Minnesota Alliance With Youth Tuesday, March 14th VISTA Assignment Description Supervisor Workshop

Agenda Introductions VAD Worktime Performance Measures Recruitment Q&A What’s Next?

Introductions Name and organization Experience with VISTA Any burning questions? Congrats, have everyone introduce themselves and their site and if they have experience with VISTA, any burning questions?

Importance of VAD The VISTA Assignment Description (VAD) is both a position description and a work plan. It’s used for recruiting purposes and tracking a VISTA’s performance. Great for recruiting members because it answers “what will I be doing”. Particularly helpful VISTA member because they are capacity builders, NO direct service. Great for in service because it lays out goals for the member to achieve projects/objectives. Helps to ensure that member is on track to successfully complete service. Supervisors can use the VAD to frame a few important conversations with a VISTA. The VAD indicates project priorities, organizational and community challenges, and the purpose of the project. The reporting that we ask VISTA members to complete is based off of the VAD VAD is used in Pre Service Orientation The VAD is a living document. The VAD can be adapted as the project evolves and the unique strengths of the VISTA become apparent. Significant changes to the VAD should be discussed with your Corporation State Office.

VAD Components Host Site Goal Objectives (3-4) Describes the impact the VISTA project will have in addressing education equity and poverty alleviation Objectives (3-4) Articulate what the VISTA will achieve during their service year Activities (at least 3 per objective) Specifically identifies what the VISTA will be doing to achieve their objectives. VAD has 3 components VADs are written per year, per assignment. For example, a three-year project will require three separate VADs. Similarly, projects with several VISTAs will require a unique VAD for each VISTA member. We structured App so that sups can pull info from that. We also have your Position Descriptions with any notes that you can use to frame VAD

Host Site Goal The Alliance VISTA will work in partnership with the supervisor and host site to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of volunteer management within Host Site by expanding resources and developing programming for volunteers to support youth and ultimately improve academic engagement. Ties directly into educational equity

Objectives Develop an informational volunteer web page, a volunteer manual, and orientation procedures for volunteers to ensure consistent communication and sufficient training of volunteers Implement a digital system for tracking and monitoring volunteers, volunteer opportunities, and volunteer resources to ensure efficient and consistent monitoring and evaluation of volunteers Create a volunteer program that utilizes ongoing volunteers within schools in order to support students struggling in reading and math and improve student academic engagement Objectives are the 3-5 projects we asked about in application Articulate what the VISTA will achieve during their service year To write objectives: 1) describe the main project and the proposed outcome in a sentence or two, and 2) check that what you’ve written aligns with your goal.

Member Activities Website Manual Orientation Review websites of other districts to assess potential information, resources, etc. to include on the volunteer web page Develop a timeline for rollout of different features of the web page Manual Gather all current district policies related to volunteering Review policies of other districts to identify potential additions to host site’s policies Create framework of what to include in the manual Orientation Identify different types of orientations necessary for different types of volunteers Evaluate the potential for an orientation for one-time or short term volunteers through different types of technology, different settings, partnerships, etc Specifically identifies what the VISTA will be doing to achieve their objectives. To write the capacity-building activities: 1) begin your activity sentence with active verbs, 2) the activities you write should be clear and specific, and 3) are 1-2 sentences in length.

Examples of Appropriate VISTA Activities Indirect Service Activities (acceptable in first year) Capacity Building Activities (preferred to indirect) Sustainable Activities (ultimate goal) Recruit a site's volunteers Develop forms, volunteer assignments Develop volunteer handbook   Research best practices of the field Write training curriculum or manual Develop training manual and train-the-trainer curriculum Coordinate pilot project Develop a procedure and system Develop volunteer management system and procedural guide Public speaking Develop speakers' bureau Develop community partnerships Write press releases Develop press kits, media database Secure media partners Organize fundraising events Grant writing, develop database Secure project staffing Organize task forces and develop coalitions Develop leadership structure of task force or coalition Create infrastructure Conduct outreach Design brochures, posters Create mechanism for project evaluation

Helpful Hints VISTA is dedicated to eliminating poverty. The Alliance is dedicated to increasing educational equity. It is important to make sure the VAD speaks to the anti-poverty and educational equity missions of your specific project. When writing member activities, focus on tasks that build organizational and/or community capacity. Describe what the VISTA will leave behind when the service year is complete or discuss how the community will benefit in the long term from this VISTA’s service.

Worktime Goal Objectives (3-4) Activities (at least 3 per objective) Describes the impact the VISTA project will have in addressing education equity and poverty alleviation. Goal statement should cover a three-year project period. Objectives (3-4) Articulate what the VISTA will achieve during their service year To write objectives: 1) describe the main project and the proposed outcome in a sentence or two, and 2) check that what you’ve written aligns with your goal. Activities (at least 3 per objective) Specifically identifies what the VISTA will be doing to achieve their objectives. To write the capacity-building activities: 1) begin your activity sentence with active verbs, 2) the activities you write should be clear and specific, and 3) are 1-2 sentences in length. VADs are written per year, per assignment. For example, a three-year project will require three separate VADs. Similarly, projects with several VISTAs will require a unique VAD for each VISTA member.

Capacity Building Performance Measures VISTAs will track the number of organizations that received capacity building services as a result of their work. Examples include: # of schools that received training on volunteer management; # of organizations attending coalition meetings; # of sites implementing host site programming. VISTAs will track the number of additional activities completed and/or program outputs as a result of their service. Examples include: # of volunteer trainings; # of partnership development meetings; # of resources developed.

Anti-Poverty Performance Measures VISTAs will track the number of students who completed a VISTA supported education program. Examples include: # of youth who received mentoring; # of youth that attended conferences; # of youth leading focus groups. Completion should be measured against the minimum duration of participation to achieve positive change for any given activity. VISTAs will track the number of students who completed a VISTA supported education program AND demonstrated improved academic engagement. Examples include: # of youth reporting improved attitude toward school/school climate (out of total #); # of youth reporting increased motivation to be more engaged in school or learning (out of total #), # of youth who increased participation in school activities. Not every site will have anti-poverty performance measures

New Recruitment System How to apply How to use the map

Recruitment Recruitment Webinar on Monday, April 3rd from 1:00-2:00pm Updated Position Descriptions Due Friday, March 24th Service Opportunity Listing Two-line teaser – first thing the applicant sees when viewing opportunity. Due with VAD and PD on Friday, March 24th Recruitment Materials We will send out SOL examples, won’t be official until SOL is in egrants, and SO has to approve candidates as well

Questions?

What’s Next… Performance Measures due TOMORROW Position Description, VAD, and Service Opportunity Listing due Friday, March 24th Recruitment Webinar Monday, April 3rd 1:00-2:00pm Sarah and Bette will be in touch to visit new VISTA sites VISTA member/s must be confirmed by Monday, May 29th Next Supervisor Training is Thursday, July 15th from 1:00-4:00pm (Alliance Training Room)