They don't just keep your clients and team members safe, background checks are a requirement. Under the Serve America Act, the law requires national service programs to conduct for each grant-supported member or staff member:
In a national service environment, it is helpful to let recruits know about the history checks ahead of time, as this will discourage "red flag" prospects from following through on their applications.
While VISTA conducts checks on candidates, it is often the responsibility of AmeriCorps state and national programs to run checks on their recruits. For programs running sex offender, state, and national checks, it is important to know:
The process
The timeframe
What to expect and what you'll get
Things that can go wrong
A resource on conducting criminal history checks is available to download as a Word document. The resource covers the four items listed above.
A variety of free software tools are available online that can be used to connect members.
Social networking sites Social networking sites are online communities of people with similar interests. "Invite-only" groups can be created to limit access to members.
Discussion boards Discussion boards are online forums for discussing topics that allow readers to reply. Use to share ideas, problem-solve, and discuss specific issues. Restrict access with "invite-only" setting.
Click play to hear how Joyce Fosdick of Keystone SMILES AmeriCorps (Knox, PA) uses an online ticket system to track issues and share solutions with members across rural Pennsylvania.
Media ToolsA few of the many tools available to edit and store media files online.
Hopefully you've encouraged members to reflect on their service experience throughout the year in monthly, quarterly, or midyear evaluations; journals or portfolios; and training sessions. However, reflection is especially useful as the year draws to a close and members assess what it's meant to them.
Look at these resources for ideas on prompting reflection:
Click play to hear Laura Firtel of Notre Dame AmeriCorps (Apopka, FL) discuss how reflection can impact retention and encourage members to serve another term.
Stephen Harrell, program director of the Regional Service Corps (RSC) in Pasco, Washington, specifies in his sponsor-site agreements that the sites will do three performance reviews for members assigned to their locations. He spells out when those reviews should take place (basically every three months) and when the evaluations are due. An optional fourth evaluation can be scheduled, if needed.
See a sample evaluation form used by RSC, and a sample memo to host site supervisors. It helps site supervisors cover important elements like quality of work, output, and attitude. It also ensures that all members are judged on the same criteria.
A tip about scoring:
"When scoring performance, keep in mind that under typical working conditions, no more than 5 percent of employees receive scores of five (the highest rating)," says Harrell. "It is important to score candidly, and there is no harm in leaving room for growth."
Things you should remember about performance improvement plans:
They should be specific and clear.
They become the responsibility of both the supervisor and member, and are subject to timely review.
They have specific dates when the action(s) will be completed.
Marissa Mizer of AppalCORPS (Athens, OH) says that partners, especially those in higher education, may have the tools and expertise you need to get started. Tell them how you'd like to utilize technology in your program and see if they can help.
E-mail and Web sites are great tools for day-to-day operations. But social networking sites, message boards, and other technology-based tools can help you build your program and member capacity for the long term. Below, program directors offer tips for some of these easy-to-use and often free tools.
Click on each tool for more information on how programs use them to connect their members.
Social Networking Sites
Liz Carroll of Notre Dame Mission Volunteers - AmeriCorps (Baltimore, MD) uses a Facebook group to connect with her members, who are spread across the U.S. in 16 communities. According to Liz, the page helps:
Recruit new membersClick play to hear how Liz uses Facebook to recruit new members.
Allow potential members to chat with current members
Connect members to the program's big picture
Share photos, videos, and information
Keep alumni involved and informed
Advertise events, contests, deadlines, etc.
Discussion Boards
Marissa Mizer, AppalCORPS (Athens, OH), uses a discussion board to:
Prompt discussion on hot topics, such as citizenship
Poll members on subjects
Follow-up after trainingClick play to hear how Marissa uses discussion boards to build on trainings.
Allow members to connect and share ideas
For a list of free discussion board providers with reviews, visit Free Center.
Technology and Youth Programs
Podcasts, blogging, text messaging - these modes of communication are commonplace for most of today's teens and tweens. Click here for an in-depth look at youth and technology, and ideas for how your program can use technology to engage youth.
A members-only section of a program Web site provides a meeting place for members and site supervisors separated by distance. There, they can share successes, problem-solve together, and connect with others.
Rural Alaska Community Action Program (RurAL CAP in Anchorage, AK) has more than 100 full- and part-time AmeriCorps and VISTA members located in communities across Alaska. Ellen Kazary, program manager, suggests these tips for creating and using the Web to connect far-flung members and supervisors:
Get feedback on what members need
Piggy-back on your program's existing Web site to create an Intranet (a restricted section of the site that only those with permission may enter)
Give a purpose to each section, such as:
Success stories
Funding opportunities
Resources (Web sites, etc.)
Discussion board
Photos
Use the site to share information widely rather than via e-mail
Remember Internet access is not always reliable in remote locations
Don't rely exclusively on your site to communicate important information
Click play to hear Ellen Kazary describe why RurAL CAP developed its member site.
Although CNCS doesn't require VISTA programs to report on monthly progress, tracking members' accomplishments every 30 days makes it easier to compile an accurate Quarterly Progress Report. Other benefits include:
Providing data for funders
Keeping a closer watch on members
Helping members develop professionally
Encouraging members to reflect on accomplishments and next steps
Sustaining sites by providing information for future members
These two sample monthly report forms take a slightly different approach:
For program managers who supervise multiple sites, it's important to regularly communicate with the site supervisors. Be sure to:
Clearly outline your program's expectations
Encourage adherence to CNCS policies and procedures
Promote the need for member development
In the following scenario, you'll learn how an experienced program manager deals with common issues in a site supervisor meeting.
Click each topic to hear an audio clip demonstrating how the manager:
Sets the tone of the meeting
Deals with a question about learning opportunities for members
Clarifies the AmeriCorps member's role in a school tutoring program
Answers a question about the funding agreement between the program and the site
What are some of the strategies demonstrated in this scenario?
Know, and be able to explain, what your expectations are for the site and the member
Have written service descriptions, memos of understanding, and other documents that you can refer to in the conversation
Use key words such as "service" (versus "job"), match, local opportunity
Practice active listening: Restate the question, validate the concern, provide a solution
This scenario was contributed by Marissa Mizer (AppalCORPS, Athens, OH); Ronjanett Taylor (America Reads-Mississippi, Jackson, MS); Sam Costello (TWC Youth Service Corps, Silver City, NM); and Jo Jones (AmeriCorps OWC English Coaches Program, Niceville, FL).
Many programs follow an "intermediary" model: the sponsoring program provides national service members to other local organizations with expectations and responsibilities clearly spelled out in a memorandum of understanding. The benefits of such an arrangement include:
Opportunities to collaborate with other program directors or project managers
Cohesive, unified mission
Control over our recruiting "message"
Opportunities for professional development
Efficient use of resources
Interconnectedness with colleagues and the bigger picture
One of the cornerstones of effective relationships is effective communication. The place to start forging these communication links is during orientation, but sometimes the link can grow weak when members are scattered across multiple sites.
Here's how three veteran program directors deal with this challenge:
Kate Douton of Ocean State Environmental Education Collaborative (Providence, RI) has members at three sites. Because Rhode Island is such a small state, she's able to visit members and check-in at least once a week. She also sends out frequent e-mails. Click play to learn what the messages contain.
Addell Anderson of Michigan AmeriCorps Partnership (Detroit, MI) also makes heavy use of e-mail. She lets members know during orientation that they can phone or message her anytime. She often connects her weekly e-mails to journal prompts that are discussed in monthly meetings. Click play to hear more about this. For more on prompts, check out reflection topics in the EnCorps collection.
Lee Gault of Montana Conservation Corps (Bozeman, MT) has crews deep in the woods, at sites almost 1,000 miles apart. He relies on written communications and biweekly reports to keep up with what members are thinking and doing. Click play for Lee's comments on reaching members who are physically inaccessible. For more on reports, read the tips in the EnCorps collection.
These three supervisors also suggest:
Use paper or electronic newsletters to share what's going on and recognize members' efforts.
Use Internet tools like Google calendar to let people know about mandatory meetings and local events. (For more on using technology to connect members, check out these ideas in the EnCorps collection.)
Send birthday cards to members, to let them know you think of them as individuals.
The Ready to Learn Providence AmeriCorps program serves children, families, and child care providers in Providence, Rhode Island where many families speak Spanish (and other languages) in their homes. In their child care centers and schools, children are learning English, but parents are often uncomfortable or unable to talk with the teacher because of a language barrier. Having AmeriCorps members who can bridge that gap provides much needed support for the children, so that they are not the ones always translating for their parents.
The first step towards recruiting diverse members was to create and distribute bilingual recruitment materials. To do this they:
Reached out, in person, to the Spanish-language churches, the Spanish radio station and newspaper, and the Latino leadership program in their community
Created and distributed English and Spanish posters at partner sites, libraries, and grocery stores
In addition, trainings were conducted in Spanish and English during the second year of the program. Use of their native language created a more comfortable atmosphere for Spanish speakers to express their opinions in discussions.
After the first year of the program, word-of-mouth from the members spread the word to the Spanish-speaking community.
Laura Firtel of Notre Dame AmeriCorps in Apopka, FL also recruits bilinugal members. The program tutors and mentors children and youth, offers youth and adult education classes, and works with survivors of domestic violence.
Click the play button to hear her talk about the importance of personalizing bilingual pitches, and not just plastering a community with flyers.
Experienced AmeriCorps and VISTA staff agree: "To recruit an ethnically diverse team, it's important to learn about other cultures!"
Addell Anderson, Program Director of the Michigan AmeriCorps Partnership in Detroit, MI works with many cultures in her city. This program has grown to include at least eight graduate and undergraduate programs at the University of Michigan that annually serve nearly 40 diverse nonprofit organizations, primarily based in Detroit.
Click the play button to hear her talk about the importance of building relationships with members of different communities.
Part of learning about a culture is "getting" how it talks about volunteering. Not all languages have a word for "service," but most have a tradition of volunteering.
Khouan Rodriguez is the Project Director at the AmeriCorps ACCESS Project in Greensboro, North Carolina. ACCESS Project seeks to help refugees and immigrants gain better access to human services, build bridges with mainstream society, and become economically self-sufficient. For the 2007-08 service year, their 67 members represented 14 countries and spoke 14 different languages.
Click the play button to hear Rodriguez talk about how different cultures define volunteering.
Research is another way to learn about a new culture. Anderson's program serves a population that is one fifth Arab and Chaldean. After she realized that many of her staff and corps members were not familiar with these cultures (and made false assumptions about them), she did some research and put together a fact sheet on recruiting members from the Arab and Chaldean communities.
In some communities, it can take extra effort to recruit members from ethnic and cultural minority groups. However, building a multicultural corps increases the perspectives of your team and provides a model of diversity for the community.
Linda Burkholder, of the Youth Development Project at the Folsom Cordova Community Partnership in Rancho Cordova, CA, has created a multicultural VISTA team. Her program works to mobilize and integrate resources that enhance the education, health, and well being of the children and families in the community.
Click the play button to hear Burkholder talk about the benefits of having an ethnically diverse VISTA corps, and about how members can be leadership models for others in the community.
Making it on the living allowance is a challenge. Help members before they get in over their heads.
For starters, provide a realistic introduction to the living allowance before starting service. Learn how one program provides An Early Introduction to the Living Allowance. Some members can apply for food stamps as a way to supplement the stipend and gain experience with accessing assistance.
Early on, provide members with the basics of setting up a reasonable budget and sticking to it. See one program's guidance: Intro to Budgeting (PDF).
Create a tip sheet on saving money in your area. See tips assembled by other programs:
Help members struggling with debt. See strategies and resources adapted from a program's training:
Getting Out of Debt includes a step-by-step process for addressing financial problems with tips for dealing with creditors and staying positive. - (PDF)
The first few weeks are one of the toughest times for new members. During this period they are learning the ins and outs of your program, your community, and their assignment. At the same time, they are learning to live in a new environment and face new personal challenges.
Set members up for success with tools that will help them understand their roles and anticipate challenges before their service begins.
Use the following
Pre-Orientation Retreat is a pre-service assignment designed to prompt members to think about program-related topics before service begins.
Create a program handbook: Find tips for creating program handbooks and view sample handbook content on the Handbooks 101 page in the Supervise section.
"Because there's a long time between when we select AmeriCorps members and when they start their service, we plan to have contact with them at least once a month in the intervening time. Something as simple as an e-mail or a postcard can keep them engaged and get them excited about what's to come." --Bethany, Admission Possible, St. Paul, MN
Helping members make ends meet—Download tools and trainings to help members save money, develop a budget, and even get out of debt while living on the living allowance.
It is important to rank applicants, since many positions have multiple qualified candidates. There are several ways to do this, including ranking them numerically and having multiple people review materials.
As you develop an applicant selection process, consider the following:
Determine the criteria for the specific position (be sure to get these directly from the position description). What skills are necessary? What skills can be taught and which ones should the candidate already possess?
Consider how the candidate meets the established criteria for the position at each phase of the screening process.
When screening applicants, use all available information at your disposal: their application, interview, e-mail, phone and mail communications, and references.
Examine evaluation criteria and assign each a value to aid in making a decision.
You'll also want to develop a list of required documents needed from chosen applicants.
The following tools can be customized to fit your program:
The reference check is often the most misunderstood step in screening an applicant. Although the information obtained can be highly subjective, these tips from the field can help you gather useful data:
See the sample reference call sheet for ideas of what to ask and how to capture responses. While this particular sample contains some questions for a rural, environmental program, it can easily be customized for different programs.
Look at this set of reference questions that were developed by an urban site.
Use reference checks to look for information that would change—not validate—your decision.
Know (or ask for) the reference's position in the organization.
Refrain from directly describing the position; rather, identify critical skills, attitudes, and characteristics. For example, ask questions related to the candidate's social skills, ability to network, introverted or extroverted personality, and communication style.
Balance the conversation with open-ended questions. Direct questions provide specific information while open-ended ones may yield unexpected information.
Pay attention to what the reference is saying—note if he or she raises a red flag, avoids answering a question, or is vague. Probe deeper.
If a reference doesn't return repeated calls, ask the candidate to make the connection for you or request another reference.
Don't be afraid to follow up with a reference if you learn additional information and need clarification.
Although checking references doesn't always provide reliable information, you should always verify candidates' education and employment.
Interviewing strategies to help determine if candidates and programs are a good fit
Types of Interviews
The type of interview you choose will depend on your program needs, number and location of applicants, and the people in your program who need to participate in the process.
Phone Interviews Phone interviews are usually much shorter than in-person interviews and primarily offer you the chance to find out if applicants meet the minimum requirements for the position. They are also appropriate for out-of-area applicants. The phone interview gives applicants a chance to hear more about the position and decide if they are still interested. If the phone interview goes well and your position and the applicant are a good match, an individual or group interview may be the next step.
Individual Interviews In the individual interview, a single candidate is interviewed by one or more staff members. It's a good idea for candidates to interview with more than one person. This gives everyone who will be working together an opportunity to evaluate fit. It also gives candidates a balanced introduction to your program and the position. While it may be intimidating for a candidate to be interviewed by several people at once, this is the most time-efficient way to conduct an individual interview. Another option is to have candidates come back for multiple interviews with different people. This can be less intimidating, but can draw out the interview process and requires a larger time commitment from the applicant.
Group InterviewsGroup Interviews provide an opportunity to interview several candidates at the same time. It's important that the candidates have the same interview experience no matter who facilitates their group.
No matter which interview type you choose, these resources and sample interview questions will help you get the most out of each interview:
Pre-screen Applicants by Phone is a script for phone interviews that can help you reduce the number of face-to-face interviews
Interview Questions are a collection of tried-and-true interview questions organized by topic and purpose
Group Interviews is a "cheat sheet" for conducting group interviews
Phone Interview Checklist is a sample list to use during a phone interview to make sure candidates meet all the position requirements
Interviewing is just one step in the screening process to help you decide whether to accept or reject a potential member and where to place the individual. However, It's probably your best chance to get a true feel for the person and should count heavily in your decision.
Check out these sample questions and methods for getting the most out of each interview.
Assess abilities, interest, and commitment to choose the best candidates for your positions
Interviewing Applicants
Interviewing is just one step in screening an applicant. That said, the interview is probably your best chance to get a true feel for the person, and should count heavily in your decision. It's also a time for you to give applicants a clear picture of the position, so they can make an informed decision.
There are many types of interviews and interview questions. In this section, you will learn more about the essential steps in the interview process, types of interviews, and behavioral interviewing.
