Transcript AmeriCorps

AmeriCorps Orientation

Get Things Done for America

A few terms before we get started

• What is

AmeriCorps

? What is a

Term of Service?

• Who is the

Corporation for National and Community Service

?

• How does AmeriCorps fit with

Bonner

?

Fast Fact:

AmeriCorps members have served more than

774 million hours

What is AmeriCorps?

• A National Service Program

(Domestic Peace Corps)

• Federally funded, locally implemented • Members complete service and training

Terms of Service

– A Term of Service is a commitment of hours to direct – Terms of Service run from 1 to 2 years • Participants receive an

Education Award

at the completion of their Term of Service

Fast Fact:

There has been more than

637,000

AmeriCorps members since 1994

AmeriCorps

Rooted in America’s Tradition of Service 1933: Civilian Conservation Corps 1961: Peace Corps 1964: VISTA 1993: The Corporation for National and Community Service and AmeriCorps 2009: Serve America Act

Corporation for National and Community Service & AmeriCorps

The

Corporation for National and Community Service

is the federal agency that improves lives, strengthens communities, and fosters civic engagement through service and volunteering. The Corporation administers three main programs: • Senior Corps: 450,000 Americans 55+ • AmeriCorps: 85,000 members • Learn and Serve America: 1.5 million students in service-learning

Serve America Act

• Signed into law April 21, 2009 • Landmark legislation to expand service •

Expands AmeriCorps to 250,000 members by 2017

• Priority focus on education, health, environment, veterans, and economic opportunity

What do AmeriCorps members do?

Meet critical needs across America!

AmeriCorps aims to meet three different goals Getting Things Done Developing Participants Strengthening Communities

Who Benefits from AmeriCorps?

We All Do

• • • •

Youth, Seniors, and Others In Need benefit from the tutoring, mentoring, health, housing, and other services members provide.

Communities citizens.

benefit from having better schools, safer streets, more affordable housing, a cleaner environment, and more engaged Organizations gain from having more reach and impact: 92% of sponsoring groups say members helped increase how many people they served to a large or moderate extent.

Members acquire leadership and career skills, earn money for college, and learn how to be active citizens.

Fast Fact:

AmeriCorps members have earned

$1.77 Billion

in Segal AmeriCorps Education Award.

AmeriCorps Today

Three Programs AmeriCorps State/National AmeriCorps VISTA AmeriCorps NCCC

Bonner AmeriCorps

Administered by the Bonner Foundation

in partnership with the College of New Jersey Offered at

more than 50 Bonner Campuses

, including ours!

Fast Fact:

More than

2.4 million volunteers

were mobilized by AmeriCorps members in 2009

Eligibility Requirements

• Must be

17 years of age or older

• Must have a

High School Diploma

or Equivalency, or must be working towards the GED • Must be a

U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident

of the U.S.

• Government Documents Required: State-Issued Birth Certificate; unexpired U.S. Passport; or Permanent Residency Card

What Do (Bonner) AmeriCorps Members Receive?

Half-Time Members

900 Hours of Service Education Award = $2,675 Two-year term (minus one day)

Quarter-Time Members

450 Hours of Service Education Award = $1,415 One-year term (minus one day)

Minimum-Time Members

300 Hours of Service Education Award = $1,132.28

One-year term (minus one day)

Now for the nitty-gritty of AmeriCorps…

Rules of Conduct

AmeriCorps Members are limited to

two full-time terms of service

lifetime. in a • • •

Breakdown of Service Hours: At least 80%

of your hours must be devoted to

service No more than 20%

(T&E) activities of your hours can be done in Training and Enrichment

No more than 10%

of total hours can be devoted to

fundraising

– Granting writing or fundraising for operational expenses is prohibited; however, you can be involved in grant writing for specific service projects, solicit in-kind donations, and organize education events that also serve as fundraisers (i.e. hunger banquets)

What is “community service?”

Bonner defines service as “service provided to

individuals or communities to meet social, educational, or environmental needs.”

Prohibited Activities

The

following activities will not count

towards your term of service: – Service outside the country or with an agency that is internationally focused – Attempting to influence legislation or the outcomes of an election to any public office – Organizing or engaging in protests, petitions, boycotts, or strikes and/or assisting, prompting, or deterring union organizing – Engaging in religious instruction or proselytizing, and/or working for an agency that puts religious education/proselytizing at the forefront of its mission – Work for a for-profit entity or provide services that directly benefit a for-profit entity – – – – Coordinating or participating in Voter Registration drives Providing abortion services or referrals for such services Displacing current employees Direct service that is paid through an hourly wage other than Federal Work-Study

Prohibited Activities Cheat Sheet

• • • • •

AmeriCorps Service Red Flags : International For-Profit Political Religious Labor issues

Suspension

• • • • • • May be eligible for a leave of absence from AmeriCorps for a “Personal and Compelling” circumstance: – Personal or family illness – Military service – Academic programs abroad – Leave of absence from school Essentially “freezes” your term of service – Cannot count/log any hours during the period of the suspension All hour logs up until the suspension must be turned in The Foundation must receive a suspension form no later than 25 days after the date of requested suspension A Request for Reinstatement Form must be submitted no later than 25 days after the reinstatement date A suspension cannot last longer than two years from the date of suspension

Exiting for Personal and Compelling Circumstances

• • • A participant who is released for Personal and Compelling Circumstances AND who has completed 15 percent of his or her required term of service is eligible for a pro-rated Education Award. The situation must be absolutely beyond the member’s control Members wishing to exit with a partial Award must: – Update and submit any missing hour logs – Complete and submit an exit form – Send a letter explaining the Personal and Compelling Circumstances

Release for Cause

• • Release for cause encompasses any circumstance other than Personal and Compelling Circumstances, this includes: – Personal decision to leave the program – Termination from the program due to inactivity – Convicted of a felony – Convicted of the sale or distribution of a controlled substance during a term of service Members released for cause will not receive any portion of the education award and must disclose this fact in any subsequent applications to participate in an AmeriCorps program.

