Wednesday Agenda: AmeriCorps National Best Practices Conference 2009

Kristin McSwain, Chief of Program Operations, Corporation for National and Community Service will be on hand to get your input on the implementation of the AmeriCorps specific portions of the Edward M Kennedy Serve America Act
Visit the Serve America Act Summary

Gina Rodriguez – National Farmworkers Service Center, Inc.

Turning the Tide: Successfully Preparing Millennials and the Organizations They Serve to Lead
MacArthur Antigua – Public Allies, Inc.
The majority of AmeriCorps recruits are “Millennials,” people born after 1982 who are early in their careers, while most program managers and supervisors are Boomers and GenXers which can lead to some unique intergenerational conflicts. Driven Millennials can grow frustrated by what they see as archaic practices, while supervisors can become frustrated with Millennials who may seem to only focus on what is going wrong rather than working with the team. Such conflicts can negatively impact the quality of the service experience if not addressed effectively. Come learn about research findings on the source(s) of these conflicts and discover best practices for preparing both members and sites to manage the conflicts and use generational differences to better address our most pressing community challenges.
View the Presentation (PPT) or (PDF)
View the Generations Grid (PDF)
View the Visual Generational Behavior Survey (PDF)
View the Bibliography (PDF)
View the Focus Group Summary (PDF)
View the Alliance Interview Summary (PDF)
View the Organizational Development Introduction (PDF)

Staying Power: Sustaining Effective Community Service Programs
Michael Rhein – National AIDS Fund
Creating a 'culture of sustainability' remains a top priority for all national service programs. Join this important 'Staying Power' discussion and collectively discover strategies and solutions that strengthen the sustainability of your programs. Using the National AIDS Fund case study as an example of program sustainability, participants will engage in rigorous dialogue about a broad range of sustainability approaches, focusing not only on fundraising, but embracing the broader concept of resource development that includes structural and cost–sharing models.
View the Presentation (PPT) or (PDF)

Aligning Your Program's Mission with Partner Organizations' Visions
Jenn Beard and Wendy Elliot – Youth Volunteer Corps of America
Establishing and cultivating partner relationships for member service (both episodic and full time) can be complex and rewarding. Join us to explore management at the site level, to discuss the preparation and timeline for partnership development, and to demonstrate how the member brings value and sustainability to partner agencies while fulfilling your mission. Learn to manage members at different types of agencies and to align your mission and performance measures with the mission of your partners. Engage in rigorous dialogue about positive and problematic partnerships through challenging case studies based upon our 14 years of experience as an AmeriCorps grantee.
View the 2009 RFP (PDF)
View the AC Member Documentation Review (PDF)
View the AC Member Survey (PDF)
View the AC Site Director Survey (PDF)
View the Annual Report (PDF)
View the Host Site Agreement (PDF)
View the Host Site Monitoring Tool (PDF)
View the Host Site Selection Criteria (PDF)
View the Member Evaluation Form for Satellite Sites (PDF)
View the Member Evaluation Form for Satellite Sites - Sample (PDF)
View the Pre-visit Questionnaire (PDF)
View the Sample Agreement (PDF)
View the Sample Position Description (PDF)
View the Sample Proposal (PDF)
View the Site Visit Email (PDF)
View the Site Visit Evaluation (PDF)
View the Site Visit Monitoring Policy (PDF)
View the Site Visit Request (PDF)
View the YVC National Conference Training Sample (PDF)

From Pilot to Powerful: Building an Effective Partnership to Promote and Expand Volunteerism
Antonio B. Boyd – HOPE Worldwide
Kimberly S. Gube and Joscelyn Silsby – American Red Cross
This workshop will provide an overview of how a pilot partnership that focused on disaster preparedness can easily be expanded to multiple cities particularly when planned in conjunction with large scale events such as Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service. It provides a best practice to engage and retain volunteers of varying ages and skill sets; build capacity to serve underserved populations and leverage the strengths of partnering organizations. It also will demonstrate how focusing on one key message helps build a model that can be easily replicated.
View the Presentation (PDF)

Life After AmeriCorps: Career Advice for AmeriCorps Members
Stacey Rapp and Mauricio Garcia – LISC
Life After AmeriCorps is an important area of focus within member development– yet sometimes takes a backseat to technical and life skill training. This “training of trainers”–style workshop will provide program staff with ideas, strategies and exercises they can use to help members reflect upon their personal and professional development during their term of service, assess how to obtain, build upon and transfer skills, and begin the process of career planning.
View the Presentation (PPT) or (PDF)
View the Presentation Agenda (PDF)
View the 26 Informational Interview Questions (PDF)
View the Illegal Interview Questions (PDF)
View the Sample Interview Questions (PDF)
View the Skills Clusters Assessment (PDF)
View the Ed Award Quiz (PDF)
View the Effective Education Award (PDF)
View the Effective Education Award presentation (PDF)
View the Nontraditional Uses of the Ed Award (PDF)
View the Networking Dos & Don'ts (PDF)
View the Job Hunt 2.0 Resources (PDF)
View the Other Resources (PDF)
View the Personal Discovery (PDF)
View the Repaying Student Loans FAQs (PDF)
View the Case Study – Loan Repayment (PDF)

