2012-2013 VISTA Projects
Below are project descriptions for each host site.
To see a full VISTA Assignment Description, click on the host site name.
Bard College
Plan and implement a pilot after school tutor/mentor program at the elementary, middle and high school levels to increase academic achievement and build cultural capital for low-income students.
Bard College seeks a creative and enthusiastic self-starter to join the Center for Civic Engagement (CCE) as the coordinator of a new collaborative project that seeks to change the course of poverty in and around the communities of Red Hook, Germantown, and Livingston, NY by enhancing the capacity of all partners to support educational advancement and build cultural capital for the young people living there. The VISTA member will work with the school districts and community partners to align resources which will support and enhance options for young people by launching a series of educational activities and cultural experiences designed to: 1) improve students’ academic skills so they enter each school year with confidence in their ability to succeed, and 2) broaden students’ vision of the future so that they view higher education as a viable choice in their life. The VISTA member will be responsible for working with community partners to build relationships, establish a community advisory council, implement the first year action plan, recruit and train volunteers, and develop a detailed action plan for sustainability.
Develop a sustainable after-school program to improve student academic achievement, plan and implement a pilot after school tutor/mentor program at the elementary, middle and high school levels to increase academic achievement and build cultural capital and develop, promote, and market civic engagement opportunities for students.
Additional Qualifications:
• Deep understanding of the impact of poverty on families
• Demonstrated ability to train volunteers and key stakeholders
• Experience working with youth
• Valid driver’s license
Additional Benefits :
• On-campus housing
• Use of the Bard gym
• Use of campus vans for project related travel
Binghamton University- Veteran Affairs
Develop and coordinate activities in support of veterans and military families in the local community on behalf of the Project for Veteran Services Access and Enhancement.
Binghamton University will host a VISTA for 2012-2013 who will develop and coordinate activities in support of veterans and military families in the local community on behalf of the Project for Veteran Services Access and Enhancement. The VISTA will assist the Southern Tier Veterans Support Group (a group of community organizations that provide services to veterans and military families) to develop a support network for veterans to identify and resolve their unmet needs. Through the support network, the needs will be continually assessed to determine how veterans and military families in the community can be better served and how to develop the necessary services. The VISTA will recruit and coordinate Binghamton University students to assist with providing services to veterans and military families in the community.
Working with partner organizations, the BU Project for Veteran Services Access and Enhancement (PVSAE) will coordinate services between local agencies to improve outreach and connections with veterans so they are better informed of and have full access to education, employment, transportation and housing; thereby enabling veterans to fully utilize services, ultimately increasing their financial stability and overall success. Specifically, the VISTA will collaborate with network of community organizations and veterans to ascertain needs and concerns, identify and enhance current services, provide support so that veterans can reach their educational and career goals, and develop additional strategies to match BU student volunteers with projects that meet veteran needs.
Additional Qualifications:
Vehicle and valid driver’s license required. Proficiency in the use of technology – including typical office functions: email, Office Suite, etc.
Additional Benefits :
The VISTA will have an office at the University and will receive a parking permit, travel funds, housing stipend, supervision and mentoring as well as the opportunity to attend professional development workshops offered by the institution.
Binghamton University- Citizen U
The VISTA will work to improve the educational and economic outcomes of youth living in poverty in Binghamton through sustainable partnerships focused on youth development through community action.
The Binghamton University (BU) Youth Development VISTA will operate out of the offices of the Center for Civic Engagement and the Hinman Residential Community to recruit and facilitate programming with BU student volunteers and youth in the City of Binghamton. The primary partner in the project is Cornell Cooperative Extension of Broome County. BU volunteers will work directly with “Citizen U,” a youth development program aimed at improving leadership and workforce readiness skills and cultivating an enhanced sense of empowerment and civic engagement through the planning and implementation of community improvement projects throughout the city. The VISTA will also work to coordinate and expand service-learning course components and develop new project partners.
The VISTA will work to improve the educational and economic outcomes of youth living in poverty in Binghamton, NY through sustainable partnerships between Binghamton University and Cornell Cooperative Extension of Broome County focused on youth development through community action. This program will improve school attendance, critical workforce/job readiness skills, knowledge and interest in work and careers, employment prospects, interest in contributing to society, and the development of positive attitudes toward school and community, while decreasing disruptive behaviors, school suspensions, and course failure (often leading to school dropout) for youth participating in program. The program will also increase the capacity of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Broome County (specifically their “Citizen U” program) so they can better meet their mission to help address the educational, developmental, and economic needs of local at-risk youth.
