Austin YMBL Sunshine Camps is seeking a VISTA to develop processes and systems for volunteer coordination and community outreach. This will include: *Speaking about Summer Camp and Sunshine Afterschool participation opportunities to widen the awareness and reach of our programs; *Representing the program at charity fairs and other community events; *Developing communication processes that include the distribution of a monthly newsletter, and engaging participants, parents, and alumni through various social media; *Implementing a process for overall volunteer recruitment, management, and retention; *Creating and managing a volunteer database to track participation and maintain overall volunteer pool; *Developing and facilitating a volunteer orientation and training. An ideal candidate will bring ownership and expertise to projects that will improve the daily operations of our programs, and increase the amount of young people we are able to serve in Austin!
Service Activities
Youth Development, Conflict Resolution, Community Organization, Computers/Technology, Recruitment, Education, Social Services, Team Work, Leadership, Communications
Community Need Addressed
In 1928, The Young Men’s Business League (YMBL) of Austin recognized the serious community threat of youth tuberculosis and established the Austin YMBL Summer Sunshine Camps in Zilker Park, as it was said that exposure to sunshine could promote healing from the disease. The park provided a space in which local economically disadvantaged children could gain weight, grow strong and spend time outdoors. Today, Austin YMBL Sunshine Camps (ASC) is still serving youth living near or below the poverty line. Our programs enrich the community by encouraging and facilitating the power to succeed through education and healthy living. Austin YMBL Sunshine Camps renders the space and comfort kids need to look beyond their current situation and dream big.
Position Outcomes
Spend every day surrounded by nature in one of Austin’s most popular city parks! Located in the heart of Zilker Park, Austin YMBL Sunshine Camps (ASC) works to engage and empower youth through education and outdoor experiences. ASC provides opportunities for youth ages 7-15 in Central Texas through our week-long residential summer camps at Zilker Park and Lake Travis and through our Sunshine 4 Afterschool program, serving Austin ISD middle school students during the school year. We serve youth from low-income families and are able to offer ALL of our programs completely free of charge! In June of 2015, we opened a brand new facility which has positioned ASC to expand the reach of our programs and serve more youth than ever before in our 80+ years of operation. We are excited to bring a VISTA on board to create processes and strategies around community outreach to new audiences and volunteer recruitment, management and retention. The development of these important operational areas will help ensure we have the right structures in place to serve and support Austin-area youth for years to come!
Website: http://www.sunshinecamps.org/
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
Relocation Allowance
Choice of Education Award or End of Service Stipend
Skills you will gain
Recruitment, Education, Social Services, Team Work, Leadership, Communications
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
Creativity & Problem Solving
Able to identify and define the problem, Capable of generating possible solutions, Communicate the problem to appropriate personnel, Provide relevant expertise
Teamwork
Derive consensus, Develop constructive working relationships and maintain them over time, Stay positive and outcome oriented
Decisions
Accepts responsibility, Identify and prioritize the key issues involved to facilitate the decision making process
Tools
Consistently choose the best tool or technological solution for the problem at hand
Planning
Able to prioritize various competing tasks, Create environment of contribution, Create plan of action, schedule tasks so that work is completed on time, Drive decision making, Facilitate group planning, Set goals
Service
Be pleasant, courteous, professional and respectful when dealing with internal and external customers or clients, 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