The VISTA will lay the foundation for years to come. The VISTA will develop digital outreach strategies to connect with Iowa's growing immigrant and refugee communities. They will also collect and organize digital data into presentable and easy to understand insights to enable EMBARC staff to best strategize communication with these populations.
Build digital strategies to reach ESL reading/speaking audience.
Track performance of social media initiatives, develop/implement data-informed outreach strategies for the communications team.
Identify trending topics/questions among digital refugee/immigrant communities as they arise, so community advocates can review and address issues or needs.
EMBARC (Ethnic Minorities of Burma Advocacy and Resource Center) was originally founded in 2012 to help new refugees from Burma successfully settle in Iowa. Recently, EMBARC has begun to expand services to other refugee and immigrant groups, which collectively make up 5.4% of Iowa’s population (U.S. Census). Nearly 23% of Central Iowans live at or below 250% of the federal poverty level. (https://www.unitedwaydm.org/blog/10-facts-you-should-know-about-poverty-in-greater-des-moines) One of the challenges with this expansion is learning how to best reach these populations of immigrants and refugees, especially through digital platforms.
The VISTA will collect and analyze data related to how these groups are being reached digitally. They will then organize this data in a way that is clear and easy to understand. With this valuable information, EMBARC staff will be able to more effectively reach and communicate with these communities and ensure that program information is reaching those who need it.
Childcare assistance if eligible, Education award upon successful completion of service, Health coverage, Living allowance, Non-competitive eligibility (federal jobs), Relocation allowance (if applicable), Stipend, Student loan forbearance, Training
Training/skills development stipend to be used as VISTA sees fit.
Communication
Demonstrate sensitivity and empathy, 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, Write cleary and effectively
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
Carefully consider which tools or technological solutions are appropriate for a given job, Consistently choose the best tool or technological solution for the problem at hand, Operate tools and equipment in accordance with established operating procedures, safety standards, and ethical guidelines, 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