ORCC Americorps VISTA

ORCC AmeriCorps VISTA RFP Resource Guide 2015-2016

The ORCC VISTA Program RFP & Resource Guide may be downloaded from: www.oregoncampuscompact.org

1 Table of Contents

Overview of the ORCC AmeriCorps VISTA Program 3 What is the ORCC AmeriCorps VISTA Program? 3 What do AmeriCorps VISTA Members do? 3 Framework for VISTA Programming: Core Principles 4 Assessment of Project Applications 5 What are Prohibited Activities? 5 What is the value to a host site? 5 What do AmeriCorps VISTA Members receive for their service? 6 How are VISTAs recruited and selected? 6 2015-2016 Program Calendar 7

ORCC VISTA Program Goals & Application Direction 8 ORCC Program Focus Area: Education 8 ORCC AmeriCorps VISTA Typical Activities 8 Creating an Effective VISTA Assignment Description 11 Sample VISTA Assignment Description 13 Sample ORCC AmeriCorps VISTA Position Description 15

Overview of the ORCC AmeriCorps VISTA Program

2 What is the ORCC AmeriCorps VISTA Program? The ORCC AmeriCorps VISTA program was created in 2006 through a partnership between ORCC and the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) Oregon State Office. This program was developed in response to the needs of ORCC member institutions and in recognition of the potential for institutions of higher education to further address the local needs of low-income communities. The program has expanded to meet the needs of community organizations.

ORCC AmeriCorps VISTA Members act as connection builders between institutions of higher education or community organizations and their surrounding communities. AmeriCorps VISTA Members build, support, and develop the capacity for ORCC member institutions and their students to be better stewards of the community and to gain a richer and more valuable experience outside the classroom. The role of the AmeriCorps VISTA Member is primarily to build the capacity and sustainability of the project, the community, and, ultimately, to leave programs and structures in place that no longer require an ORCC AmeriCorps VISTA Member.

ORCC AmeriCorps VISTA Members:  Build mutually beneficial relationships which can lead to long-term partnerships between their host site and community-based organizations  Alleviate community poverty through the strategic management of campus and/or community resources  Improve student leadership in service and increase the number of students coordinating programs and the number of students in direct service with the community

The ORCC AmeriCorps VISTA program represents an innovative partnership between national service, higher education, and community based non-profits. The model has been replicated in numerous other Campus Compact state network offices. State Compact AmeriCorps VISTA Members have proven to be effective in several important areas: the building of relationships with community organizations; alleviating poverty in the community; the development of a permanent position related to service and community development; supplying the human resources and skill-based actions necessary for making service happen; connecting campuses and community organizations to a broader network of service and service-related knowledge; acting as representatives of a national service model that endorses and legitimizes community service; and developing equitable community-engaged programming that increases educational access and success for students from low-income backgrounds and communities of color.

What do AmeriCorps VISTA Members do? Oregon Campus Compact VISTA members are committed to developing equitable community-engaged programming that increases educational access and success for students from low-income backgrounds and communities of color. Using an equity lens, VISTAs build capacity for college campuses and organizations to increase access to educational resources to alleviate poverty based on community identified issue areas.

AmeriCorps VISTA Members primarily perform capacity building activities and indirect service rather than direct service such as tutoring children, etc. Typically institutions host an AmeriCorps VISTA project for three years (if in good standing with the AmeriCorps program and if funding is available). Below is a diagram of the natural progression of the types of service performed by an AmeriCorps VISTA Member: Indirect Service, Capacity Building, and Sustainable Endeavors. These general categories were provided by CNCS and represent the progression that can be applied to AmeriCorps VISTA positions over the lifespan of the project.

3 Keeping that in mind, each ORCC AmeriCorps VISTA position should incorporate all three categories with increasing emphasis on capacity building and sustainable endeavors in years 2 and 3. See examples of strong VISTA Member Assignment Descriptions at the end of this Resource Guide. These examples are provided in general terms and should be viewed as a basis for more specifically defined projects and activities at each individual host institution.

