Transcript NC-ACTS! AmeriCorps Program

ICAN! Cohort
UCAN Serve AmeriCorps
Program
AmeriCorps
• Network of national service programs that engage
more than 75,000 Americans each year in intensive
service
• Federally funded through the Corporation for National
and Community Service (CNCS) in DC. Also manages
Learn & Serve and Senior Corps
The AmeriCorps Pledge
I will get things done for America to make our people safer,
smarter, and healthier.
I will bring Americans together
to strengthen our communities.
Faced with apathy,
I will take action.
Faced with conflict,
I will seek common ground.
Faced with adversity,
I will persevere.
I will carry this commitment
with me this year and beyond.
I am an AmeriCorps member,
and I will get things done.
North Carolina
Campus Compact
•NC Campus Compact builds the capacity of colleges and
universities to produce civically-engaged graduates and to
strengthen communities.
•46 member campuses
•National Campus Compact – 35 state offices/1200 members
•NC-ACTS! (2004-2010) Education Award Program (1981
graduates)
http://www.nccampuscompact.org
Colorado Campus
Compact/U Can Serve
•Colorado Campus Compact (CCC) - builds campus and community
partnerships through service learning and civic engagement programs in
support of the civic mission of higher education.
•UCAN Serve – largest Education Award program in the country (5,347
slots for the 2010-11 program year)
•NC Campus Compact 2010 = 250 members
http://www.coloradocampuscompact.org/
Glossary of Terms
•Fellow = participating student
•UCAN Serve = CO CC program name (on documents)
•NC-ACTS! = former AmeriCorps program hosted by
NC Campus Compact (on documents)
•ICAN! = Individual College Access Network (ICAN!)
•ADVANCE = New AmeriCorps program (Fall 2011)
•Cohort = specialized statewide/trans-campus group of
students serving within a specific focus area
•Cluster = each campus team of members
•Campus Coordinator = individual on each participating
campus who facilitates the local program
Uniting Campuses*Empowering Students*Impacting NC Communities
How Does The
Program Work?
• One year (term of service)/300 hours
• 3 reflection sessions
• Upon completion of requirements = Educational Award
• $1132 (not a CASH award)
• Transferable for those 55 and older
• Can retain for up to 7 years
• Uses for the Educational Award include:
• Pay for qualified students loans
• Pay for current educational expenses
•PRIVATE LOANS ARE NOT APPLICABLE!!!
•Can be divided
Cohorts