Exiting with Full-Award

Once you have logged your 900-hours you must …

Send in your Exit Form to the Foundation within 20 days of the last day of service

The Bonner Foundation …

Complete service accomplishments in BWBRS Set-up a time to do an end of service evaluation and exit interview Does a “scrub” of your entire file and submits it to the Corporation for National and Community Service Turn in all hour logs (with appropriate signatures) Double-check all of the hours you have served

You can access your Education Award!

Complete an exit form to be turned in with final hour log

I will then …

The Education Award

• • •

The Education award can be used to:

– Repay qualified existing or future student loans, – To pay all or part of the current cost of attending a qualified institution of higher education – Pay current expenses while participating in an approved school to-work program

Important things to remember:

– You have 7 years to use the award – It is taxable in the year that it is used – It may be paid out in increments The National Service Trust (which holds the award) has an online payment system. )

Time to Enroll!

Before we get started…

• • • • • • You must use a pen If you make a mistake, neatly cross it out and make the change – both you and I must initial the cross out Your Enrollment/Start Date is today August 25,

2011

Your End Date is August 24, 2013 if you are enrolling in a two-year, 900-hour term Reminder this is an official and binding contract; read over everything carefully At any point, please let me know if you have any questions

Member Application and Enrollment Form

Fill-out: – The Cover – Member Application (page 2) – Member Enrollment Form (pages 3-5)

Member Contract

Fill out: – Member Contract (pages 6-13) – read carefully!

Helpful Info for you: – Start Date: August 25, 2011 – End Date: August 24, 2013 – Campus administrator: Melissa Medeiros

Grievance Procedures (page 10)

In the event that informal efforts to resolve disputes are unsuccessful, AmeriCorps members, labor unions, and other interested individuals may seek resolution through the grievance procedures detailed on page 10 of the Member Contract. These procedures are intended to apply to service-related issues, such as assignments, evaluations, suspensions, or release for cause, as well as issues related to non-selection of members, and displacement of employees, or duplication of activities by AmeriCorps Members

Nondiscrimination Policy (page 12)

Participation in AmeriCorps is based on merit and equal opportunity for all, without regard to factors such as race, color, national origins, sex, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, political affiliation, marital or parental status, military service, or religious, community, or social affiliations It is also unlawful to retaliate against any person who, or organization that, files a complaint about such discrimination. Each campus and/or service site that receives the services of an AmeriCorps Member agrees to abide by Federal laws and CNCS policies on Equal Opportunity

Reasonable Accommodation (page 12)

Programs and activities must be accessible to persons with disabilities, and the Bonner AmeriCorps Program at your campus must provide reasonable accommodation to the known mental or physical disabilities of otherwise qualified members, service recipients, applicants, and staff.

All selections and project assignments must be made without regard to the need to provide reasonable accommodation

Bonner AmeriCorps Submission of

Documents Procedures (page 14)

Due to the high volume and detail of documentation required to enroll members and provide sufficient verification of completion of a Member’s term, Bonner AmeriCorps Program Staff have outlined procedures for the proper submission of documents. Adhering to these procedures will help facilitate the successful completion of an AmeriCorps Member’s term.

Drug-Free Workplace (page 15)

Consistent with the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988, The Corella and Bertram F. Bonner Foundation and The College of New Jersey are committee to providing a workplace that is free from the unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensation, possession, or use of controlled substances – Program members must notify the Bonner Program in writing within five (5) calendar days, if he or she is convicted of a criminal drug violation in the workplace – Violations of the Drug-Free Workplace policy will result in personnel action again the program member, up to and including dismissal pursuant to The College of New Jersey procedure relating to program member discipline

Prohibited Activities, Suspension Procedures,

and Emergency Notification (pages 16-17) Please read through and fill-out related information for : – Prohibited Activities – Suspension Procedures – Emergency Notification

Informed Consent and Waiver of

Responsibility (page 18)

• • • Bonner Foundation Staff, your Campus/Site Supervisor, and the Corporation for National and Community Service with your consent may: Release your name, interests, and any training you have received Write a recommendation or give a verbal recommendation for employment, etc. at the end of your term of service. Photograph you at your service site for recruitment/promotional purposes NOTE: You may opt out by checking the box on page 18 of the enrollment book.

Eligibility Documentation

• • Along with your completed Enrollment Workbook, you must: Submit a legible copy of a government-issued citizenship, naturalization or resident alien documentation (e.g., state issued birth certificate, permanent resident card, etc.) AND a legible copy of government-issued photo ID (driver’s license, state ID); OR, an unexpired US passport issued to you as a US citizen Also, provide documentation of any legal name change I will staple copies to the top of the page after I review your Enrollment book

Almost there…

• • • Please read through and complete the following sections: Bonner AmeriCorps Orientation Certification (page 19) Background Check Authorization (page 20) National Sex Offender Registry Check (page 21) And finally, look through the book to make sure you have signed every line, checked every box, and filled in all the information needed to enroll you in AmeriCorps

Any Questions?