Your interview should follow this general process:
Introduce yourself, your program, and the position: Set a comfortable but professional tone for the interview, give the candidate an overview of the interview structure, and state the time limit
Gather information: Ask comprehensive, open-ended questions, beginning with broad questions and moving to more specific ones to draw out the information you need
Provide information: Discuss key elements of the position, including specific duties, expectations, on-the-job training, travel reimbursement, living on the stipend, housing opportunities, and benefits of the position
Close the interview: Let the candidate know where you are in the interviewing process and what the next steps will be
You can find more information about this process, plus helpful tips and sample interview questions, in the following resources:
Preparing for an Interview is a handout that can help supervisors reflect on their needs prior to interviewing
Interviewing Basics provides an overview of the interviewing process and many sample questions and criteria
Interview Guide is another helpful list of procedures to follow before, during, and after the interview
Interview Questions are a collection of tried-and-true interview questions organized by topic and purpose
Applicant Interview Form is a form that can be used during the interview to record answers and impressions
VISTA Interview Checklist is a list of topics to cover in the "providing information" section of the interview
Interview Process for Multi-Site Model is an example of a process for finding members where both the fiscal host and the service sites are involved in interviewing
You have recruited a crop of candidates for review. Now what?
Screening applicants is the process of first determining which applicants are qualified, and then narrowing the list to the ones who best suit your needs: the ones you want to interview. During this period, you will need to:
Follow up with applicants. Design a strategy to efficiently and thoroughly follow up with candidates.
Identify candidates to interview. If you haven't developed an applicant screening procedure, do it right away!
Refer applicants who don't suit your needs. Have a system in place to refer qualified candidates who may not best fit your program to other opportunities (e.g., AmeriCorps* State, Senior Corps, etc.)
Prepare for interviews. Have an effective interviewing process in place that allows thorough assessment of the candidate's abilities, interests, and commitment and which ensures interview questions and scenarios are legal and appropriate.
These tools can help you screen applicants:
VISTA Prescreening Form is a sample form used by a sponsor program to screen applicants who apply online
Collect Application Forms includes two examples of forms with program-specific questions to help gather useful information from candidates
Applicant Screening Form is an example of a process used by one program to evaluate candidates across a number of categories
CONNECT (Orange, CA) asks partner sites to recruit their own members. But, it provides a series of pre-screening meetings to give potential members an introduction to VISTA service, answer questions, and conduct interviews.
Click the play button to hear CONNECT's Kristi Piatkowski describe what happens at a pre-screening, which attracts from 10 to 25 applicants.
Piatkowski invites VISTA leaders and members to the pre-screening so they can provide an on-the-ground view of what VISTA life is like.
Click the play button for an explanation of what current VISTAs add to the session.
Since CONNECT started the pre-screenings, fewer than 10 percent of applicants have opted out of service. The sessions also are a huge timesaver for CONNECT.
Click the play button to hear Piatkowski explain the benefits.
Kristi Piatkowski of CONNECT (Orange, CA) knew she had to provide support when she turned recruitment over to the 36 VISTA sites in her First 5 Service Corps program.
To make the process less intimidating, Piatkowski developed a recruitment timetable that's part of a marketing toolkit for partner sites. Here's what the toolkit contains:
Click the play button to hear Piatkowski talk about how her program introduces the toolkit to the sites.
Click the play button to hear how this process has turned partner site staff into effective recruiters and resulted in more local applicants.
In addition to providing resources, CONNECT helps its partners by holding pre-screening sessions for applicants throughout the 10-week recruitment period.
To learn more about how these sessions are structured and the related resources, click here.
How one program works with partner sites to recruit members
Site Member Recruitment Process
Wisdom from the field:
"Agencies that do their own recruitment are more likely to secure AmeriCorps members for their agencies versus the ones that wait for referrals from our program." --Khouan Rodriguez, ACCESS Project (Greensboro, NC)
The AmeriCorps ACCESS Project at University of North Carolina Greensboro (Greensboro, NC) used this process in working with 30 site agencies in a dozen counties during 2007-08:
Agencies submit an application and proposed member service descriptions to the AmeriCorps program
AmeriCorps program director allocates member positions and approves service descriptions
Agencies recruit and identify prospective members
Agencies conduct initial interviews with eligible candidates
Agencies instruct prospective members to schedule an appointment with AmeriCorps staff to complete paperwork and final interviews
AmeriCorps program director approves the member site placements and offers positions to the selected members
Almost 90% of RurAL CAP's 59 VISTA and AmeriCorps members come from the rural and remote Alaska villages where they serve. These tribal members help their communities develop environmental protection, energy education, and wellness programs.
RurAL CAP puts recruitment in the hands of traditional hosts such as tribal and city councils, but they provide everything the sites need to do the job.
Click the play button to hear Ellen Kazary describe the resources sent to local contacts.
Attracting members from the late teens to 55 and over
Recruiting From a Wide Age Range
Since inclusion is a guiding principle of national service, it makes sense to seek members who represent various age groups in your community.
Recent High School Grads Offering service opportunities to young recruits, fresh out of high school, can be especially fruitful. Often, service programs can be more understanding and flexible than a traditional employer.
When working with recruits fresh out of high school, consider this advice from Notre Dame AmeriCorps (Apopka, FL):
In educational programs, place these members in structured settings, preferably working with children at least 4-5 years younger
Provide additional support in completing routine reporting such as timesheets, data collection, and progress reports
Offer counseling on work habits and topics such as appropriate professional dress
Family Service Corps AmeriCorps (Butler, PA) has members ranging from recent high school graduates to senior citizens. Director Karen Zapp says she recruits service recipients from partner sites as well as volunteers in those agencies.
Click the play button to hear more about attracting teen members.
College Students Many service programs draw their recruits from the ranks of college students.
The Iowa Campus Compact VISTA program distributes postcards at college fairs, in campus placement offices, and campus mail rooms.
Download a copy of the postcard that introduces VISTA, the specific program, and has room for potential candidates to provide contact information.
Enlist your local college's design program to create a postcard and/or brochure as a service-learning project. Consider producing materials in different languages and targeting different age groups.
Members 55 and Over
This tutorial on Recruiting and Engaging Older Members helps you identify where to find older members in your community and discusses why national service is such a good fit.
The opportunity for AmeriCorps members 55 and older to transfer their education award to a child, grandchild, or foster child may enhance your recruiting efforts (this benefit is not available to VISTAs). Recipients have ten years to use the award (a child must meet citizenship requirements for AmeriCorps).
Long used to demonstrate student progress in the arts, portfolios are increasingly used to showcase the work of national service programs.
Partners in Learning AmeriCorps at Clarke College (Dubuque, IA) requires members to complete a portfolio, due at their exit interviews. Members submit 5-10 pages of reflections, artifacts, and/or photos to document what they received from their service and how they've helped the children in their mentoring/tutoring programs.
Partners in Learning suggests this process for developing a portfolio:
Decide on the purpose (to share information about your project with community members; solicit support for your program; inform key stakeholders; serve as a final report)
Decide on criteria for collecting evidence (local or state outcomes; objectives and goals)
Gather information
Select the most appropriate examples (testimonials, evaluations, work samples) and use a variety of formats (text, audio, video, photos)
Organize and construct the portfolio
The completed portfolio should relate to the project's goals or objectives and should include:
Explanations or descriptions for each item
An evaluation of what worked well or did not work and how the program could be improved
Reflections on the member's experience and a summary supporting any findings
Partners in Learning members provide a one-page summary of their portfolio that is posted online. This summary and photos are shared with past, present, and future members.
Some steps in the recruitment and placement process
Engaging Members With Disabilities
Recruiting members with disabilities can be a powerful win-win arrangement. Such an individual can bring a unique perspective and life experience to your team. In return, service can boost the member's self-esteem, provide valuable experience, and (in some cases) supplement a Social Security disability payment. Service can also be the gateway to long-term employment for people who have had difficulty breaking into the job market because of their disabilities.
Marea Hunter of Parasol Tahoe Community Foundation AmeriCorps (Incline Village, NV) advises programs that want to attract members with disabilities to:
Be flexible and know up front what hours a disabled member may need to devote to therapy or medical appointments
Realize that transportation to and from sites can be an issue
Ask members (if they're willing) to share about their disabilities and the struggles they encounter
Consider establishing a mentor program, pairing new and old members
Other successful programs offer the following advice:
Identifying potential members: Often the best way to recruit members with disabilities is from agencies serving disabled clients. Some of these agencies may already be partner sites.
Click the play button to hear how Karen Zapp, director of Family Service Corps/AmeriCorps (Butler, PA), approaches sites.
Once these members are on board, you'll find that they are a great resource for recruiting additional individuals with disabilities from among their circle of friends and contacts.
Interviewing potential members: It's important to remember that disabilities are visible and invisible; disclosed and nondisclosed; diagnosed and nondiagnosed. Zapp, stresses that you need to treat everyone with respect and resist making assumptions. When interviewing candidates, Zapp always asks if they need an accommodation.
Click the play button to learn how she frames the question in a nonjudgmental way.
Placing members with disabilities: Making sure your workplace is accessible can be beneficial not only to members with physical handicaps, but to everyone. Sam Castello, of TWC Youth Service Corps (Silver City, NM), says "universal design" elements are important in both the environment and in how positions are structured.
Both Castello and Zapp find that Corps members benefit greatly from serving in a diverse team and often need little, if any, coaching in how to interact with the disabled member. However, you may need to pave the way with staff at partner sites.
Click the play button to see how Zapp approaches this issue.
Service recipients are often motivated to "give back" and may also benefit greatly from the support available through the coaching and leadership of a national service program.
Peggy Friedenberg of Virginia Community Corps (Richmond, VA) has a number of members who are "TANF" (Temporary Aid to Needy Families) recipients and clients of her Corps' partner sites.
Click the play button to hear how she recruits these members.
Members will often refer other service recipients who are friends, relatives, or people they've come in contact with through public assistance programs.
If you recruit from this population, you may find it helpful to build basic job training into your member development. Click the play button to hear Friedenberg explain why.
Vicki Ginda, director of AmeriCorps Polk Reads (Bartow, FL), recruits parents and caregivers of the children served in her tutoring program, as well as older students in a special education program.
Like Friedenberg, she finds that these members are able to add an insider perspective and help other program staff see service recipients in a new light.
Click the play button to learn how everyone benefited when she created a job share position for a young man who received special education services.
Encouraging members to sign up for another term has a number of advantages. These experienced members:
Serve as a bridge of continuity for the program
Are able to mentor first-term members
Can help plan orientation, emphasizing the information that's stayed with them during their service term
Become a resource in recruitment efforts
Be aware that a participant is only eligible to serve a subsequent term of service if he or she received a satisfactory performance review for any previous term of service in an approved AmeriCorps position.
Recruiting Members to Serve a Second Term Marea Hunter, director of the Parasol Tahoe Community Foundation AmeriCorps (Incline Village, NV), says recruiting second-term members often is as simple as letting them know it's a viable option.
Notre Dame Mission Volunteers-AmeriCorps (Baltimore, MD) sends letters (in mid-March) to members recommended by site supervisors, asking them to join again and also thanking them for their service.
They also have a panel of second-term members present at their annual midterm conference. The panel allows second-term members to openly discuss what they have gained and how they have grown in their second term. It is very inspiring for current members to hear advice from their peers on the benefits of staying for a second term as well as a great way to recognize the people who've stayed.
Placing Second-Term Members The Parasol Tahoe Community Foundation AmeriCorps (Incline Village, NV) finds that second-term members do well when they're given new assignments, rather than continuing with the same work.
Click the play button to learn more about this practice.
Firtel recommends building reflection on service into monthly meetings, so members are aware of the impact they're having emotionally, socially, and intellectually. When they realize all they've accomplished, "it's hard [for them] to turn
down a second term."
Members apply for food stamps BEFORE Pre-Service Orientation
An Early Introduction to the Living Allowance
If VISTA applicants have a realistic idea of what it's like to survive on the living allowance, there's a greater chance they'll stick with the program. Dustin Speakman of The Ohio Benefit Bank (Columbus, OH) encourages new recruits to apply for food stamps, if appropriate.
Members see how food stamps may help them stretch their stipend
First, Speakman gives new members a Sample VISTA Monthly Budget with and without food stamps. He explains that applying for food stamps before PSO can increase the amount of their total benefit.
Click the play button to hear Speakman describe how this process gives new members insights into their clients and their VISTA service.
Members reflect on their experience applying for assistance
Members fill out a survey about applying for food stamps. At their first meeting after PSO, they talk about what they experienced. Click the play button to hear Speakman discuss what a typical debriefing reveals.
"Sell service first, benefits second [when recruiting new members]. Remember that VISTA is not a job but a service opportunity. Ensure that candidates have an understanding that they'll be part of AmeriCorps*VISTA and not an employee of your organization." --Emily Kubiszewski, American Red Cross of Indianapolis (IN)
A good way to "recruit for retention" is to recognize red flags when screening applicants. If they're looking for a "job" rather than a unique service opportunity, they may quit as soon as a better "paying" opportunity comes along.
Emily Kubiszewski, VISTAs for American Red Cross of Indianapolis, says she doesn't recruit at unemployment offices or job fairs because "a majority of attendees want a far more lucrative opportunity." Instead, she targets university service and career fairs.
Linda Burkholder, Folsom Cordova (CA) Family Support Services, says she looks at the applicant's motivation during screening. Press the play button to hear why she thinks this is the most important factor.
Coleman Smith, Rocky Mountain Youth Corps (Steamboat Springs, CO), also focuses on motivation in interviews. Check out this list of screening questions, which can be adapted for your program.
Sometimes it's better to avoid using words like capacity building and sustainability that can be somewhat intimidating. Try to break down the assignment with concrete examples and phrases like program coordination and resource development.
One issue VISTA supervisors face is helping people understand how capacity building differs from direct service. Knowing how "hands on" the job is could affect an applicant's decision to serve. It also may impact whether a new member successfully carries out the VISTA mission over the long term.
Kristi Piatkowski of CONNECT(Orange, CA) has both VISTAs and AmeriCorps members in her First 5 programs. She tries to determine if an applicant will be a better fit for one program or the other.
Click the play button to hear her remarks.
Rebecca Tedford of the Louisiana AmeriCorps*VISTA Program (Baton Rouge, LA) often uses a playground example to explain how direct service and capacity building differ.
Click the play button to hear her description.
This description also comes in handy when recruiting partner sites. For more on that topic, go to the Working with Host Sites section of Supervision.
One way to help applicants understand what service is all about is to let them go straight "to the source." Several programs incorporate member testimonials on their Web sites.
See how applicants can find out exactly what they'll earn as a VISTA in the Terms, Benefits, and Conditions section of the Montana Legal Services Association VISTA program (Helena, MT) Web site.
Ask a few key members of your team if they'd be willing to talk with interested applicants about their own experience. Share contact information, when appropriate. Be sure members know they should only talk about their experience—questions about stipends, placements, and other programmatic topics should be handled by project staff.
When Sandra Hansen recruits members for her multi-site VISTA program, she helps applicants understand how all parts of the program fit together. Hansen gives them a 3-page document about the Iowa Campus Compact that describes:
What the umbrella organization does
What VISTA is and how it works with her program
What VISTA living allowance and benefits are
What VISTA members do in each of her 8 sites
Having all the facts in one handy place saves time, makes the program more transparent, and opens up conversations. "It allows members to have a better picture of what they are getting involved in and make informed decisions so that we retain them for the entire year," says Hansen.
Seasoned program directors offer these tips about responding to applicants:
Send the applicant a response within 24 hours of receiving an application or inquiry
When applicants call, answer their questions fully and make them feel you'll give them all the time they need—after all, they're considering a big decision
Give them info that tells them what your mission is and what their role would be
Send applicants an assignment description that details responsibilities and needed skills
Ask current team members to review the applicant materials to see if they cover what they would have wanted to know
Click the play button to hear seasoned program leaders talk about:
Why retention matters to the member—Ellen Kazary of RurAL CAP VISTA (Anchorage, AK) explains that service lays the ground work for an entire career.
Why retention matters to the community—Linda Burkholder, of Folsom Cordova (CA) Community Partnership believes retention is more about retaining a lifelong desire to service.
Target your audience to attract members best suited for your mission
Advertise and Market Your Position
Once you know who you are looking for, you can target your advertising and marketing efforts to reach the most qualified and diverse applicants. Keep the following tips in mind:
Determine target populations. Identify potential populations for the types of members you want. Along with target populations you identify, note that the Serve America Act calls for expanding service opportunities for veterans, disadvantaged youth, college students, retirees, and individuals over 55 years of age as well as continued service of national service alums.
Research communication channels. There are many ways to communicate your opportunities to potential applicants—choose strategies and media used by your target populations.
Use your partners. Identify individuals, organizations and networks that can reach out to your target populations.
Don't limit yourself. Develop varied recruitment tools and introduce them over time to build momentum.
Look for opportunities to increase diversity. Working with people from different cultural, ethnic, educational, and socio-economic backgrounds is one of the most important aspects of service. Look for ways to increase diversity to make a richer team for everyone.
Make retention a recruiting goal. Understanding the vital connection between how you recruit and the experience your members will have helps
you recruit members who embrace service for the duration of the position and beyond.
The following pages include information and tools to help you advertise and market your position:
Recruiting for diversity—Learn strategies and gain tips for increasing the diversity of your team.
