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
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.
A thorough record of service to help orient new members
This contents page shows all the materials that a former member leaves for the incoming one. Typically the exit report contains a message of support.
It was contributed by UCAN VISTA Coalition (Roseburg, OR), which
works to create solutions to poverty and improve lives of those in their communities. Members focus on engaging community volunteers, developing increased financial resources for partner organizations to assist people struggling to get out of poverty, developing partnerships that create new or enhanced resources, and educating others about issues of poverty.
Download this resource to see what you might include in your own binder.
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."
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.
Lessen the anxieties about teaching that new members may experience
New AmeriCorps members who will work as tutors or teachers may worry about their ability to do their job. Lessen their anxieties with this group activity. In small groups, members will:
Talk about their favorite teachers
List some of the characteristics of effective teachers
Learn that they also possess some of these qualities
The Serve America Act identifies requirements for tutors and tutoring programs. For example, in general, the law requires AmeriCorps members who serve as tutors to have a high school diploma. Click here to access the legislation on the CNCS website and then click on Subtitle C and then select Section 1302.
This Effective Teachers activity was contributed by AmeriCorps/East St. Louis (East St. Louis, IL), an AmeriCorps*State program that focuses on reading, language skills development for low achieving students in grades 1-6.
Explain the mission of AmeriCorps with a group activity
Members help each other learn about the mission and objectives of AmeriCorps with this group orientation activity. Encourage them to be creative and use a variety of presentation styles.
This orientation activity was contributed by PCC's AmeriCorps (Oak Park, IL), an AmeriCorps*State program that provides intensive outreach and health education to individuals and families at high-risk for poor health and social outcomes.
Learn about members' service term expectations with this group activity
Observe member interaction and team-work skills during this meaningful group activity. During the activity, members divide into groups to answer and discuss questions such as:
What do you hope to learn?
What skills do you hope to acquire?
How will your service year be different from a job?
Use this activity during either AmeriCorps or VISTA orientations.
This activity was contributed by PCC's AmeriCorps (Oak Park, IL), an AmeriCorps*State program that provides intensive outreach and health education to individuals and families at high-risk for poor health and social outcomes.
Build group cohesion with this interactive activity
Becoming a new VISTA or AmeriCorps member can bring both excitement and uncertainty. This activity helps new members identify and express their feelings about the coming service term. Talking about positive and negative feelings builds team spirit and trust.
This Pie Chart activity was adapted by PCC's AmeriCorps (Oak Park, IL), an AmeriCorps*State program that provides intensive outreach and health education to individuals and families at high risk for poor health and social outcomes.
Foster team building through hands-on problem solving
How do you build a 6-foot tower with paper, cups, and straws? You have only 15 minutes to plan and 10 minutes to build. New AmeriCorps and VISTA members will have fun solving this problem with their group.
This Tower Building activity was adapted by PCC's AmeriCorps (Oak Park, IL), an AmeriCorps*State program that provides intensive outreach and health education to individuals and families at high-risk for poor health and social outcomes.
AmeriCorps and VISTA members get to know each other with this name game
New members talk about their names and nicknames and tell stories connected to their names. They then introduce another member of the group with an interesting fact about that person's name.
This activity was adapted by PCC's AmeriCorps (Oak Park, IL), an AmeriCorps*State program that provides intensive outreach and health education to individuals and families at high-risk for poor health and social outcomes.
Break the ice at your first VISTA training with this activity:
Collect a unique fact or obscure detail from each member of your team (cull resumes for information or ask members directly)
Include supervisors and project coordinators
List each item without the person's name
Hand out the lists at the initial gathering
Give everyone until the end of the day to match each person with an item on the list
At the end of the day, go through the answers; allow each person to tell a little bit more about their item.
This activity was contributed by Schools of Hope project (Madison, WI), a VISTA program that trains and coordinates academic tutors for low-income students and students of color in the primary grades to improve academic achievement.
