AmeriCorps*VISTA, SERVE Philadelphia

Posted by on November 21, 2011

SERVE Philadelphia 2012-2013
AmeriCorps VISTA Information and Application

Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter’s Office of Civic Engagement and Volunteer Service is accepting applications for two full time SERVE Philadelphia 2012-2013 VISTA members, beginning in February 2012, to serve for a period of one year on projects designed to increase access to educational opportunities and strengthen community volunteer networks.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FULL APPLICATION!
http://volunteer.phila.gov/press/view_post.php?post_id=119

Positions
Applications are being accepted for the positions listed below.  Please reference pages three through five of the full application for complete position descriptions.

Parks and Recreation Volunteer Engagement Support Coordinator
The Mayor’s Chief Service Officer is looking for an AmeriCorps VISTA to serve as the Parks and Recreation Volunteer Engagement Support Coordinator.  The VISTA will be based in Philadelphia Parks and Recreation (PP&R), working closely with staff and friends groups to (1) support development of, and manage updates to, a handbook for citizens interested in volunteering in one of Philadelphia’s parks or recreation facilities; (2) develop and maintain an electronic calendar of volunteer events and opportunities at Philadelphia’s parks and recreation facilities; and (3) under the guidance of PP&R stewardship staff, provide support to Friends Groups interested in building their capacity to engage volunteers and leverage local and citywide resources.

Volunteer Initiative Coordinator with the Mayor’s Commission on Literacy
The Mayor’s Commission on Literacy has been charged with addressing large-scale improvement of education levels for the 550,000 adults in Philadelphia who are at or below basic adult literacy levels.  A key component in the Commission’s work is to increase adult learners’ persistence and retention through matching near-peer mentors with new learners.  Through this model, new learners will gain the support they need when life interferes with learning.  This model will provide new learners the opportunity to know someone just like them is succeeding along with the encouragement and just-in-time help they need to persist and complete each step along the path to achieving their learning goals.  In addition, near peer mentors themselves will gain valuable experiences and recognition they can add to their resumes, including the possibility of college-level service learning credit.  The near peer mentors and learners will be developed in cadres at the neighborhood level.  The AmeriCorps VISTA member will work to develop the model, implement it in one or two pilot neighborhoods, analyze the impact and report findings to the Commission and its constituents.

Schedule
SERVE Philadelphia 2012-2013 VISTAs will serve full time for a period of one year, beginning February 10, 2012 and ending February 9, 2013.

VISTAs are required to attend a mandatory Pre-Service Orientation from February 6th to the 9th in Boston.   All transportation costs to and from Pre-Service Orientation will be covered.

Both of the VISTA positions outlined on pages three through five of the full application require full time service, with occasional responsibilities in the evening and on weekends.

SERVE Philadelphia VISTAs will participate in local orientation and regularly scheduled professional development sessions throughout the year sponsored by the Mayor’s Office of Civic Engagement and Volunteer Service in collaboration with our network of partners.

Benefits
AmeriCorps VISTAs receive a living allowance of $977/month, before taxes.  They also have the option to enroll in the VISTA Health Benefits Program and apply for SNAP (food stamps).  AmeriCorps VISTAs who are part of the SERVE Philadelphia VISTA team also receive a monthly transportation pass.  Finally, AmeriCorps VISTAs who successfully complete their year of service receive an education award of $5,350.  This award, which is subject to taxation, can be applied to any federally backed loan or used to pay tuition in the future.  NOTE: Per the policy of the Corporation for National and Community Service, AmeriCorps VISTAs cannot engage in additional paid work during their year of service.

For detailed information about AmeriCorps VISTA, including member benefits, please visit: http://www.americorps.gov/about/programs/vista.asp

Application Process
Please see pages 6 and 7 for of the full application, which can be submitted by email to cso@phila.gov or by mail to the Mayor’s Office of Civic Engagement and Volunteer Service, 112 City Hall, Philadelphia, PA  19107.

NOTE: Once candidates have been accepted, they will need to fill out an on-line application through the Corporation for National and Community Service.

Applicant Requirements
Because all of the projects involve working with children and/or ‘vulnerable populations’ in some capacity or another, VISTAs will be required to complete a criminal background check and child abuse clearance.  Finally, individuals must meet the special requirements of the position(s) for which they are applying (see complete position descriptions in the full application for more info).