Siena College VISTA Fellows Program

1. Siena College VISTA Fellows Program Connecting Communities. Restoring Hope. Through DEEP Service.

2. Who is Siena College? • Founded in 1937 and opened its doors on Sept.22 • Liberal Arts Franciscan Catholic Institution • Franciscan Mission • 3,000 Undergraduate Student Body • Over 200 Clubs and Organizations • Bishop asked the Franciscan Friars to found a school to help poor men receive an education they could otherwise not afford.

3. What is Siena college VISTA Fellows Program? • Joint effort with the CNCS and AmeriCorps • Program that sub-grants VISTA placement to help build sustainability in local community partners • Started by Director, Dr. Mathew Johnson in August of 2007 • First four VISTAs began in January 2008 • Additional four VISTAs joined in August 2008 • As of today, we are authorized to start 15 new VISTAs and 2 VISTA Leaders this summer!! • Perhaps more in the Fall or early Spring!!

4. SCVFP Milestones • Secured over 300K in outside funding during our first year • Successful start of academic programs: • Bonner Leaders Program • PolicyOptions.org • Campus/Community Consortium of the Capital Region (4CR) & Academic Service Learning at Siena • North Albany Initiative and Black Male Initiative • Club R.E.A.C.H. • Recruited more than 500 students who participated in VISTA initiatives and 750 students for the Franciscan Center for Service and Advocacy • Recruited and Trained more than 30 faculty in Problem Based Service Learning

5. SCVFP Milestones Continued • Created a DEEP partnership with the Boys and Girls Club of Albany • Established a VISTA placement • 2 Bonner placements serving 1800 hours for the next four years • Started sending Siena College weekly interns • Supported an Academic Service Learning Course there. • Established 23 new Community Partner Placement in Spring 2009 • Tripled the interest in our program in both on and off campus community

6. The DEEP Service mission • The Siena College DEEP Service Initiative is founded on the Franciscan call “to action through service “ in the Siena College Mission Statement, to wit: “ Siena is a community where members work together in friendship and respect, and commitment to building a world that is more just peaceable, and humane.” • The mission of the Siena DEEP Service Initiative is to develop and support integration of rigorous academics with service to the poor and marginalized in our community. The Siena DEEP Service Initiative is building this integrated approach through: • ASL/ CBR (Curricular and Research Initiatives) • VISTA & National Service (Post-Graduate Initiatives) • Bonner (Undergraduate Service Leadership Corps Initiatives) • DEEP Community Partnerships (Community Engagement Initiatives)

7. The VISTA Fellows Program Mission: • The Siena College VISTA Fellows Program brings together the resources and expertise of the Corporation for National and Community Service with the Siena DEEP Model of community engagement to build DEEP Partnerships through which the needs of the poor and marginalized can be addressed. • The Siena College VISTA Fellows Program supports the development of Community Partner Capacity as well as the Capacity of the Siena Community to respond to needs of our communities. In particular, the Siena College VISTA Fellows support and collaborate with Academic Service Learning Projects, the Siena Bonner Service Leaders Program, Community Based Research Projects, and other anti-poverty volunteer programs at Siena. In the community, Siena VISTA Fellows focus on building both the capacity of individual agencies as well as collaboration between agencies. • The Siena College VISTA Fellows Program is a key component to the the Siena DEEP Service Model.

8. What is AmeriCorps Corporation for National & Community Service Administrators AmeriCorps Programs Supported by tax payers dollars. AmeriCorps Programs AmeriCorps*NCCC AmeriCorps*VISTA State and National Direct Service www.americorps.org www.usafreedomcorps.org www.nationalservice.org

9. CNCS Programs • Learn & Serve: provides support to K-12 schools, community groups and higher education institutions to engage young people in Academic-Service Learning that meets the needs of the community. Siena holds two Learn and Serve America Sub-grants as part of the DEEP Service Initiatives. • Senior Corps: • Foster Grandparents • Senior Companions • RSVP (Retired and Senior Volunteer Program)

10. Where do I fit? VISTA Fellow

11. Americorps Goals • Needs & Human Services • Solving problems in education, public safety, environment, housing, health • Strengthening Communities • Work to improve communities by uniting neighbors • Encouraging Responsibility • Civic action • Expanding Opportunity • Education awards to return to school/ pay back student loans • Siena Bonner Service Leaders are AmeriCorps Members.

12. SCVFP Goals • Needs & Human Services: • Solving problems in education, public policy, environment, housing, and health • Strengthening Communities • Exchange of resources through programs and project initiatives • Encouraging Responsibility • Through faculty/student/community civic engagement • Expanding Opportunity • ASL, Internships, Bonner, Volunteer and more!

13. Siena Program Member Benefits • Faculty/Staff Parking Permits • Access to Siena College Meal Plan • Laptop • Provided by Site or SCVFP • Professional Development Opportunity (PDO) • First Monday of every month • Travel to National Conferences • Academic Enrichment Program • Team-based support model.

14. Optional Federal Benefits • U.S. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) “Food Stamps Program” • Heat and Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) • Medicaid* • Please see your VISTA Leader for more information on how to apply for these benefits

15. Question and Answer Session

16. 10 Minute Break !

