Brownfields | CDBG | VISTA | Site Map | CEDO Home | City Home

Seeking more clarity on how AmeriCorps*State and AmeriCorps*VISTA compare?

Here is a 'cliff notes' version.

The sites selected will host AmeriCorps members starting in September, 2010. For more information on how to host a member, please visit the Host Organizations page.

How to Apply

For more information on any of these positions, please send cover letter and resume to Lindsay Reid at lreid@ci.burlington.vt.us or call 802.865.7516.

For more information on member benefits, please visit the Prospective Members page.

Contact:
Melissa Steady, Education Director
msteady@ci.burlington.vt.us
802-865-7524
 

The Fletcher Free Library Teen Literacy Project supports area teens by providing them with a safe place to learn, play, and discuss the diverse community in which they live. Teen programs, including traditional and innovative ideas and technology, will be organized; teens will be encouraged and trained to be library volunteers and Teen Advisory Board members; and print and AV materials reflective of the diverse backgrounds of Burlington’s teens will be added to the collection. The project will address the critical literacy needs of Burlington’s teenagers, including our lower income, new American, and at-risk teens. Most importantly this project involves reinforcing an environment of “cultural competency” among Library staff members and patrons with specific attention to teen library members.

The AmeriCorps Teen Literacy Coordinator will be a creative inspiration to area teens and will initiate and promote programs and recruit and train volunteers. The coordinator will increase the library’s presence in disadvantaged areas of the community, and strengthen the library’s relationship with area middle schools and high school by promoting the Library Connections program. The AmeriCorps member will work toward strengthening the Teen Advisory Board, recruiting and training teen volunteers to work as reading mentors over the summer months, and collaborating with college and adult volunteers to run programs. The Teen Literacy Coordinator will plan game tournaments, enhance the teen web page on the library website, create publicity materials, and oversee book discussion groups and an after school computer lab.

Contact:
Rebecca Goldberg, Youth Services Librarian
rgoldberg@ci.burlington.vt.us
802-865-7216
 

The Library’s commitment to diversity and equity is reflected in the long-standing practice of hiring staff and recruiting Board members representative of the community’s diversity. For over three decades, the Fletcher Free Library’s staff has increased outreach and internal library services for older adults, children, teens, the disabled, low-income residents and immigrant and refugee communities. Seven years ago, an AmeriCorps position was created to address solely the literacy needs of New Americans. Library policies have changed to increase borrowing privileges for the homeless, the elderly and New Americans. We partner with a multitude of social service organizations. We are an information resource for the entire Burlington region, continually searching for new, innovative ways to provide services to an ever-changing community.

The AmeriCorps member at the Fletcher Free Library Outreach Department will assist in delivering services to the community in a variety of capacities. The AmeriCorps member will coordinate programming that is focused on English-language learners and the New American community. The programs offered include classes such as weekly English classes, computer classes offered in different languages, and a citizenship preparation course. These classes seek to offer opportunities that are not available in the community elsewhere. The Library is part of a network of English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) providers. The Library provides a free English class to everyone regardless of residency. We are a meeting point for immigrants and temporary workers who live in Vermont. The AmeriCorps member acquires books for English learning and teaching and the foreign language collection. In addition, the Library offers language conversation groups for community members who share a common language and cultural programming on a wide variety of topics.

Contact:
Barbara Shatara, Outreach Librarian
bshatara@ci.burlington.vt.us
(802) 865-7211
 

The Champlain Senior Center provides a wealth of vital resources to promote active and successful aging including nutritional, educational, health, social and recreational programs. The Center serves mid-day, nutritious meals five days each week. People gather and dine together in an atmosphere that encourages socialization. We offer activities that promote independence, opportunities to socialize, develop new knowledge and contribute to their community. A sampling of some of the activities we provide include health and fitness activities, such as armchair exercise, yoga, WII bowling and sports games, arts, crafts and games including billiards, bridge, cards, creative writing and knitting. The Center also offers health and education including nutrition, financial, and monthly blood pressure clinics. Door-to-door transportation can be arranged to and from the Center in special lift-equipped vans.