Contingent on available funding and project performance, host institutions will be eligible to continue over a three-year project period. Fourth year applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Fourth year applications will need to illustrate significant community need or new programmatic focus and must be prepared to provide a cash match equal to the amount of the VISTA living stipend ($12,000).

Framework for VISTA Programming: Core Principles Projects must be developed in accordance with AmeriCorps VISTA’s core principles: an anti-poverty focus, community empowerment, sustainable solutions, and capacity building.

Anti-Poverty Focus The statutory purpose of AmeriCorps VISTA is to support efforts to eliminate poverty. Each VISTA project should focus on empowering individuals to emerge from poverty, not simply make poverty more tolerable. VISTA projects should focus on long-term solutions rather than short-term services.

Community Empowerment Prospective and current AmeriCorps VISTA project sponsors must engage low-income community members in planning, developing, implementing, and evaluating the project. Each project must be responsive and relevant to the lives of community residents, and tap into inherent community assets, strengths, and resources.

Sustainable Solutions Congress has directed AmeriCorps VISTA to serve as short-term resources that serve to build the long- term sustainability of anti-poverty programs. Projects should be developed with a goal to phase out the need for VISTAs within three years and have the project continue without them.

Capacity Building VISTAs create systems that remain long after their term of service ends. VISTA projects expand the scale, impact, and resource-leveraging ability of programs and organizations that work to eliminate poverty. Our members strengthen sponsors by building infrastructure, expanding community partnerships, securing long-term resources, coordinating training for participants, and more, as determined by local needs.

Members focus on capacity-building activities. They may perform limited direct service, which primarily includes activities that address individual clients’ immediate needs, under special initiatives. VISTAs are not staff members and may not engage in activities that would supplant paid staff, contractors, or existing volunteers. This prohibition includes activities related to the application and management of other CNCS grants and programs.

Assessment of Project Applications In choosing which project applications to support, the AmeriCorps VISTA program evaluates prospective and current VISTA projects and sponsors on their ability to manage and effectively apply VISTA resources to build long-term, sustainable solutions to poverty in their community. A VISTA project must:

 Involve stakeholders in project development and implementation through the duration of the project 4  Address the relevant needs of low-income communities and otherwise comply with the provisions of the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 (DVSA), as amended (42 U.S.C. 4951 et seq.), applicable to VISTA and all applicable regulations, guidelines, and policies  Build organizational and/or community capacity to sustain the project beyond the VISTA term of service  Describe the intended outcomes of the project on the targeted population and community  Clearly state how VISTAs will be trained, supervised, and supported to ensure mission success, as well as compliance with DVSA program rules and regulations  Illustrate the relationship between key project elements throughout the application, including: a statement demonstrating the need and intended outcomes; performance measures; and VISTA member assignment description(s)  Ensure that VISTA and community resources are sufficient to achieve project goals  Possess sufficient management and technical capability to implement and oversee the project  Request an appropriate number of VISTAs to achieve the project mission, and select VISTAs with the requisite skills and qualifications to meet established goals and objectives.

What are the Prohibited Activities? Federal law and CNCS policy prohibit AmeriCorps programs and AmeriCorps Members from engaging in certain activities. AmeriCorps VISTA Members may not perform specific activities in the course of their duties, while charging time to the AmeriCorps program, nor at the request of anyone including ORCC or the host site. Furthermore, AmeriCorps VISTA Members and staff may not engage in conduct that would associate the VISTA program or CNCS with prohibited activities. Host sites must become familiar with specific provisions described in CNCS’s formal regulation (see 45 CFR § 2520.65) and the grant provisions. See Prohibited Activities attachment in RFP for more information.