Additional Qualifications:
Vehicle and valid driver’s license required. Also needed is proficiency in the use of technology – including typical office functions: email, Office Suite, etc.
Additional Benefits :
The VISTA will have an office at the University and will receive a parking permit, travel funds, housing stipend, supervision and mentoring as well as the opportunity to attend professional development workshops offered by the institution.
Corning Community College
The NYCC AmeriCorps VISTA at Corning Community College (CCC) will spearhead projects designed to alleviate poverty by working to meet the food security and healthy eating issues of the local community.
Corning Community College, in Corning, New York, and is seeking a NYCC AmeriCorps*VISTA member to meet the needs of the community by spearheading three new projects. During the first-year of this project, the VISTA will work on three projects concurrently: perform a comprehensive community and campus food security needs and assets assessment, expand the educational use of campus container gardens, and establish a healthy eating awareness campaign.
In collaboration with the Food Bank of the Southern Tier, the NYCC VISTA member will perform a comprehensive assessment of campus and community assets and needs relating to food security, establish a healthy eating awareness campaign on campus and in the community, and promote and support the development and use of container gardens at CCC facilities and in the greater community.
Additional Qualifications:
• Good organizational skills
• Excellent interpersonal, writing, and communication skills
• Ability to interact professionally with students, staff, faculty, and community members
• Ability to work with limited supervision and exhibit good decision-making skills
• Knowledge of PC software, such as databases, word processing, or spreadsheet applications
• Driver’s license and car
SUNY Geneseo
Assist older, low-income Livingston County residents and their grandchildren through volunteer support programs in the areas of food security, home safety and reduced isolation, and food assistance.
The SUNY Geneseo VISTA’s primary focus will be to engage Geneseo students in programs that serve older Livingston County residents, at or near the poverty level, in a number of ways. The VISTA will represent the College and work with the Livingston County Office for the Aging and the Livingston County Chamber of Commerce on three specific programs: food bank programs throughout Livingston County, a Daily Hello Caller program for home bound seniors, and a food distribution program that will support low-income grandparents who are caregivers of grandchildren.
Reduce the prevalence of hunger and improve access to food and nutrition services for low income senior citizens 60 and over by inventorying and keep current all food security resources in the county available to residents 60 and over and recruiting and training volunteers to organize SUNY Geneseo student food drives to benefit the eleven food pantries in Livingston County. The VISTA will also develop and implement person-centered “Daily Hello” caller program to ensure home safety and security and to reduce the impact of isolation for at-risk home bound elderly citizens and implement the Kid Pack backpack food distribution program to low-income children.
Additional Qualifications:
The VISTA must have a vehicle and driver’s license for local travel and must possess good communication and computer skills.
Additional Benefits :
The College will provide the VISTA with an on-campus apartment and a work-out center pass.
Hofstra University
Develop campus/community partnerships that will enhance Uniondale’s ability to increase student attainment on STEM subjects and to develop second language proficiency among disadvantaged residents.
With the assistance of the VISTA member, the Greater Uniondale Area Action Coalition (GUAAC) in partnership with Hofstra University will identify community and campus assets at the individual, organizational, and institutional levels. The project team will draw upon and interconnect these assets to assist with the following capacity building initiatives: (1) expanding and sustaining active community involvement in GUAAC; (2) strengthening the coalition’s communications and organizational infrastructure; (3) assisting with the implementation, assessment, and refinement of action steps for achieving our two poverty alleviation goals; (4) developing volunteer recruitment, training and management systems; and (5) training volunteer project coordinators for each of our four specific anti-poverty initiatives to ensure sustainability beyond the involvement of the volunteer. The two initiatives are raising educational attainments in STEM-related subjects and increasing bilingual proficiency.
The VISTA will increase learning support services in subjects related to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) for disadvantaged students attending Uniondale Public Middle Schools to improve academic achievement and increase future access to area employment opportunities and increase free and low fee language courses provided to low-income residents with low levels of second language proficiency.
