The Program Directors are responsible for screening and orienting volunteers. They also have extensive information about the sites, local customs, housing arrangements, health conditions, and other pertinent information. While the HVO staff may help find the correct site, make logistical arrangements, and prepare the volunteers to teach, it is the Program Director and other returned volunteers who are the principal resources for clinically-oriented questions and concerns. The HVO staff in Washington, DC is responsible for supporting and recruiting for all programs. Staff in the Program Department work closely with potential volunteers to determine what site is most suitable given his or her interest and expertise.
Volunteers pay for transportation to and from a program site.
Many sites provide room, board, and daily transportation for volunteers once they arrive. Since HVO is registered as a nonprofit with the US Internal Revenue Service, most travel and living expenses and related costs incurred by a volunteer are a tax-deductible donation. Volunteers keep track of their expenses and, upon returning home, submit a Financial Contribution Form to HVO noting these expenses. HVO sends a letter of acknowledgement which, along with relevant receipts, can be used for income tax purposes. HVO volunteers, in their capacity as teachers rather than the primary providers of service, have not found liability insurance to be an issue.