Mentoring

Childhood Obesity

ICAN!
What are Campus Coordinators
Responsibilities?
Campus Coordinators serve as key contact for Program
Director. and:
• Recruits
• Orients & trains
• Tracks online forms and documents (campus
maintains copies and sends originals to NC
Campus Compact)
• Hosts cohort Reflection Sessions
• Celebrates and acknowledges student/cohort work
and milestones
ENROLLMENT
• Orientation session coordinated by the Campus Coordinator.
• Campus Coordinator reviews and oversees completion of
enrollment forms:
 CNCS Enrollment Form (invited via e-mail)
 Member Contract
 Service Summary and Site Supervisor Verification Form
 Proof of Eligibility Verification Form
 Passport, Birth Certificate or Naturalization documents
 Criminal Background Check Authorization Form
 Pre-Service Reflections (can come with 1st time log)
Background Check Policy
•
A member cannot enroll and will not be
invited until the Background Check clears
• Murder conviction/NSOPR – automatic
disqualification
• Other = case-by-case
• Once Check clears, you are invited to
enroll
Enrollment
Continued…
• Member receives an invitation to apply through
My AmeriCorps
:[email protected]
• Set-up an account [SAVE PASSWORD!!!!!!!]
• Member receives a “welcome” e-mail
announcing their enrollment
• Start serving!!
Uniting Campuses*Empowering Students*Impacting NC Communities
Prohibited Activities
ICAN! Members, like private citizens, may participate in any of the activities listed
below (lobbying, political and advocacy activities, etc.) on their own time, at their own
expense, and at their own initiative. Any individual may take part in the prohibited
activities, but they may not count that time toward an AmeriCorps term of service and
may not wear AmeriCorps service gear in such instances. All these guidelines are
outlined in the Member Contract.
Prohibited Activities include:
• Political Activities
• Religious Affairs
• Union Activities
• For-Profit Business
• Safety Factors
• Abortion Services
Prohibited Activities
Prohibited Political Activities:
•
Participating in efforts to influence legislation or lobbying for your program
•
Organizing a letter writing campaign to Congress
•
Engaging in partisan political activities
•
Voter registration drives
•
Organizing or participating in protests, petitions, boycotts, or strikes
Prohibited Religious Affairs:
•
Engaging in religious instruction
•
Conducting worship services
•
Engaging in any form of religious proselytizing
Prohibited Activities
Prohibited Union Activities include:
• Assisting, promoting or deterring union organizing
• Impairing existing contracts for services or collective bargaining agreements
Prohibited For-Profit Activities:
• Providing a direct benefit for a for-profit entity, labor union, a partisan political
organization or an organization engaged in religious activities
Prohibited Safety Factors
• Participating in activities that pose a significant safety risk to participants
What Counts as
Member Development/
Training Activities?
20% (60 hours) of members’ hours can be member
development/training.
Every hour over must be made up in direct service.
Member Development/Training : instructional; support a members’
ability to serve effectively; improve the members skills, knowledge
and self-awareness.
•
Reflection sessions
•
Orientation/training at service site
•
Class time related to your direct service
•
Development, implementation, and/or involvement in peer training
•
Professional conferences or workshops
MUST BE RELATED TO DIRECT SERVICE
What’s Direct Service?
Direct Service directly impacts site or clients:
•
Assessing community assets and needs for services
•
Tutoring or mentoring kids K-12
•
Recruiting, training, placing volunteers for non-profit organization
•
Performing case management
•
Delivering food and supplies to homebound community members
•
Building homes for low-income community members
•
Attending to clients in healthcare facilities
•
Working with parents and families on educational needs and family
literacy programs
Fundraising
In general, AmeriCorps Members cannot assist their
organizations with major fundraising efforts.
However, Corporation policy permits some limited
activities related to fundraising by AmeriCorps
Members to the extent that such activities:
•
•
•
•
•
•
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Are not funding the agency’s capital or operating costs
Provide immediate and direct support to a specific and direct
service activity
Relate to your direct service
Are not the primary activity of the program
Do not involve significant amounts of time for any Member
No writing of federal grants
Are less than 10% (30 hours) of the total 300 hours to be
served
Service Sites
•One Service Summary per organization
•Site Supervisor must sign
•Brief description of what you will accomplish
during your term, constituency group(s) you
will serve, community need of your project,
and community benefit
•Site Supervisor = someone you have regular
access to and can verify your hours and
oversee your service. *They will need to sign
your Monthly Time Logs, and complete an
evaluation before you can be exited from the
program and receive your Education Award.
Pre-Service
Reflections
•One per site
•Attach to Service Summary
•1st one can come with first time log
Monthly Time Logs (Part I)
•Monthly time logs are due MONTHLY
•Each month, regardless of whether you serve or not, you need to
be in contact with your Campus Coordinator. If you serve any time
during any month, you must record the hours on a Monthly Time
Log. If you do not serve, you must EMAIL your Campus
Coordinator to let them know you have not served, and to ensure
that you are still on track toward completion of your term of service
with AmeriCorps.
•In order to be valid, your Monthly Time Log MUST BE stapled to
and submitted with your Monthly Reflections on Your Service
•The Monthly Time Log must be typed or completed in ink (pencil
will not be accepted)
Monthly Time Logs (Part II)
•The Monthly Time Log is not valid unless it has BOTH an
ORIGINAL signature from you and your Site Supervisor. Copied,
faxed, stamped, and electronic signatures are not acceptable.
•The ORIGINAL HARD COPY of the Monthly Time Log AND
Service Reflections must be received by your Campus Coordinator
on or before the 10th of the month following the specified month of
service.
•Paperwork CANNOT be emailed or faxed. All documents must
contain original signatures.
•You MUST submit a separate Monthly Time Log AND Monthly
Reflections on Your Service for EACH site you serve , should you
serve multiple sites in any particular month.
Monthly Time Logs (Part III)
•Only one month may be recorded on a single time log
•No scratch-outs or white-out allowed!
•Incorrect time logs must be re-submitted
•Check your totals!!!!
•Quarter hour format
Time Log Review & Practice
Mini-grants Process

Campus Coordinator can apply for
Cohort
– By August 15 for $100
– For second $100 when original receipts
for first $100 are submitted
– Supplies, refreshments, honorariums for
presentations
Outstanding
Service Award
• Provided superior service to their service site
• Worked to their full potential to positively contribute to
the site where they are serving, including using their
skills and knowledge to help the site advance their
mission, expand their service/client base and or
enhance the services they provide.
• $100 to student/$100 to site
• 2009 = Grace Johnson, Wake Forest University
• 2010 = Charles Webster, Appalachian State University
• 2011 = ??????
Questions?
Leslie A. Garvin
NC Program Director
(336) 278-7198
[email protected]
UCAN Serve
Jami Hiyakumoto
Uniting Campuses*Empowering Students*Impacting NC Communities