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Training And
internship News |
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First quarter 2008 |
“WISE® Support- it makes the
difference” |
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Below
are a few quotes from training program evaluations: “My experience doing my training is incomparable to any learning that I have encountered. I will apply every single technique I’ve learned.… ” -Trainee, “From day one, [our trainee] had a “can-do” attitude, so
I didn’t have to spend much time guiding her. Instead of giving her guidance,
she came up with her own action plan and clear organizational skills. She
applied what she learned in school right away… ” -Training
site manager, |
Winter at
WISE®
The old saying in This e-update includes important information about Taxes,
Insurance, Evaluations and Combating Homesickness. Please look over this
information and remember to contact us if you have any suggestions, or comments
about the WISE® e-update: peter@wisefoundation.com In this edition: WISE® Tip: Travel
Authorization Evaluations – New
Initiative to Achieve 100% Rate of Return
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News and Notes |
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Tax time This time of year there are always questions from
participants about how to file their tax returns. Like regular employees, trainees and
interns are required to file a 2007 return with the IRS. This year, the
filing deadline is Trainees can do this one of two ways. They can either fill
out the paperwork themselves by downloading the proper form from the IRS
website, or they can use a paid service which specializes in helping J-1
trainees with their taxes. Here are instructions for each process: 1.
Filing a tax return directly with the IRS: First the participant should determine whether they are
considered a “Non-resident Alien” (Most are). A procedure for determining
whether an individual is considered a Non-resident alien is on page 20 of the
WISE® participant manual (page 27 in some editions.) If the participant is a non-resident alien (most are),
go to the IRS website here: www.irs.gov Click on “More forms and instructions” on the left-hand
side. Select "2007 Form 1040-NR-EZ" and "2007
Inst 1040-NR-EZ Instructions" Click "review selected forms" to download the
forms. Fill out this form and submit it with a copy of your
W-2 according to instructions Note that this
form will apply for most, but not all participants. Please read instructions
carefully. 2. Filing a tax return with a paid service: Contact Taxback.com at www.taxback.com/WISE® Remember that Taxback.com
charges a fee for this service. |
Trainees at a
Country Club in Evaluations - New initiative for collecting evaluations underway This year WISE® is rolling out a new initiative designed to achieve our goal of collecting 100% of participant and host site evaluation surveys. Over the coming months sites should expect to receive various reminders from WISE® to collect, complete and return to WISE® all evaluation surveys. Evaluations are an essential component of the training and internship program. They provide a format for WISE® to hear from participants and site managers about the program, and make improvements based on feedback. Evaluations are a requirement of the J-1 Visa! The US Department of State monitors J-1 Visa sponsors to make sure that they are complying with regulations. For this reason, it is essential that sites and participants return completed evaluations to WISE®. Please help WISE® achieve this goal by collecting, completing and returning all evaluation surveys! |
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The Foundation for Worldwide
International Student Exchange (WISE®) is a non-profit organization providing international
exchange opportunities to students, youth and adults. For
more information about the WISE® Internship and Training program or other
programs, contact WISE® at: WISE® Foundation 770-579-0257 Fax 770-579-0219 E-mail We’re on the Web! |
Combating Homesickness – the host company can help |
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By WISE® Team member Over the years I have had several opportunities to live in foreign countries. One of the elements of culture shock that I have experienced on each of these occasions is the perception that time seems to move very slowly. Perhaps this is due to the difficulty of operating in a second language. Maybe it’s because of the constant stimulation that comes with being in a new environment, or the slow sadness of homesickness. It might just be a byproduct of boredom, when time that is normally spent with family and friends is not replaced. Almost all trainees and interns experience feelings of homesickness which they express in various ways. In some cases the feelings of homesickness translate into depression. In extreme cases, this can negatively impact the success of the program itself, by affecting the participant’s ability to provide customer service, or changing the general attitude with which they approach their every day responsibilities. As I have worked with participants to address concerns, I have developed some ideas about how host companies may help trainees to combat feelings of homesickness: - Offer activities outside of the scheduled program Sites can offer optional activities outside of the training or internship program. These can be cultural outings to explore the local community, after hours parties, guest speakers, etc. One site I visited recently holds a monthly “Iron Chef” competition, where participants and employees compete for prizes by cooking dishes with limited ingredients. - Provide regular check-ins Sites should schedule brief meetings with participants once a month. Managers should inquire about how their program is going, tell participants what is scheduled next on the rotation cycle, and check in with participants on a personal level to ask how they are adapting to the culture. Assign a trainee or intern to interview staff and colleagues as well as participants that have been in the program for some time to identify community resources, activities, and events that the participants can join in. Have them report back to the group and provide a written resource for future participants to continue this exercise and build a valuable resource for participants to integrate into the community. - Diversify It is often tempting for sites to schedule participants of a single nationality together as a way to accommodate them. We have found that the effect is often the opposite and that this may actually slow down the cultural adjustment process. The faster that participants improve their confidence using English and experience the new culture, the more successful they can be in the program. Assuming it is consistent with business needs, limit the number of shifts that participants are with their fellow countrymen and promote the idea of a diverse team. Remember that WISE® is available to assist participants with cultural adjustment issues even if concerns are outside of a professional nature. Homesickness may be a reality but with support from the host company and WISE®, no trainee or intern should feel alone! |
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