The NEED:
Every single young person has a fair chance to thrive — and they need your help. As a member of the Alliance’s AmeriCorps VISTA program, you’ll spend a year helping one of our partner organizations serve young people in Minnesota through capacity building, strengthening and connecting resources, and developing programs and processes With your help, these organizations can create more effective and powerful solutions for young people facing poverty, racism, and educational inequities in our state. The work will be challenging. But you’ll have the support you need to do it well, all year long — financial assistance, mentorship and leadership training, and the extraordinary community of your fellow VISTA members.
You SERVE:
Through their service, Alliance VISTAs implement three key strategies:
Build capacity at their host site organization to help address education inequities such as the achievement and opportunity gaps
Coordinate efforts that bridge and build the integration of school and community-wide support for youth focused on providing and sharing resources that increase a young person’s school attendance, behavior, and course performance (all indicators with a strong link to academic engagement and high school graduation)
Actively engage youth as agents of change in closing the opportunity and achievement gaps in their communities.
Member SUPPORT:
The Minnesota Alliance With Youth AmeriCorps VISTA Program is committed to providing ongoing, extensive professional development and training to our AmeriCorps Members. As an Alliance AmeriCorps VISTA, you will gain behind-the-scenes experience at your host site, learn from mentors and peers, and benefit from a wide range of workshops and training led by community members and experts in the Alliance’s statewide network. Your year as an Alliance AmeriCorps VISTA will empower you to develop your professional skills, make a difference for those you serve, and emerge as a leader in Minnesota’s educational equity sector. The Alliance VISTA Program offers over 200 hours of training and Professional Development opportunities for members during their service year:
-On-site Orientation at your host-site to prepare you for your specific role.
-Monthly cohort trainings on a wide range of topics tailored to your specific interests and goals – ranging from education reform, the opportunity gap, conflict resolution, and much more.
-Opportunities for networking, personal growth and peer-learning as a member of a close-knit cohort of 15 Alliance AmeriCorps VISTAs.
-One on One support from a VISTA Leader and Alliance Trainer allows for individualized support and coaching throughout your service year.
-$100 in Professional Development funds to use as you choose.
You EARN:
AmeriCorps Living Stipend: $877.66 twice per month
AmeriCorps Education Award: $6,895.00 Education Award upon successful completion of service. This award can be used toward federally qualifying student loans or future post-secondary education. Members may waive the education award and choose a $1,800 end-of-service cash stipend instead.
Benefits: Qualified student loan forbearance, qualified child care assistance, Up to $7,900 in a healthcare allowance plan for out of pocket health care costs, AmeriCoach life coach, TAP transportation card (metro area), $500 in grocery or gas support
Service Activities
What Will You Do?
VISTA members build organizational capacity by strengthening and connecting existing resources and best practices to better serve youth, especially young people of color and young people experiencing poverty.
VISTAs implement three key strategies:
-Build capacity at their host site organization to help address education inequities such as the achievement and opportunity gaps
-Coordinate efforts that bridge and build the integration of school and community-wide support for youth focused on providing and sharing resources that increase a young person’s school attendance, behavior, and course performance (all indicators with a strong link to academic engagement and high school graduation)
-Actively engage youth as agents of change in closing the opportunity and achievement gaps in their communities.
Community Need Addressed
VISTA members serve full time for one year building capacity for youth serving organizations to address educational inequities and alleviate poverty.
Position Dates: July 17th 2023 to July 16th 2024 and July 30th 2023 to July 31st 2024.
What Will You Do?
VISTA members build organizational capacity by strengthening and connecting existing resources and best practices to better serve youth, especially young people of color and young people experiencing poverty.
Position Outcomes
VISTAs implement three key strategies:
-Build capacity at their host site organization to help address education inequities such as the achievement and opportunity gaps
-Coordinate efforts that bridge and build the integration of school and community-wide support for youth focused on providing and sharing resources that increase a young person’s school attendance, behavior, and course performance (all indicators with a strong link to academic engagement and high school graduation)
-Actively engage youth as agents of change in closing the opportunity and achievement gaps in their communities.
Benefits
Childcare assistance if eligible, Education award upon successful completion of service, Living allowance, Non-competitive eligibility (federal jobs), Relocation allowance (if applicable), Student loan forbearance, Training
AmeriCoach – Professional life coach to support you during your term of service
Professional Development – Alliance led training most months of the service term
Education Benefits
GED/High School Diploma
Skills you will gain
Develop the capacity to strengthen, connect, and organization within a community for its betterment.
Competencies You Will Develop
Communication
Demonstrate sensitivity and empathy, Lead group discussion, Maintain open lines of communication with others, Speak clearly, in precise language and in a logical, organized and coherent manner, 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, 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