Choosing outreach channels—Discover outreach channels and download tools and resources to help you use members to help you recruit, recruit online, recruit at community events, and many, many more.
Creating marketing materials—Gain tips for creating marketing materials, and download sample posters, flyers, press releases and more.
Understanding what you expect your members to be able to do and what they will get out of the position will help you find and evaluate candidates.
Start by identifying:
The number of members needed
The role of each member
Service dates for each member
The skills, knowledge, attitudes and aptitudes needed for each position
The opportunities and benefits a member will get through the assignment
Then use this information to create a position description that clearly identifies the tasks and responsibilities of the member. For VISTA programs, this is called the VISTA Assignment Description (VAD).
Basic requirements
As you're planning your recruitment effort, keep in mind these basic member requirements for your program.
AmeriCorps
VISTA
• Members must be at least 18 years old. (Some programs allow 17-year-olds to serve, with parental permission, or 16-year-olds if they are out of school and participating in a youth corps program.)
• VISTA members generally serve full-time for 12 months. Members must be at least 18 years old.
• Members must be U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents. Members must have a high school diploma/GED or be willing to earn one while serving. A high school diploma is required for all members serving as tutors.
• Members must be U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents. Some programs require VISTAs to have college degrees or at least three years work experience.
• Most AmeriCorps programs require members to serve a minimum number of hours (commonly 1,700 for a full-time member), participate in trainings and service projects, and successfully complete their term to be eligible for an education award.
• Members generally serve full-time for 12 months. Because they must be available to their communities regardless of regular work hours, VISTA members are also prohibited from accepting outside employment. All
VISTAs attend a Pre-Service Orientation prior to enrolling, and must successfully complete their service terms to be eligible for an education award or stipend. All VISTAs must also be fingerprinted and complete a criminal history background check.
For new members, programs must conduct 1. National Sex Offender Registry check, and
2. Either a state criminal records check or FBI fingerprint check. (After October 2011, members with recurring access to children or the elderly will need all three checks.)
For new members, programs must conduct 1. National Sex Offender Registry check, and
2. Either a state criminal records check or FBI fingerprint check. (After October 2011, members with recurring access to children or the elderly will need all three checks.)
Click here for a sample of one AmeriCorps program's placement requirements and recommendations.
For new members, programs must conduct 1. National Sex Offender Registry check, and 2. Either a state criminal records check or FBI fingerprint check. (After October 2011, members with recurring access to children or the elderly will need all three checks.)
For new members, programs must conduct 1. National Sex Offender Registry check, and 2. Either a state criminal records check or FBI fingerprint check. (After October 2011, members with recurring access to children or the elderly will need all three checks.)
Build in time to develop and document the processes you will use to identify the best candidates—before you market your position.
Application acceptance process—Gather the materials required to complete an application and set up processing procedures and deadlines.
Interviewing process—Schedule times for screening applications, conducting interviews, and checking references. Create forms to document these activities to keep in applicants' files.
Selection strategy—Decide the criteria for accepting a candidate, who will make the final decisions, and if there are any other people (staff or project partners) who need to have input on the final decision. Make sure you build in time to check references.
You can learn more about handling applications, interviewing and member selection in the Screen and Interview Applicants section of Recruitment and Placement.
It can be difficult to set aside the time needed for recruitment. A timeline can help you establish outreach windows, application deadlines, interview times, and clear targets for staff members.
When creating your timeline, consider these tips:
Move backward from the date your program starts.
If other staff or project sponsors are involved, make sure to coordinate schedules.
Read through the rest of this Recruitment and Placement section to understand all the tasks involved and the amount of time you will need to perform them. Important tasks include:
Writing a position description
Creating an outreach plan
Establishing processes for handling applications, interviewing candidates and selecting and placing new members
Developing a welcome letter and program manual
Establish processes for conducting required criminal history and background checks
Allow enough time for successful applicants to give two weeks' notice to their current employer.
After you have filled all your positions, create a waiting list. Cancellations happen frequently, and a back-up plan is critical.
Be prepared for unexpected issues and the time it will take to resolve them.
Use the following samples to help create your recruitment timeline:
Can you explain what your program does in the 30 to 40 seconds it takes to get from the first floor to the top floor on an elevator? So-called "elevator speeches" are one way to focus on the core messages of:
What your organization does
How it does it
Who it helps
During orientation, have your members collaboratively develop and practice an elevator speech so they can confidently present themselves and their work to the public.
Click the play button to see a role play of one such speech.
Now get specific. Lisa Keyne, North Carolina Campus Compact (Elon, NC) prints "quick facts" about her program on business cards that are given to new members. That way, everyone's message about the organization is consistent, and it's always close at hand.
Ben Nowell, a VISTA trainer from New York, helps members put together elevator speeches at their pre-service orientation. He encourages members to focus on their specific site in order to build resources for their local community program. Ben encourages members to end with an "ask" to see if the community member is willing to volunteer or support the organization in another way.
Here is a sample dialogue between a community member and a VISTA:
Q. What do you do? A. I run a Youth Employment Program that helps kids ages 16-21 find meaningful jobs.
Q. How do you do that? A. We match motivated young people with employers who have appropriate jobs. Research shows that young adults who are employed at least part- time are more engaged in their community and more likely to succeed.
Q. Tell me more! A. We are always looking for motivated young people to join the program and for employers who might hire them.
Notre Dame AmeriCorps (Apopka, FL) engages members in creating a Wall of History during orientation and then revisits the activity at different times. It is a tool for reflection, as well as a way to build esprit de corps.
Click to see the next photo.
Materials
For this activity, you'll need a long strip of butcher paper, markers, and magazines that can be cut up. Draw a timeline on the paper and establish four sections to address:
How did you get here?
What are your hopes and dreams?
What's happening now?
Where are you going next?
At Orientation
Through written remarks and collage, ask members to reflect on the past few years of their life and what influenced their decision to serve. Then facilitate a discussion on what members contributed to the wall.
Click the play button to hear Notre Dame AmeriCorps director Laura Firtel explain why she starts the service term with this activity.
After members have discussed their personal histories, Firtel asks them to add their hopes and dreams to the wall. A group discussion follows. Then, Firtel tells the group they'll see the wall again, but she doesn't explain when or why.
At Midterm
Halfway through the service term, Firtel brings out the wall again. Members are asked to add reflections to the portion of the wall that focuses on "What's happening now?"
Click the play button to hear why the timing may be tied to a particular event.
The wall makes its last appearance during a two-day retreat at the close of the service term. Firtel asks members to look back and reflect on whether their expectations were met, how their dreams may have changed, and what their future holds.
Click the play button for Firtel's end-of-term questions
A set of orientation activities, focused on local concerns
An Introduction to Community History and Current Issues
Hands On Gulf Coast AmeriCorps*State (Biloxi, MS) uses a combination of presentations, film, and an interactive scavenger hunt to introduce members to the three communities served by the program.
Elements of the orientation include:
News coverage of the area during and after Hurricane Katrina to provide members with context
Clips of the "Guiding Light" soap opera cast members, who performed one week of service with the program
Talks by service partners to make members aware of community resources and opportunities for collaboration
A photo scavenger hunt that gives a geographic and historical orientation to the new community
Click the play button to hear Caitlin Brooking explain how she uses community members to strengthen the Hands On Gulf Coast orientation.
Orientation Tools That Blend History, Geography, and Issues
Giving members an overview of the community can be accomplished through a hand-out, a single activity, or a series of interwoven trainings. Explore each of those approaches in these resources and practices:
City Resource Guide–A thorough background paper on one community's history and demographics
VISTAs who join Communities in Action in remote Eastern Montana come from all over the United States. As part of orientation, the program does a county tour. VISTAs are paired up to research each town on the tour. They then act as guides for the rest of the group when everyone arrives at that location.
Communities in Action (Sidney, MT) has a variety of strategies for introducing new members to "everyday" folks in the community and vice versa.
They have VISTAs volunteer at the county fair, driving golf cart shuttles from the parking lot to the fairgrounds. And, they organize "windshield surveys" where members drive around town with residents to learn about the community and get a different perspective on local issues.
Click the play button to hear Beth Cook explain how this works.
Cook also sends profiles and photos of new members to the local newspaper, so the community sees that bright, committed young people are willing to relocate and serve in their remote town.
Click the play button to learn the benefits of this practice.
"VISTA service is an adventure, not a job. Having the scavenger hunt as part of the on-site orientation reinforces this idea for the VISTAs and their supervisor." --Linda Burkholder, Folsom Cordova Community Partnership (Rancho Cordova, CA)
New members of the Folsom Cordova Community Partnership VISTA Youth Development Project (Rancho Cordova, CA) search out local sites, information, and people in a scavenger hunt developed by former VISTAs. Activities include locating at least three ethnic restaurants, interviewing at least 10 youth about their favorite hobbies, and visiting a series of local landmarks.
Consider constructing your own scavenger hunts with different themes:
Low-cost social outings
Resources for people in poverty
Public transportation
Add a debriefing session after the activity.
Communities in Action (Sidney, MT) takes a more whimsical approach to their scavenger hunt. They ask new VISTAs to snap their picture in different locations, doing different activities with various community members.
Click the play button to hear Beth Cook explain this activity.
Even if members are locally recruited, chances are they can still discover new and different things about their community through organized activities.
CONNECT uses its own version of the Life Game to help new VISTAs in the First 5 Service Corps (Orange, CA) understand local program benefits and policies introduced during their national pre-service orientation. The game also goes over some of the budgetary challenges of being a VISTA.
Kristi Piatkowski says it's a "fun, interactive way to review policies, procedures, and program structure without a lecture." Game pieces are easy to customize to specific programs.
Download directions, suggested questions, and a facilitator's guide that suggests ways to build discussions into the game.
According to Piatkowski, the winner is the player with the most experience points, who is not in debt. "Afterall, VISTA is about the experience, not the money," she says.
For more resources on helping members live on the living allowance, check out the VISTA campus and the book club page in the Train section of EnCorps.
New members are bound to have lots of questions about their sites, including some you probably didn't think of. To assist members in identifying those questions, one program uses a brainstorming activity.
Another program requires its members to conduct an initial assessment of their site. "We feel the VISTA will have a better understanding of the dynamics of their site and its role in the community if they find the information themselves, rather than just being told," says Beth Cook, Communities in Action (Sidney, MT).
While PSO does a thorough job of introducing new members to national service and their roles, some programs like to pave the way.
If you plan to organize a "Pre-PSO," be aware of CNCS policies that may affect reimbursement.
Volunteers of America, Dakotas (Sioux Falls, SD) hosts a one-day training before recruits leave for orientation in Chicago. Local recruits meet in person, while national recruits get a condensed version by phone and mailed materials.
"We discuss everything from a more detailed version of 'What is a VISTA?' to individual work plans, to different things that may happen throughout the year," says Morgan VonHaden. The session helps answer questions, alleviate worries, and set the context for material learned at PSO.
The Ohio Benefit Bank AmeriCorps*VISTA program (Columbus, OH) gives new members a program handbook BEFORE they go to PSO. It outlines core CNCS policies as well as those specific to the Benefit Bank. Find tips for creating program handbooks and view sample handbook content on the Handbooks 101 page in the Supervise section.
One way to orient new members to a host site is to arrange for the member to interview the site's board members. Such interviews help new members learn about the program, make important connections to community leaders, and introduce themselves to important stakeholders.
Click the play button to see a video sample of one such interview session.
Here are some questions that a new member might want to include in an interview:
What is the board member's profession and what community activities does he or she participate in?
What are the individual's board duties and greatest program challenges?
What are some recommendations for things to see, people to meet, and organizations to join in the community?
Will the board member provide a list of community contacts?
What words of wisdom does the board member have for the new VISTA or AmeriCorps member?
Is there anything the board member would like to know about AmeriCorps or VISTA service?
Another strategy is to have the member make a presentation to the host site board. The Montana Legal Services Association VISTA project includes a clause in its "MOU" (memo of understanding) that requires the partner site to arrange a presentation and other promotional opportunities at least once a quarter.
"We learned over time that it's important for outgoing VISTA members to leave a record of their service for those who follow them. One message is there's no greater satisfaction than helping people help themselves."–Jane Larsen, UCAN VISTA (Roseburg, OR)
The experiences of former members can help inspire and encourage the people who take their place. Some programs ask departing members to write letters to their replacements, which are read at orientation.
Click the play button to hear one example, composed by Morgan Von Haden, Volunteers of America, Dakotas (Sioux Falls, SD) and read by Jane Larsen, UCAN VISTA Coalition (Roseburg, OR).
Larsen has her exiting members write a summary of their service during the year to orient the new member and make the job seem less overwhelming. The report becomes part of a complete "exit binder."
Understand your strengths and weaknesses to become a better coach
Critical Coaching Areas
People coach and mentor in different ways, but those who distinguish
themselves as model supervisors consistently demonstrate an ability to
help members achieve success in four critical areas:
Implementing the member assignment How do you help your member understand what he or she is supposed to do and how to do it?
Anticipating and addressing member needs How do you consider members' needs not just at the beginning, but in month six when their enthusiasm dips, and at the end, when they leave?
Becoming an effective supervisor/member team What are the conversations that you need to have with your member to establish a sense of teamwork?
Inspiring a life of service What additional training might the members need that you can't provide? What can you do to inspire in members a life of service?
Of these four critical coaching areas, where are your strengths? Where
are your weaknesses? Use this self-assessment form to find out areas where you need more development.
This is training material was developed by Education Northwest/Bank Street College to support a
day-long introduction to team-building concepts. Implemented initially
with VISTA members in inservice training, these materials may be useful
for staff or leaders seeking to build skills and knowledge in groups of
AmeriCorps and VISTA members who will be working in group environments.
Key topics include:
Use the field's best practices to create your member trainings
Designing Effective Training
Member training and development is a unique benefit of joining AmeriCorps and a goal of national service. The resources and information in this section will help you get the most out of your training and development activities, whether you are developing new training or adapting
existing training and development to suit your needs.
Developing a Training Calendar – See how other programs incorporate training into the service term and download sample calendars.
Designing
Training for Adult Learners – Learn about effective learning outcomes, different learning styles, and how to plan and conduct a learning session for adults.
Using
Games to Foster Teamwork – Learn how to use games to foster teamwork
and download examples of games to use as-is or to customize for your group.
Using
Reflection Activities – Learn how to help members put their service
experiences in context and apply new insights to future experiences;
this section includes a number of useful reflection activities.
Katherine: I thought that might be the case. Let's think about how we can meet your goals, which are capacity building and still give you people time. Because working in the food bank is direct service and although it's okay for you to go there some days, it is really not part of your role as a VISTA. By the end of the first three months we want to see you out in the community more and in the food bank less.
Arlene: Will I expand the net of people I work with?
Katherine: That's the idea. Let's do some brainstorming together about how you can use your people skills and work with people, but not necessarily our clients.
Arlene: Well, if we need volunteers, I could put together some informational meetings about what we do. Or maybe put up a booth at the Farmer's Market.
Katherine: Those are great ideas. Where else could you advertise about our work?
Arlene: Well, in the library, in supermarkets, maybe even in schools. (Arlene starts to get excited.) I know someone who works in the children's book section at the bookstore downtown and the secretary at the high school.
Good choice! This supervisor is encouraging and guides Arlene to make a plan. Especially in the beginning of their term of service, members may need help defining the steps needed to implement their VAD.
This supervisor continues to tell Arlene what to do. It is important to listen to members and validate their skills and networks. Take a look at the other responses and see if you can find one that guides more than dictates.
Close. This supervisor is encouraging, but is not following the conversation through to its end. Especially in the beginning of their term of service, members may need help defining the steps needed to implement their VAD. This means sticking with them as they do that. Take a look at the other responses and see if you can find one that coaches more actively.
For additional team tools, visit Teampedia, a collaborative encyclopedia of team building activities, icebreakers, teamwork resources, and tools for teams that anyone can edit.
Group engagement and effective facilitation strategies help keep participants engaged in meetings and training events. Try these strategies with staff, community participants, and members to enhance participation.
AmeriCorps programs and VISTA programs have different requirements for their orientations. VISTA programs need to submit their agendas to their State Office before their members go to PSO. The AmeriCorps requirements are more open.
Click on the linked logos below to see the guidelines for each program.
AmeriCorps and VISTA programs have different requirements for their orientations. VISTA programs need to submit Onsite Orientation and Training (OSOT) agendas to their State Office before new members go to their Pre-Service Orientation (PSO). The AmeriCorps requirements are more open.
Click on the linked logos below to see sample agendas for each program.
Recruiting and managing community volunteers is a priority for all
AmeriCorps and VISTA programs. Use these resources to help your members
be most effective.
Consider sending new members a "welcome packet" even before their orientation. Family-School-Community Partnerships (Madison, WI) mails a packet to members about a month before PSO. "It gives our members a way to prepare for the coming year and a list of contacts and resources. It also ensures that we communicate a consistent message and welcome to all members," says Jane Grinde.