What is the value to a host site? Based on the budget ORCC submitted to CNCS, the anticipated value host institutions should expect to receive per AmeriCorps VISTA Member requested is as follows (based on current year’s figures):

Quantitative Benefits AmeriCorps VISTA Living Allowance $ 11,676 Education Award $ 5,730 Health Benefit $ 2,700 AmeriCorps VISTA Member Training & Travel $ 1,750 Relocation Allowance (for those who move over 50 miles to serve) $ 1,500 Value of Hours Served (2,123 average hours facilitated per VISTA X $22.55)* $ 47,873.65 Value based on Independent Sector figures for 2013 Approximate Value of VISTA Member $71,229.65 What do AmeriCorps VISTA Members receive for their service? AmeriCorps VISTA Members receive a taxable living allowance of $11,676 per year, a supplemental health benefit, loan forbearance on eligible student loans, and childcare (if eligible). AmeriCorps VISTA Members have the option to receive the Segal Education Award of $5,645 (taxable) or a $1,500 cash stipend (taxable) upon successful completion of their year of service. The education award can be used to cover the costs of future education or to repay qualified student loans. Beyond these benefits, AmeriCorps VISTA Members have the opportunity to gain skills, take on leadership roles, work with many partnering agencies, build networks, and know the satisfaction of "Getting Things Done."

Other AmeriCorps Benefits  Repayment of interest accrued during service on qualifying student loans

5  Childcare benefits (for qualifying AmeriCorps VISTA Members)  Travel allowance for those who move over 50 miles to serve  Relocation allowance for those who move over 50 miles to serve  FICA benefits  Worker’s Compensation eligibility

How will ORCC AmeriCorps VISTA Members be recruited and selected? ORCC AmeriCorps VISTA Members are recruited, selected, and receive ongoing training by ORCC staff in partnership with site supervisors. In general, ORCC recruits two- and four-year college graduates who are committed to performing a voluntary year of national service. They come from around the country with varying backgrounds and professional goals. They are not experts in any specific field but typically all ORCC AmeriCorps VISTA Members are passionate about improving educational outcomes and have significant experience in community service and leadership.

Host sites are instrumental in the recruitment process by identifying and forwarding appropriate candidates to be matched with their own or other ORCC AmeriCorps VISTA host site. All candidates identified by sites, as well as those identified through ORCC’s national recruitment efforts, will participate in a multi-tiered selection process. Each candidate must submit application materials and two references through the online AmeriCorps recruitment system. ORCC will provide assistance to sites that wish to recruit their own candidate while ORCC staff members continue to recruit nationally. AmeriCorps VISTA host sites will interview candidates and make recommendations for the final selection of the AmeriCorps VISTA Member. As the official project sponsor, ORCC will retain the responsibility for interviewing, collecting application materials, and making final selection decisions.

The following scenarios are examples of how an AmeriCorps VISTA candidate may be recruited and selected to serve. In an ideal situation, a qualified candidate is recruited through a combination of both scenarios:

Scenario #1 1. ORCC posts a general team position description on the AmeriCorps portal (national recruitment system), macslist, and listservs 2. ORCC receives a candidate application through the AmeriCorps portal 3. ORCC interviews the candidate and determines if qualified 4. ORCC identifies “good fit” host sites and forwards the candidate’s information to potential sites once per week 5. Host site(s) interview candidate within one week of receiving application 6. Host site selects candidate as top choice and informs ORCC 7. ORCC reviews candidate information and offers candidate AmeriCorps VISTA position

Scenario #2 1. Host site posts their AmeriCorps VISTA position (website, community organizations, to listservs, etc.) and manages position specific recruitment campaign 2. Host site receives resumes and cover letters from several candidates 3. Host site interviews candidates and identifies their top choice 4. Host site forwards top choice candidate information to ORCC 5. ORCC contacts and conducts second interview 6. ORCC offers candidate AmeriCorps VISTA position

ORCC AmeriCorps VISTA 2015-2016 Program Calendar (Tentative)

6 2015 January 30 Letter of Intent Due February 11 RFP Technical Asst. Call February 17 RFP Technical Asst. Call February 19 RFP Technical Asst. Call March 6 Proposals Due to ORCC April 10 Site Decisions Made April 19 Supervisor Orientation May 1 MOU & Cash Match Due May 4 Member Recruitment Begins June 19 Recruitment Deadline August 24-27 Pre-Service Orientation August 28 ORCC Member Training August 31 First Day at Service Site September Member Orientation October Site Check-in October Make A Difference Day October AmeriCorps Kick-off Event December Team In-Service Training,

2016 January 15 Mid-year Evaluation Due January 18 MLK Day of Service February & March Formal Site Visits June Team In-Service Training June Life After AmeriCorps August End-Of-Year Celebration August End of Year Evaluation August 27 Last Day of Service

Due Monthly Progress Reports & Timesheets

ORCC AmeriCorps VISTA Program Goals & Application Direction Goal: ORCC AmeriCorps VISTA Members will increase the capacity of community based organizations and educational institutions in Oregon to address poverty through service. Focusing on Oregon’s educational goal of 40-40-20, VISTA projects will expand service opportunities to improve the educational access and success for low-income and students of color.