You've heard of the term "elevator speech." That's the thirty second speech you give when someone when asks, "What do you do?" or "AmeriCorps? What's that?" Delivering an accurate message takes time and practice.
AmeriCorps members are expected to dive right in and begin recruiting volunteers/partners and training. The following documents are sample networking materials that will give your members the confidence they need during those first cold calls and emails, and ensure your program is being represented appropriately. Use these documents when:
Creating organizational partnerships
Making first phone contact with potential partners or volunteers
Sending follow-up emails to phone messages
Posting information online
Responding to calls or emails of interest in your program
These samples were contributed by Chicago Public Schools Homeless Education Program (Chicago, IL) , a VISTA program that works with low income and homeless students to assure they are provided with educational opportunities that are equal to those of other students.
Like any position, volunteer success comes from knowing the strengths of your applicants and placing them with the right people.
Use these resources to:
Design a system of volunteer recruitment for your program
Enable members to recruit the best volunteer candidates within their community
Develop an application process for your volunteer program
Track your volunteer placements within the program
Train volunteers for maximum success in the field
Finding great volunteers can be a challenge for new programs and for first year AmeriCorps members. This recruitment tip sheet will support you and your members as you start the difficult task of creating a database of volunteer connections. It will give you ideas so you can create a system of volunteer recruitment that you can use year after year.
This tip sheet was contributed by Chicago Public Schools Homeless Education Program (Chicago, IL) , a VISTA program that works with low income and homeless students to assure they are provided with educational opportunities that are equal to those of other students.
A volunteer application allows you to secure the best volunteers for your program. Both you, members, and potential volunteer know exactly what is expected of them. This sample application will give you an understanding of a clear, well designed volunteer description. It includes confidentiality statements.
A volunteer placement form allows volunteers, volunteer coordinators, and school staff to know the details and contact information of everyone involved in the recruitment and placement process.
These volunteer tools were contributed by Schools of Hope project (Madison, WI), a VISTA program that trains and coordinates academic tutors for low-income students and students of color in the primary grades to improve academic achievement.
View the sample orientation agenda and then use the template to create your own program-specific agenda.
This agenda was contributed by Minnesota Alliance With Youth Promise Fellows Program (Minneapolis, MN), an AmeriCorps*State program whose Promise Fellows work with schools and communities managing tutoring, mentoring, and service-learning programs.
Plan an interesting and exciting orientation based on this agenda
A successful orientation includes more than just a series of lectures. Dynamic activities keep members interested and help them learn. Use this planning agenda as a basis for your program's orientation. Change the names, dates, and some of the topics to make it your own. The agenda includes:
A time schedule for a three-day event
Instructions and script for trainers
Ideas for ice-breaker and team building activities
Discussion topics
A wrap-up activity
This Agenda was contributed by Illinois Public Health AmeriCorps (Springfield, IL), an AmeriCorps*State program that supports health and community preparedness programs and conducts community outreach across the state.
Use this sample agenda to plan your orientation for a health educator
See how a health education program structures their PSO. Get ideas about a general schedule of events, topics to cover, and work sites to visit.
This agenda was contributed by PCC's AmeriCorps (Oak Park, IL), an AmeriCorps*State program that provides intensive outreach and health education to individuals and families at high-risk for poor health and social outcomes.
Give your new VISTA a great start with a thorough orientation
When new VISTAs join your site, they have a lot to learn. Help them be effective and have a successful year by giving them a great start. This three-week agenda is designed for a member placed alone at a site. The agenda provides an outline of basic topics and activities, such as:
Welcome and introductions
Discussion of program history, purpose, and mission
Review of project plan/assignment description
Exploration of the community
Visiting prospects for volunteer participation
Add topics specific to your site and fun activities to help your VISTA feel part of your group.
This Agenda was contributed by Youth Conservation Corps (Waukegan, IL), an AmeriCorps*National program whose mission is to guide and mentor youth and young adults to develop them into productive citizens using community service, work and education experiences.
