Within AmeriCorps, members like you can become student support specialists, working to provide mentoring, academic coaching and support, and social-emotional reinforcement to Springfield students in chronically low-performing elementary, middle, and high schools. As a student support specialist, you'll support each plan by serving as a caring adult advocate, mentor and coach for students struggling with attendance, academics, and social-emotional issues.
Service Activities
Provide school mentoring, academic coaching and support, and social-emotional reinforcement.
Community Need Addressed
Provide school mentoring, academic coaching and support, and social-emotional reinforcement to Springfield students in chronically low-performing elementary, middle, and high schools.
Position Outcomes
Increase academic engagement and school attendance. Decrease number of disciplinary incidents.
Benefits
Education award upon successful completion of service, Living allowance, Student loan forbearance
If you are a student, check with your academic program to see if your service can count towards your out-of-classroom program requirements.
AmeriCorps members may request forbearance on qualified student loans, postponing their loan payments during their term of service. The National Service Trust will repay a portion of the interest accrued on qualified student loans during the term of service.
Skills you will gain
mentoring strategies, time management, conflict management, teamwork, leadership, group facilitation, data tracking, community engagement
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, 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
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