While each of the 3 VISTA Leaders will have a singular focus area: Member Support, Sub-site Support, and Outreach & Recruitment, all will support a "team" of VISTA Corps members via community lunches, 1:1 coaching and quarterly check-ins.
VISTA Leaders will lead process improvement efforts in their focus areas, with intention towards equitable and inclusive approaches and materials. For example, the Outreach & Recruitment VISTA Leader will learn about best practices in accessible communications and will review and update all recruitment materials to ensure that they available to audiences of all abilities.
VISTA Leaders will craft, update and facilitate presentations to internal and external stakeholders for the purpose of learning and development. For example, the Sub-site Support VISTA Leader will focus on training workshops for site supervisors to encourage equitable interviewing practices.
VISTA Leaders will leverage their interests, passions and lived experiences to provide meaningful, inclusive and engaging member experiences. For example, the Member Support VISTA Leader will collaborate with members and staff to curate cohort building experiences during orientation, team building exercises during the fall retreat, individual and group reflective opportunities in the mid-year retreat and stretch zone activities for all in the spring retreat.
Service Activities
An average day for a Serve Philadelphia VISTA Leader may include:
- Starting the day meeting a VISTA member over coffee to listen and share strategies for managing up
- Joining a collaborative working meeting with the team to review updates to an upcoming recruitment open house presentation
- Sitting outside in front of City Hall with friends/colleagues for lunch
- Responding to messages in the shared email inbox
- Meeting with colleagues who manage/support AmeriCorps programs in Philadelphia to share best practices and build your network
- Drafting content for a newsletter sharing supervision tactics and wellness in the workplace ideas with site supervisors
Community Need Addressed
The City of Philadelphia must address its 22% poverty rate with a clear and coordinated strategy for engaging volunteers to address challenges that contribute to poverty. This strategy includes a diverse and far-reaching set of City agencies and departments, many lack the capacity, resources, and time to develop and implement high impact anti-poverty initiatives. The Serve Philadelphia VISTA Corps is the key to the City’s ability to develop, implement and evaluate solutions to the City's greatest challenges in alleviating poverty. Serve VISTA Leaders are integral to the success of Corps members and, therefore, moving the needle on poverty in Philadelphia.
Position Outcomes
Serve Philadelphia VISTA Leaders work closely with Serve VISTA program staff to expand the impact and reach of our program. Serve Philadelphia VISTA Leaders will co-create and support the implementation of sustainable strategies to:
• increase the presence and awareness of the program within the city
• enhance VISTA Corps Member recruitment, onboarding, and retention efforts
• assess the impact of Serve Philadelphia VISTA projects
• provide consistent, intentional, and positive member support
• bolster VISTA supervisor training and development
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), Training
- Monthly transportation support
- Access to a vast network of non profit and municipal government staff
- Emergency Fund Assistance
- Hybrid work schedule
Growth opportunities in the areas of (including, but not limited to):
• Project Management
• Equitable engagement strategies & tools
• Program evaluation/feedback implementation
• Public speaking & facilitation
• Curriculum development
Skills you will gain
• Project Management
• Equitable engagement strategies & tools
• Program evaluation/feedback implementation
• Public speaking & facilitation
• Curriculum development
Competencies You Will Develop
Communication
Demonstrate sensitivity and empathy, Lead group discussion, Listen to and consider others' viewpoints, Maintain open lines of communication with others, Turn taking
Creativity & Problem Solving
Able to identify and define the problem, Capable of generating possible solutions, Communicate the problem to appropriate personnel, 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, Use appropriate strategies and solutions for dealing with conflicts and differences to maintain a smooth workflow
Decisions
Accepts responsibility, Identify and prioritize the key issues involved to facilitate the decision making process, Involve people appropriately in decisions that may impact them
Tools
Carefully consider which tools or technological solutions are appropriate for a given job, 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, Demonstrate the effective allocation of time and resources efficiently, 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, Understand the importance of one's role in the functioning of the organization