AmeriCorps Education Award Program Campus Partner Orientation Presented by: New York Campus Compact August 2013 Agenda EAP Background I. ◦ ◦ ◦ Focus areas for 2013-14 Training and Impact Assessment tools Prohibited activities II. ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ Enrollment, Service, and Exit Process III. Applying for 2013-14 EAP slots Question and Answer IV. Memorandum of Understanding Enrollment packet Background check/fingerprint guide Guided tour of My Service Log Coordination and monitoring What is EAP? • EAP is a part-time AmeriCorps program that offers scholarships (education awards) to college students who serve a minimum 300 hours in their community. • New York Campus Compact (NYCC) leverages EAP funding for member institutions to support students with financial need while serving the Compact’s vision: NYCC will strengthen the capacity of member institutions to partner with their communities; increase student involvement in academic and co-curricular public service; advance engaged scholarship; and cultivate the knowledge, values, and skills of civic responsibility and democratic participation. Member Terms and Benefits Members must serve 300 hours to earn an $1175 education award, in 365 days or before November 30, 2014 (whichever is sooner). Members must: • Serve with a site that has an agreement with campus in an allowable education, health, or capacity-building role • Complete EAP enrollment packet • Provide fingerprints for FBI criminal history check • Participate in 90-minute NYCC webinar in first month • Log hours online, verified monthly by site and campus • Complete impact assessment with 2 individuals served (education and health), or 1 organization served (capacity) • Participate in campus EAP meetings, training, and reflection • Communicate with NYCC and campus, follow up with requests in a timely manner (often < 2 week deadlines for response) • Complete EAP exit packet by exit date 2011-13 EAP Host Campuses Binghamton University Buffalo State College Cayuga Community College Cayuga Community College Cornell University Corning Community College Hobart & William Smith Colleges Nazareth College New York University Niagara University Purchase College Rochester Institute of Technology St. Lawrence University SUNY College at Old Westbury Syracuse University University of Rochester AmeriCorps Service Areas New for 2013-14, all members must serve in one of these areas: K-12 Academic Engagement Includes classroom support, tutoring, mentoring, afterschool programs, summer programs, youth and parent activities AS LONG AS participation encourages youth to improve their attitudes about school, school behavior, or college aspirations Community Health Education Includes social work and nursing practice in healthcare and community settings, health education in schools or nonprofits, healthy neighborhood projects such as community gardens AS LONG AS participation improves health knowledge, perceived community support for healthy behavior, or participant self-efficacy AmeriCorps Service Areas Capacity Building • Community needs assessment • Outreach to underserved populations • On or off-campus volunteer recruitment/coordination • Updating policies and procedures • New program development • Fundraising (up to 30 hours) • Volunteer and staff training • Researching best practices in similar organizations • Evaluating service impact • Organizing stakeholder and contact databases • Designing or upgrading websites, marketing and outreach materials • Translation of materials into nonEnglish languages • Identifying opportunities for partnership/collaboration Capacity Building projects will improve the effectiveness of organizations’ intervention-targeted services or business processes. NYCC Training Webinars • Required of all EAP members to establish common understanding of best practice in volunteering, NYCC AmeriCorps identity. • 90 minute webinars include: expectations of EAP members (member contract), best practice and AmeriCorps impact assessment tools specific to each member service area (education, health education, or capacity-building), and how to use My Service Log to record service hours. • Available at nycampuscompact.org/americorps-ed-award.html. • Webinar must be completed within 30 days of start date. • The webinar should be completed after their official start date to be recorded as part of 60 allowable training hours. Impact Assessment • Standard templates are provided in enrollment packets specific to each service area (education, health, or capacity-building) • Education and health members are expected to complete evaluations for 2 children/clients served unless they are assigned to a single individual for the duration of their term. • NYCC does not require identifying information for individuals completing assessments, but they must give permission to participate in evaluation • Education assessment requires tracking and reporting at the individual level to record change between pre- and post-surveys. • Capacity-building members are expected to complete evaluations with one organization that they serve for an extended period. Distribution of Service Time Up to 10% (30 hours max) Fundraising Up to 20% (60 hours max) Training > 70% (210 hours minimum) Direct & Capacity-Building Service Allowable Service • Academic and service-learning • Unpaid, academic internships with a