Life After WBRS – Member & Program Management
George Appenzeller – System Wide Solutions, Inc.
Melisa Aranda – HOPE Worldwide
Jami Hiyakumoto – UCAN Serve AmeriCorps, Colorado Campus Compact
Discover member and program management solutions, systems, and strategies for tracking performance outcomes and member hours in a world without WBRS. Join presenters from Campus Compact, HOPE, and System Wide Solutions in a highly interactive session to learn the nuts and bolts of performance measures and to explore new options and promising practices for effective implementation and powerful results!
View the Presentation (PPT) or (PDF)
View the GEMS Report Screenshot (PDF)
View the GEMS Pamphlet (PDF)
View the Transition Tracker (PDF)

Multi–State, Multi–Site Engagement: Efficient and Effective Methods with Reduced Resources and No Travel
Karen Domerski and Katie O’Connor – JUMPSTART
In this workshop, we will give a presentation on best practices around managing a program in multiple states with limited resources and no travel. There will be opportunity for workshop participants to exchange ideas and problem solve around resource challenges. The areas that will be highlighted in the workshop are Corp Member Training and Development, Program Quality, AmeriCorps compliance and leveraging the use of systems and tools in aiding in the challenge of working with fewer resources.
View the Presentation (PPT) or (PDF)

Surviving an OIG Audit: the Myths, the Rumors, and the Facts
Rogelio Quintanar – National Council of La Raza AmeriCorps Program
Ana Carrion – Catholic Network of Volunteer Service
Jason Patnosh – National Association of Community Health Centers
Cole McMahon – Equal Justice Works
We all believe in accountability and want to be effective stewards of public funds. You think you manage a great program, right? Sometimes the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) might think otherwise. Its role is to help make you more effective by exposing flaws you didn’t even know you have. Learn how to audit–proof your program, respond to investigations and maintain your sanity when working with the OIG as well as use the experience to strengthen your program.
View Surviving The Audit (PDF)
View the Equal Justice Works Entrance Agenda (PDF)
View the NCLR Preliminary Request List (PDF)
View the NCLR Audit Report 1995 (PDF)

The Status of Technology Today**
Galen Panger, Associate, Global Communication and Public Affairs, Google
Learn about the status of technology today, from Web 2.0 to telecomputing, then explore some of the different types of free applications available for non-profits.
**NOTE: The Corporation for National and Community Service does not endorse any specific commercial product or service demonstrated or discussed at this event. Presentations are intended only as examples of products or services other organizations have used.
View the Presentation (PPT) (PDF)

Technology Tool Box: Strategies for Growing and Strengthening Your AmeriCorps Program**
Cutting edge Web 2.0 social media and communication technologies are revolutionizing how nonprofits and National Service programs interact with and build support among their various stakeholders including members, sites, volunteers, community groups, and other current and potential supporters. While exciting, it can be totally overwhelming: Facebook, MySpace, wikis, blogs, podcasts, web conferencing, online learning spaces, interactive forums… What to use for what? In this “speed dating” session run by National peers, you will have the opportunity to learn about the latest technology tools and their applications that are of most interest to your program as well as share best practices from your program’s experience.
**NOTE: The Corporation for National and Community Service does not endorse any specific commercial product or service demonstrated or discussed at this event. Presentations are intended only as examples of products or services other organizations have used.

Growing Your Program: Technology for Member Management
Martin Costello, Eric Harsch, and Carrie Henrichsen– Equal Justice Works
National AmeriCorps programs may face challenges in managing their programs – members are spread out across the country and there is not a standardized management system. But taking advantage of new technology can make your program easier to manage. This session will explore how Equal Justice Works manages its 350+ member AmeriCorps summer program.