To ensure members attend required training, develop a checklist like this one:
Create a list of required trainings (an option is to create a separate list for each member or a spreadsheet with all trainings and all members)
Ask trainers to use sign-in sheets at trainings and return them to you
Use sign-in sheets to update members' checklists
This sample checklist was contributed by Easter Seals Wisconsin AmeriCorps Partnership (Madison, WI), an AmeriCorps*State program that addresses critical needs faced by people with disabilities and their families by providing respite care, volunteer management, and aquatic programs.
This resource was created by Education Northwest/Bank Street College (BSC) training team. Education Northwest/BSC has been a Training and Technical Assistance provider for AmeriCorps*VISTA since 1998. They design and deliver the Pre-Service Orientation (PSO) and the Supervisor Orientation (SO), as well as other events.
Education Northwest/BSC uses this handout in the Supervisor Orientation. It helps new VISTA supervisors brainstorm themes and activities for their OSOTs.
VISTA created this visual representation of the VISTA training timeline to better represent how the different member and supervisor training opportunities connect.
Use this resource to:
Better understand the sequence of VISTA trainings
See how the OSOT fits in with other VISTA trainings
Education Northwest/Bank Street College uses this handout in the Supervisor Orientation to provide new VISTA supervisors an opportunity to reflect on and discuss the population of incoming VISTAs.
Use this resource to:
Reflect on the needs of this population
Develop a targeted OSOT for your VISTAs
This resource was created by the Education Northwest/Bank Street College (BSC) training team. Education Northwest/Bank Street College has been a Training and Technical Assistance provider for AmeriCorps VISTA since 1998. They design and deliver the Pre-Service Orientation (PSO) and the Supervisor Orientation (SO), as well as other events.
Education Northwest/Bank Street College uses this handout in the Supervisor Orientation to provide new VISTA supervisors an opportunity to reflect on and discuss the population of incoming VISTAs.
Use this resource to:
Reflect on the needs of this population
Develop a targeted OSOT for your VISTAs
This resource was created by the Education Northwest/Bank Street College (BSC) training team. Education Northwest/Bank Street College has been a Training and Technical Assistance provider for AmeriCorps*VISTA since 1998. They design and deliver the Pre-Service Orientation (PSO) and the Supervisor Orientation (SO), as well as other events.
Education Northwest/Bank Street College uses this handout in the Supervisor Orientation to provide new VISTA supervisors an opportunity to reflect on and discuss the population of incoming VISTAs.
Use this resource to:
Reflect on the needs of this population
Develop a targeted OSOT for your VISTAs
This resource was created by the Education Northwest/Bank Street College (BSC) training team. Education Northwest/Bank Street College has been a Training and Technical Assistance provider for AmeriCorps*VISTA since 1998. They design and deliver the Pre-Service Orientation (PSO) and the Supervisor Orientation (SO), as well as other events.
Education Northwest/Bank Street College uses this handout in the Supervisor Orientation to provide new VISTA supervisors an opportunity to reflect on and discuss the population of incoming VISTAs.
Use this resource to:
Reflect on the needs of this population
Develop a targeted OSOT for your VISTAs
This resource was created by the Education Northwest/Bank Street College (BSC) training team. Education Northwest/Bank Street College has been a Training and Technical Assistance provider for AmeriCorps VISTA since 1998. They design and deliver the Pre-Service Orientation (PSO) and the Supervisor Orientation (SO), as well as other events.
Education Northwest/Bank Street College uses this handout in the Supervisor Orientation to provide new VISTA supervisors an opportunity to reflect on and discuss the population of incoming VISTAs.
Use this resource to:
Reflect on the needs of this population
Develop a targeted OSOT for your VISTAs
This resource was created by the Education Northwest/Bank Street College (BSC) training team. Education Northwest/Bank Street College has been a Training and Technical Assistance provider for AmeriCorps*VISTA since 1998. They design and deliver the Pre-Service Orientation (PSO) and the Supervisor Orientation (SO), as well as other events.
