2010-2011 Americorps VISTA Positions

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2010-2011 Americorps Positions: VISTA Positions

Vermont Campus Compact will have 8 VISTA positions during the 2010-2011 year. Specific information about each position is available below:

Site of Service: Champlain College Position Filled
VISTA Title (if appropriate): College-Community Tutoring and Mentoring Coordinator
Description of Service:
The VISTA will coordinate and manage the recruitment, training, and administrative aspects of RECESS at Lawrence Barnes-an informal mentoring program between Champlain College students and elementary students. Responsibilities will include planning and executing fieldtrips, securing grant funding for the program and transitioning leadership responsibilities to college students. The VISTA will also help to recruit, train, and place students for the AmericaLEARNS program. AmericaLEARNS provides work-study eligible tutors to local school and non-profits to provide direct tutoring in literacy or numeracy. The VISTA will also have a number of other duties related to other projects including: the SERVE Ed Award program, the CCEngage Research project, and general support for the Center for Service.
Additional benefits: meal assistance; gym access

Site of Service: Green Mountain College Position Filled
VISTA Title (if appropriate): Local-Link Coordinator
Description of Service:
The Local-Link Coordinator and the GMC Farm & Food Project Director will coordinate collaborative regional projects focused upon food security and access and the development of new markets for farmers. This Coordinator will support the GMC Sustainable Purchasing Initiative through data collection and dining hall projects. The Coordinator will help manage and test the new flash-freeze unit at GMC to assess its potential benefits to farmers, institutions, the charitable food system, and low-income citizens. The Coordinator will work with faculty and regional organizations to provide farm- and food-based service-learning opportunities for students, while also supporting regional collaborative initiatives and events related to building a secure local food system accessible to all. Strong communication skills in a variety of media are required.
Additional benefits: meal assistance; tuition waiver (restrictions apply)

Site of Service: Southern Vermont College Position Filled
Description of Service:
The AmeriCorps Member at Southern Vermont College will work with administrators, faculty, students, and community agencies in the following areas: (1) Supporting the first-year experience “Quest for Success” (QFS) and a cross-campus “Course Apprentice Program.”  Specifically, the Member will support the development and implementation of service-learning projects.  S/he will also develop a peer-support program wherein exemplary upper-class students work closely with QFS students.  (2) Aligning student interests with volunteer opportunities at small and faith-based community agencies to service anti-poverty initiatives in the surrounding region.
Additional benefits: On-campus housing*; meal assistance

Site of Service: Middlebury College Position Filled
VISTA Title (if appropriate): Student Capacity VISTA
Description of Service:
This VISTA position will (a.) advise the Service Cluster Board and participating student service organizations and groups and (b.) research and propose a plan that will encourage student leaders to increase their capacity to provide leadership for the overall volunteer programming on campus, while
(c.) enhancing efforts to serve low income populations. The VISTA will collaborate with the Alliance for Civic Engagement (ACE), student leaders, and community partners to research and develop training opportunities for students. The goals are to increase opportunities for students to coordinate and collaborate on ACE projects and to increase the opportunities to engage Students as Colleagues (Zlotkowski, Longo, Williams, 2006). The changes should yield increased capacity to provide volunteer programs that serve low income populations.
Additional benefits: reduced rate for a season's pass at the Middlebury College Snow Bowl; gym access

Site of Service: Middlebury College Position Filled
VISTA Title (if appropriate): Mentoring and Emergency Housing VISTA
Description of Service:
This VISTA position will coordinate campus initiatives regarding mentoring and emergency housing for low income populations. The VISTA's primary purpose will be to coordinate the Community Friends mentoring program and continue to develop the student volunteer base for the Middlebury Community Care Coalition and its emergency shelter, The Community at Charter House. Additional responsibilities will include serving as the ACE liaison for other campus-based mentoring programs and coordinating other existing and evolving opportunities for engagement related to emergency housing. The VISTA will help fundraise and increase resources for these campus service programs and community organizations, participate in Addison County networks focusing on mentoring and housing, and evaluate and make recommendations for ACE's involvement in addressing these two issues through proposed service, service-learning, and/or internships.
Additional benefits: reduced rate for a season's pass at the Middlebury College Snow Bowl; gym access

Site of Service: Sterling College Position Filled
Description of Service:
The Sterling College VISTA will focus on helping to end hunger in the Northeast Kingdom by building relationships with local good providers in order to achieve multiple objectives, such as: collaborating with Craftsbury Academy staff and teachers to increase the use of local foods in their breakfast and lunch service and nutrition education. The VISTA will also continue efforts on the Sterling campus to increase the percentage of local foods served, and engage students in supporting local agriculture.
Additional benefits: N/A

Site of Service: University of Vermont Position Filled
Description of Service:
The UVM AmeriCorps VISTA will engage faculty, students, and staff in anti-poverty efforts in the greater Burlington area primarily through the facilitation of campus-community partnerships. Half of the position will support "Dewey House," a residential community where students cultivate their passion for civic engagement while addressing issues of poverty. He/she will identify and maintain strategic partnerships between the Dewey House and anti-poverty organizations, support the Dewey House academic seminar, and assist students in developing individualized service plans. The VISTA will also support service-learning programs university-wide by seeking connections to anti-poverty organizations as appropriate, and will provide specific support to the Community Development and Applied Economics Department. The ideal candidate will have prior experience with service-learning, possess excellent organizational skills, and enjoy working with college students.
Additional benefits: housing stipend; gym access