1. Recruitment, Retention & Prohibited Activities
Denise Athis & Michael Stevens

2. Session Overview
Recruitment
Retention
Prohibited Activities

3. Recruitment

4. Recruitment
Recruiting committed AmeriCorps Members is an integral part of properly managing the AmeriCorps Member Experience
The Corporation for National and Community Service has a wealth of recruitment resources and allows for you to post service opportunities.

5. Recruitment Gallery Walk
Directions
Each individual count off 1-4
In your groups, take 2 minutes to list ideas/suggestions for recruiting members based on your category
When the facilitator gives the cue, rotate to the next category and repeat the process.
After visiting every category, take a moment to review all the ideas generated.
Categories
Networks
Social Media Sites
Resources
Partners

6. Retention

7. Retention
Member retention is a vital measure for the AmeriCorps Member Experience as you want your members to serve the duration of their commitment for the communities and people your organization serves.
This is something that you will be expected to report out on with your Program Manager.

8. Retention Scenarios Scenario 1: Change of Plans
After serving four months, Paula informs her site program manager of her decision to discontinue service.  She now feels compelled to move in the direction of full-time ministry and wants to start immediately. Wanting to support Paula’s decision, you can’t help but think about two things: how would this affect the program since she has completed more than 30% of the minimum requirement which means the position cannot be refilled? And, how would her exit affect the organization’s retention rate? Important questions to consider yet, Paula is adamant about her decision. What would you do?

9. Retention Scenarios Scenario 2: Almost Doesn’t Count
It’s June (just two months before the end of the program year) and you were just informed that Jaime will be exiting early. Jaime is fully aware of the service agreement, effect her absence would have on the success of the program as well as, the personal lost: no education award. Yet, she has agreed to take a position in another country and must relocate within a four weeks. What would you do?

10. Retention Scenario 3: ‘til hours or days off do us apart
Ericka has fallen ill multiple times over the course of the first semester. She only has fallen behind on her hours and has taken a total of 12 days off as of the beginning of March. Ericka becomes ill with strep throat and her doctor recommends she stay out of service for two days. Ericka does not want to miss service for any of these days because she has her sister’s wedding to attend in April. She already got approval to take two days off for the wedding. Ericka realizes she her situation but hasn’t served extra hours to make up for missed time. What would you do?

11. Retention Scenario 4: Commitment Issues
Kat is a hard working AmeriCorps member who is really committed to her service. She is notified that a family member falls ills and she is distraught that she isn’t not there to help out. The next day, Kat informs her site supervisor that she has returned home to care for her family member. She asks to suspend her term of service, but has no timeline of when she will return to service. What would you do?

12. Prohibited Activities

13. Prohibited Activities
The prohibited activities are the non-negotiable activities that no AmeriCorps Member or staff that charges their time to the AmeriCorps grant can participate in at anytime.
Violation of these activities have major consequences including the loss of AmeriCorps funding for the respective organization.

14. Prohibited Activities
AmeriCorps Member

15. Who Wants to be an AmeriCorps Member?
Question #1
Staff and members may not engage in prohibited activities except:
A. While not charging time to the AmeriCorps Program
B. Accumulating Service or training hours
C. Performing Activities supported by the AmeriCorps Program

16. Who Wants to be an AmeriCorps Member?
Question #2
Attempting to influence legislation is not prohibited during election year only:
A. True
B. False

17. Who Wants to be an AmeriCorps Member?
Question #3
Members can participate in:
A. Fundraising for approved programmatic needs
B. Engaging in protests
C. Petitions
D. Boycotts or strikes for good causes

18. Who Wants to be an AmeriCorps Member?
Question #4
Members can participate in the following activities as long as they are not in gear:
A. Engaging in partisan political activities
B. Advocacy for or against political parties or platforms
C. Engaging in religious instruction
D. All activities are permissible

19. Who Wants to be an AmeriCorps Member?
Question #5
On their break, members can support others who wish to participate in the following:
A. Abortion services or referrals
B. Conducting a voter registration drive
C. Providing a direct benefit to a business organized for profit
D. None of these activities are permissible while the member is on break

20. Who Wants to be an AmeriCorps Member?
Question #6
Religious proselytization means:
A. Conducting worship services
B. Mandatory religious instruction
C. Attempting to convert people to another religion
D. Constructing or operating facilities devoted to religious instruction or worship.

21. Questions?