7 Goals listed below are for the full program. Each site will be required to provide individual goals based on their project focus.

Outputs Intermediate Outcomes End Outcomes By the end of the service year, ORCC  Community partners will  Students will have increased AmeriCorps VISTA Members will: express an increased civic participation throughout  Recruit and support 2,500 students capacity to address their lives in service activities that address community needs  Oregon will reach it’s 40-40-20 community poverty  Student volunteers will goal  Establish and strengthen 100 express a commitment to campus-community partnerships further service with agencies that address community poverty

ORCC Program Focus Area: Education (as Defined by CNCS Priorities) ORCC AmeriCorps VISTA program will place priority on projects that provide support and/or facilitate access to services and resources that contribute to improved educational outcomes for economically disadvantaged children and children of color. The program will target new project development in communities with schools that received School Improvement Grants from the U.S. Department of Education or were identified by a state educational agency that has requested and received approval from the Department for Elementary and Secondary Education Act flexibility, including those schools participating in the Together for Tomorrow initiative. Projects should focus on the following objectives:

 School readiness for economically disadvantaged young children  K-12 success in student educational and behavioral outcomes in low-achieving schools  Post-secondary success.

As applications develop their proposal, consider which CNCS outcomes your project will report on to build the strongest program models possible. Please review the Education Priority Areas listed in the RFP. All performance measures and additional priority areas can be found here.

ORCC AmeriCorps VISTA Typical Activities Please review the activities listed below as you create the VISTA Assignment Description (VAD). The examples used below are for campus based projects but is a great reference for all host sites.