Download their packet—which you'll want to customize with your own program information. It tells VISTAs:
What's expected of them
What PSO will be like
What benefits they'll receive
What their position entails
Who the partner organizations are
In another program, the Schools of Hope project (Madison, WI) gives incoming members a list of coordinating team leaders that outlines responsibilities and includes contact information. "Our project co-directors represent our collaborating partners (the school district and a local nonprofit), so the list is useful to sort out areas of oversight and help members know who to approach for assistance," says Program Director Karen Dischler.
Many programs include a tear-off signature page that makes the handbook a contract as well. Also, putting the pages in a tabbed binder makes it easier to update and to find specific sections.
A thorough program handbook lays out all the key information a member or site supervisor needs to know. It answers questions, serves as a handy reference, and can protect you from situations where people say, "I didn't know I was (or wasn't) supposed to do that."
As one program recommends, think of it as a "living reference" that requires regular updating. Be sure to stay current with CNCS policies and regulations to make certain your program is in compliance. Please note the resources below are samples and may require updating as new information becomes available from CNCS. Contact your CNCS program officer with any questions you may have.
Here are some things you'll want to consider when preparing your handbook:
It's easier to access information when it's organized under headings in alphabetical order.
Make sure you put the handbook online, as well as providing hard copies.
In the footer, list the month and year when the handbook was last revised.
Revise the table of contents when the document changes.
Identify the project name on each page.
Check out these samples to help you think about the contents of your handbook:
Sample table of contents
Sample 1: Serves as a handbook for both VISTA members and site supervisors to ensure both have the same information about expectations, policies and other important topics.
Sample 2: Includes sections on member benefits, graduation requirements, grievance process, reporting requirements, and training opportunities.
Sample 3: Identifies numerous forms and resources this AmeriCorps*State program provides its members.
Sample 4: Features volunteer coordination and management resources and a "Tips & Resources" section for members as well as identifies resources to consider including for school-based programs.
Sample handbook
Click here to view one program's handbook for 2009-2010
For VISTA, all projects must draft a Project Plan and a VISTA Assignment Description (VAD) before they can get a member. Project plans & VADs are used first as planning tools to think through what members will do. Later, they serve as performance measurement tools, so you can look back and see what the member has accomplished.
For AmeriCorps, all projects must draft a Project Plan before they can get a member. Project Plans & VADs are used as planning tools to think through what members will do. They also become performance measurement tools. For an example of a service project proposal, click here.
Detailed information on developing a project plan is provided by Project
Star. Their Web site has Performance Measurement Toolkits for both AmeriCorps State/National and VISTA programs.
Paperwork is a necessary, but sometimes overwhelming, part of a supervisor's job. In the know managers make use of checklists and other tools for organization.
RARE (Resource Assistance to Rural Environments) of Eugene, Oregon, uses a simple checklist to track documents needed for members' files. It includes a timeline and can be easily adapted. Click here to check it out.
PCC's AmeriCorps program (Oak Park, IL) uses special folders, together with a well-thought-out process for organizing member materials. Their member folders are divided into six sections that follow the categories in the AmeriCorps program director's manual. Click here to read more about their process.
The Peace Corps Fellows Program (Macomb, IL) has a member file checklist that's stapled in the front of each member's folder. Items are listed in the order that an AmeriCorps program officer follows when doing a review. "It keeps us organized and ready for site visits from our program officers or auditors," says Program Director Karen Mauldin-Curtis.
The Schools of Hope project (Madison, WI) uses a different kind of checklist so VISTAs document their work before transitioning out of service. "We've found that this document captures the wide range of detail oversight necessary to successfully wrap up the VISTA term of service and ensure smooth transitions for all concerned," according to Program Director Karen Dischler.
Timesheets can do more than track the number of hours for which a member will be paid. Consider making your form a record of how time was spent and/or a way to report progress.
Inevitably, members will ask for time away. Having a process and policies in place will help you handle these requests consistently, especially if you have multiple sites.
Review this scenario to see how one supervisor coaches a VISTA in her assignment. There are three interactions for you to explore. At the end of each interaction, you will be prompted to make a decision about a coaching challenge.
The interactions takes place at the Butte County Bread Basket, a nonprofit food bank serving a rural, low-income county in Northern California. The VISTA is to design marketing plans for recruiting volunteers. Volunteers are needed to drive food donations to shut-ins and isolated families. The VISTA is also supposed to solicit donations of fresh food from local farms.
Arlene, a new VISTA, is a local recruit with organizational skills from her work as an administrative assistant and part-time school secretary. She is socially connected, knows almost everyone in town and is related to quite a few. She was also a volunteer at the Butte County Bread Basket before her service term.
Katherine, the supervisor, is a fifty-something marketing director for the Butte County Bread Basket. She left a career in public relations and moved to Butte County five years ago when her husband accepted a job in the area. This is her first year as a VISTA supervisor.
Background: Arlene sees her VISTA service as a way help her friends and community. Katherine sees the value of Arlene's "social capital" and hopes to use it to build networks in the community that she has a harder time doing as an outsider. However, while Arlene dutifully completes all work assigned, she does not take the initiative in identifying and taking on tasks that will help move her project forward and she spends a lot of time in the food bank. As a result, Katherine has to be a little more hands-on in supervising Arlene than she thought she would need to be.
Even though supervisor orientation covers a lot of the bases, you're likely to face unanticipated situations and challenges.
EnCorps asked some seasoned supervisors what they wish they had known going into the job:
"Being a sup takes a lot of time and, if that's not your main job, you have to make sure you carve time into your schedule to deal with it. Keep that time sacrosanct: Don't let other kinds of meetings intervene." —Patricia Rivera, Chicago Public Schools Homeless Education, Chicago, IL
"I wish someone told me how important informal supervision is. Because I'm not there [with my members] everyday, it's important that I sometimes say, 'Let's get a cup of coffee or go for a walk.' I almost get more out of those sessions than the formal ones." —Melissa Burwell, Minnesota Alliance With Youth Promise Fellows, Minneapolis, MN
"It's so much about building relationships. It's not just the time, but the emotional investment. I didn't realize [at first] how much supervising would be about establishing and maintaining communications. The flip side of that is you also have to set boundaries. Don't be so available that people take advantage and you aren't able to do some of the other work you need to get done." —Karen Mauldin-Curtis, Peace Corps Fellows Program, Macomb, IL
One program—America Reads-Mississippi (Jackson, MS)—gathered advice from supervisors, team leaders, and members into a booklet "so others don't
have to learn lessons the hard way." The book, "If I Knew Then, What I Know Now", covers topics such as:
One Thing I Wish Someone Had Told Me Early On…
Here's the Best Advice I Can Give You
It Took Me Awhile to Figure Out…
The book points out that "there's no one magic formula for success." But, a main thread running through all the lessons is to keep "a positive attitude, an ample supply of patience, a spirit of teamwork and the ability to get along with others, a willingness to give of yourself and go the extra miles, and a belief that you are responsible for your own happiness."
Coaches aren't just for athletes! Your members are likely to encounter
many situations where personal coaching will make a big difference in
outcomes—whether it's improving communication, resolving conflict,
making better decisions, managing transitions, or negotiating with
agencies, supervisors, and clients.
AmeriCorps programs are intentional about the personal growth and goal
setting of its members. In the VISTA Supervisor Orientation,
supervisors explore how coaching can benefit member-supervisor
relationships. They look at the following benefits of coaching:
When you coach members, you increase interaction with them. You
listen, inquire, communicate and search for solutions.
Coaching allows people to share their perceptions of what happened in an event or situation, and discuss the perceptions.
A coach asks open-ended questions and guides someone to think
something through, instead of giving answers.
Coaching is performance focused and provides feedback on both
strengths and weaknesses.
Coaching requires people to slow down, listen more deeply and become
less reactive. A coach could be wrong. A coach does not have all the
answers.
Use these resources to become a better coach to your members:
Good coaches use tools that help members discover their own paths for
personal growth. The Personal
Growth Plan is a tool for your members to use when setting goals.
Critical Coaching Areas highlights four critical areas you can use to understand your strengths and weaknesses related to coaching AmeriCorps and VISTA members.
The Johari
Window is a training activity that helps individuals or groups look
at how their behavior influences productive personal and working
relationships.
The Reactive
Thought Exercise presents different stories and related questions to
help members examine how our thoughts influence our feelings and behavior.
The Multilayer Benefits of an Effective Member-Supervisor Relationship
An effective member-supervisor relationship creates layers of benefits. It impacts:
The work the member does during service
The life of the member
The spirit and work of the supervisor
The engagement and involvement of the community
The work of VISTA and the Corporation for National and Community Service
Look at the benefits:
For the term of service
More targeted and efficient
More effective – ongoing feedback and clarification that helps meet the goals of the service plan
More productive – coaching spurs members to exceed their assignments
Greater member retention – ongoing support yields members more likely to successfully complete service
Increased opportunities to confront poverty
For the member
Greater job satisfaction and personal goals met
Better advocacy of the issues
Greater mobilization of community assets and resources
More effective problem solving, corrective action and conflict resolution
Stronger connection and commitment to the host, sponsor, community
Better grounding in the cultures of the sponsor organization and the community
More accurate pulse of how the service term is proceeding
Better orientation and preparation for service
Realization of a service ethic
Increased productivity as a result of the partnership with the supervisor
For the supervisor
Greater job satisfaction
Deeper commitment and advocacy of the issues
Greater mobilization of community assets and resources
More effective problem solving and conflict resolution
Stronger connection to the host, sponsor, community
Increased chances of rejuvenation to carry on the work
Transfer greater cultural competency to the member
Better problem solving
More accurate pulse of how the service term is proceeding
More awareness of national service as a resource, opportunity, community
Increased opportunities to coach and mentor an ethic and life of service
Greater productivity as a result of the partnership with the member
For the community
Greater engagement in community life
Greater advocacy for issues
Increased opportunities to benefit from a member who is respectful, culturally aware and appropriate
Increased opportunities to have a member who functions as a consistent ally
Meet the capacity building needs of the community
Increased opportunities to fight poverty
For VISTA and CNCS
More efficient, effective, and productive service term
Greater member retention
Greater promotion of national service
Strengthened partnership between member, sponsor, and VISTA program will be a win-win-win-win
Greater use of national service resources in the community
Greater awareness of all national service programs and opportunities for civic engagement
Greater recognition of the power of national civic engagement
Increased opportunities for issues of poverty to be addressed and the legacy of the VISTA program to be furthered
One way to get the most of the member-supervisor relationship is for the supervisor to take on the role of coach. Read more about how to coach members.
VISTA programs are required to submit quarterly reports. Although the organization/supervisor is responsible for preparing the report, VISTA members may be asked to contribute to them. If that's the case in your organization, use the following resources to help VISTAs do their part in contributing to successful reports:
Present this Power Point to guide members through the information gathering and reporting process
Habitat for Humanity Minnesota asks seasoned supervisors to offer advice to "newbies" during a training session they hold for incoming staff. Here are some of those tips:
About Successful Supervisor-VISTA Relationships:
Communicate, communicate! Have a weekly meeting, if feasible.
Go for balance: Don't ignore your VISTAs, but don't smother them either.
Turn to other supervisors for support or advice when struggles occur.
Remember it's your job to keep the VISTA on track.
About OSOT for VISTAs:
Share the history of the umbrella organization as well as the affiliate that the VISTA will be working for.
Ask your VISTA what she or he learned at PSO.
Break down the components of the project plan and share it with your VISTA.
Discuss preferred methods of communication and learning.
Network: Introduce your VISTA to key community members.
"When both parties [your program and the host] have a clear initial understanding of expectations and project parameters, we can better ensure that our VISTA resources are most efficiently used." --Karen Dischler, Schools of Hope, Madison, WI
The first step in making good matches is to know what you're looking for, before you start recruiting sites. Consider drawing up a list of selection criteria to use as an internal guidepost.
Then, draft a memo to potential sites briefly outlining what resources you're offering and what you're asking in return. Schools of Hope, a VISTA program in Madison, Wisconsin, says they share this letter with their site-based VISTAs "so all involved have a clear understanding of the specific details that guide the collaboration."
It's also a good idea to supply a "site supervisor checklist" so new sites get a complete picture of what you'll require of their designated staff member.
If sites express interest, you'll want to provide more in-depth information about your program, CNCS, and member requirements and responsibilities. This can be done through written materials or in person, as the site begins the application process.
"In our host site application, the VISTA site supervisor has to complete a form regarding their commitment to trainings and orientations. This is an effective way to ensure they understand their role and the time commitment it entails. By asking host sites what they'd like to see in an orientation, we're getting them to see how they can effectively integrate a VISTA at the site." --Jane Grinde, Family-School-Community Partnerships, Madison, WI
Once a potential host site has turned in an application, it is typically reviewed by program staff or an advisory council. If the application is approved, here's what you do next:
Send the site an acceptance letter, explaining where your program orientation will be held (if applicable)
Begin member recruitment (either at the site level or by the sponsor)
Choose and assign members
Plan site supervisor orientation
Sign and return contracts
The agreement should contain all the "legalese" defining your responsibilities and the host site's. You might also consider sending the site a copy of the AmeriCorps member's agreement or VISTA Assignment Description (VAD).
Consider holding an orientation session for host sites to welcome new partners, allow site supervisors to network, and ensure everyone understands what's expected of them. These resources can be used during an orientation or simply provided to partners with their signed agreement.
David Zielinski of Safe Families AmeriCorps, a Chicago-based Red Cross program, has 20 AmeriCorps members at nine sites disbursed around the state of Illinois. He keeps tabs on them by:
Conducting one or two site visits a year
Gathering all members together in one group for quarterly trainings
Conducting two conference calls with site supervisors
"When I make site visits," says David, "I talk first to the site supervisors and go through a list of questions. Then, I meet with members and go through a similar set of questions."
David notes, "The questions serve as a guide to help focus the discussion. They help me see what people's concerns are, and they show sites that we care about them."
Melissa Burwell of Minnesota Alliance With Youth Promise Fellows has 60 AmeriCorps members who work with schools on mentoring and service-learning projects. Before making her annual site visits, Melissa sends an e-mail to the site supervisor and member that:
Requests an appointment
Describes what activities will take place during the visit
Specifies the amount of time needed
She also attaches a list of discussion questions.
"Members and supervisors appreciate having an idea of how the visit will be structured, who is responsible for what, and how the program staff will interact while at the site," she says. "It helps them collect their thoughts ahead of time and it emphasizes that the visit is for learning, rather than evaluation."
Melissa Burwell of Minnesota Alliance With Youth uses this checklist during her annual or biannual site visits. "As a statewide program we don't see program sites every day," she says.
"We use the checklist to make sure we're documenting as much as possible during the visit. It helps us keep track of each program area and gives programs feedback on areas we'd like them to address so they're in compliance."
Depending on time, location, and the other demands of your job, you may have many opportunities to visit host sites. Or, you may only appear once or twice a year.
It is always appropriate to let your host site know you are coming. It's also helpful to let them know how they can prepare for your arrival. And, you'll definitely want to document the visit.
Don't wait until the end of the year to do an evaluation. "It's really valuable to communicate expectations early and often." --Karen Mauldin-Curtis, Peace Corps Fellows Program, Macomb, IL
As part of your end-of-year evaluations, you'll want to measure the effectiveness of your collaborations. Take into consideration what supervisors have to say about members placed at their sites. Also, listen to what members say about their hosts.
These comments could help determine if you invite a site back next year. Or, they could signal that additional resources are needed to make the placement work better.
Supervisors and members alike fare better from an overall picture of the service term. While it is important to be flexible and design new training opportunities as needs arise, members take comfort in knowing what training and team-building they can expect during their service. If you have members serving for varying lengths of service, consider how this impacts when you schedule trainings. A good training calendar:
Answers the question: orientation is over, now what?
Eases new members into the day-to-day life of your program and empowers them to take control of their projects
Features a schedule of team meetings that includes time for checking in, project planning, guest speakers, and team service
Gives members the tools to design and lead trainings
Includes training objectives to show the importance of required regular meetings
Whether you are planning a three-hour training or putting together your members' Friday workshops for their term, these resources can make your job easier:
Create a calendar template and learn the optimum times in a year for specific trainings with this 10–20 minute tutorial.
Resiliency survey lets you get a read on your members' attitudes toward service and resiliency skills, which can guide you in selecting training topics
Create a well-paced training schedule to support project work, personal
development, and team work
Program Calendars and Training Overviews
There are as many different approaches to training as there are programs. Factors such as distance, budget, and needed skills all come into play in designing training content and schedules.
