course, this should be planned to fall during the times and/or days that the host can accommodate. For example, some hosts require arrivals during business hours while others accommodate check-ins to housing at any time of day or night.
Should your plans change such as a canceled flight, be sure to follow up right away with your host employer to notify them not to expect you and when to expect you. No one enjoys the anxiety of showing up at an airport or bus station and not finding the person they were expecting. Be sure to travel with your host employers email address and phone number. If you are not traveling with a phone (or don’t have a SIM card yet), ask another traveler if you can make a quick call – maybe you’ll make a friend.
Greenheart’s Work and Travel Participants Help American Businesses and Communities
“This is not just a business. It’s a family.” – Always Amore (2022)
I’ve visited hundreds of US businesses that run international programs. That was both as part of my job and with my family on vacation. Time after time, I’ve observed how Work and Travel participants become integrated into the business. In many seasonal areas, the Work and Travel program provides a surge of enthusiasm at the moment that these businesses are ramping up for the season and on the other end, allows them to stay open later into the fall than US high school and college students are usually able to stick around.
According to an Alliance for International Exchange report published in February, 76% of host employers involved in the Summer Work Travel program report they would see a decline in their level of service to customers if this program no longer existed. Because these businesses can extend their season and their offerings to customers – whether that be a mid-Atlantic swimming pool opening in May or a Montana rafting outfitter staying open till the end of September, our economy benefits to the tune of $43 billion annually. Thankfully, the pandemic-era staffing shortages are in the rearview mirror now but in areas without large year-round populations such as Provincetown, Massachusetts, Seward, Alaska and Whitefish, Montana, they are an evergreen challenge.
The impact is personal as well. Close ties are forged during the intensity of a busy summer business, like a family. I’ve seen breakroom bulletin boards full of photos of program alumni on further adventures, on their wedding day or with their newborns. I’ve met managers who traveled abroad to visit these past program participants. A goal of the Summer Work Travel program is to develop among participants and sending countries positive views of the United States yet there is a reciprocal effect on Americans getting to learn more about slices of life in scores of other countries. These are multiplier effects from the visits of 100,000+ Summer Work Travel participants and nearly 300,000 BridgeUSA participants annually.
The Impact of Going Greenheart Tours
“Wandering around our America has changed me more than I thought. I am not me anymore. At least I’m not the same me I was.” – Motorcycle Diaries (2004)
Going Greenheart Tours is what we brand our effort to hit the ground to be present with participants and host employers, learn more about their communities and challenges. Visiting workplaces and housing, walking the streets of the community, meeting with local stakeholders is rewarding and gives us confidence about the program that we run. Nothing beats face-to-face interactions.
Further, GGHTS are a chance to live our mission. Greenheart’s mission is to connect people with planet; a volunteer event is usually a feature of these visits whether organized by Greenheart or a host employer. They are a bucket filler for sure.
Host Work and Travel Participants with Greenheart
“You know what happens if we don’t take that chance? What? Nothing.” – Braveheart (1995)
The first year is hard! There are logistical considerations unique to any community, but housing and transportation are universal. Payroll is a little bit different. Access to the Social Security office and the bank are important early on. Timing arrivals and departures to your staffing needs is key to providing consistent hours – at least 32 per week. Yet there are lots of resources that can smooth out the process and reduce the effect of culture shock. Greenheart has helped many host employers establish an international program. Contact us and read more on our website about program regulations. Advice from those at other area businesses and any community support group can be invaluable.
The Amazing Cultural Exchange Component
The cultural exchange aspect is an essential consideration. Participants are coming to the United States with the expectations of learning about American culture and participating in this American community. In those communities where transportation is less available, there needs to be a more deliberate connection to activities. I think back on my own experience right after college. I, an Easterner, worked on tradition-steeped guest ranch in Wyoming for a couple summers along with about 60 other from-away staff. The ranch, nine miles down a dirt road and 20 miles from the nearest small town, allowed us to ride horses, play golf and shoot skeet, and fish the streams. The head wrangler put on a staff rodeo and the ranch sponsored staff socials. They also arranged for staff to play in the local softball league and connected us with events such as the county fair and the Cheyenne Frontier Days.
The culture and community were a huge reason I came back for a second summer and still pine for another. Businesses that are in the middle of the action with lots of festivals and concerts, like in Ocean City, Maryland or Bar Harbor, Maine don’t necessarily need to offer the same perks as say a ski resort in rural Vermont or a KOA on the edge of a national park, but it’s still important to put events on an employee bulletin board or in the newsletter.
After the first year, it’s a matter of making adjustments. What worked well and what needs to change for next season to be sustainable? There are going to be lessons learned but Greenheart is here to help.
For Current and Returning Greenheart Host Organizations – Why Continue Hosting!
“No matter what anybody tells you, words and ideas can change the world” – Dead Poet’s Society (1989)
Work Travel has endured for more than 55 years. The number of participants is once again at or very close the annual limit. This demonstrates its value to U.S. communities and businesses such as yours. Bipartisan support on Capitol Hill reflects its positive impact on our economy and public diplomacy. We know that the exchange experience creates a foundation for positive relationships and trust within our country. Furthermore, your Congressional representatives hear from you about how Work Travel allows you to run and grow your business.
We encourage you to join Americans for Cultural Exchange to receive the latest on what’s going on in Washington, DC. Also, follow Greenheart’s blog for frequent federal updates.
Thank you, Taylor, for such a positive input on the role played by GGHTs! We also thank our host organizations for hosting our Work and Travel participants.
If you are a business who would like to host international seasonal staff for a cultural exchange, please visit HirewithGreenheart.org to learn more.
To learn more about Greenheart’s Work and Travel program visit GreenheartExchange.org.
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