17. Getting the Most from SCVFP :VISTA Role and Responsibilities • Orientation and set expectations for all our VISTA Fellows • VAD and VISTA Strategic 3 Year Plan • Set service objectives for each VISTA placement • Provide feedback on VISTAs performance through year of service • Report and inform about administrative necessities

18. Performance Measurements • One-on-One’s with Director and VISTA Leader • VISTA Weekly Meetings with Site Supervisor • Community Partner Site visits by Director and VISTA Leader • Monthly Progress Report (MPR) • Bi-Weekly Staff Meetings • E-newsletter • Academic Enrichment Program

19. What do Siena College Fellows VISTAs do? • Fill a need for an organization • Start, enhance, or develop a new program or project initiative • Building capacity and support for the organization • Resource Mobilization • Volunteer Development • Community Partnerships • Building a pool of talented individuals on community development and civic engagement • Connect College and community resources

20. VISTA Fellow Service Activities • VISTA activities should not include regular clerical functions; however some projects may occasionally call on you to pitch-in. • Members cannot be involved in voter registration or other political activities (organizing labor union, lobbying for particular legislation, etc.) • Members can be involved in fundraising and capacity building activities; however, they can not apply for federal funds or be involved in a capital campaign. • In doubt about whether or not a particular activity that you should be doing? • Contact your Director and VISTA Leader! (518)-783-4190 (518)-782-6942

21. the Roles and responsibilities of our VISTA team • Site Supervisor: • Supervise daily activities of VISTA Fellows • Provide VISTA with development opportunities/ mentoring • Participate in site visits and supervisor meetings • Conduct one-on-one meetings with VISTA Fellows they supervise • Assist with reporting on service activities • Review and sign off on VISTA Fellow Monthly Progress Reports • Provide VISTA Fellow evaluations • Collaborate with other components of the Siena DEEP Service Initiatives.

22. The Roles and responsibilities of our VISTA Team • VISTA Fellow: • Attend at Bi-weekly staff meeting • Complete and submit Monthly Progress Report (MPR). Due the 1st Monday of every month. • Submit columns for Monthly E-newsletter • Participate in Staff activities: • Academic Enrichment Program • Common Meals • VISTA Program Events • Attend One-on-One’s with Director and VISTA Leader • Attend monthly Professional Development Opportunities (PDOs) • Participate in facilitation or attendance at conferences

23. The roles and responsibilities of our VISTA Team • VISTA Leader: • Assist with recruitment and transition of VISTA Fellows • Expand and maintain current and new community partnerships • Organize Professional Development Opportunities (PDOs) • Conduct and Attend Site Visits • Conduct One-on-Ones with VISTA and Site Supervisors • Liaison between VISTA, Site Supervisor, and Director. Liaison between State Office and our program. • Resource development and implementation. • Assisting with the marketing and institutionalization of the Siena DEEP Service Model.

24. The roles and responsibilities of our VISTA Team • Director • Ensure the quality and integrity of the program through close supervision of all aspects of the program. The buck stops here. • Conduct Site Visits and build DEEP community partnerships. • Develop and implement of program infrastructure. • Market and institutionalize program. • Conduct One-on-One with VISTAs and VISTA Leader. • Liaise between Senior Administration, Program, and State Office. • Read and approve Monthly Progress Reports (MPR) • Research, apply for and manage external funding opportunities. • Provide all required reporting to CNCS. • Lead Academic Enrichment Program. • Advocate for the program and for VISTA Fellows in all contexts.

25. Question and Answer Session

26. Thank you! Enjoy the rest of your OSOT Go VISTA !!!

27. DEEP Service: Part 1Developing, Educational, Engaging Partnerships

28. DEEP Service… The Campus View Develop Organize Coordinate Promote Track Assess A Culture of DEEP Service ASL/CBR CommunityPartners Training Structured Service Students Incentivized and Supported Faculty ASL/CBR Developed DEEP Community Partnerships Developed Curricular and Co-Curricular Developmental Pathways Maintain and Grow Post-Graduate Year of Service Put All Service in the Context of Social Analysis & Theological/Philosophical Reflection Focused Coordination of all DEEP Service Components on select DEEP Partnerships: Quality not Quantity

29. DEEP Service… The Community View A Culture of DEEP Service: Community Partners Need for DEEP Service Campus Poverty Need for Volunteer and Community Training and Development Need for Research Need for Program Evaluation, Development Need for Occasional Volunteers Need for Intensive Multi-year Volunteers Need for Community Wide Coordination/ Integration of Services Need for Resource Development Need for Scholarly Expertise, Staff Training, etc. Need for sustained, multi-year, multi-faceted partnership with Campus.

30. DEEP Service… An Integrated View A Culture of DEEP Service Community Needs ASL/CBR Community Partners VISTA Community Wisdom SCBSLs + Other Volunteers Developmental, Educational, Engaging, Partnerships

31. DEEP Service… An Integrated View A Culture of DEEP Service Community Needs ASL/CBR Community Partners VISTA Community Wisdom SCBSLs + Other Volunteers What integrated collaborations of on-campus DEEP initiatives can you see being useful for your project? What integrated collaborations across your project areas and/or community partner agencies do you anticipate? The VISTA Fellows Program is all about team collaboration, cooperation and DEEP Service Development. Pair off in teams of two and brainstorm about potential ways to work together in your service year across projects. You have 10 minutes to do this with 3 other VISTA Fellows for a total of 30 minutes of brainstorming. We will then process as a large group for the end of the workshop.