One large multi-site AmeriCorps National program, Notre Dame Mission Volunteers (Baltimore, MD), brings its 300 members together for a midterm gathering in Washington, DC, to reflect on their service term, learn from expert speakers, and share demonstrations of their projects. The three-day event provides an opportunity for members to gain a broader understanding and appreciation for their work. The program also holds biweekly training meetings in each city where members serve, so members can feel part of a group. At the meetings, members discuss and learn from each other about social issues such as culture, race, ethnicity, and economic class. Meetings are mandatory, feature reflection activities, and include outside volunteer projects or a recreational group activity.
To see how other programs approach their training, check out these sample calendars:
First 8 Weeks shows how one VISTA program trains and coordinates academic tutors for low-income students and students of color
Year-long calendars features schedules from three different AmeriCorps programs
If you have members serving for varying lengths of service, consider how this impacts when you schedule trainings.
Consider seeking member input on what trainings they need and want. "Since I started asking them what would they find helpful, useful, and encouraging, they are more willing to come to the table fully," says Angel O'Boyle, Institute for Service-Learning VISTA project (Frostburg, MD). O'Boyle's monthly trainings also feature a hands-on service activity followed by a debriefing.
Fostering teamwork isn't the only reason to assign members to joint projects. Teams of members can accomplish future training goals, National service day requirements, newsletter writing, fundraising, volunteer recruitment, and personal development goals. Especially for members who are alone at their host sites, being a part of a team strengthens the esprit de corps and gives members a chance to set goals for the program outside of the scope of daily activities.
Some programs develop team projects using ongoing committees. These committees streamline what could be done by an individual since they accomplish goals that benefit all members.
These resources can help you create great teams to help your members get the job done:
Member Committees, from the Madison Metropolitan School District, includes suggested committee types, instructions for creating committee goals, and a downloadable spreadsheet for committee members to track their success.
Minnesota's State-wide VISTA newsletter connects current members and alums as well as highlight accomplishments to host sites, clients, and funders, while empowering members to personalize and showcase their
service year. Program Newsletters includes a sample newsletter to get you started on your own newsletter project.
Building VISTA and Site Supervisor Teams is a presentation used by North Carolina Campus Compact to foster teamwork between VISTAs and their site supervisors. It can be used with the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator or a similar communication-style tool.
For additional team tools, visit Teampedia, a collaborative encyclopedia of team building activities, icebreakers, teamwork resources, and tools for teams that anyone can edit.
VISTAs undergo a quarterly review, but that's not required of AmeriCorps members. However, it's a good way to see if all members are on track to meet their service goals and identify potential problems early.
While the midterm evaluation sets the stage for the last half of the service term, the end-of-term review helps the member prepare for next steps which may or may not include additional national service.
Many of the questions found in the midterm reviews can be adapted for an end-of-term evaluation.
As a VISTA leader, Dawn Follendorf keeps track of 18 members around Wisconsin. She's able to meet regularly with eight VISTAs who are assigned to Milwaukee, but she only visits face-to-face with her other members about three or four times a year.
To keep track of everyone's activities, Dawn has them submit a biweekly report:
Members send the reports to both their site supervisors and to Dawn, so everyone is on the same page.
The forms track sick days and personal days off, as well as activities.
The report follows the same format as the quarterly reports, which makes it easy for VISTAs to "cut and paste" information.
Supervising members separated by miles can present added challenges.Here are some tips from Kristen Ball of the Illinois Public Health AmeriCorps (Springfield, IL):
Videoconference trainingBringing together members for training isn't always financially possible. Click play to hear how Marissa Mizer with AppalCORPS (Athens, OH) uses videoconferencing technology to span the distance between her members.
Web 2.0 ToolsRead "MySpace, YouTube and Blogs, Oh My!" to learn how to use technology to engage younger members or youth served by your program.
If you supervise multiple sites, Kristen recommends:
Use the same manual to educate all site supervisors and members
If you can't bring members together face-to-face, consider a monthly conference call. Jane Grinde of the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction's Family-School-Community Partnerships program meets with 20 VISTAs over the phone; they share what they're doing in a round robin report.
Melissa Burwell of the Minnesota Alliance With Youth has 60 AmeriCorps members sprinkled around the state. About 40 percent of her members provide direct service while the rest coordinate volunteers and leverage resources.
Every month she gathers groups of 8-15 members--without their supervisors--in different geographic locations. "We share stories about challenges and frustrations, which lets us problem solve together. We call the process 'barn raising.' We always go over their evaluation: what they need to keep track of and where they are in their civic engagement plans. We also take care of some housekeeping, do community building activities, and work on specific skills like instructing students with disabilities."
The monthly meetings last five hours. Three times a year, Melissa brings all of her members together.
As a program manager, it's up to you how often you want your members or supervisors to report. Programs choose from biweekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual options. Some even have members check in weekly at the beginning of the service year.
As you set up your monitoring system, keep in mind that it's easier to make adjustments and pinpoint potential problems if you check in early and regularly.
"We have supervisors attend member orientation. At the meeting, they draw up lists of their expectations and members do their own lists. Then, the two groups get together and share. One year they did songs incorporating their top five expectations. It sounds kind of hokey, but at the end of the year, everyone still remembered it!" —Melissa Burwell, Minnesota Alliance With Youth, Minneapolis, MN
It's important for members to identify goals—both personal and professional—early on. This will help them keep their "eye on the prize" and help you, the supervisor, set performance benchmarks.
Some programs ask members to think about goals even before they start their term. "Admission Possible" includes a goal-setting survey in members' welcome packets so supervisors know what members are hoping to gain through service.
Other programs incorporate personal goals in the first member evaluation. According to Elisabeth Marx of Easter Seals Wisconsin AmeriCorps Partnership, their simple form "helps members focus on what they are gaining out of the service experience even if the activities on a given day are tough."
While the supervisor should be aware of members' goals, members must also know what the supervisor expects of them:
Make sure the list is included in several different places (e.g., the member contract, orientation, and handbook)
High on the list of expectations: Members should report and reflect on their experiences throughout the service term.
Members should also know what supervisors are expected to do. Among supervisors' responsibilities is being aware of acceptable rules of conduct for members and disciplinary procedures.
Having clear procedures—and materials to support them—will make your job easier. It also helps both you and those you supervise perform more efficiently. These resources can be adapted or used as is to fit your program needs:
When confronted with a supervisory issue, Tim Powell of Opportunity
Council AmeriCorps*VISTA (Bellingham, WA), asks himself, "What is unique
about this person/project and what is universal to all people/projects?"
Tim says this is especially helpful in sorting out problems. Sometimes,
he asks members or supervisors to describe unique and universal
qualities about themselves and their projects. This helps him "gain
insight into how best to support their work."
Effective member-supervisor relationships can change lives and impact communities. When a member and supervisor click, both parties feel engaged and excited about their work. The community benefits and goals are met.
But not all member supervisor pairings are a good match. Even veteran supervisors have members they struggle to communicate with. Or disagree over values.
There are no easy answers or formulas for creating effective relationships, but these tips and resources offer some insights into the process:
Coaching offers strategies to listen to and understand
your members.
Like Goldilocks, you'll want to provide supervision that's not too much, not too little, but just right! Striking that balance is easier if you pick appropriate host sites with strong member support.
Working with host sites is an ongoing process. They need to know what they're committing to before they sign on the dotted line. Once they're on board, they need continued support to ensure that the collaboration is a success. Here are some resources to help you:
Even though it's not required, many seasoned supervisors recommend evaluating members serving a year-long service term after 90 days (consider quarterly reviews for members with shorter terms of service). "Waiting until the end of year to give feedback is too late. We also ask members to evaluate us at the midyear point. We ask them 15 questions like how did your orientation go and were you able to reach your supervisor? The questions are contained–not open-ended–because we don't want feedback that we can't act on." —Latasha Phillips, PCC's AmeriCorps Program, Oak Park, IL
Whether your members are around the corner or around the state, you still need to check in regularly. CNCS requires program managers to complete these forms and evaluations:
VISTA—Members' time off; quarterly progress reports
AmeriCorps—Activity/service logs (at least monthly); midterm and end-of-term reports
Besides the bare requirements, there are a number of things successful
supervisors can do to keep members on track:
Setting Goals and Expectations—Being clear about goals and expectations up front can help prevent a lot of problems down the road. Resources here include a goal-setting survey, forms, training ideas, and tips for collaborating with members on written expectations.
Using the Project Plan—The project plan or VISTA Assignment Description (VAD) can be a great starting point for planning, problem solving, and developing benchmarks for monitoring and evaluation. See Demystifying Project Plans and VADs in the Planning and Documentation section for samples and resources.
Ongoing Monitoring—Monitoring can take many forms: face-to-face meetings, service logs, informal e-mails, reports, conference calls, or individual phone conversations. Get tips on supervising from afar as well as ideas on creating your own monitoring and reporting systems.
Performing Member Evaluations—Remember, as you evaluate members you're building relationships. Strong relationships pay off by boosting job satisfaction for both members and supervisors; improving member retention; promoting personal growth; and producing a more effective service year that ultimately benefits the community. This section has a variety of tips and evaluation forms, from quarterly to midyear and end of year.
"Supervision isn't about you, it's about them. And, you have to figure out how to reach each individual because everyone has a different style." --Melissa Burwell, Minnesota Alliance With Youth Promise Fellows, Minneapolis, MN
As a supervisor, you pave the way for a positive service experience. The process:
Starts with clear expectations and goal setting for members
Continues with regular check-ins, reviews, communication
Develops with coaching of members
Ends with useful evaluations
The field-tested resources in this toolkit can help you during all these stages, whether you're overseeing a handful of members in one program or multiple supervisors at various sites.
Go here for help with:
Core Competencies—Understand the skills and qualities needed to effectively supervise members by completing this 5–10 minute tutorial.
Creating Effective Member-Supervisor Relationships—Learn about the benefits of creating positive member-supervisor relationships. Explore how coaching can make you a better supervisor. See how other supervisors handle common "sticking points" and real-life issues.
The first step in creating an inclusive national service program is to review your program's current position descriptions (VADs for VISTA). Before you can begin to recruit, be certain about the tasks that need to be accomplished, where the participant will serve, and other important details of the position.
During the recruiting process, a properly prepared position description will aid you in:
Crafting your recruitment message to target potential members who possess the skills your program needs
Writing appropriate interview questions
Determining whether a person is qualified to perform the essential functions of the position
Identifying reasonable accommodations to enable a person with a disability to perform the essential functions
Later, you can use the position description or VAD as a performance measurement tool, so you can look back and see what the member has accomplished.
Seven steps to a great position description The best position descriptions are concise, use action verbs, and avoid jargon. Include these seven elements, and you'll be on your way to attracting the right members for your program:
Ensure an accurate service assignment title is included.
Write a 1–2 sentence summary of the assignment's general purpose and primary service assignment functions.
List 5–8 essential duties in descending order of importance.
Identify skills, interests, methods, and tools member will need or use to complete the work.
Explain the position's relationship with others in the organization; address supervision and collaboration with partners.
Provide other pertinent facts, such as required travel, physical requirements, working conditions, etc.
Include other responsibilities or requirements, such as mandatory training, hours of service, etc.
Use these resources as a starting point for your own position descriptions:
Use these techniques to evaluate candidates effectively
Behavioral Interviews
Key Parts of a Behavioral Interview
A behavioral interview identifies a candidate's traits and characteristics necessary for success. It also compels candidates to pinpoint specific instances that exhibited a particular behavior in the past. In the best behavioral interviews, the candidate is not aware of the behavior(s) that interest the interviewer.
In a traditional interview, a candidate is asked straightforward questions like, 'What are your strengths and weaknesses?' or 'What major challenges did you face in positions you have previously held?' or 'Describe a typical work week with your last employer.'
In a behavioral interview, the interviewer identifies and asks about the skills needed for a position. Instead of asking how someone would behave in a future situation, they ask how someone behaved in the past. The interviewer wants to know how the interviewee handled a situation, and not what they might do in the future.
The following four points must be included in the answers provided by the interviewee:
A specific situation
The tasks that needed to be done
The action(s) the individual took
The results or what happened
How to Conduct a Successful Behavioral Interview
Identify what you want the candidate to do in the position.
Determine the required outputs and performance success factors.
Determine the characteristics and traits of the individual you believe will succeed.
Narrow your list to the top 3 - 5 traits, including attitudes.
Make a list of questions to ask during the behavioral interview. Be sure to ask all candidates for a given position the same questions so you have consistent information for comparison.
Choose the candidates with the characteristics and traits that best match the position needs.
Narrow your final candidates to those who appear to have the characteristics, attitude, skills, knowledge, experiences and education you desire.
Writing Behavioral Interview Questions
Behavioral interview questions enable the interviewer to rate the candidate's skills based on past action, not "gut feelings" or "intuitions." Here are some examples of ways to transform common interview questions into behavioral interview questions:
Instead of :
Ask:
Do you like hard work?
Tell me about a time in which you were persistent in order to reach your goals. What was the outcome?
Do you consider yourself a leader?
Describe a situation in which you demonstrated leadership.
Do you work well with others?
Describe a time when you got co-workers or classmates who dislike each other to work together.
The following resources can help you include behavioral interview questions in your interview:
Sample Behavioral Interview is a recording of an actual interview that can give you a great sense of how behavioral interview questions actually work!
Interview Questions are a collection of tried-and-true interview questions organized by topic and purpose.
CNCS is responsible for providing Pre-Service Orientation (PSO) to members. Download the PSO Agenda to learn more about what VISTAs do during PSO.
The sponsoring organization and site are responsible for designing, organizing and delivering an On-Site Orientation and Training (OSOT) for
their members. Work through this section of Encorps to learn more about designing your OSOT. In addition, some VISTA programs find it beneficial to hold "Pre-PSOs." Read more about these events and download tools to help you organize your own.
CNCS State Offices sponsor In-Service Trainings (IST). Each state is responsible for providing post-PSO training to
their VISTA members. Currently each state does this differently; check
with your state office to see
when these trainings will be offered and what topics will be covered.
ISTs happen after the third month of service.
The sponsoring organization and site are also responsible for providing members on-going ISTs to help them acquire additional knowledge and
skills to meet the Project Plan goals and community needs. Some ways to
provide ISTs for your VISTAs is to send them to:
Read about each of the following populations and consider:
What are your impressions of this population? What insights or new learning did you gain from this information? How could this information impact your OSOT?
Click on the link to access and learn more about each resource.
VISTAs are a diverse population who reflect the many cultures of the United States. They come from urban and rural areas. They range in age from 18 to over 65. They are recent graduates, retirees, parents, entrepreneurs, community organizers and artists.
There are also differences between VISTAs who serve in their local communities and those who are recruited nationally and relocate for their year of service. We describe these VISTAs as:
But who makes up these different populations? What are their defining characteristics? Take a moment to reflect on characteristics for each of these populations.
Below are several sample OSOT agendas and planning documents that have been used successfully. They are to serve as examples—your OSOT may be longer or shorter. Significant detail is provided to give you an idea of the content that might be included and how activities might be carried out. The nature of your plan will depend on the particular characteristics of your organization, project, and VISTA member. Orientations usually dedicate time to reviewing CNCS requirements and policies. EnCorps includes a resource on checking references and conducting background checks.
Click on the link to access and learn more about each resource.
Building Communities from the Inside Out: A Path Toward Finding and Mobilizing A Community's Assets by John P. Kretzmann and John L. McKnight
A Guide to Capacity Inventories: Mobilizing the Community Skills of Local Residents, by John P. Kretzmann, John L. McKnight, and Geralyn Sheehan,
with Mike Green and Deborah Puntenney
Collaboration Handbook: Creating, Sustaining and Enjoying the Journey by Michael Winer and Karen Ray
Planning, Conducting and Evaluating Workshops, Larry Nolan Davis and Earl McCallon
The main beneficiary of a strong OSOT plan is the AmeriCorps*VISTA member. With the OSOT plan as a reference, both you and the member will know what you expect to be accomplished during the orientation and the year of service. Although it is important to establish a strong supervisory role from the outset, you can involve the member in preparing subsequent, spelled-out project work plan objectives for weekly or monthly review.
Yours may last one, two, three or four weeks, depending on the project, community, and VISTA needs. The length and content may be determined, for example, by whether you are recruiting a member from the local community or not. The length may be influenced by whether you are recruiting someone with previous experience on this or similar projects. Your project may require extensive skill training and/or experiential learning (e.g., requiring your new member to spend significant time shadowing others involved in the project or conducting field interviews). All of these factors and others should be taken into consideration when you design your OSOT's duration.
Your OSOT plan should be in the Corporation State Office 30 days before the start of the PSO. The State Office will review your plan for consistency with project goals, for technical quality and for its potential for meeting desired OSOT outcomes. State Office staff will discuss your plan with you prior to PSO.
What about specific issues for locally recruited members?
It is important that all projects receiving a member prepare and conduct an On-Site Orientation and Training, even if the member is from the community they will be serving. It has been the experience of Corporation for National and Community Service staff based on the monitoring of such projects that even though your agency has recruited and interviewed a prospective member locally, there is still a great need for initial orientation and training.
