The VISTA Leader will develop project activities and sources of community support to expand successful community partnerships and volunteer programs between public schools and community organizations. The VISTA Leader will support and liaise with the other VISTAs in the program, develop partner relationships, seek additional program resources, expand communications and information sharing, evaluate program efforts, and identify training and professional development opportunities for program stakeholders. The VISTA Leader will work for one year with GW and DCPS school staff and community members to build her/his education, community development, organizing, and communication skills.
Service Activities
- Identify and assess current school and district partnerships and volunteer programs
- Recruit new community partners to address school and district needs
- Support fundraising and other resource development strategies to meet school needs
- Improve coordination of community partner resources and services with schools
- Coordinate monthly stakeholder meetings of program stakeholders
- Expand communication about resources, programs, and events in school communities
- Train VISTAs and partners on effective volunteer management practices-
- Help develop and disseminate evaluation tools for assessing community partnerships
- Record and disseminate best practices learned from experience
- Support other VISTAs in their recruitment, activities, troubleshooting, professional development, future planning, and reporting
Community Need Addressed
Address achievement gaps in education by partnering with community organizations and higher education institutions to develop programming in K12 schools.
Position Outcomes
- Increase school day and afterschool programming in Title I schools serving grades pre-k through 8th grade.
- Increase opportunities for collaboration amongst George Washington University and DC Public Schools.
- Increase number of college students volunteering in DC Public Schools through various programs.
Benefits
Childcare assistance if eligible, Education award upon successful completion of service, Health coverage, Living allowance, Non-competitive eligibility (federal jobs), Relocation allowance (if applicable), Student loan forbearance, Training
- Networking opportunities with DCPS, Community Organizations, and GWU
- Access to GWU Campus Amenities (Library, Adobe Suite)
- Learning opportunities through conferences, events, etc.
Education Benefits
College Degree
Skills you will gain
Community Organizing, Relationship Building, Communications, Public Speaking, K-12 Education Experience, Higher Ed experience, Project Planning, Supervisory, etc.
Competencies You Will Develop
Communication
Lead group discussion, Listen to and consider others' viewpoints, Maintain open lines of communication with others, Speak clearly, in precise language and in a logical, organized and coherent manner, Turn taking
Creativity & Problem Solving
Able to identify and define the problem, Capable of generating possible solutions, Communicate the problem to appropriate personnel, Improvise, Provide relevant expertise, Select and implement well-considered solution
Teamwork
Derive consensus, Develop constructive working relationships and maintain them over time, Establish a high degree of trust and credibility with others, Interact professionally and respectfully with supervisors and co-workers, Stay positive and outcome oriented, Use appropriate strategies and solutions for dealing with conflicts and differences to maintain a smooth workflow
Decisions
Accepts responsibility, Anticipate the consequences of decisions, Identify and prioritize the key issues involved to facilitate the decision making process, Involve people appropriately in decisions that may impact them, Quickly respond with a back-up plan if a decision goes amiss
Tools
Seek opportunities to improve knowledge of tools and technologies that may assist in streamlining work and improving productivity
Planning
Able to prioritize various competing tasks, Create environment of contribution, Create plan of action, schedule tasks so that work is completed on time, Demonstrate the effective allocation of time and resources efficiently, Drive decision making, Effectively delegate tasks, Facilitate group planning, Set goals
Service
Be pleasant, courteous, professional and respectful when dealing with internal and external customers or clients, Evaluate customer or client satisfaction, Honor the privilege of being able to work with and for those being served, Provide personalized, prompt, and efficient service to meet the requirements, requests and needs of customers, Recognize the importance of maintaining privacy and confidentiality of those being served, Understand and anticipate the needs of others, Understand the importance of one's role in the functioning of the organization, Understand the significance of maintaining a healthful and safe environment