This agenda was prepared for you by CNCS. Significant detail is provided
to give you an idea of the content that might be included and how
activities might be carried out. The plans you submit to your
Corporation State Office need not go into this much detail. Also, some
plans might cover the first three weeks of a member's service – like
this one – others might just be one or two weeks long. How detailed and
involved your plan is will depend on the particular characteristics of
your organization, project, and VISTA member.
This agenda was created in partnership between the Montana Prevention Resource Center and Montana Campus Compact VISTA Projects. Both are statewide capacity building VISTA projects. The Prevention Resource Center sponsors VISTAs in local Montana communities that are addressing youth development strategies, and Montana Campus Compact sponsors local community VISTAs to work on partnering higher education and the community organizations in addressing housing, literacy, food, and mentoring needs in a community.
This agenda was created in partnership between the Montana Prevention Resource Center and Montana Campus Compact VISTA Projects. Both are statewide capacity building VISTA projects. The Prevention Resource Center sponsors VISTAs in local Montana communities that are addressing youth development strategies, and Montana Campus Compact sponsors local community VISTAs to work on partnering higher education and the community organizations in addressing housing, literacy, food, and mentoring needs in a community.
This document was designed to help a VISTA acquaint themselves with their site. It can be used to either plan or frame an OSOT and is organized by objectives, not chronologically.
Use this resource to:
Frame your OSOT
Brainstorm OSOT topics
Create your own OSOT
This checklist was created in partnership between the Montana Prevention Resource Center and Montana Campus Compact VISTA Projects. Both are statewide capacity building VISTA projects. The Prevention Resource Center sponsors VISTAs in local Montana communities that are addressing youth development strategies, and Montana Campus Compact sponsors local community VISTAs to work on partnering higher education and the community organizations in addressing housing, literacy, food, and mentoring needs in a community.
This OSOT Planning Worksheet was provided by CNCS. It is intended to help you think about what you want your VISTAs to feel, see, know and do during their OSOT. Use this resource to:
AmeriCorps offers a number of resources to help you manage your grant effectively. For information and assistance in serving communities, building capacity, enhancing quality, working with members and more, please see the following resources located here
Describe member reporting practice and setting reporting measures. Download this document to see an example of how to set objectives, report activity and measure efficacy.
You'll also want to provide background on the history of the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), and AmeriCorps and/or VISTA. See related links below for information and inspiration.
There are a number of topics that you would be well advised to cover during orientation, even if you plan to follow up later in the year through ongoing member development.
Of course, these depend on the particular circumstances of your program and staff. However, check out the following topics to see if they are appropriate for your orientation.
Reflection on member's history and reasons for choosing service–View video segments on a "Wall of History" activity, which is used at the beginning, middle, and end of service as a reflection and team building vehicle.
Program orientation (history, culture, mission, etc.)–What's your program all about? Explore ways to help your members answer that question and carry out your mission every day.
Inspiration–Service is inspiring, and understanding the role that inspiration plays can help make the year a success. Use this exercise to boost your members' motivation and inspiration.
When planning an orientation, the first step is to reserve a space. Without a space, nothing else can move forward!
Churches, community halls, library meeting rooms, parks facilities, colleges, and office complexes with vacant space are likely venues.
Look for free parking, access to public transit, and ADA accessibility. Consider whether you just need one large room or smaller ones, too, for break-out sessions. Also, will you need outdoor space for icebreakers or other activities?
Try to reserve your space six months before the orientation.
Seasoned program directors offer two succinct bits of advice for planning an orientation:
Start early
Document your process, using checklists, for example
Neil Schulman of Northwest Service Academy in Portland (Oregon) begins planning his October training and delegating responsibilities to other staff members in March—a full six months' lead time. Click here
to read Schulman's step-by-step process, including types of skills
training and when to call on outside experts.
Using an orientation checklist is an ideal way to ensure that topics are
covered in a timely manner, and that there is a paper trail showing the
training members received.