For instance, you will need to thoroughly discuss the specifics of their AmeriCorps*VISTA role, your agency functions, and your member's new relationship with the community. The member often will need to look at the community from an entirely new perspective and may need help on redefining his/her role in the community. These individuals may not be familiar with the politics of the community with which they may now have to engage. Finally, often locally recruited members have unique skill training needs to effectively carry out their project.
What about specific issues for those recruited from outside the community being served?
The On-Site Orientation and Training for Members who are recruited from other cities and states and who need to relocate to their community of service may need very different kinds of orientation and training than locally recruited members. Keep in mind that members who are moving to significantly different environments from which they were raised and educated often experience a period of "culture shock" and stressful transition and adaptation.
The scope and duration of the OSOT (On-Site Orientation and Training) depends on the background of your member and the specifics of your organization.
Develop an OSOT plan which is consistent with project goals and which meets minimum desired outcomes.
Submit OSOT plan to the Corporation for National and Community Service (a.k.a, Corporation) State Program Office 30 days prior to the Pre-Service Orientation (PSO) your VISTAs will attend.
Involve the member in an ongoing evaluation of OSOT activities; adjust plans, as necessary, to meet individual member's needs.
Evaluate OSOT, and have written member and supervisory evaluations submitted to the Corporation State Program Office within five days of the completion of OSOT.
Begin process of defining in-service training needs based on OSOT outcomes and evaluation.
The scheduling of OSOT should be timely enough to provide the member with the immediate information and skills needed to begin the job, yet flexible enough to satisfy personal and adjustment needs.
This section provides the basics to get your VISTA orientation up and running. On-site orientation and training (OSOT) is the second step in the VISTA training continuum. It builds on knowledge introduced and developed at the Pre-Service Orientation. It:
Introduces the member to the sponsor, community, goals and operation of the VISTA project
Provides the basic knowledge and skills members need to get started.
OSOT outcomes
By the end of OSOT, your VISTA member should have gained:
Understanding of common expectations and agreements for working relationship between VISTA and supervisor: [Show][Hide]
Supervisor's other roles and responsibilities
Supervisor's management style
Meetings/Interactions between VISTA and supervisor
Clear understanding of the lines of communication between VISTA and supervisor
Clear understanding of the support provided to the member
Clear on the terms and conditions of VISTA service
Clear on the chain of command
Understanding of the culture and mission of the sponsoring organization: [Show][Hide]
History of organization
Organizational mission
How it functions as a non-profit, municipality, state, county or federal entity
Its role in the community
Introductions to staff
Knowledge of the bigger picture related to the VISTA project and the community: [Show][Hide]
The VISTA project and its history
How and where does the VISTA fit into it all
Introduction to the community
The socio-economic and political structure
Potential resources that can be applied to achieve project goals
History and present status of community self-determination and problem-solving efforts
Understanding of the organization's VISTA Policy: [Show][Hide]
Roles and responsibilities
Time and attendance, duty hours
Annual leave
Sick leave
Mileage reimbursement policy and procedure
Working with the media
Fund raising activities
Evaluation of individual VISTA and of the project
Reporting requirements for the VISTA project
Developing a personal work plan with the supervisor that: [Show][Hide]
Specifies tasks and activities with goals and objectives in the project plan.
Specifies training that builds upon PSO, OSOT, In Service Training and Close of Service activities and the personal and professional development of the VISTA member.
Building skills and knowledge needed to implement the Member Assignment Description: [Show][Hide]
Depending on the project, areas such as
computer skills
public speaking
group facilitation
conflict resolution
needs assessment and asset mapping,
proposal writing
negotiation and interviewing skills
Assignment-specific such as
domestic violence hotlines
early childhood literacy
laws regarding foster care
credit management
micro-enterprise development
OSOT Agendas
Click here for sample OSOT agendas and planning materials that you can
adapt for your program.
OSOT Guidelines
Click here for guidelines on creating an efficient and meaningful OSOT.
OSOT FAQs
Click here to get answers to frequently asked questions.
OSOT Resource List
Click here for additional support and information.
Use a variety of media to maximize your recruitment effort
Creating Marketing Materials
Extra Tips
You may have more outreach avenues than you realize!
Order AmeriCorps recruitment materials from CNCS.
Piggyback on existing community efforts. For example, if you're planning a community literacy fair, raise awareness about AmeriCorps and VISTA opportunities in all press materials and make recruitment materials available at the event.
Enlist the help of local public relations/design firms or design students to create visually compelling AmeriCorps and VISTA specific recruitment material.
Now that you have decided on a recruitment strategy, you're ready to create specific materials to advertise and market your position.
Begin by developing an effective two-line position description to be posted on the Recruitment section of My AmeriCorps. You can get the process rolling by visiting the Resource Center's page on MyAmeriCorps Training and User Support Services
You can then "tweak" it for different uses. For example, a press release can be converted into a brochure, a Web listing, or a public service announcement. Also, if there's continuity in your materials, there's a better chance the message will stick.
Here are some general guidelines for creating recruitment materials:
Be sure to include the AmeriCorps or VISTA logo in all outreach materials. Download the logos in several formats here. You can also print a copy of the AmeriCorps media kit which has great tips for extending your outreach.
Keep it simple: Use basic language and avoid program jargon, acronyms, and more detail than is necessary.
Make sure contact information is up-to-date.
Include important deadlines.
Don't assume everyone has access to a computer or computer skills: Advertise in traditional venues as well as electronic ones and allow for "snail mail" and phone communication.
Recruit for diversity; for more information, see the Recruiting for
Diversity section of this site.
Use these sample marketing tools and guidelines as a starting point for your program:
Reaching the most qualified and diverse applicant pool leads to more successful placements. You'll want to get the word out in a number of different ways to reach many different audiences.
In addition to traditional job boards, consider these outreach channels:
Your existing network. Identify community leaders who can help you spread the word about your service positions to different constituencies. This could include members of professional associations, religious leaders, local politicians, and community activists.
Partner organizations and networks. Identify individuals and groups that can help you reach out to specific populations. Inform similar programs about your program's position and look for opportunities to post the opening on free listservs and job boards. Make sure you provide clear and concise information on how to use "My AmeriCorps" for prospective members. Click here for tips on tips and instructions on using My AmeriCorps.
AmeriCorps/VISTA alumni. Tap your alumni network for recruiting ideas and testimonials to use in outreach. One way to find AmeriCorps alumni is through the AmeriCorps Alums Web site. Interested in connecting with Peace Corps alums? Click here.
Current VISTA and AmeriCorps members. Your current members can be some of your best recruiters. They can help you identify program needs, refine recruiting materials and tactics, and even recruit their own friends and acquaintances for open positions.
Click the following topics to learn more about specific outreach channels and strategies, and download helpful examples and resources:
Your members are the face of your organization, so it is no wonder that successful programs begin with effective recruitment and placement.
Recruitment is not just about interviewing. The process below will help you find, place, and keep the best qualified applicants for your available positions while also ensuring a rewarding experience for members, staff, clients, and partners.
In each step you'll find strategies and samples that have worked for other organizations. If you are new to AmeriCorps or VISTA, or want to improve your recruitment process, we advise you to read through these steps in order. Otherwise, go straight to the area of your current interest or need.
If you take a systematic approach to screening and placing new members, it will pay dividends. You'll be more likely to match good candidates with the positions that fit best.
To see samples and successful strategies, click on the topics below that
address various stages of recruitment:
Designing an effective and efficient recruitment timeline is a cornerstone of success for recruiting members. A timeline can help establish outreach windows, application deadlines, interview times, and clear targets for staff members. It can be challenging to find time for each phase of recruitment and selection and stick to your deadlines. For a sample 6-month recruitment timeline, click here. To see an example of a recruitment process,
click here.
When creating a recruitment timeline, consider the following:
Create an outreach plan Consider informing other similar programs about your program's position, posting the position on free listservs and job boards, and advertising the position in other media. Use the CNCS recruitment web site–click
here for tips, information and a direct link to AC*RPS.
Establish an application acceptance process Gather the materials that will be required to complete an application and set up processing procedures and deadlines.
Outline the steps in the placement process Schedule times for screening applications, conducting interviews, and checking references. Create forms to document these activities to keep in applicants' files.
Develop a selection strategy Decide on the criteria for accepting a candidate, who will make the final decisions, and if there are any other people (staff or project partners) who need to have input on the final decision. Make sure you build in time to check references.
Basic requirements
As you're planning your recruitment effort, keep in mind the basic member requirements for AmeriCorps programs:
Members must be at least 18 years old. (Some programs allow 17-year-olds to serve, with parental permission, or 16-year-olds if they are out of school and participating in a youth corps program.)
Members must be U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents.
Members must have a high school diploma/GED or be willing to earn one while serving.
While each AmeriCorps program likely has other requirements, most require members to serve a minimum number of hours (commonly 1,700 for a full-time member), participate in trainings and service projects, and successfully complete their term to be eligible for an education award.
Click here for a sample of one AmeriCorps program's placement requirements and recommendations.
VISTA members generally serve full-time for 12 months with these basic member requirements:
Members must be at least 18 years old.
Members must be U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents.
Some programs require VISTAs to have college degrees or at least three
years work experience.
Because they must be available to their communities regardless of regular work hours, VISTA members are also prohibited from accepting outside employment. All VISTAs attend a Pre-Service Orientation prior to enrolling, and must successfully complete their service terms to be eligible for an education award or stipend. All VISTAs must also be fingerprinted at their Pre-Service Orientation and have a background check completed.
Strategies and ideas for promoting active learning
Facilitating Learning
Experience is the key: The more active the learning process, the greater the retention of knowledge or skills. Compare how much is retained through a lecture (5%) versus from teaching others (90%).
Learning happens when a person experiences information, an activity, or a situation and walks away with new insights and new knowledge. An effective facilitator will:
Remain content neutral
Listen actively
Ask the right questions
Stay on track
Be flexible
Engage participants in experiential learning opportunities
The Experiential Learning Cycle takes learners through five stages to process their experiences and learn from them. The five stages are:
Learners are involved in an experience that leads to a sense of discovery; for instance a structured activity, ropes course, or exploration of a conflict.
Learners describe and share their experience by reporting their own observations and reactions, answering questions such as:
What happened?
What was your experience like?
How did you feel?
Learners interpret and try to make sense of their experiences, through questions such as:
Why did that happen?
How was that significant?
What does it mean to you?
Learners generalize their experience, connecting it to other experiences or events in their lives, by responding to such prompts as:
Where have you seen this before?
What does this remind you of?
What does that suggest to you?
Learners apply their insights and consider how they can use what they have learned, by responding to questions such as:
Effective questioning is a key to effective facilitation
Asking the Right Questions
Knowing how and when to ask great probing questions is a key facilitation skill. Questions invite participation and get people thinking about issues from a different perspective. Questions are essential to stimulating a good conversation and for getting feedback from participants.
There are two basic types of questions: open-ended and closed-ended.
Type of Question
Description
Example
Closed
Requires a one-word answer
Closes off discussion
Usually begins with "is," "can," "how many," or "does"
"Does everyone understand all of the agreements we have just listed?"
"Are we ready to move on?"
Open
Requires more than a "yes" or "no" or other one-word answer
Stimulates thinking
Usually begins with "what," "how," "when," or "why"
"Which agreements may pose the greatest challenge, and why?
"What remaining questions do you have?"
For a tip-sheet on asking the right question, click here.
Incorporate service-learning into programs, activities, and national service days
Promoting Service-Learning
Service-learning may mean somewhat different things to different
individuals and organizations. But, in its essence, service-learning
must have these three elements:
Clear learning objectives- Learning must be an intentional and important component.
Genuine community needs as its goal- The strength of
service-learning is that learning is utilized to make a real difference. It is in the genuineness of the work that young people find the power of learning.
Systematic reflection- One of the most powerful and important parts of good service-learning is reflection. For more information on
reflection and a wealth of resources, see Using
Reflection Activities.
It has been said: "Service without reflection is like eating without swallowing." Reflection is the process of fully digesting the lessons, implications, and solutions drawn from member experiences.
An essential part of service is putting experiences in context and learning to find meanings and take action in the face of adversity.
Reflection in service offers members a way to look back at complex problems through a new lens. Using reflection, members examine their experiences, evaluate them, and apply new insights to future experiences. Members build skills necessary for analyzing and solving problems and developing creative solutions.
If members don't reflect, they will simply report on experiences rather than examine how their actions impact themselves and those they serve. Well-designed reflective activities allow members to acquire a deeper understanding of the world around them and how they can make positive contributions to society.
These resources will help you understand and implement reflection
activities.
Reflection by Design is a Service-Learning Northwest six-step manual for how to organize and facilitate reflection training for members.
The Reflection Toolkit, from the Northwest Service Academy, has guided discussions, facilitator tips, session plans, and other activities.
For some background and theoretical framework around reflection as it applies to K-12 service-learning, see Reflection: K – 12 Service-Learning by RMC Research Corp.
The
Need for Reflection includes more information about why reflection
is so important, plus tips for conducting reflection activities.
The
Council Process provides instructions for this group reflection
technique.
Group
Reading provides a process for staging group readings as a
reflection activity.
Youth
Volunteer Resume is a reflection activity designed to help youth
volunteers create customized volunteer resumes.
What's
Next, a self-guided tutorial designed to help members explore their
transition options, also includes a number of interesting prompts for
reflection.
A key component of your training program is providing the information
and skills that members need to perform their service effectively.
Training should also focus on ensuring members' physical, mental, and
emotional well-being.
The Northwest Service Academy/Mt. Adams Center–a small, rural and remote program in Washington that does environmental projects–suggests these tips for wellness trainings:
Familiarize members with your risk management plan, which details your organization's response to potential risks. These plans vary from one program to another, but all programs should have one. Read an example of the Northwest Service Academy/Mt. Adams Center plan here.
Give members training in conflict resolution so they are prepared to
deal with challenging situations. See the Conflict
Resolution page for existing training and tips. Look for additional training resources at the Conflict Resolution Information Source and Association for Conflict Resolution. Your state commission, state CNCS office, or national direct headquarters might have a list of trainers in your area that they can share with you.
Offer training in cultural issues that goes beyond general diversity awareness and focuses on specific topics that affect your clients. Members need to understand these fundamental issues before they can take action.
Prepare members for the stress that can result from service. For example, some members will be challenged by living on a limited stipend and will need tips for simple living.
Consider providing a basic first aid course and CPR training. The American Red Cross can help provide a local trainer.
Some of these resources can also be used with clients, or at the project
site.
To give feedback to members about their performance, clarify expectations related to specific service duties, highlight strengths, and identify areas needing improvement
To provide legal grounds for the retention, re-enrollment, or termination of members
To gather evaluative data for reporting and planning
Find handy forms for evaluations at different points in the service term
and tips with these resources:
Consider following these steps when conducting reviews
Schedule a mutually convenient time for the evaluation. Prior to that time, ask the member to fill out the evaluation form, rating him or herself. Also ask the member to complete any reflection piece that's part of the form.
Tell members to bring the completed forms with them to their meeting and also to come prepared to discuss three things they think they do well and three things that need improvement.
At the joint evaluation, redo the ratings together while discussing each element. Document the ratings on a joint form.
Together, document strengths and weaknesses. For any areas that are deemed unsatisfactory, jointly develop an action plan to improve performance.
You and the member should certify the joint evaluation with your signatures and the date. Make two complete copies of all the forms: the member gets one copy, the site keeps the second copy, and the original form goes to the service office.
Member training and development promotes personal growth,
deeper knowledge and skill development, and new perspectives. The
resources and information in this section will help you deliver training
on specific topics. For help creating new training or adapting these
trainings to your needs, see Designing Effective Training.
Active
Citizenship – Download activities to create a culture of civic
engagement.
Conflict
Resolution – Find resources and training to help members understand how they approach conflict and gain the skills they need to put relationships back on track.
Embracing
Diversity – Read tips for selecting a diversity trainer and download training to help members become culturally sensitive.
Handling Difficult Situations – Use real-life scenarios (gathered from youth corps and conservation corps programs) as the basis for talking about a wide range of problematic member behaviors and situations.
Leadership – Find resources and training modules to help members develop interpersonal and project skills to become successful leaders.
Member
Wellness – See tips access resources for training to ensure the psychological and emotional health of members.
Project
Management – Find resources and training modules to help members develop skills in facilitation, visioning and project planning.
Creating a Book Club –Read about one VISTA program's innovative training approach.
Working as a Team – Gain ideas and resources for projects that develop teamwork skills while getting the job done.
Preparing a Portfolio –Use this process to help members document and reflect on their work.
Online Tutorials for Members:
What's Next – resources members can use throughout their year of service to clarify their thinking about going to college, starting a career, or continuing to serve.
The training modules were adapted from the NW Leader Corps curriculum. The Northwest Leader Corps (formerly Washington Leader Corps) began in 1998 as the country's first statewide leadership corps for national service participants. Modeled after the Corporation's AmeriCorps Leaders Program, the Washington Leader Corps curriculum was developed by 1999-2000 National Service Fellow Nicole Trimble.