service-focus • Practicum hours, such as nursing and counseling • Community service in the areas of education, public safety, environmental initiatives, community development, and human services • Federal or State-funded Community Service work study positions • Student Teachers who qualify (Student teaching hours spent teaching at a Title 1 institutions or student teachers teaching Special Education, ESL/Bilingual Education, or Math and Science Education) • Most direct volunteer work, including mentoring, volunteer recruitment, etc. Unallowable Service • Service that is purely administrative • Service with a for-profit organization • International volunteer work or service outside of New York State • Sleeping time on overnights or travel time • Paid internships or practicum* • Service completed at a site that does not provide liability or similar insurance for its volunteers • Service that is done solely on campus and does not help the community in any way • Any work study student that does not have a community service w/s position as defined by the college/university financial aid office • Tutoring programs that don’t comply with the tutoring checklist Key Prohibited Activities* Lobbying Engaging in partisan politics Assisting, promoting, or deterring union organizing Engaging in religious instruction or conducting worship services Providing a direct benefit to a for-profit entity Participating in activities that pose a significant safety risk to participants Fundraising for AmeriCorps programs or applying for federal funding opportunities * Full list of prohibited activities provided in the Member Contract 3 Phases of Service 1. 2. 3. Enrollment Service Exit Campus Coordinator: Enrollment Sign MOUs with NYCC and participating community sites Recruit students, working with college access professionals to encourage participation by first-generation college students, minority students, students from disadvantaged backgrounds incl. priority high schools, veterans, and students with disabilities. Facilitate in-person student orientation covering member contract and service requirements, expectations from campus Collect the following paperwork from each student: o AmeriCorps Enrollment Packet o FBI Fingerprint Card (multiple copies) Print National Sex Offender Registry results with timestamp Initiate FBI Criminal History Check: o Self-managed campuses mail fingerprint card(s), Applicant Information Form, and $18 to Federal Bureau of Investigation. RECORD THE DATE OF MAILING IN MEMBER ENROLLMENT PACKET o NYCC-assisted campuses collect fingerprints for all students and mail to NYCC. Start dates may be delayed due to mailing time and NYCC quality check. Criminal Background Checks 1. All sites will perform the Sex Offender Registry check on all students and print out the results for your files. National Sex Offender Public Website: www.nsopr.gov 2. All students must have an FBI Background Check completed (fingerprint cards). - Once fingerprints are completed, they can be mailed with payment to the FBI or sent to NYCC for processing. 3. State Background Checks must be done on any student who will be having recurring access with vulnerable populations. This information should be indicated on the Member Position Description and state checks are always completed by NYCC. Resource Documents Review nycampuscompact.org, enrollment packet, criminal background check guide, and My Service Log. Service Obtain User Name & Password for My Service Log Familiarize yourself with My Service Log Review monthly reports and sign student time logs and on a monthly basis Communicate with students regarding time logs on a monthly basis Troubleshooting in My Service Log: • Users can request that their password be emailed to them • New tutorials on nycampuscompact.org outline logging hours • Campus reporting features allow you to track student progress Facilitate reflection or training sessions Exit Ensure that all hours are complete and in compliance on My Service Log Collect impact assessment results from sites Collect, scan, and email the AmeriCorps Exit Form to NYCC Follow up with student about their final report online Follow up with community partner about their final evaluation online Facilitate closing reflection with student Next Steps for Campus Partners 350 slots are available with start dates on or after Sept 1, 2013. These will be divided among current partners and new campuses based on proposed assignments, recruitment history. To begin filling EAP slots: • Visit nycampuscompact.org/americorps-ed-award.html to view revised enrollment and impact assessment materials • 2011-13 partners: Notify NYCC by August 16 of new EAP slots requested for fall 2013, spring and summer 2014. These must align with focus areas of education, health or capacity-building. • New partners: 2-page proposal by August 16 including your student recruitment plan, description of service sites aligning with education, health or capacity-building, EAP coordinator’s related job responsibilities and experience, and number of EAP slots requested for fall 2013, spring and summer • Complete 2013-14 MOU with NYCC For additional information or to access forms, please refer to the NYCC website: http://nycampuscompact.org – Programs tab To access the time log database: http://www.nycc.myservicelog.org/ Or contact NYCC nycampuscompact@cornell.edu 607-255-2366 Questions & Answers