Additional Qualifications:
Fluency in Spanish and/or French Creole along with experience with the following are preferred but not required: asset mapping, using Excel, community organizing, fundraising, and volunteer recruitment and management. No car or driver’s license is required.
Additional Benefits :
The VISTA member will be provided a housing allowance, reimbursement of work-related travel costs, and access to workshops and conferences at Hofstra that will assist in professional development. The VISTA will also be provided parking and the use of Hofstra facilities while on campus.
Jefferson Community College
Jefferson Community College is seeking a VISTA member who will develop and coordinate activities, events and materials in support of veterans in our service area.
Jefferson Community College is seeking a VISTA member who will develop and coordinate activities, events and materials in support of veterans in our service area. The VISTA will identify community agencies that serve veterans and work to build strong community relationships. Through community collaborations, the VISTA will develop a support network to identify and continually assess the unmet needs of veterans in our service area and find sustainable solutions to support and resolve their unmet needs. This project will work to alleviate poverty and encourage capacity-building and community empowerment among veterans and veteran-serving agencies.
The VISTA member will identify and collaborate with community organizations and veterans to address unmet needs and services, develop/market a resource guide for veterans, provide resources and support to enable veterans to reach their educational and career goals, and develop College resources to provide a veteran-friendly educational environment for veteran students.
Additional Qualifications:
Valid driver’s license required. Proficiency in Microsoft Office including Outlook is required and knowledge of social media outlets is preferred. A military veteran is desired.
Additional Benefits :
The VISTA will have an office on campus and will receive supervision and mentoring as well as the opportunity to attend professional development workshops offered by the institution and the community. The VISTA will be issued a campus parking permit, receive travel reimbursement, and will have access to the College’s Fitness Center.
Nazareth College
The 2012-2013 AmeriCorps*VISTA position at Nazareth College in Rochester, NY will focus on the education and job readiness of individuals with disabilities, with the ultimate goal of competitive employment, through a program called LifePrep@Naz. The LifePrep@Naz program will lead to improved post-secondary outcomes for students with intellectual disabilities in underserved rural school districts. Young adults will exit P-16 services more prepared to live independently and obtain competitive employment. Data on preparedness for work and independent living will be collected at the time each student exits from the program. One year and three years from the exit, students will be contacted to determine if post-secondary outcomes have remained the same or have changed.
Nazareth College has long-standing partnerships with many K-12 school districts and a long history of site-based classes in the local school districts and at the Arc of Monroe. These arrangements have all been through the gracious hospitality of these local institutions. In fact, in 2009-2010, Nazareth partnered with 70 schools placing 263 students in settings working directly with students with disabilities. It should be noted that the use of the district site classrooms and space is at the cost of the hospitality of the district and of no expense to Nazareth College. Collaborative relationships should be reciprocal in nature and Nazareth College approaches this program as an opportunity to reciprocate the use of space, to local school districts through a campus-based program.
Mercy College
Create and support mentoring/tutoring programs with local elementary and high schools in the Bronx.
Mercy Gives Back will provide a structured opportunity for Mercy College’s constituents, including students, alumni and faculty, to provide service geared toward fighting poverty in the surrounding high-needs communities through engagement and empowerment of community members to build sustainable, long-term solutions aimed at closing the education gap. It is our belief that the College can help increase the capacity of individuals in surrounding low-income neighborhoods to become more self-reliant by engendering the preparation, readiness and expectation of college attainment among residents through strategic outreach.
Mercy Gives Back will focus on the creation and support of: (1) College Lunch Buddies program, where Mercy College students will tutor elementary and high school students with the ultimate goal of encouraging and providing a foundation for persistence in educational and career-related pursuits; (2) Mercy College School of Education Parent Centers, where parents of students attending NYC Department of Education schools in the Bronx will receive consistent and comprehensive family building and leadership opportunities, as well as skills to advocate for their children’s education; and (3) Mercy College Days of Service, full-day service projects that focus on the beautification of partner schools and other initiatives in surrounding communities.
Additional Qualifications:
Preference will be given to candidates with a driver’s license, Spanish language skills and advanced computer skills.
Additional Benefits :
The VISTA member will receive reimbursement for work-related travel and optional housing accommodations in the College residence hall.