INDIRECT SERVICE CAPACITY BUILDING SUSTAINABLE ENDEAVORS (typical YEAR 1 activities) (typical YEAR 2 activities) (typical YEAR 3 activities)  Recruit, train, and/or place  Design service opportunity/office  Write a handbook or guide for student volunteers brochures or website alternative break programs,  Coordinate and/or promote a  Collaborate with Financial Aid and one-day service events, national day of service, an other campus offices on Community Service Federal alternative spring break, a administrative procedures for Work Study program federal work-study program, or Community Service Federal Work administration, etc. other volunteer initiative Study  Create a procedural guide for  Assist in the planning and  Advise/Train others to recruit, volunteer management implementation of local train, and/or place student  Formalize a curriculum to community service projects volunteers and coordinate train/advise others, develop a  Advise students and student programs training handbook organizations on service  Provide leadership development  Create a volunteer leaders  Act as a resource for students training to volunteer leaders on handbook or manual 8 seeking funds for service service  Cultivate appropriate campus  Write articles and/or press  Create a structure for volunteer advisory relationships for releases to publicize service positions student organizations in efforts  Develop a system for identifying service  Compile volunteer opportunity volunteer leaders in service,  Develop a mechanism for listings and other service-based including steps of increasing service program evaluations newsletters responsibility  Develop student, faculty, and  Coordinate student reflection  Document and present the results community partner events and/or support sessions of service programs to local handbooks for service- led by others businesses, community and learning  Conduct follow up with educational leaders, and those on  Create a mechanism for students attending one day campus to garner further support consistent service-learning events  Participate in local radio and program evaluation, including  Assist faculty members in television broadcasts to increase community outcomes service-learning course and awareness of the needs of those in  Develop a system to indicate community partnership poverty in the community and all service-learning development opportunities to meet such needs opportunities to students in  Make class presentations  Promote effective models and course catalogs introducing service-learning to practices for recruitment, training,  Find creative ways to students and placement among partners implement community service  Design and/or assign service  Recruit ambassadors for and/or service-learning into projects for service-learning community partnerships and existing programs students community issues  Create a community  Connect faculty members with  Create a system to regularly partnership handbook or community partners for update interested individuals guide to developing and community-based research  Determine procedures and maintaining mutually  Develop a survey for assessing systems for all volunteer initiatives beneficial partnerships student civic engagement (i.e. procedures for responding to  Document a process or policy  Develop additional assessment community requests for student for conflict management tools for community partner volunteers, procedures for within a campus-community and service recipient feedback fundraising, communication partnership  Plan issue-based educational systems)  Seek financial resources to forums and events  Develop a system for continuous support the partnership  Conduct community feedback from all constituents through grant writing or other orientations to educate (student volunteers, community fundraising strategies students on the local partners, faculty and staff)  Establish ways to track community  Develop and host an email listserv student, class, or program  Present to campus groups for those involved in the progress over time about the needs of those in partnership  Complete and distribute a poverty and potential  Create program forms and map of campus-community strategies to meet such needs handouts (i.e. contracts, placement partnerships  Find creative ways to educate information, faculty expectations,  Train and recognize students, faculty, and staff liability.) ambassadors for community about the needs of those in  Develop site-specific service- partnerships and community poverty in the community (e.g. learning procedures and systems issues essay contest, web page,  Develop database tracking service-  Complete a white paper with community partner spotlight, learning faculty, courses, recommendations to the bulletin board, regular section placements, and hours campus host site on the future in campus publications)  Develop a database with of service programs and community-based organization community partnerships, as 9  Give interested individuals profiles, opportunities, needs well as an outline of VISTA updates on the status of  Implement a co-curricular accomplishments for the year. partnerships and statistics transcript or graduation certificate related to needs and progress program to highlight student in the community service experiences  Recognize publicly through  Meet with student programs or press releases, newsletters, etc. community groups to strengthen community partner progress and/or combine community  Recognize students, faculty, service or service-learning goals staff, and community partners  Foster community-campus service during a formal ceremony programming and share  Nominate students, faculty, knowledge of community needs staff, and community partners through service consortia and for external recognition (i.e. collaboration with other campus ORCC and National Campus offices (alumni relations, career Compact awards, Governor’s services, outreach, development, Service Awards) government relations, etc.)  Document effective practices to  Work with an advisory board to share with other VISTAs determine the leadership structure  Present effective practices at for campus service-learning local and/or state-wide  Develop a strategic plan and conferences leadership structure for a  Create and distribute an annual community task force, advisory report highlighting campus- board, and/or coalition community partnerships  Develop a communication plan or  Begin creating handbooks for strategy within a campus- future VISTAs and program community partnership participants  Use data from service program evaluations and/or an audit of campus-community programs to develop new strategies for collaboration

Creating an Effective VISTA Assignment Description

What is a VISTA Assignment Description (VAD)? The VAD details the activities a VISTA member will perform during a service year. It is both a position description and a work plan. VADs should include the poverty mission of the project & activities that clearly show how the VISTA will build capacity and empower the community.

Why is the VAD important? The VAD takes the milestones you’ve identified in your Project Plan and translates them into a realistic set of activities. Supervisors can use the VAD to frame a few important conversations with a VISTA. The VAD indicates project priorities, organizational and community challenges, and the purpose of the project. It can be adapted and evolve as the VISTA’s strengths become apparent (with approval from ORCC).

10 VADs are used to:  Recruit potential applicants  Enable members to understand responsibilities  Help guide VISTAs in achieving project milestones  Allow supervisors & VISTAs to monitor performance and assess whether the project is on track.

Elements of the VAD Title: Each VAD you create requires a distinct title.

Details: The VAD requires you to input project details such as the project name, project period, number of members, etc.

Goal: Provide a clear, concise, and detailed goal that identifies the overall purpose of the VISTA project. See clear, succinct goal statement below.  Example Goal Statement: The VISTA project will strengthen the coordinated response to improve early literacy across Portland. Throughout one year of service, 1 full-time VISTA will support 50 agencies with 10 hours of critical sustainability training to improve educational outcomes and will engage 25 volunteers in service to these agencies to help build their capacity to serve low-income students in Portland.

