Build capacity among volunteers and facilitate community engagement; Recruit Volunteers; Develop Volunteer Training; Retain Volunteers; Track volunteer hours, calendars, rates of pay, etc. in online volunteer management system; Organize training for community nonprofits in partnership with the library to provide guidance effective volunteer practices; and VISTA will develop the process and toolkit (with sample policies/rules/regulations/marketing tools) to be able to scale the USI continuum to other counties in the State of Wyoming.
Service Activities
Build capacity among volunteers and facilitate community engagement; Recruit Volunteers; Develop Volunteer Training; Retain Volunteers; Track volunteer hours, calendars, rates of pay, etc. in online volunteer management system; Organize training for community nonprofits in partnership with the library to provide guidance effective volunteer practices; and VISTA will develop the process and toolkit (with sample policies/rules/regulations/marketing tools) to be able to scale the USI continuum to other counties in the State of Wyoming.
Community Need Addressed
This all-volunteer community collaboration is to provide a safe, supervised shelter to youth who find themselves homeless through no fault of their own. Youth may have graduated from foster care, and the state no longer has a responsibility or the child has experienced abuse and it is no longer safe to live at home; or the parent has relocated and left the child behind. These children live below the “radar” and are not involved with the judicial system. They simply request a safe place to stay, so they can complete high school with their peers and the support of their teachers and move on with their life. The Unaccompanied Student Initiative provides a continuum of care based upon where the youth finds themselves. Using the Laramie County School District 1 Support Liaison, the USI provides a housing including emergency/ crisis shelter, host homes and support and a pilot youth residence. Outside of the USI, there is no shelter for youth sixteen and over. Our goal is to build a twin-home staffed with house parents, on donated land that will house five young women and five young men students with the goal of opening the residence by the end of the 2018-2019 school year.
Position Outcomes
Our goal is to build a twin-home staffed with house parents, on donated land that will house five young women and five young men students with the goal of opening the residence by the end of the 2018-2019 school year.
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), Stipend, Student loan forbearance, Training
Education Benefits
College Degree, GED/High School Diploma
Skills you will gain
Public Speaking ; Fund raising/Grant Writing; Team Work; Writing/Editing; Recruitment; Computers/Technology; Community Organization; Non-Profit Management ; Communications .
Competencies You Will Develop
Communication
Lead group discussion, Listen to and consider others' viewpoints, Maintain open lines of communication with others, 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, 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, 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
Planning
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