The VISTA Verse AmeriCorps VISTAs Of United Way of Weld County May 2011 Vol. 1 Interested in learning more? Contact: VISTA Project – United Way of Weld County 814 9 th Street Greeley, CO 80631 PO Box 1944 Greeley, CO 80832 P: 970-353-4300 ext 2570 Nathan Scott of Turning Point in Greeley & I AM AmeriCorps: Interview with AmeriCorps Alumni May 14 th - 21 st we are celebrating AmeriCorps Week with all AmeriCorps members. AmeriCorps Week is an opportunity for AmeriCorps members, alums, grantees, program partners and friends to demonstrate AmeriCorps' impact on critical issues, bring more Americans into service, and thank the community partners who make AmeriCorps possible. AmeriCorps Week shines a spotlight on AmeriCorps' impact in communities across the country in order to motivate more Americans to join AmeriCorps or volunteer in their communities. There has never been a better time to share the AmeriCorps story. AmeriCorps VISTAs of United Way of Weld County work at various nonprofits throughout Weld County serving for capacity building and sustainability. These members serve for a year in new communities while getting a minimal living allowance to better understand their mission of eradicating poverty. VISTA Leader, Erika Rogness, was able to interview AmeriCorps Alumni, Nathan Scott of Turning Point, who previously did two years of AmeriCorps service. Nathan is now the Community Outreach Coordinator at Turning Point in Fort Collins, CO. Turning Point is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of youth and their families. Turning Point's mission is to provide a high quality, structured and therapeutic environment with growth and change opportunities for everyone involved. Following is Nathan’s experience with AmeriCorps: 1. What made you decide to join AmeriCorps? I liked the idea of doing something that meant giving back here in the States. There
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The VISTA Verse AmeriCorps VISTAs Of United Way of Weld County
May 2011 Vol. 1 Special Edition
Interested in learning more? Contact:
VISTA Project – United Way of Weld County814 9th Street Greeley, CO 80631
Nathan Scott of Turning Point in Greeley & Fort Collins
I AM AmeriCorps: Interview with AmeriCorps Alumni
May 14th - 21st we are celebrating AmeriCorps Week with all AmeriCorps members. AmeriCorps Week is an opportunity for AmeriCorps members, alums, grantees, program partners and friends to demonstrate AmeriCorps' impact on critical issues, bring more Americans into service, and thank the community partners who make AmeriCorps possible. AmeriCorps Week shines a spotlight on AmeriCorps' impact in communities across the country in order to motivate more Americans to join AmeriCorps or volunteer in their communities. There has never been a better time to share the AmeriCorps story.
AmeriCorps VISTAs of United Way of Weld County work at various nonprofits throughout Weld County serving for capacity building and sustainability. These members serve for a year in new communities while getting a minimal living allowance to better understand their mission of eradicating poverty. VISTA Leader, Erika Rogness, was able to interview AmeriCorps Alumni, Nathan Scott of Turning Point, who previously did two years of AmeriCorps service. Nathan is now the Community Outreach Coordinator at Turning Point in Fort Collins, CO. Turning Point is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of youth and their families. Turning Point's mission is to provide a high quality, structured and therapeutic environment with growth and change opportunities for everyone involved. Following is Nathan’s experience with AmeriCorps:
1. What made you decide to join AmeriCorps? I liked the idea of doing something that meant giving back here in the States. There is plenty of work that needs done improving our communities, both big cities and small towns. I like the idea of working in an area of the country that I'd never lived before. I really appreciated the fact that Americorps was going to have me doing a variety of service, and that sounded like a great challenge.
2. Did you know what AmeriCorps was before you joined? I did do a lot of research. I talked to former members, current members, supervisors, and I looked at Americorps just like I did at the Universities I was applying to. My view of what I was going to do in AmeriCorps changed slightly as I served my first term in regards to gaining even more respect for members serving in other parts of the country in different types of positions.
The VISTA Verse May 2011 Vol. 1 Special Edition
4. What was the hardest thing to deal with during your first year of AmeriCorps? Money. I was blessed to have to friends who let me stay at their apartment for $100 a month, but I learned quickly to live within my budget thanks to the support of them. The second thing I learned was how to work independently with little to no supervision. Very often, I would just take an idea and run with it. What was your favorite thing about your first year of AmeriCorps? My favorite thing about my first year in Americorps was learning to work with diverse populations: culturally, economically, and socially. I was completely out of my comfort zone, and that alone taught me a great deal. My second year in Americorps I really got a sense of ownership of what I was doing, and I set some things up to enhance the non-profit I was serving with to be more sustainable.
5. How did you explain AmeriCorps to your friends and family? Domesticated Peace Corp about sums it up. Friends and family knew that I was being "stationed" with Americorps in a job that was improving the community I lived in. I also explained how it was helping me pay for college with the education stipend. The better I knew the person, the more in-depth I would go into about what it was I doing, how it felt, etc.