The two checklists below may be downloaded and customized for your
program. Use them in two ways:
Facilitators can mark topics as they are addressed at orientation, ensuring that all are covered
Staff can give members a copy of the checklist; during orientation, members initial each topic as it is discussed, and the completed checklist is placed in individual member's files, to document compliance with CNCS guidelines
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.
Meeting facilitation exercises used in trainings and orientations for both members and supervisors
The three meeting facilitation exercises are used by the Local Initiative Support Corporation (LISC, New York, NY) to help meetings run more smoothly. LISC is an AmeriCorps National Direct program that focuses on increasing affordable housing opportunities for low and moderate income families through housing development and counseling first time homebuyers.
Use this resource to:
Capture information about participants' needs using the KWL.
Provide a place to stash ideas to address later by using a Parking Lot.
Ensure all participants are engaged by intermittently using Questions/Comments/Burning Issues.
Use this resource to develop or adapt your own risk management plan.
This risk management plan was created by the Northwest Service Academy — Mt. Adams Center to provide guidance for the trainings, preparations, and policies implemented for team leaders, team members, and field staff
for all activities related to working in "the field." The Mt. Adams Center is one of the few AmeriCorps programs to offer a residential option with the majority of members serving on field teams focused on environmental restoration.
Six icebreaker exercises for any type of audience, in any type of setting
This set of ice breakers was developed by the Local Initiative Support Corporation (LISC, New York, NY) The activities are appropriate in orientations for both members and supervisors. LISC is an AmeriCorps National Direct program that focuses on increasing affordable housing opportunities for low and moderate income families through housing development and counseling first time homebuyers.
Use this resource to:
incorporate more interactivity and opportunity for members to get to know each other during orientation and other training events.
Assigning roles and sharing expectations in trainings is a win-win for the participant and the facilitator
At the beginning of a training session, it is helpful to participants to understand the basic structure of the meeting and the roles and expectations of participants. The following "Roles of Meeting Participants" and "How to Get the Most Out of this Training" are used by the Local Initiative Support Corporation (LISC, New York, NY), and are adapted from material by Nicole Trimble. LISC is an AmeriCorps National Direct program that focuses on increasing affordable housing opportunities for low and moderate income families through housing development and counseling first time homebuyers.
These are especially useful for first-time presenters or staff new to facilitating meetings, and can be used by AmeriCorps programs of any focus.
Use this resource to:
Facilitate meetings more effectively.
Help participants engage more productively in trainings.
Programs utilize volunteers to meet their mission and goals. The
following resource will help you and your members develop a system of
volunteer resource management that will continue from year to year.
Use this resource to:
Evaluate your current community volunteer efforts
Develop a comprehensive plan for recruiting, supporting and
managing community volunteers
Consider how volunteer roles and responsibilities differ from member positions. This will help ensure clarity about positions within your organization. Volunteers may not be displaced by members.
The resource is a checklist used by the Local Initiative Support Corporation (LISC, New York, NY) to plan and implement community volunteer program that is well supported and managed by the program. LISC is an AmeriCorps National Direct program that focuses on increasing affordable housing opportunities for low and moderate income families through housing development and counseling first time homebuyers.
This resource was created by the Local Initiative Support Corporation (LISC, New York, NY) as a template to develop program-specific position descriptions for community volunteers. LISC is an AmeriCorps National Direct program that focuses on increasing affordable housing opportunities for low and moderate income families through housing development and counseling first time homebuyers.
Use this resource to:
Familiarize members with your program's specific volunteer positions and their requirements.
Share with members as a reference when recruiting and managing volunteers.
When developing your application consider how volunteer roles and responsibilities differ from member positions. This will help ensure clarity about positions within your organization. Volunteers may not be displaced by members.
This resource was created by the Local Initiative Support Corporation (LISC, New York, NY) as a tool to develop a plan for recruiting community volunteers. LISC is an AmeriCorps National Direct program that focuses on increasing affordable housing opportunities for low and moderate income families through housing development and counseling first time homebuyers.
Use this resource to:
Develop your own community volunteer recruitment plan.
Provide as an example for your members to develop their own volunteer recruitment plan.