The AmeriCorps member will provide outreach to seniors and relevant organizations to increase attendance at out meal site and program activities. Outreach will include meeting with different ethnic and cultural organizations and leaders to learn ideas about overcoming barriers to inclusion and ideas for programs and mutual learning opportunities. He/she will recruit volunteers for kitchen, reception area, program activities and restaurants with the same emphasis on overcoming barriers and increasing opportunities for mutual learning and service opportunities within racially/ethnically diverse groups. The member will solicit donations from individuals and businesses to increase service provisions and assist with the implement of programs. He/she will help research and coordinate trainings and workshops on cultural competency for staff and board as per the RFP. The member will also research small grant opportunities and write a small grant.

Contact:
Holly Sullivan, Executive Director
holly@champsenior.org
802-658-3585
 

ECHO Open Door programs aim to reduce financial and cultural barriers for low-income populations who wish to visit ECHO. The goal is to provide a welcoming, culturally sensitive atmosphere for learning, social interaction and engagement with science. This will be accomplished by: (1) Maintaining community networks to youth and social service agencies and by developing communication mechanisms for reaching diverse populations. (2) Coordinating a teen environmental literacy and leadership program that develops confidence and competency in science, group leadership, public speaking and stewardship through real work experience. (3) Building ECHO’s cultural competence by training and supporting board and staff to develop and implement organizational practices and educational programs that reflect the diversity of the community. (4)Coordinating community science events that encourage cross cultural opportunities. (5) Coordinating discount admission for low income families.

The AmeriCorps Member will (1) Facilitate task force and advisory group with Ed. Director and Ass. Director (2) Develop best practices matrix in cultural competency. (3) Research ADA programmatic compliance, seek out area resources and develop ADA work plan for the organization (4) Research resources on cultural competency for Board, staff, and volunteers. (5) Assess existing evaluation procedures for Mentor Arts, See Think Do and Early Arts and work with BCA staff to facilitate develop and implement evaluation. This may include filming, photographing, directly interviewing participants and transcribing information, and communicating/following up with participants to ensure information is recorded. (6) Recruit new and return visits from schools, community groups, and social service organizations for gallery education, mentor arts and studios and liaise with appropriate staff.

Contact:
Molly Loomis, Director of Education
mloomis@echovermont.org
802-864-1848 x110
 

Contact:
Mohamed Abdi, President
shabaan@somalibantuvermont.org
(802) 658-2683
 

In the past year, the AmeriCorps members have been instrumental in supporting and engaging children and parents with limited English language in all Family Room programs. We have found this to be an important factor with refugee families continuing to attend programs when there is a community connection. With the AmeriCorps members involved as direct service staff, this has been invaluable with informing staff about cultural practices and bridging conversations between participants and staff. We have structured many formal and informal opportunities for exchanges like storytelling, book sharing and other literacy focused programs; cooking, nutrition, gardening and health experiences; playing games, doing exercises, practicing baby massage, and; organizing mini-workshops in which African moms teach non-African moms ways of carrying babies.

The We All Belong members will create trainings in regards to their own culture and personal history and will share this information in small groups of Family Room staff, home visitors and personal care attendants at the VNA. We will also allow time to share this information with other collaborating agencies. Furthermore, we will offer a book/movie/video discussion group to members of the VNA staff. The We All Belong members will plan for these opportunities through choosing appropriate books and movies to use in the series. The series will begin with the VT Humanities Council book discussion group of the Katherine Patterson book, The Day of the Pelican.

We will support the We All Belong members to share their cultural experiences with VNA staff to increase their confidence and ability to speak in larger groups. With our community connections, we will also offer this training to area agencies (Head Start, other parent-child centers). We will sponsor our members to build more leadership roles in our programming, including increased contact with families and staff, planning programs and providing training. We All Belong members will be encouraged to attend the Refugee and Immigrant Service Providers Network to increase their community connections and support the VNA commitment to serve all who turn to us in their time of need. The We All Belong Members will be instrumental in supporting the renewal of the VNA Cultural Diversity Committee.