During members' service term, you call on them to take a prominent role in the community: Organizing and facilitating meetings, resolving conflicts, understanding all the stakeholders' perspectives, setting an example with attitude and action, following through on commitments, etc. Taken together, these skills amount to one thing: Leadership.
The training modules below can be used as stand-alone half-day training sessions or as part of a multi-day leadership training for members. You can also pass along these modules to your member leaders so that they can replicate these trainings for additional member and service site audiences.
Getting started:
Expectations and Agreements–Learn how to encourage a group to lay the foundation for their learning environment.
Life Maps–Participants get to know one another through this activity in which they chart the path that led them into service.
Balloon Castles–Participants learn about themselves as communicators, team members, and leaders through this activity.
Leadership Compass–Participants learn how their personality preferences lend themselves to leadership styles.
Skill Building:
Facilitation–Participants learn a structure for facilitating team project planning meetings.
Visioning–Participants create vision statements for individual or team projects and learn the value of visioning for leaders and in project planning.
Project Planning–Participants engage in a structured process for inclusive team planning of service projects.
Asset-Based Community Development–Participants learn how they can serve as a convener of community members and a catalyst for change.
Interpersonal Leadership Skills:
Coaching–Participants learn approaches to coaching others in a learning environment.
Situational Leadership–Participants learn about themselves and others as they pass through various stages of enthusiasm and competence in a given situation.
Focusing members on the benefits of working together
Using Games to Foster Teamwork
Members will face many situations where teamwork plays a critical role: whether it's working together on an environmental project that requires lots of strong hands or inspiring young people to collaborate on a community service project.
By not providing opportunities for cooperation, we run the risk of further polarizing people, increasing misunderstandings, and sabotaging our own best efforts at implementing positive change.
Using games and other collaborative activities in trainings can be a great way for members to practice cooperation.
A list of "do's":
When modeling the exercises, it's important to:
Be playful at the right times.
Believe in people and focus on the positive.
Understand that many group members may be reluctant to join in or may be afraid of "looking stupid."
Emphasize that the leader is willing to take the same risks as the other participants-he or she plays as well as facilitates.
Be willing to relax and have fun.
These resources can help you successfully facilitate game activities:
Stages
of a Game outlines essential components of any game activity and
includes useful tips for facilitating games in training.
Leave
It at the Stream illustrates how to use "feed-forward" instead of
feedback to get good results.
See Member Team Projects for ideas and resources for projects that further develop teamwork while getting the job done.
For additional team tools, visit Teampedia, a collaborative encyclopedia of team building activities, icebreakers, teamwork resources, and tools for teams that anyone can edit.
Due the sensitivity of diversity training, many programs leave this important topic to the experts. It is too easy for things to "go south" in a hurry.
For most of the topics in member training, we encourage staff supervisors to jump in and follow the advice given here and elsewhere. However, when it comes to diversity training, unless it is a specialty of program staff, we advise relying on trained consultants.
Diversity training is a fundamental part of any AmeriCorps or VISTA development program. As many organizations recruit volunteers from throughout the country, the mix of volunteers and service recipients is often quite diverse. By providing diversity training, programs can help minimize misunderstandings and promote collaboration.
Numerous diversity trainers and programs exist. Here's a list of
resources and tips to help you find the one that's right for you:
Turn to state governments: Many, such as Oregon, have human resources departments that offer diversity resources.
Interview possible trainers to gauge the best fit. Click on this resource for things to consider when talking to a potential trainer (framed from a for-profit organization's perspective).
Ask for discounts: While many trainers market their services to the for-profit sector and are expensive, they may provide reduced fees or pro bono training for nonprofits.
Identify needed diversity trainings before you engage a diversity trainer to ensure that the program you choose meets the needs of your members. Examining Stereotyping in the Classroom is a workshop that allows members to examine stereotypes and issues of prejudice and determine what additional diversity training they need.
When developing volunteer management training, Karen Dischler of Schools of Hope gathers stories from current VISTAs about difficulties they've faced recruiting and interviewing volunteers. These real-life stories are used in problem-solving activities during the training. "It makes the situations more real and enhances the training experience when the scenarios are from VISTAs themselves."
To create a training program that meets your organization's needs, first you have to know what those needs are. Then, you have to find the resources to address them. Often, the latter proves to be more challenging!
So, how do you squeeze the most member development out of a limited budget? The Northwest Service Academy/Mt. Adams Center is a small, rural and remote environmental program that's become adept at finding resources. Here's their advice:
Look within your organization–By communicating your training needs to fellow staff members, you can often find the right person from within your own ranks. Aside from keeping expenses down, no one knows your specific training needs better than your own people.
Partner with another organization to share expenses–Great trainers can be expensive. Consider hosting the training with another program to split costs. This practice works best in metropolitan areas with multiple organizations and for more general topics such as volunteer management, diversity, or leadership.
Open your training session up to the general public for a fee–Not only can this reduce your costs, it can shake up the dynamic of the training group. The Northwest Service Academy is able to afford the services of the internationally renowned (and expensive) Wilderness Medicine Institute by inviting public participation, which cuts the cost by 50-75 percent. Another plus: your program benefits from increased public exposure and goodwill!
Let your supporters know what you need–Include specific training needs on your fundraising "wish list." It is often easier for a community member to give time and expertise rather than money to causes they believe in.
In the course of their service, members are apt to confront situations
that are rife with conflict—whether it is personal, or differences in
opinion on approaches to community issues. Conflicts among individuals
have derailed many teams and organizations. Conflicts also present a
test of leadership, in that it often takes skilled leadership to get the
crew back on track.
Use the following resources and training modules to help members learn
how to deal effectively with conflict:
Larry Fletch of Service-Learning Northwest, uses our country's Declaration of Independence as the inspiration for training AmeriCorps members and others in active citizenship. "This document outlines the fundamental rights extended to all individuals," says Fletch. He looks at it as both "a promise and a mandate."
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Active citizenship is about personal and community empowerment. It's more than simply casting a ballot in elections, performing service, organizing, or even social action. But together, behaviors, attitudes, and actions define active citizens and help them address community needs and effect positive change.
Well-trained members can be a significant influence and resource in spreading an expanded awareness of active citizenship and civic engagement.
To help you in such training, this section contains two well-developed resources designed by the Northwest Service Academy (NWSA), Washington Service Corps (WSC), and Service-Learning Northwest (SLN):
Roadmap to Civic Engagement–This extensive publication by WSC and SLN offers seven units that "cultivate an understanding of the behaviors, attitudes, and actions that reflect concerned and active membership in a community." The Roadmap provided the structure for 800 AmeriCorps members to civically engage up to 1,000 young people in service-learning projects.
Community Action Project–NWSA requires all members who serve 900 hours or more to lead a Community Action Project (CAP) that speaks to their vision of society. The CAP can be linked to direct service, education and outreach, or policy analysis. It provides an experiential understanding of how an individual can create positive change. Download the CAP Project Proposal Guide and Reporting Form that helps members identify and research projects. The Policy Analysis Projects guides members through planning their projects, building public support, and conducting and concluding the project.
Other Resources:
Another way to fold a continuous civic engagement strand into your
yearly training schedule is to regularly bring members together to read
and discuss selected readings on civic engagement. See how one program
uses their Meaning of Service training in just such a way.
Just Cause is a research study about how to motivate young people to volunteer.
Oral History Projects includes two trainings designed to create a culture of civic engagement while helping members learn about the communities they serve.
Invest in members for more effective service and long-term rewards
Member Training and Development
Wisdom from the field:
"Having a strong, meaningful and well-thought out member development plan will provide members the support they need to make it through a year of national service. Keep it a priority for your program."
The Corporation's 80/20 rule specifies that up to 20 percent of
AmeriCorps members' time should be spent on personal and professional
development. VISTA projects also offer members a range of training and
development opportunities. Whatever the project type, member training
and development offers key benefits to both the individual member and
your program. By offering training to your members, you can:
Promote retention–Meeting the individual and professional goals of each member increases member satisfaction and leads to greater member retention.
Improve member effectiveness–Well-trained members provide high quality, high impact service and increase the value of the AmeriCorps or VISTA program to the organization, site, or sponsor
Improve organizational quality–Highly competent members significantly improve the quality of services provided by sponsor organizations
Help members develop skills–Examples include effective communication, conflict resolution, diversity and inclusion, leadership, CPR/first aid, outdoor education, volunteer development, resource mobilization, and partnerships development
Increase member knowledge–Members learn more about the community they're serving and what national service entails
Broaden attitudes and perspectives–Training leads to an increased sense of empowerment, civic values, a service ethic, and a broader understanding of how individuals and communities are interconnected
Augment site and sponsor training–Member development programs can reduce the burden of training for sites and sponsors
Promote lifelong engagement–Providing members with the skills and confidence necessary for successful service leads to a lifetime commitment to service and civic engagement
Member development is a process that begins at orientation and continues through the end of service. This section includes resources for ongoing trainings and is divided into two parts:
Below are several sample agendas that various AmeriCorps programs have
used successfully. Click on the link to access and learn more about each
resource.
Also, consider giving members an overview of the training
they'll receive during their year of service. It will help them see how
orientation fits into broader development opportunities. In addition, it
provides reassurance that important topics will be covered after their
orientation.
Orientation sets the stage for a successful service term. As a supervisor or program manager, one of your first and most important responsibilities is to prepare members for their service term. Incoming participants need to understand the big picture of national
service—its history, culture, and the critical role it plays in tackling
community challenges.
Locally, members need to learn about their specific program, sponsor
organizations (if applicable), and community needs. Members also should
understand how service differs from employment, and what is expected of
them at their sites.
Orientations come in all sizes, shapes, and durations, depending on the
program characteristics and audience. To learn more about setting up
your Orientation, this section is divided into four general topics:
Find the field-tested resources you need to recruit and train AmeriCorps and VISTA members.
Resources to support member recruitment and development
Are you new to EnCorps and would like an overview? Take this 3-minute video tour of what's available on the site.
We're glad you found us. This site is here to assist program staff in finding and sharing proven practices for recruiting and developing successful national service participants.
This site is divided into five general topics to help you find what you need:
Recruitment and Placement: Tips and tools for locating great candidates and interviewing, screening, and matching the right person to your position needs.
Member Supervision: Support members better with these resources and tips on the "nuts & bolts," creating effective relationships, monitoring and evaluating members, and working with host sites.
Member Training and Development: Member training doesn't end with orientation. In fact, member development is a year-round effort. Look here for training resources.
Transition: Members sometimes struggle with "what to do next." Be their guide in navigating this change.
If you are an AmeriCorps or VISTA member looking for tools to help you serve and transition to the next stage of life, see the What's Next online tutorial. For help with maximizing your education award, see the Education Award online tutorial.
Since 2001, Education Northwest has provided trainings to members on strategies for the use of their education awards. More than 70 sessions
have been given to audiences ranging from five to 200 members.
Here are a few pieces of advice, from the trenches, for those preparing
an education award strategy training for members.
Know your audience. In planning the session, or at the beginning of the presentation, ask members these questions:
How many of you are second year members?
How many are planning to do a second year?
How many are planning to go to school? Undergraduate or graduate school?
How many have filled out a FAFSA this year?
How many of you have no idea what you're going to do with your award?
How many of you are planning to repay loans with your award?
The answers should help guide the presentation.
Check out the Education Award online resource and find sections to share with your audience members based on their interests and needs.
Add your own touches to create a personalized "script" that speaks to the needs of your members. Enliven the presentation with your own visuals, including PowerPoint.
Another option: Create a peer training by recruiting four people, dividing the information among them, and asking them to present their segments to the group.
Ask a financial aid officer and/or representatives of a local college or nontraditional school to attend the training to answer questions or make a presentation.
Begin the session by asking members to raise their hands if they're interested in specific areas (like taxes, forbearance, repaying student loans, getting the best financial aid deal). Distribute handouts and ask everyone to find one interesting fact about the area they've expressed interest in and share it with the group as an "instant expert."
Welcome clarifying questions: You want to stop periodically and make sure the audience is with you. However, if members have questions that are specific to their own situations, ask them to wait until the session is over.
If questions come up that stump you, jot them down on poster paper in a "parking lot." After the session, research the answers (or find appropriate resources you can refer members to) and make sure you distribute the information to everyone.
Everyone has a different situation, so one presentation can't meet all members' needs. However, here is some advice beneficial to most members:
Don't miss filling out the FAFSA's Additional Financial Information section. You have nothing to lose—and everything to gain—by filling it out when doing your FAFSA.
Become an active participant in the financial aid process. Treat your appointment with the financial officer like a job interview. Be sure to tell the officer that you have an ed award, but you don't want to use it if it means foregoing other types of aid that the college is able to provide.
If you are using the ed award to repay qualified student loans, pick the repayment plan that best suits your financial and lifestyle needs. Consider if you'd rather use the award in a lump sum to reduce your principal or if you prefer monthly payments on both the principal and interest.
When figuring out your federal income taxes, use the 1040 form rather than the "EZ" form. Though it's more work, you'll be able to take advantage of tax breaks that the 1040 allows.
After the presentation, consider doing a survey. (There are some examples in the Looking at the Individual section.) It will help you hone your presentation for the next time. And remember, the more trainings you do, the easier it gets!
By publicly recognizing your members' contributions, you can help them feel that their work is worthwhile. At the same time, you can also promote your program and its mission in the community. While recognition is often tied to the end of the service term (or the end of the school year), it can be an ongoing way of motivating and encouraging members and volunteers.
Recognition can take many forms. The Youth Volunteer Corps of America (YVCA), a National Direct Grantee headquartered in Kansas, suggests a number of personal and public ways to recognize and reward members' efforts. Print their great ideas and adapt them for your own program.
Document achievements
Members achieved a lot this year. Be sure they have documents from your program that track the important skills they developed. Aside from letters of recommendation and lists of trainings you provided, give members a more official certificate of training to place in their personal portfolios. With this certificate template, you can present members with their acquired training hours after each training.
End-of-year celebration
While recognizing achievement is important through the service term, it's an especially important part of your end-of-service celebration. For a variety of creative ways to mark the conclusion of the term, print these suggestions from the Washington Service Corps.
Print these tips for inviting prominent community members and civic leaders to your end-of-service ceremonies.
For more information about the importance of recognition and celebrating the end of service, check out these links:
The guide can be formatted into a training session and comes complete with informational handouts, self-tests, and a resource list for participants. You can adjust the length of the session by selecting any number of the 11 suggested exercises.
Coping also becomes an issue as members leave service and transition into post-service life. This is addressed in What's Next, a tutorial designed to aid members in making decisions for after the end of their service term.
How one program guides members through the rocky shoals of the job-hunting process
Providing Career Development Training
Wisdom from the field:
Stacy Womack, director of a LISC AmeriCorps program in Chicago, gives this advice on organizing a career development session: "Generally we schedule a human resources consultant to come in to assist with our career planning training. Members are asked prior to the meeting to complete the human resources self-assessment tool. During the workshop, time is allocated for an overview of the assessment tool, résumé writing, interviewing skills, and questions and answers. Members are also able to get one-on-one consultation after the meeting." Womack generally holds the trainings (with from eight to 15 members) in June, with additional resources available through August when the service terms ends.
What I know now–Womack has learned that "it's important for the members to take a leadership role in these trainings. I have encouraged the members to identify and develop the outline for what they would like to get out of the training. Generally, the members work in groups of two's and three's to come up with ideas and recommendations. That way there is a real sense of ownership and better participation."
"The training session causes the members to stretch," says Womack. "[After the training] members generally expressed that they've experienced growth in the areas of leadership, facilitation, presentation, and coordination of program and resources."
Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), based in New York City, has programs around the country that help promote community development. A typical one-day career development session for LISC members begins with an overview of nonprofit career opportunities, gives practical advice on the steps involved in getting a job, and ends with a career panel.
Programs collaborate to put on a comprehensive all-day session
Planning a Life After AmeriCorps Training
Problem
How do you give members the best roadmap for their next steps without maxing out your organization? How can small programs in isolated rural locations find the resources for such trainings?
Solution
Each year, several large and small organizations in metropolitan Portland (Oregon) band together to present a day-long conference that helps transitioning members answer the question, "What next?" Programs from across Oregon and Washington are able to take advantage of the training.
Execution
Seven people serve on the planning committee; they meet about four or five times a year. Once they decide on the topics for conference sessions–based on pre-surveys of members and evaluations from the last conference–they divide up the work and take responsibility for recruiting speakers. Typically, speakers are people they know in the community, with whom they have a working relationship. They try to recruit some former AmeriCorps members as presenters; all speakers volunteer their time and are not paid.