Objectives: The objectives you identify for the VAD must articulate what the VISTA will achieve during his or her assignment. Each VAD should include more than one objective and include completion dates for each objective. The objectives should form a bridge between your goal statements and the VISTA’s activities. Answer the following while creating your objectives.  Describe the outcome of a set of activities in a sentence or two.  Check that what you’ve written aligns with your goal statement.  Check that you’ve included a completion date.  Sample Objective Statement: Provide member agencies with critical sustainability training that will help build their capacity to provide future services by January 2015. o Does the statement summarize a set of outcomes? o Does the statement align with your goal? o Is there a completion date?

Activities: The activities section of the VAD identifies more specifically what VISTAs will be doing to achieve their objectives. To begin, start with the Performance Measures in Section 3 & 4 of the ORCC Request for Proposal and edit them into appropriate activities. Other helpful hints include:  Begin your activity sentences with active verbs.  The activities you write should be clear and specific. Avoid too much detail.  There is a 2,500-character limit for each activity (about 500 words).

Activity Example In this example, the Performance Measure was rewritten to be active and clear, using the active verbs- design and deliver. This reflects the VADs function as a position description.

Tips for Preparing a VISTA Assignment Description

11 1. Provide each VISTA with an individual assignment description that describes the capacity-building activities the VISTA is responsible for completing. 2. Include enough detail in the VAD to guide the VISTA while still allowing for flexibility in carrying out day-to-day tasks and activities. 3. The VAD should identify key capacity-building tasks and activities that the VISTA can realistically accomplish in a year. 4. Review the VAD and the VISTA application side by side to ensure strong links between both documents. Provide the VISTA with a copy of the VISTA application to help the VISTA put his/her activities into the context of the entire project.

Sample VISTA Assignment Description

Title: College Access Mentor Coordinator Sponsoring Organization: Oregon Campus Compact Project Period: 08/28/2015-08/27/2016 Site Name: Small Oregon Metro College (SOMC), Office of Service Learning Focus Area(s) Primary: Education Secondary: Capacity Building VISTA Assignment Objectives and Member Activities Goal of the Project (Must focus on alleviating poverty and capacity building. No more than 2-3 sentences): The AmeriCorps VISTA will address community poverty through improving college access resources to underserved 150 students at LUHS, to increase SOMC student participation and volunteerism at LUHS, and to foster a long-term partnership between LUHS and SOMC.

12 Objective of the Assignment (September 1, 2015-October 31, 2015)* Become familiar with Large Underserved High School (LUHS) and Small Oregon Metro College (SOMC)

Member Activities: 1. VISTA will spend two days per week on-site at LUHS and three days at Small Oregon Metro College (will adjust as appropriate) 2. Understand school structures and policies at both sites 3. Develop relationships with staff members and teachers at LUHS and with departments, students, faculty, and staff at SOMC a. Become a school district certified volunteer b. Attend LUHS staff meetings c. Meet weekly with LUHS Vice Principal d. Meet weekly with SOMC supervisor 4. Act as a liaison between SOMC and LUHS

Objective of the Assignment (September 1, 2015-January 31, 2016) Conduct a college access resources needs assessment for LUHS.

Member Activities 1. Organize staff and administrator, student, and community focus groups to develop list of needs a. Develop a committee to create a plan to address identified school needs b. Research school performance reports to better understand where students are underperforming 2. Generate comprehensive list of needs for distribution to stakeholders 3. Create a three year plan for engagement between LUHS and SOMC to improve underserved student access to higher education

Objective of the Assignment (October 1, 2015-January 31, 2016) Organize college-wide Martin Luther King. Jr. Day of Service project at LUHS

Member Activities: 1. Work with LUHS personnel to determine day of service activities and needs 2. Complete and submit mini-grant application to fund activities and purchase supplies 3. Lead effort and work with SOMC Office of Service-Learning staff to recruit students, publicize event, and manage day-of activities a. Recruit 100 SOMC students and staff to participate in the project as volunteers. b. Recruit 50 LUHS students and staff to participate at volunteers. 4. Recruit 10 student leaders to lead certain activities during project 5. Create an evaluation form to gauge participant and community partner satisfaction and feedback. 6. Create a project binder to help with future event coordination.