Contact:
Danielle M. Hartwick, Family Room Program Manager
Hartwick@vnacares.org
860-4420, 3112
 

(See above)
 

(See above)
 

The Winooski Family Center is a unique collaboration between the Howard Center, the Winooski School District and the Winooski Housing Authority all of whom are committed to the success of the Winooski Family Center. Core programs include Welcome Baby visits, playgroups and preschool. Seasonal programs consist of the Summer Recreation Program (free breakfast and lunch), Holiday Giving Program, Angel Food, Head Start, literacy programs, a father’s group, a mom’s group, support and parent education groups and classes, and Nurturing Parenting Program. The mission of the Winooski Family Center is to “provide a safe and nurturing environment where families and children, birth to school age, can receive the support they need to increase their understanding of child and adult development, promote positive communication and nurturing skills and to offer a place to socialize, play, learn, share ideas and grow.”

The AmeriCorps* member will work approximately 37.5 hrs per week for approximately 45 weeks throughout the year (there are some weeks that programming is limited or the program is closed for vacation). The AmeriCorps* direct service component (55%) will be assigned to the following programs and areas: preschool, playgroups, parent support and education, and collaborative community activities (specifically those we offer with our partners/co-tenants at the O’Brien Community Center). The remaining 45% of the AmeriCorps* time will be spent on program development, translating materials and working with the Director and members of the HowardCenter Diversity Team to achieve identified goals. Through participation in these programs and working with the Director and other program staff, the activities that the member will be responsible will include: (1) Education: educating and exposing staff and other program participants to different cultural beliefs, traditions and values; (2) Outreach: engaging families as participants, parents in preschool and volunteers, coordinate translation of materials, help the organization disseminate information in a linguistically competent manner. (3) Program Development: help the organization work with different ethnic and cultural leaders to learn about most pressing needs and barriers in order to develop relevant policies and practices, help create new programs based on feedback from beneficiaries (4) Community Engagement: helping the Family Center and staff members to be role models throughout the community for promoting culturally competent and fluent services. (5) Work with the Director and the HowardCenter Diversity team to develop plans and strategies for growth and development in the area of culturally competent practice.

Contact:
Karen Prosciak, Director
karenp@howardcenter.org/
802-655-1422
 

The Hotline and Cultural Competency Advocate is responsible for providing knowledgeable and culturally sensitive information via the 24hour hotline as well as support staff and volunteers with ongoing culturally diverse education. This position also participates in the provision of educational and public awareness programs in the community designed to increase understanding of and sensitivity to domestic violence within culturally diverse communities

Contact:

 

The YWCA Opportunity Project will create new programs that connect low-income women to opportunities for growth, leadership, and power. “Opportunity Gap” describes the confluence of structural social inequities and insufficient or unsuccessful public policies that result in dramatically different life outcomes for people of different races, cultures, and socio-economic backgrounds. As Vermont communities continue to experience the demographic shift that is already underway, programs aimed at redressing disparities in health, employment, education, and other domains are needed. The YWCA Opportunity Project is one such effort to understand the changing needs of low-income women and girls, and to respond to unmet needs with innovative, community-driven responses. The Opportunity Project will carry out research, outreach, and community organizing activities focused on understanding and meeting the needs of low-income women and girls, with some emphasis toward single mothers, grandparents caring for children, and women and girls from communities of color. The primary activities of project staff will be conducting focus groups, interviews, and other research; using these data to develop new programs based on feedback from identified focus populations; and working with the YWCA team to increase organizational cultural competency to provide exceptional service to, and be advocates for the women and girls we serve.

The AmeriCorps State member will be the key planner and inventor of the new YWCA Opportunity Project. The member will plan and conduct focus groups and interviews with community to inform future program directions; will translate the information she or he gathers into newsletter articles, web content, and other educational outreach materials; and will identify potential collaborators, including community-based nonprofits, businesses, and community leaders with whom YWCA can partner to address unmet needs for low-income women and girls. Depending on the needs identified through her or his research and outreach, she or he may work on designing and implementing new programs, or work together with the Girls’ Program Coordinator to expand current program areas and to increase cultural competency within existing programs. The member will be a member of the YWCA Mission committee, which currently addresses matters of cultural competency and racial equity in internal and external operations, and will provide leadership within the organization on moving to adopt responsive, culturally competent practices throughout its daily operations and activities.

Contact:
Rebecca Gurney, Executive Director
rebecca@ywcavermont.org/
802-862-7520