Saint Rose
In year two, The Neighborhood Educational Impact Program (NEIP) will primarily continue to help develop, coordinate and implement an expanded tutoring, mentoring and college volunteer program for RISSE (Refugee Immigrant Support Services of Emmaus), an after school literacy program for impoverished, disadvantaged immigrant and refugee children and their parents at the Emmaus United Methodist Church in Albany, NY. NEIP will improve the educational, literacy, civic and community living skills of the clients that attend the RISSE program. The College of Saint Rose Community Service Office Staff, Academic Service Learning Coordinator , Department of Education, other college faculty and the CNS funded higher education Project SLATE (Service Learning and Teacher Education Program) will collaborate with community partners to provide the expertise, experience, resources and professional development to help NEIP volunteers implement program activities. Their support will ensure that the VISTA member’s efforts will have significant long term sustainable impacts on helping the staff and volunteers of RISSE to meet their disadvantaged clients’ educational, literacy, civic and community living skills in a cost effective and efficient manner as well as developing an enlarged, better trained pipeline of student and adult volunteers and establishing stronger College and Community collaboration and mutually supportive civic engagement partnerships.
SUNY Oswego
Implement and enhance the Mentor-Scholars for Middle School program to help increase Oswego City School District graduation rate.
The AmeriCorps VISTA at SUNY Oswego will work closely with college administration, the Center for Service Learning and Community Service, and the Oswego City School District in implementing a large-scale mentoring program called “Mentor-Scholars for Middle School.” The VISTA will be responsible for expanding and evaluating the initiative which was successfully piloted during the 2011-12 academic year. This will include assessing existing initiatives and working directly with the site supervisor to consolidate educational outreach programs. We are looking for enthusiastic applicants who work well as part of a team and possess the skills necessary to work independently in implementing new initiatives.
The VISTA member will continue to support SUNY Oswego’s Mentor-Scholar program, enhance the partnerships between SUNY Oswego, Oswego City School District, and Oswego Community, and support faculty and students wishing to participate in educational outreach.
Additional Qualifications:
A driver’s license is required, and having a car will be helpful but not necessary.
Additional Benefits :
On-campus housing, a fitness center membership, and on-campus parking will be provided.
St. John’s University
Strengthen community partnerships by implementing programs to meet the needs of low-income residents in and around Bedford-Stuyvesant Brooklyn and homeless individuals in and around Jamaica, Queens.
The 2012-2013 AmeriCorps VISTA project will focus on implementing the project developed during the previous two VISTA years. The previous VISTAs developed a longitudinal study to assess the needs and outcomes of Project ID at St. John’s Bread and Life, which assists clients in obtaining legal identification. In the third project year, the VISTA will continue these efforts by administering and analyzing client interviews and surveys at Project ID, and using gathered information to develop needs-based programs and other necessary improvements to the project. In addition, the previous VISTAs developed adult and youth programming at a Homes for the Homeless shelter. This year’s VISTA will be responsible for continuing the development of youth enrichment programs as well as implementing the adult programs, and evaluating the effectiveness of both.
The VISTA’s efforts will aid the agencies in meeting their missions of alleviating poverty, hunger, health concerns, education deficiencies and homelessness. The position will be primarily housed at St. John’s University’s Queens campus although there will be frequent visits to community partner sites in both Queens and Brooklyn to assist with programs and build strong relationships between the University and community partners. The VISTA will work with the Director of the Ozanam Scholars Program to implement community programs and with the Assistant Director of Outcomes Assessment for the evaluations.
The VISTA member will expand Project ID poverty alleviation efforts based on client feedback in surveys from year two and provide tools to homeless and low-income youth and adults that will assist them in obtaining skills and knowledge.
Additional Qualifications:
A valid driver’s license is required and the position will also require an individual that has strong computer skills especially with Microsoft Office applications.
Vassar College
Implement program in Poughkeepsie schools that improve proficiency in English among students. Support students in achieving higher academic standards and improving graduation rates.
Vassar College seeks a VISTA in the 2012-2013 academic year to strengthen English as a Second Language (ESL) programs in the Poughkeepsie City School District, where our volunteers serve at Poughkeepsie High School and soon will work at Warring Elementary. These are high-need urban schools not far from campus; students whose first language is not English (most of them Latino) number more than 450 system-wide.