6. How do you feel that AmeriCorps makes an impact on the communities it is located in? Specifically bringing in new energy, ideas, enthusiasm and very often hope. With a term of only a year, Americorps members know that the clock is ticking and they work hard to make a difference while there. I think it also brings in much needed experience. The hardest hurdle to overcome for the community is making them aware of what Americorps is and that the person being sent there is giving up a year of their life to something other than themselves. These people are volunteering, yes, there's a living stipend, but it's very minimal in terms of the amount of work the people put in.
7. Who would you suggest AmeriCorps to? For the high school graduate, college graduate, or retiree who wants to get experience helping others. I would suggest Americorps for anyone who wants to be challenged to do more, learn about themselves, and give back.
8. If you could give any advice to any of the new incoming AmeriCorps members that are just getting into their jobs what would it be? Best advice I would have is to learn how to budget before you start your time, be flexible and know that it's probably going to be harder than you thought, more fun than you expected, and that the time will go way faster than you thought it would. Realize that many others were right where you are, and made it through their year, challenges and all and so will you.
9. If you could give any advice to any of the VISTAs preparing to leave service upon completion what would it be? Contacts, contacts, and more contacts! Build your network before you get out of service and know that you can use those resources to help yourself (and don’t be afraid to ask). One more thing, take a little time to celebrate! You should be proud of the fact you completed your year, and from this moment on, you can share your stories about your year to anyone who will listen!
10. Is there anything else you would like to say about AmeriCorps? Thank you. Thanks for giving me such a great opportunity. I think everyone should be required to do some sort of National Service Program, whether it's Americorps, Peace Corps, Military Service, etc. It would be good for everyone to spend some time giving back to our country after giving us so much.
The VISTA Verse
Martin Luther King Day Celebration 2011Painting & refurbishing C.A.R.E. House in Evans, CO
May 2011 Vol. 1 Special Edition
What is AmeriCorps VISTA?
AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers In Service to America) is a national service program designed specifically to fight poverty. VISTA members commit to serve full-time for a year on a modest living allowance, serving at a nonprofit organization to make improvements & strengthen their communities.
Member benefits include: a living allowance, loan forbearance, health care plan, an educational award or stipend at end of service, and one year of non-competitive eligibility for federal jobs at end of service.
VISTAs in Weld County:
United Way of Weld County hosts these VISTAs, putting up funding for a majority of their pay, while the Corporation of National Service/Americorps funds the remainder, allowing VISTAs to develop & enhance local nonprofits while preventing a financial burden on the nonprofits.
Since 2007 when VISTAs of United Way of Weld County began, they have grown from 10 VISTA members to 15 members. The VISTA project has also partnered with 20 different organizations and hosted 35 different AmeriCorps VISTA members as of 2011.
Current Organizations with the VISTA Project:
A Kid’s Place, Boys & Girls Club, Connections for Independent Living, Greeley Transitional House, Habitat for Humanity Restore, High Plains Library District, North Range Behavioral Health, School District 6, School District Re-9, Sunrise Health Clinic, United Way Campaign, and Youth & Family Connections.
What do they do?
AmeriCorps VISTAs serve through indirect service, capacity building, and sustainability. This service includes recruiting volunteers, coordinating projects, public speaking, press releases, organizing fundraising events, developing manuals/forms/marketing materials, securing media partners, building collaborations, and more. This helps VISTA members improve on their skills as well as build new ones.
Nonprofits that are on the VISTA project complete three years and then take a year off the project before they can re-apply, allowing new organizations the ability to obtain an AmeriCorps VISTA member!
For more information: www.americorps.gov or email [email protected] Grant Writing Training
What’s Happening in Greeley?Through Colorado, AmeriCorps Week Activities and events will showcase the power of AmeriCorps members and alumni by educating community members about the role, impact, and importance of AmeriCorps in our community! Below is how we are giving back in Greeley!
AmeriCorps Week Events
Sun 15th – 600KCOL Interview 7:30AM about VISTA project of United Way of Weld County & AmeriCorps Week. Available at 600KCOL’s podcast page.
Mon 16th- Youth for Christ 11am – 1pm organizing, cleaning, and painting
Tue 17th - Poudre Trail 9am – 11am On the Sheep Draw Trail on Poudre cleaning
Wed 18th - Interview with AmeriCorps Alumni in Greeley/Fort Collins- Nathan Scott
Thurs 19th - Turning Point 9am -1pm Cleaning and refurbishing Turning Point building in Greeley
Fri 20th -Denkai Sanctuary 9-noon Cleaning, painting, minor handyman repairs, & installing a fence.
What’s that?!Be sure to be on the lookout for Display posters about AmeriCorps & the VISTA Project of United Way of Weld County found at various locations in downtown Greeley or at organizations with a VISTA member.More information contact Erika Rogness at [email protected] or visit americorps.gov