Objective of the Assignment (November 1, 2015-June 30, 2016) Develop strategic partnerships with college access programs both at SOMC and in the community.

Member Activities: 1. Meet with departments at SOMC that work with underserved populations, as well as admissions, advising, and others. Brainstorm and coordinate engagement opportunities with LUHS a. SOMC departments to lead 5 presentations with LUHS students and staff

13 2. Meet and network with community organizations and other higher education institutions working to improve college access and success. a. Develop 20 relevant community partnerships that will increase LUHS student access to college prep and success resources. b. Organize 5 college access related field trips/opportunities for students. c. Track community partnerships. 3. VISTA will publicize community college prep opportunities

Objective of the Assignment (November 1, 2015-June 30, 2016) Develop formal volunteer program placing SOMC students in meaningful volunteer roles at LUHS.

Member Activities: 1. Work with LUHS staff to determine appropriate positions for SOMC students a. Develop 5 new student positions at LUHS 2. Recruit students to participate in volunteer program at LUHS a. Engage 25SOMC students in on-going and episodic volunteer opportunities at LUHS 3. Talk with faculty at SOMC about opportunities at LUHS and encourage service-learning partnerships, extra credit options, etc. a. Develop two community based learning courses with faculty at SOMC. b. Engage 10 faculty to offer extra credit for student volunteer activities. 4. VISTA will work with faculty and students to conduct service reflection and end of year program evaluation. Yes, the AmeriCorps VISTA Member may participate in an alternative break or other overnight trip (if yes, include the alternative break or other overnight trip as a separate activity in the VAD) No, the AmeriCorps VISTA Member will not participate in an alternative break or other overnight trip.

Sample ORCC AmeriCorps VISTA Position Description

Small Oregon Metro College Office of Service-Learning NE Portland, OR 97208 www.hostsite.net

Position Title: College Access Liaison, Oregon Campus Compact AmeriCorps VISTA Summary of Position: The AmeriCorps VISTA Member will work to facilitate a strong partnership between Small Oregon Metro College (SOMC) and Large Underserved High School (LUHS). The AmeriCorps VISTA will address community poverty through improving college access resources to underserved students at LUHS, to increase SOMC student participation and volunteerism at LUHS, and to foster a long- term partnership between LUHS and SOMC.

Essential Responsibilities/Activities:  Maintain service hours at both SOMC as well as a high school partner site

14  Work with school staff at the high school site to understand school structures  Build relationships on both campuses and act as a liaison between the schools  Conduct needs assessment for high school site through talking with school staff, administrators, and the community at large in order to create a comprehensive list of needs  Develop a committee to plan and implement solutions to identified needs  Lead day of service partnership event between the college and the high school  Develop strategic partnerships with college access programs at SOMC

Marginal Responsibilities:  Ability to work occasional evening and weekend hours  Willingness and ability to drive a college-owned 12-passenger van  Ability to lift 40 pounds

ORCC AmeriCorps VISTA Responsibilities:  Attend all ORCC required trainings and events  Complete and submit all required ORCC and AmeriCorps VISTA progress reports

Required Qualifications:  Associates or Bachelors degree  At least 18 years of age  A U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or lawful permanent resident  Able to serve full-time for one year (365 days)  Ability to pass a criminal history background check

Preferred Qualifications:  Higher education leadership experience  Proficient in all Microsoft Office software  Project management experience  Event coordination experience

AmeriCorps VISTA Benefits:  A living allowance of $11,676, dispersed bi-weekly  An education award of $5,730 OR a stipend of $1,500 upon successful completion of service  Health care benefit  Relocation allowance if moving more than 50 miles to serve  Loan forbearance and interest accrual payment on qualified student loans  Child care (if eligible)  Training and professional development opportunities  Non-competitive eligibility for federal government service (for one year after service)

Site Specific Benefits:  Subsidized on campus housing  Meal plan  Bus Pass