Building on the hard work of a former VISTA member, the new VISTA will increase the involvement of more than 50 highly-motivated Vassar students as mentors/tutors for language learners through the growing Vassar English Language Learner Outreach Program (VELLOP). Supervised by a professor of education who directs the overall Vassar Urban Education Initiative, the volunteer will work with other College outreach programs, which serve learners of all ages.
Vassar College is a selective, coeducational liberal arts college of close to 2,400 students located about 80 miles north of New York City (accessible by Metro North train) in the scenic Hudson River Valley.
The VISTA member will coordinate the Vassar English Language Learners Outreach Program (VELLOP) to help public school English Language Learners (ELL) students in Poughkeepsie, NY, improve proficiency in English and increase academic achievement and increase Vassar College’s campus capacity to address ELL issues in the City of Poughkeepsie.
Additional Qualifications:
The ideal VISTA for this post will have experience working in an urban environment. A history of formal training in education and/or foreign languages is preferred. Vehicle access and a driver’s license are recommended, as public transit and the campus bus shuttle to the schools and other destinations provide limited service.
Additional Benefits :
Benefits offered to the VISTA include a housing stipend, free parking, gym and fitness facilities, and tuition benefits of up to two courses in the year.
NYCC VISTA Leader
New York Campus Compact is seeking a dynamic VISTA Leader to support and enhance current VISTA programming for our 14-member team.
New York Campus Compact has been partnering with the AmeriCorps VISTA Program since 2003 in order to assist member campuses in developing deep, meaningful campus/community partnerships. VISTAs play pivotal roles in helping colleges and universities address community needs, develop leadership among their students, and improve collaborations between the institution and the community.
The VISTA Leader's duties include:
- Providing ongoing support of current VISTA members
- Coordinating and implementing training opportunities for VISTA members (including 3 conferences and a webinar series)
- Supporting the development of a new community-based VISTA program by completing research and developing marketing materials
- Enhancing relationships with NYCC VISTA Alumni by coordinating alumni networking events
- Develop an alumni database
- Implement a new mentoring program whereby current VISTA members are matched with NYCC VISTA alumni
Required Qualifications:
- 1 year of previous experience serving as an Americorps VISTA
- Bachelor’s degree
- Community service experience
- Strong oral and written communication skills
- Strong organizational and computer skills
- Motivated, independent worker
- Valid driver’s license
- Comfortable public speaking
- Event planning and program management
- Volunteer management experience
- Experience working with nonprofit organizations
Additional Benefits :
NYCC’s VISTA Leader will receive a bi-weekly living allowance totaling $13,524 over the course of the year. We are also pleased to offer a generous housing subsidy of $3,600! Upon successful completion, choose either an education award of $5,550 to use toward educational loans or future educational expenses or a cash stipend of $3,000. The VISTA Leader may put any qualifying loans in forbearance during the term of service; any accrued interest will be paid off by AmeriCorps at the end of the term. Health insurance and workers’ compensation are provided at no extra cost, and there are numerous professional development opportunities. Term of service for NYCC’s VISTA Leader is June 2012 to June 2013.
Village at Ithaca/Cornell University
Work with the Village at Ithaca as we continue advocating for excellence and equity in Ithaca's public schools through strategic community relationships, programs, and services to ensure that students, particularly Black, Latino, and low-income students, consistently meet or exceed local and New York State standards of achievement. We look forward to welcoming an energetic Village at Ithaca (VAI) VISTA member who will help build capacity for the Village by further developing and supporting the 5 project teams and working with campus and community partners to develop deep, sustainable collaborative relationships. Specifically, the VISTA member will assess the status of each project team, work with the designated board members and staff to identify gaps in project team participation, and recruit volunteers who will commit to meeting monthly to support a specific aspect of organizational development. In this coordination role, the VAI VISTA member will match volunteers’ interest and expertise with specific tasks that will both sustain their interest and further our organizational goals. The project teams are: Family Advocacy Program, Path of Success, Student Success Center, Fundraising Initiatives and Marketing Outreach.
The position responsibilities include:
- Developing, supporting, and enhancing project teams
- Facilitating communication between project teams and the board/staff members
- Recruiting and training volunteers
- Developing resources to support organizational programming
- Acting as a liaison between the organization and college/university faculty, staff, and students
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