This resource was created by the Local Initiative Support Corporation (LISC, New York, NY) as an introduction to recruiting community volunteers. Programs can add detailed information about their specific volunteer recruitment needs.
LISC is an AmeriCorps National Direct program that focuses on increasing affordable housing opportunities for low and moderate income families through housing development and counseling first time homebuyers.
Use this resource to:
enhance your own community volunteer efforts.
create a volunteer position description.
identify how and where to recruit community volunteers.
An activity for members to identify and use motivational strategies
Motivational Toolbox was developed by EarthCorps (Seattle, WA) to engage crew leaders in identifying and using a variety of motivational strategies to address specific situations commonly found on teams. EarthCorps' mission is to build global community through local environmental service, focusing on building strong communities, empowering youth, and creating healthy habitats.
Use this resource to:
engage your members in better understanding factors that affect motivation.
assist your members in identifying their own motivational strategies.
An activity to help prepare members for their site placement
This resource was created by the Local Initiative Support Corporation (LISC, New York, NY) to assist members in identifying questions to ask at their placement site. LISC is an AmeriCorps National Direct program that focuses on increasing affordable housing opportunities for low and moderate income families through housing development and counseling first time homebuyers.
Use this resource to:
assist members in brainstorming questions to ask at their placement site.
The NWSA Member Development Handbook was created by the Northwest Service Academy — Lower Columbia Center (NWSA). The handbook is intended for members and describes the key components, expectations, and requirements of their member development program. NWSA addresses critical environmental and educational needs, partnering with 125 community agencies with members serving in individual placements or on field teams.
Adapt this resource to:
develop your own members' guide to member development.
An activity to train members on reporting and performance measurement
This training activity was developed by the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC, New York, NY). The exercise helps members understand not only the logistics of reporting but shows, through a hands-on process, how monthly reporting tools help measure impact and show progress toward objectives. Samples used are specific to LISC but are useful as a template to adapt to suit your program's reporting needs.
Adapt this resource to:
engage your members in understanding the importance of accurate reporting.
An example of one AmeriCorps program's drug free policy
This drug free policy was created by Local Initiative Support Corporation (LISC, New York, NY), a AmeriCorps National Direct program that focuses on increasing affordable housing opportunities for low and moderate income families through housing development and counseling first time homebuyers.
Use this resource to:
Develop your own drug free policy statement and accountability form.
A 2-page checklist of critical documents to include in a member's file
This member file checklist was created by RARE (Resource Assistance to Rural Environments, Eugene, OR), whose mission is to increase the capacity of rural communities to improve their economic, social, and environmental conditions, through the assistance of 20 fulltime trained graduate-level participants who live and work in communities.
Use or adapt this resource to track documents required for a member's file.
A four-page checklist of required member orientation topics
This member orientation checklist was created by the Washington Service Corps (WSC, Olympia, WA). WSC AmeriCorps members perform service that has direct and demonstrable impact in the areas of education, the environment, human services, homeland security, and public safety.
Before using, read the form to ensure that all elements are applicable to your program and to insert your program's name at the top of the first page.
Use this resource to:
ensure that all required topics are covered during orientation.
provide to members, who initial each topic as it is discussed and the completed checklist is then placed in the individual member files, to document compliance with CNS guidelines.
An orientation schedule used by staff as a final reference
This schedule was developed by Kitsap Community Resources in Bremerton, Washington, an AmeriCorps program dedicated to helping low-income residents by providing resources that promote self-sufficiency.
This schedule ensures all times and dates are covered with speakers and events, and that speaker contact information is readily available in the event of changes or emergencies. Adapt this resource to:
Use as a final check in planning and preparing for orientation.
Provide an overview of orientation activities to members (note: delete facilitators' contact information first!).
This agenda outlines the topics and activities covered during the
Pre-Service Orientation (PSO) provided to all VISTA members. VISTAs spend
the first two days in small groups getting oriented to their role and
VISTA. On the last day of the event, participants choose one of three
focused skill-building sessions that best fits with their VISTA service
activities.