More than 200 people attended the June 2006 conference in Portland, where they chose from among 15 different presentations. Download and print a detailed overview of the event. The five most popular sessions, in order of attendance, were International Work and Service, Making Plans for Your Ed Award, Networking and Informational Interviewing, Traveling and Living Abroad on a Budget, and Applying to Graduate School.
Many of these topics are covered in other sections of this site.
Outcome
Of those participants who turned in evaluations (about half the people attending), 80 percent rated the whole day as very good or excellent. The "most valuable aspect" overwhelmingly was the information on the Ed Award and the résumé reviews.
Help members identify their career interests and skills, plus offer practical advice on how to land a job
Planning a Career
Members who are new to the job market may need some basic help in considering career options and researching and applying for positions. A handy toolkit provides handouts for career development member trainings.
Find resources on how to organize those trainings. And, provide support for members who want to volunteer for another term or pursue parenthood, the military, or life abroad.
Remember, there are also great resources in the career section of the What's Next online tutorial.
For additional resources, check out these websites:
Washington Employment Security Department Washington is one of many states with comprehensive labor market information, such as wages, careers, and education, as well as available state programs and workshops. Check out your state's site.
Jobweb This site provides excellent career development and job search advice for new college graduates including links to university/college career centers.
America's Career Resource Network This site features a six-step decision cycle that counselors and educators can use to help students (or in this case, members) look at careers and educational needs.
National Career Development Association Part of the American Counseling Association, NCDA's site offers links to online career planning tools, occupational information, career trends, and salary data.
University of Waterloo This site contains a career development manual with information on how to conduct a complete self-assessment and why that's important.
Worklife This site allows the user to construct an individualized (free) account and portfolio with industry-specific career information.
Other useful sites: www.monster.com (online career center); www.idealist.org (starting a career in the nonprofit sector); www.cns.gov/jobs (field opportunities in human rights); www.ajb.dni.us (a U.S. Department of Labor site with job vacancies from state employment offices); and www.doleta.gov (a U.S. Department of Labor site with sections on planning and starting a new career).
Encouraging reflection and providing continuity year to year
Passing Along Wisdom
"Passing the torch" from one group of members to the next serves a number of purposes. It helps the departing group bring closure to their experience and reflect on lessons they've learned that will be valuable to someone else. It gives new members some real-life experience to draw on and hopefully helps them avoid potential mistakes. It also is a way to provide continuity from one year to the next.
There are lots of ways to create opportunities for passing along wisdom:
One Washington Service Corps group made a series of posters with words of encouragement to hang in their program office.
Another created a videotape with parting messages of "graduating" members; it was shown to new recruits during orientation.
Each of the Washington Service Corps programs has a "sustainability binder." In the notebook are personal letters from former members to current members, telling them how the year went and offering advice. See a table of contents for an exit binder in the Orient section of EnCorps.
Some programs ask members to write the letters on their own time while others incorporate it into an end-of-service reflection exercise. Listen to an example of one such letter in the Orient section of EnCorps.
America Reads-Mississippi (Jackson, MS) gathered advice from supervisors, team leaders, and members into a booklet "so others don't have to learn lessons the hard way." It covers topics such as "One Thing I Wish Someone Had Told Me Early On…" and "It Took Me Awhile to Figure Out…"
Alternative paths for members who aren't pursuing a career or returning to school
Not Your 9 to 5 Gig
Tips from Peace Corps veterans
Natalie Pacholl, currently an area coordinator for the Washington Reading Corps, says that serving in the Peace Corps is a lot like AmeriCorps. "There are similar expectations. If you can accept that and work within a bureaucracy, I highly recommend it," she said. Pacholl, who spent two years in the French-speaking African nation of Benin, thinks that her Peace Corps experience was seen as a positive on her résumé, but she admitted "it's all in how you market yourself."
Some general advice from former Peace Corps volunteers who spoke at a 2006 Life After AmeriCorps conference in Portland:
If you're taking a non-Peace Corps position abroad, make sure you understand what kind of health coverage you have. "Ask lots of questions and be prepared to advocate for yourself," suggests one woman who taught English in Korea for a private firm.
Pack some basic English grammar books–especially if you are teaching.
Try not to just hang out with other Peace Corps volunteers or Americans, but know that you have an "extended family" you can turn to, if necessary.
It's important to support members who choose full-time parenthood. Jenni Ethington, a former AmeriCorps and VISTA leader in Spokane, Washington, left service to become a stay-at-home mom. She said having a support network was critical: "I talked to other members who were also parents, and that really helped me," she says. "Getting together with other members for playdates was something we did a lot. I also looked for kid-friendly volunteer opportunities in my community as a way to stay connected."
Volunteering for another term of service
First term members may want to consider enrolling in a second term. Because policies about re-enrolling vary among programs, members should check with their State Commissions or CNCS State Office. Remember, program directors have no obligation to re-enroll any AmeriCorps member, although second terms are possible.
To be eligible for a second term, members must satisfactorily complete their first term (which means meeting expectations). If members wish to sign up for a different program, they'll need to do the legwork to find out about the various opportunities. The best place to start is www.americorps.gov, which is helpful in outlining the differences among AmeriCorps, VISTA, and AmeriCorps*NCCC. The site also explains how to apply to each program.
Choosing the military
Joining the armed forces may be the right choice for members who are looking for a challenge, job training, and help in paying for their education. More information on the different branches of service can be found at local recruiting offices or online at www.navy.com, www.army.com,www.marines.com, www.airforce.com and www.uscg.mil
Working or doing service abroad
Many members may be attracted to the idea of working or serving abroad. The Peace Corps is one option. It can be a natural extension for service-oriented members who wish to seek a new challenge.
You can also direct members to the What's Next online tutorial for goal-setting and other transition exercises.
Steps for supporting transition
Some AmeriCorps members will feel a sense of loss as they say good-bye to co-workers, community partners, and the structure that comes from having a job and/or a clearly defined mission in life.
You can gain a better understanding of what members are going through by considering William Bridges's three stages of transition (from Next Steps: Life After AmeriCorps by the Corporation for National and Community Service):
Stage 1–An identity is lost and a new one hasn't taken its place yet. The individual may feel disenchanted, unable to move on until he or she comes to grips with the "ending" of this current stage in life. For members who may be sad or angry about leaving service, it helps to plan ample time to say good-bye. Knowing that their project is left in good hands also helps provide a sense of closure. Organizing a closing ceremony gives members a chance to formally mark the end of this chapter in their lives.
Stage 2–The process of "letting go" can lead to feelings of emptiness and confusion. Members can minimize the amount of time they're in this phase by taking a series of small steps toward the future. Urge them to focus on the little things they can do right away rather than worrying about a plan for the rest of their lives.
Stage 3–In the final stage of transition, people find a new beginning. It's important to take action and concentrate on goals during this stage. According to Bridges, the transition process doesn't end when all the decisions have been made, but when action and goal setting are underway.
Another theorist, Nancy Schlossberg, recommends that people examine how they feel about the impending transition; identify supports; explore how their personality will affect the transition; and look at what they'll need to do to cope with the transition from service to the next step.
Many people think of evaluation or assessment as the last step in a process, but taking time to gather feedback and measure your results should be ongoing. "Doing assessments helps me pinpoint trends," says Beth Meyer of Community Youth Services in Olympia, Washington.
Because every member is unique, a single plan doesn't fit everyone. The first step is to find out more about your member's experience, skills, perceptions about AmeriCorps or VISTA service, and plans. This process will help you tailor available tools; down the road, it will also provide valuable information on how well your program is meeting your members' needs.
To help you with member needs assessment, download these useful resources:
"Begin planning from the first day of your AmeriCorps program how you will assist your members to make the transition from a year of service to their next steps in life. Emphasizing post-program transition will help with retention of your members, and give them a life to go to after AmeriCorps."
It's never too soon to think about the future. Helping members make a successful transition to life after service begins when the individual enters service. By providing tools and information at different stages of service, you can help members weigh their options and make choices that pave the way toward future goals.
This section contains surveys and resources for member reflection and needs assessment; information on the Segal AmeriCorps
Education Award; career planning tools; and soft skills for making the transition between service and the "real world." There's also a timeline that will help you determine when to introduce these topics.
Here are all the topics covered in this section:
Looking at the Individual What are your members' strengths and weaknesses? You'll find tools here for reflection, sample surveys, resources, a timeline, and more.
Moving On Everything from celebrating the end of service to conducting exit interviews and providing coping strategies.
Refer your AmeriCorps and VISTA members to two online tutorials designed specifically to assist them:
What's Next provides tools and resources to help members serve and transition to the next stage of life. Encourage your members to start going through the tutorial at the start of the year, and remind them to keep at it as the year progresses.
Education Award is a step-by-step tutorial to help members maximize their post-service financial benefits.
The AmeriCorps and VISTA experience can lay the foundation for a lifetime of service. Obviously, members enrich their own lives and communities by staying involved. Maintaining ties between your program and your former members also helps ease the transition from service to "life after."
There are other positive outcomes from having strong connections with your past members. They can help recruit new members, share their knowledge at orientation and other member development functions, offer networking opportunities as the next group of members "graduates," and provide historical perspective and context for your program.
There are plenty of ways you can suggest that departing members remain involved in service:
Volunteer in the community–A few of the most comprehensive sites for finding targeted volunteer opportunities are www.volunteermatch.org, www.pointsoflight.org, and www.idealist.org. They'll help members match their interests with organizations where they live.
Get involved in the political process–Members can make a difference at many levels: from volunteering for local neighborhood associations or a national political party to lobbying for programs and causes they believe in. At the very least, remind your members to register and vote!
Join RSVP–If members are 55 or older, they should consider signing on with RSVP, a "one-stop shopping" site for volunteers who want to do meaningful work in their community. More information on RSVP and other Senior Corps programs is available at www.seniorcorps.org.
Join AmeriCorps Alums–This group is for both AmeriCorps members as well as VISTAs. More information is available at www.americorpsalums.org.
Outward Bound is a nonprofit educational organization with core programs that change lives, build teams, and transform schools. The organization delivers adventure in the wilderness, urban centers, and classrooms to help others achieve their possibilities and to inspire them to serve others and the world around them. If your members are interested in taking Outward Bound courses, they can use their education awards.
Teach For America is the national corps of outstanding recent college graduates and professionals of all academic majors and career interests who commit two years to teach in urban and rural public schools and become leaders in the effort to expand educational opportunity.
A toolkit covering the planning and documentation of a successful job search
Everything To Know About Getting a Job
Translation: Member Speak to Job Speak
What if members don't think they've done anything that applies to the real world of work? Consultant Pam Rechel says that even things that don't seem like obvious examples can still be used to their advantage. For example, she took one member's account of how he stepped in and organized an "ivy pulling" activity, even though he wasn't in charge: "Our team leaders didn't know how to organize a task removing invasive species so I suggested XYZ. This made the task go smoother and faster. I found that in a task that's repetitive, if you feel you're efficient and accomplishing something, you'll be more motivated and will get more done."
Also, deficits can be changed into positives. According to Rechel, members wouldn't want to say "things changed a lot at my program" but could say "I adapt to change with a positive attitude. In my last position we had six changes in program design. The way I coped with that was not by worrying about why we were changing, but talking with my team members and encouraging them to make our team the first to embrace change. I found that because of my positive and encouraging attitude, others were willing to change."
As members consider life after service, they face a weighty decision: Where do I want to live? Do I want to go back to school? Should I seek other kinds of training? Do I want to enter the job market? And, that age-old dilemma: what do I want to be when I grow up?
Helping members figure out what types of careers best suit their personality, interests, and skills can assist them in making both short- and long-term plans. The following self-assessment tools, adapted from the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) in New York City, can serve as a starting point.
Use these tools separately or in combination for training sessions.
This tool asks members to reflect on their strengths and weaknesses, accomplishments, likes and dislikes, and goals. It can serve as the starting point for a workshop on career development and help members identify next steps-whether they lead back to school or to the workplace.
This form helps the members reflect on their leadership and volunteer accomplishments. The information can be edited for use in a cover letter or a résumé, and can help members organize their thoughts for potential job interviews.
Pam Rechel, a former human resources manager and currently head of Brave Heart Consulting in Portland, Oregon, (www.braveheartconsulting.com) adapted another translation tool from Working with Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman and from Behavioral Technology. It asks members to identify and reframe their life and work skill competencies.
Here are some basic pointers you should pass along to résumé writers.
Résumés MUST include:
Complete, current contact information
Work experience
Volunteer and leadership experience
Education
Résumés may include a personal objective (for example, "to work with youth in the nonprofit sector"), but be sure the objective matches the job you're applying for! Other optional elements include:
"Other" experience
Research/publications
Interests/hobbies
Computer skills
Language skills
Do NOT include references in your résumé. Remember, a résumé should serve to:
Highlight your skills
Show off your accomplishments
Show how you are qualified for the job
Show where you want your career to go
Try to tailor the résumé to the job or type of job you're seeking: You may find yourself creating a new, slightly different résumé for every position you apply for–depending on what the employer requires. The résumé should be one page in length, unless you have a substantial amount of work experience. Above all, remember HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY. Always tell the truth about your experience and education.
Résumés can be formatted chronologically or functionally:
The chronological résumé shows what jobs you held, starting with the most recent. This is the preferred method of presenting your information since it's the most straightforward for the employer.
A functional résumé highlights your skills and accomplishments, rather than presenting a linear description of where you've been and what you've done over the years. You should consider using a functional résumé if you lack real work experience or are attempting to change fields.
You can also create a résumé that mixes both functional and chronological elements.
Be mindful of these important stylistic considerations:
Use succinct language
Use a consistent tense (past tense is usually best)
Always double-check your spelling and have another set of eyes proofread your work
Make it clean, well-organized, and legible with ample white space
Use action verbs that quantify your accomplishments
"The most important thing in exit interviews is to provide a safe space for members to give feedback on the program and for us to talk to them about their strengths and things to work on," says Lara Jones, Individual Placement Coordinator for the Northwest Service Academy—Lower Columbia Center (Portland, OR). "The one thing I've learned during the three years I've been doing this is to provide the interview questions in advance. That way the members are prepared and their answers are more intentional."
Exit interviews serve several purposes. They're a chance to bring closure to the member'sservice while providing valuable feedback to both your program and the individual.
Lara Jones, Individual Placement Member Support Coordinator at the Northwest Service Academy (NWSA), offers some advice on handling exit interviews:
Step 1
Schedule the interviews about two days prior to the commencement ceremony. "This way, if there's missing paperwork or if they're short on hours, they still have a chance to fix that," she says.
Step 2
Ask members to come prepared. "They need to bring their last time sheet and time logs, their final site report, and their written evaluation of our program. The evaluation asks them to rate the program, staff, and support. It also asks them for contact information and about their plans for life after AmeriCorps."
Jones also gives members some questions to think about in advance that will form the basis of their interview. Although design for exiting leaders, the questions can be adapted for all members.
Step 3
Allow for an open conversation. Jones and the program leader spend about 10–15 minutes talking to each member individually about their experience. "We usually try to talk about things they've done well during their service and some things they may want to focus on. We also ask them to speak freely about the program and how it might be improved."
Step 4
Consider having an outside evaluator do a pre- and post-service survey. NWSA has an independent company, Merit Research, give members a survey as they start and end their service. The end survey takes about 20 minutes to fill out and is done just before the individual interviews are conducted. Merit Research analyzes the results and reports back to NWSA.
Step 5
Use the exit interview session as part of your end-of-service celebration preparation.
"I like to call in all the members of the team at the same time, which is about 15 people," says Jones. "As they're waiting for their individual interviews, they work on their group reflection piece for our commencement ceremony. It can be a skit, a song, or a video. They also fill out a 'yearbook' page, which will have their photo on it. We take these and make them into a book that's a nice take-away. All members get a copy and sign it at commencement, just like a high school yearbook."
Demystify the education award and explain how it can be used in traditional and nontraditional ways
Getting the Most from the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award
Extra Tip:
Even if a member isn't heading for college, he or she can still use the education award to learn trades such as cosmetology, massage therapy, or culinary arts. Get more info on nontraditional uses of the award by downloading this brochure from The Corps Network.
The Segal AmeriCorps Education Award is an incentive for recruiting and retaining members, but getting the most value out of it can be complicated, and with the passage of the Serve America Act and new student loan relief programs, the information is evolving.
A comprehensive and updated learning resource is available to assist members with forming a strategy for their awards. The site uses animated stories and learning pathways to illuminate key points around the award.
For information on how individual awards are processed, see the official CNCS web site. To learn more about (or sign up for) the AmeriCorps Online Payment System, click here.
In addition, you can find a set of tips and process notes for creating an education award training for members on your own.
Refer your AmeriCorps and VISTA members to two online tutorials designed
specifically for them:
Education Award is a step-by-step tutorial to help members maximize their education award.
What's Next provides tools and resources to help members serve and transition to the next stage of life.
Go on to Making Decisions
The experiences of former members can help inspire and encourage the people who take their place. Some programs ask departing members to write letters to their replacements, which are read at orientation.
