AmeriCorps VISTA Supporting Ohio Citizen Corps

Information for Prospective Applicants

 

General Description of Duties – Regional VISTA Members

 

Eight (8) VISTA members will be placed at or through the Ohio Citizen Corps Lead Volunteer Centers – 2 members per LVC Region (see below for additional information). 

 

Current Positions: Currently 4 positions are available: Region A -Toledo,

Region C - Columbus & Cincinnati, and Region D – Athens. 

See below for contact information.

 

Goal A - Assist low income and special needs populations (older adults, non-English speaking, and persons with disabilities) to become better prepared for disasters.

Service Activity - Form Regional Work Groups, consisting of representatives of the targeted populations, to assist in identifying existing individual/family preparedness education resources, materials and opportunities, and distribute the results to organizations serving those populations.

 

Goal B - Continue development of Volunteer Reception Centers to ensure 80% of Ohio’s counties will be supported if disasters occur.

Service Activity - Recruit and train volunteers to staff the VRCs.

 

Goal C - Enhance Ohio’s Citizen Corps program with an emphasis on increasing participation of low income and special needs populations.

Service Activities -

1. Implement a standardized Citizen Corps Orientation for volunteers (including the targeted populations) who have or wish to register in the statewide Citizen Corps database, in accordance with new state volunteer liability legislation.

2. Recruit and train volunteers, including the targeted populations, to provide on-going Citizen Corps Orientations.

3. Recruit/facilitate representation of targeted populations on County Citizen Corps Councils.

 

Recommended Skills and Qualifications

 

> Understanding of collaboration and experience in developing partnerships

> Understanding of low income and special needs populations

> Ability to work with and sensitivity to diverse individuals and communities

> Understanding of adult learning theories and practices

> Program or project development experience

> Experience recruiting and coordinating volunteers

> Excellent communication skills, including a comfort with public speaking and/or training

> Computer skills

> Organizational skills and the ability to multi-task

 

Other: Requires extensive travel throughout an 8-10 county area - must have valid driver’s license.

 

Terms and Conditions

 

Term of Service: February 8, 2008 – February 7, 2009 

 

Pre-service Orientationmandatory if selected for placement – February 4-7, 2008 in Chicago (all expenses paid)

 

Living Allowance:            $865/month urban placement site = $10,380/year (paid bi-weekly)

$833/month rural placement site = $9,996/year (paid bi-weekly)

 

End of Service Education Award: $4,725 (or cash stipend of $1,200)

 

Please go to http://www.americorps.org/about/programs/vista.asp for more information on the AmeriCorps VISTA program

 

Local Contacts:

 

Region A – Northwest/West Central

Placement site: Toledo

Contact: Emily Murphy

Volunteer Center/United Way of Greater Toledo

One Stranahan Square, Suite 160

Toledo, OH 43604

(419) 254-4777

emily.murphy@unitedwaytoledo.org

 

Region B – Northeast

Placement Site: Youngstown

Contact: Maureen Drummond

Volunteer Services Agency

5500 Market St., Suite 106

Youngstown, OH 44512

(330) 782-6171

mdrummond@volunteerservicesagency.org

 

Region C – Central/Southwest

Placement site: Columbus and Cincinnati Area

Contact: Adam Westlund

FIRSTLINK

195 N. Grant Avenue

Columbus, OH 43215

(614) 221-6766 Ext.164

ready@firstlink.org

 

Region D – East/Southeast

Placement site: Athens area

Contact: Cher Bellar

RSVP & Volunteer Network Center

243 E Main Street

Jackson, OH 45640

(740) 286-4918

cher_bellar_rsvp@verizon.net

 

TO APPLY

Application deadline is Friday, December 7, 2007

 

Print and complete the AmeriCorps Application (https://recruit.cns.gov/AmeriApp.pdf) and submit to the contact person at the program of interest.

 

Updated 11/07