AmeriCorps Vista
The Center for Community Engagement is a host site each year for an AmeriCorps VISTA Youth Outreach Coordinator. AmeriCorps VISTA is a national service program in which volunteers live in the communities they serve, designing programs that will continue after they complete their service. Created in 1965, VISTA (Volunteers In Service To America) was designed to meet the needs of underserved communities and to address and combat poverty. In 1993, AmeriCorps was created and merged with the existing VISTA program. The Corporation for National and Community Service, also created in 1993, has oversight for all AmeriCorps VISTA programs.
Otterbein's VISTA is funded through a partnership with the Ohio Campus Compact AmeriCorps VISTA program created in 1998 to assist their member colleges and universities as we enhance and expand civic engagement opportunities for students and faculty. For more information about this program and application procedures, please visit the OCC site: http://www.ohiok-16service.org/occ/occvista.cfm.
Otterbein's VISTA is responsible for the following:- Develop comprehensive training sessions for the TEAM and CardinalCorps on topics and methods specific to service sites, including tutoring and mentoring strategies, diversity training, social-justice issues, and professional development.
- Edit the TEAM "How to Run a Successful Program" manual and "Reflection Journal."
- Develop recruitment materials, visual aids, and other tools focusing on weekly service programs and one-time-events to be used at Community Service Fairs and classroom presentations.
- Edit the CardinalCorps News, a bi-weekly newsletter for CardinalCorps participants.
- Attend all TEAM meetings to promote training activities, provide support for students, and organize future events.
- Coordinate the monthly CardinalCorps Lunch & Learn discussion group for the TEAM and participants.
- Help plan and participate in all on-going events sponsored by the Center for Community Engagement (e.g., Orientation, New Student Plunge, Community Service Fairs, National Teleconference, Spring Plunge, Scholastic Book Fair, Otter Club Visit, and the Spring Plunge).
- Serve on the Center for Community Engagement assessment committee.
- Develop, administer, and compile evaluations.
- Compile quarterly service-learning statistics.
- Serve on various student affairs committees as interested.
Applications for the 2008-2009 position will be accepted in the spring.
