various VISTA positions, Netter Center for Community Partnerships

Posted by University of Pennsylvania on April 2, 2018

Three VISTA positions at Netter Center

College Access and Career Readiness (CACR)

The University of Pennsylvania’s Netter Center for Community Partnerships VISTA will work to assist West Philadelphia and Sayre public high schools as they implement an Internship to Employment Pathway Program. This program is part of the Netter Center’s University- Assisted Post-Secondary Success initiative that galvanizes Penn partners and local stakeholders to continue development of internships, work experience and career access channels for high school students. This VISTA position is designed to increase youth access to employment and career exploration in addition to college access opportunities. This project matches the Netter Center’s University-Assisted Community Schools (UACS) resources to the needs of high school students in West Philadelphia. This program is designed to create a collaborative union among the School District of Philadelphia, local businesses, community stakeholders and students in order to increase access points for students and potential employers to engage in an effort to increase employability of high school students. This VISTA Project will expand post secondary access for students by mobilizing and aligning employment and internship resources within the University-Assisted Community School model. Pennsylvania/New York Campus Compact VISTAs (PA/NYCC*VISTAs) are part of a VISTA cohort of 40 members placed at higher ed. institutions across PA and NY to build campus-community partnerships. Professional development opportunities, including specialized workshops and retreats, and support to the VISTA cohort will be provided throughout the year of service.

https://my.americorps.gov/mp/listing/viewListing.do?id=78747&fromSearch=true

 

Young Quakers Community Athletics (YQCA)

The University of Pennsylvania’s Netter Center for Community Partnerships VISTA will work to assist the Comegys School to implement the Young Quakers Community Athletics (YQCA) program. YQCA is an afterschool initiative between the Netter Center and Penn Athletics. This initiative creates mutually beneficial partnerships between select Penn intercollegiate athletic teams and West Philadelphia public schools. It works with select kindergarten-through-eighth-grade University-Assisted Community Schools (UACS) in West Philadelphia to establish athletic teams and engage them with Penn’s own varsity teams. The Penn players mentor the children on the field and off. In addition to the mentoring, the program provides staff, coaches, uniforms, sports equipment, bus transportation, and access to the University’s world-class playing fields at no cost to the schools or their students. The program participants also benefit from the Netter Center’s comprehensive UACS programming, which brings additional academic, human, and material resources from Penn to their schools during the school day, after school, and in the summer. The primary goal of the project is to further develop YQCA so that it meets the needs of underserved youth in the West Philadelphia community. The VISTA will work to advance the health and wellness objectives of University Assisted Community Schools (UACS) and support Penn Athletics objectives for student development and leadership. Ultimately the VISTA’s work will create capacity and enhance sustainability of the YQCA program by identifying new resources and strengthening existing resources. Pennsylvania/New York Campus Compact VISTAs (PA/NYCC*VISTAs) are part of a VISTA cohort of 40 members placed at higher ed. institutions across PA and NY to build campus-community partnerships. Professional development opportunities, including specialized workshops and retreats, and support to the VISTA cohort will be provided throughout the year of service.

https://my.americorps.gov/mp/listing/viewListing.do?id=78745&fromSearch=true

 

GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs)

The University of Pennsylvania’s Netter Center for Community Partnerships VISTA will work to support West Philadelphia High School to implement the GEAR UP program. The GEAR UP Program provides funding for academic and related support services to eligible low-income students to help them obtain a secondary school diploma and to prepare for, and succeed in postsecondary education. As a part of GEAR UP the Netter Center works to galvanize university students and partners to mentor and engage HS students in activities that promote goal-setting, task persistence, increased graduation rates and college and career access channels. The VISTA will recruit, train and coordinate volunteers and other university resources. Volunteers will implement school-day and after-school academically-enriching service to high school students, provide social-emotional support to youth and support programming that more deeply engages families in their students’ education. This project matches the Netter Center’s University-Assisted Community School (UACS) to the need of students in West Philadelphia. The program creates a synergy among Penn, the School District of Philadelphia, community stakeholders and students in response to the need for increased HS graduation and college matriculation rates. Pennsylvania/New York Campus Compact VISTAs (PA/NYCC*VISTAs) are part of a VISTA cohort of 40 members placed at higher ed. institutions across PA and NY to build campus-community partnerships. Professional development opportunities, including specialized workshops and retreats, and support to the VISTA cohort will be provided throughout the year of service.

https://my.americorps.gov/mp/listing/viewListing.do?id=72145&fromSearch=true