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National Service and its Value for Non-Profits, Public Agencies, and Communities

Presented by James Cunningham, AmeriCorps*VISTA Leader, Veterans Recovery Project of Connecticut (VRPCT) Nick Montini , Employment Outreach VISTA, VRPCT Amanda Girardin, Deputy Executive Director, Journey Home Ana Elisa Franco, Research and Innovations Coordinator VISTA, Journey Home.

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National Service and its Value for Non-Profits, Public Agencies, and Communities

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  1. Presented by James Cunningham, AmeriCorps*VISTA Leader, Veterans Recovery Project of Connecticut (VRPCT) Nick Montini, Employment Outreach VISTA, VRPCT Amanda Girardin, Deputy Executive Director, Journey Home Ana Elisa Franco, Research and Innovations Coordinator VISTA, Journey Home National Service and its Value for Non-Profits, Public Agencies, and Communities

  2. Introductions • James Cunningham • Nick Montini • Amanda Girardin • Ana Elisa Franco

  3. What is AmeriCorps? • AmeriCorps State and National, Senior Corps, and AmeriCorps VISTA • “Improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster civic engagement through service and volunteering.” • Focus Areas • Possible duties of an AmeriCorps member

  4. What is the VISTA Program • Core Principals • Anti- Poverty Focus • Community Empowerment • Sustainable Solutions • Capacity Building • They work on projects that expand an agency’s/program’s: • Scale/reach • Effectiveness • Efficiency • Leveraged Resources • Relationships in the community • By serving full-time on a specific project at a nonprofit or public agency for a year.

  5. VISTA Leader Career and Life Skills VISTA Legal Outreach VISTA VA Connecticut’s Errera Community Care Center VRPCTAffiliates Employment Outreach VISTA Mental Health Outreach VISTA Community Companion VISTA Habitat Outreach VISTA Habitat ReStore VISTA

  6. What VRPCT’s VISTAs are Doing • Recruiting and managing volunteer attorneys and Habitat homebuilders. • Event planning. • Designing volunteer programs. • Developing outreach materials and strategies. • Reaching out to businesses to develop jobs; consulting on efforts to hire Veterans. • Educating service providers inside and outside the VA.

  7. Traits we look for in VISTAs • Excellent oral and written communication skills. • Creative and innovative thinking skills. • Good collaboration skills. • Ability to work both independently and as part of a team. • Good time management and organizational skills. • A demonstrated interest in working in the community and working with Veterans.

  8. National Coalition for the Homeless • Mission: To prevent and end homelessness while ensuring the immediate needs of those experiencing homelessness are met and their civil rights protected. • Nation-wide project • Collaboration and Partnerships

  9. Hands on Hartford • In partnership with others, strengthens community in Hartford by responding faithfully to people in need through programs that change lives and renew human possibility.

  10. Journey Home, Inc. • Journey Home’s mission is to accelerate progress towards ending chronic homelessness in the Greater Hartford region. Partnering with the region’s social service providers, Journey Home focuses on solving the problem of chronic homelessness with housing, employment, and support services, rather than managing it with emergency shelter. As a catalyst for systemic change, Journey Home develops and implements innovative ways to improve the housing and service system in order to offer those experiencing homelessness paths toward independent, fulfilling, and productive lives.

  11. What NCH’s VISTAs are Doing • Hands on Hartford • Faces of Homelessness Coordinator • Journey Home • Development Coordinator

  12. What Journey Home’s CNCS CT State Office VISTAs are Doing • Housing and Economic Security Networking AmeriCorps VISTA • Research and Innovations Coordinator VISTA

  13. Traits we look for in VISTAs • Ability to appropriately represent Journey Home • Excellent communication skills and high standards of work • Passion • Ability to work independently, as well as with a team • Diversity of background, experience, skills • Technical Skills

  14. What VISTAS CANNOT Do: • Advocacy and Lobbying • Administrative Tasks • Fill a position that was previously an employee • Work a second job during their term of service

  15. Benefits for VISTAs: • Yearly living allowance at the Federal Poverty level (~$12,000 in Hartford) • $5,645 educational award / $1,500 cash stipend at end of service • Expanded skillset • More independence and responsibility than average entry level position • Experience for applying to jobs or further education. • Noncompetitive Eligibility for Federal Govn’t Jobs (1yr after service) • Networking

  16. Sponsor Expectations • Cost-share vs non cost-share • Quality Supervision • On-Site Orientation Training/ on-going training • Bi-weekly Verification • Quarterly Reporting- tracking performance measures • Annual Re-application

  17. How to Start a VISTA Project • Eligible Entities: • Non-profits 501(c)3 • Local, state or national focus • Working on anti-poverty community development issues • 2 Step Process: • Complete a VISTA Concept Paper- when solicited by State Office • Complete a VISTA Project Application (If concept approved)

  18. Resources • http://www.nationalservice.gov/programs/americorps • For more information about Connecticut’s VISTA projects, feel free to contact Anne Ostberg, CNCS State Director at: AOstberg@cns.gov or 202-491-2911. • If you would like to learn more about State and National projects in Connecticut • http://www.vistacampus.org/

  19. Questions?

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