Use this resource to:
develop a complementary onsite orientation event
This resource was created by the Education Northwest/Bank Street College training team. Education Northwest/BSC has been a
Training and Technical Assistance provider for AmeriCorps*VISTA since
1998. They design and deliver the Pre-Service Orientation (PSO) and the
Supervisor Orientation (SO), as well as other events.
A detailed agenda, preceded by a one-page overview
This detailed agenda was created by the Washington Reading Corps (WRC, Olympia, WA), an AmeriCorps program focused on improving reading abilities of K-6 students. The narrative approach to this agenda can also be used to supplement the information provided on a shorter, calendar-style agenda given to members.
This document, complete with unresolved or in-process issues, can be used by staff in planning the orientation. The resource makes reference to program-specific information, including fingerprinting. For more information on this topic, check out the Checking References and Conducting Background Checks resource.
Adapt this resource to develop your own 10-day agenda.
A five-day Orientation Agenda, with each page covering one day's activities
This five-day orientation schedule, developed by Partnerships for Student Achievement (PSA, Forest Grove, Oregon), is designed so that each page can be given to members on the morning of that Orientation day. The first page can be mailed to members ahead of time, to remind them to bring required personal documentation.
Topics are useful for education programs dealing with tutor recruitment training. The resource makes reference to program specific-information, including fingerprinting. For more information on this topic, check out the Checking References and Conducting Background Checks resource.
Adapt this resource to design your own five-day orientation event.
A three-day orientation agenda used by an environmental program
This three-day orientation schedule is intended for staff use, and was created by EarthCorps, an AmeriCorps program that provides one-year intensive programs for young adults (18-25) to learn best practices in conservation techniques through local environmental restoration service and develop skills in leading volunteers. EarthCorps' activities are left intact to provide context and ideas for structuring an orientation.
Adapt this resource to:
develop your own three-day orientation.
see how one environmental program structures its orientation.
A three-day orientation schedule formatted as daily agendas
This three-day "daily" orientation schedule was created by RARE (Resource Assistance to Rural Environments, Eugene, OR), whose mission is to increase the capacity of rural communities to improve their economic, social, and environmental conditions, through the assistance of 20 full time trained graduate-level participants who live and work in communities.
Topics are from RARE's 2005 member orientation, and were left to provide an idea of the flow of "heavy" versus "light" activities, and the time devoted to them.
Adapt this resource to:
create your own three-day orientation event
provide an agenda to members at orientation. If it is mailed to members prior to orientation, include a list of documentation they should bring with them
compare the flow of activities with your current orientation schedule
Understanding Member Development: A Guide for Members
A two-page description of member development an AmeriCorps member experiences during his/her period of service
This resource was created by the Oregon State Service Corps (OSSC), a statewide AmeriCorps program that provides nonprofits, community and faith-based organizations, government agencies and schools with the opportunity to sponsor an AmeriCorps member. AmeriCorps members address significant issues in the areas of education, homeland security, public safety and human needs through direct service and volunteer mobilization.
Remember, each AmeriCorps program creates specific objectives related to training and member development. Please read it carefully to eliminate and/or edit language or ideas not appropriate to your program, and to add training and member development activities specific to your program.
Use this resource to:
identify the types of training appropriate for your program.
compare your reporting requirements with an established program's reporting requirements.
Discover the best practices of an experienced member development coordinator
Neil Schulman of Northwest Service Academy (NWSA, Portland, Oregon) shared some of his in-the-trenches knowledge about planning a training (both orientation and skill specific) and working with outside experts to deliver training to AmeriCorps members and staff.
Neil is the Training and Member Development Coordinator for NWSA's Lower Columbia Center, with 120 members serving in Oregon, predominately in the Portland metropolitan area. Members work for sponsors at various sites in individual placements or on teams on projects to preserve and restore the natural environment.
In this interview, Neil Schulman describes how he approaches:
Go back to Orientation Topics
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.