E-Training on Demand
Hayley Beers – Share Our Strength
This round will present on how Share Our Strength’s Operation Frontline has sought to meet its need for affordable flexible member training through e-training. Time will be spent on sharing how Share Our Strength’s Operation Frontline captures video and creates online trainings for its members who serve in over 15 locations nationwide using Flip Video camcorders, Camtasia Studio software and Screencast.com.
View the Presentation (PPT) or (PDF)
View the Flip Video-Recording & Sharing Handout (PDF)

Social Networking and Web 2.0 for National Service
Andrew Sears – TechMission
This session will explain how to set up an online social networking community of AmeriCorps members and volunteers for national service. The session will examine some of the best practices implemented by TechMission Corps which generated over 10,000 Web pages of user contributed content, matched over 6,000 volunteers online and served over 1.3 million unique visitors last year.
View the Presentation (PPT) or (PDF)
View the websites visited during the presentation:
http://www.urbanresource.net
http://www.ivolunteering.org
http://www.urbanministry.org/nationalserviceweb

Social Media: Connecting with Members Using Google Tools for Nonprofits and More
Aaron Pickering and Sarah Mahoney – Equal Justice Works
Overwhelmed by Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and blogging? This session will explain how social media tools can be used to connect with current and prospective members without consuming too much time or breaking the bank.
View the Presentation (PPT) or (PDF)

Social Media 101
Jason Scott – Corporation for National and Community Service
Are you new to the technology scene and feeling confused about your options and where to begin? This session will describe the “basics” - possible technology tools and their uses for those with limited exposure to today’s technology.
View the Presentation (PPT) or (PDF)
View the CNCS & TechSoup Partnership Flyer (PDF)
View the Web 2.0 Overview (doc) or (PDF)
View the Social Networking Overview (PDF)
View the Blog Overview (PDF)
View the Wiki Overview (PDF)
View the RSS XML Feeds Overview (PDF)
View the Podcast Overview (PDF)

Web-based (Intranet) for Member Support
Paula Coyle – Citizen Schools
In this session you will learn conceptually about how the use of a content management system has dramatically strengthened member experience at Citizen Schools and the path leading to its adoption. Content management technology, available widely and at variable costs, has provided our organization a powerful way to share information and make resources readily available to our members coast to coast as long as they have a simple internet connection.

Reaching Out Through Wires & Wireless
Tammy Hopper – SENetwork
Blogs, OnDemand webinars, interactive web based planning sessions and other efforts can be effectively utilized to train members in innovative and effective ways and to reach out to managers to meet a variety of project needs.
View the Presentation (PDF)

Service-Learning as a Retention and Development Tool for Members
Kate Carver and Kelley Cohill – The Choice Program at the Shriver Center, UMBC
Come experience how a few simple tools can improve the potential of service-learning to retain and develop members. This session provides a hands on introduction to the 10 best practices for service-learning in an easy to use report card format. Tips for setting appropriate service-learning goals, structuring reflection activities and providing on-going member satisfaction assessment will be presented.
View the Service Learning Icebreaker (PDF)
View the Principles of Good Practice for Combining Service and Learning (PDF)
View the 10 Best Practices in Service-Learning Report Card (PDF)
View the 10 Personal Goals for Service (PDF)
View the Choice Case Study (PDF)
View the Definitions of Volunteerism (PDF)
View the Role of Reflections in AmeriCorps Member Retention and Development (PDF)

Building Strong EAP Sites: Effective Practices for Program Ownership
Jami Hiyakumoto – UCAN Serve AmeriCorps, Colorado Campus Compact
EAPs' success depends on stakeholders’ involvement to recruit, enroll, manage and successfully exit members. Join us to share promising practices in empowering local sites to feel connected to and responsible for EAP program operations and outcomes. Discuss different EAP program models and determine which is the best fit for your program needs.
View the Site Visit Monitoring Tool (DOC) or (PDF)
View the Campus Site Visits 08-09 (XLS)
View the 08-09 Current Enrollments (XLS)
View the 08-09 Coordinator Conference Calls (PDF)
View the 08-09 Coordinator Guidance (PDF)

Collaborating with the Finance Department: A Program Manager’s Guide
Tim Hosch – Public Allies, Inc.
Most agencies could benefit from stronger, more collaborative relationships between program staff and finance staff. This session will focus on defining barriers that might exist to creating strong links between program and financial management and then generating ideas for ways to work through those barriers based on participant examples and best practices.
View the Agenda (PDF)
View the Questionnaire (PDF)
View the Glossary for Financial Management Terms for CNCS Grantees (PDF)
View the Helpful CNCS websites handout (PDF)
View the Collaborative handout (PDF)

Management Coaching: A New Way to Work
Janis Glenn – Project TAAP Consultant
Achieving managerial excellence in today’s workplace is a tall order. We wrestle with competing demands and limited resources on a daily basis. We constantly ask our staff to do more—to work smarter and faster—to get things done. To rise to these ever increasing challenges we need a new way to manage that requires more cultivating than commanding and more coaching than controlling. That’s what Management Coaching offers—a new way for managers and leaders to meet the continually changing and complex demands of the 21st century.
View the Presentation (PPT) or (PDF)
View the Management Competencies (PDF)
View the Handouts (PDF)
View the Useful Questions (PDF)
View the Resources (PDF)