ameri corps 101

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•National Service Program that is funded by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS).

•Federally funded; Locally implemented.

•Benefits the localities in which Members serve by meeting critical community needs.

•Benefits Members by educating them about their community, citizenship, and by giving them means to continue their education.

What is AmeriCorps?

What is AmeriCorps?

• A program of service not longer than 1 or 2 years that has many regulations that must be followed by organizations and Members.

• Members complete a Term of Service.

• A Term of Service is a commitment of hours to direct service and training.

• Members receive an Education Award at the completion of their Term of Service.

•Created in 1993, AmeriCorps is part of the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), which also oversees Senior Corps.

The National Service Network

• 1930: President Roosevelt created the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) during the depression.

• 1961: President Kennedy created the Peace Corps. Since then, more than 150,000 Americans have served in the Peace Corps.

• 1964: President Johnson created VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) giving Americans opportunities to serve low-income communities domestically.

• 1960’s: The Foster Grandparent Program and RSVP are created to enable older Americans to serve their communities.

National Service History

• 1990: President Bush signed the National and Community Service Act of 1990.

• 1993: President Clinton signed the National and Community Service Trust Act of 1993, creating AmeriCorps and CNCS.

• AmeriCorps serves over 2 million Americans each year through two main streams of service:

• AmeriCorps

• Senior Corps

National Service History

Getting Things Done

DevelopingParticipants

Strengthening Communities

AmeriCorps Aims to Meet 3 Different Goals

•Funded by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS).

•Administered by the Bonner Foundation in partnership with The College of New Jersey

•Offered at more than 60 Bonner campuses.

Bonner AmeriCorps

• Must be 17 years of age or older.

• Must have a High School Diploma or Equivalency, or must be working towards the GED.

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Legal Resident of the U.S.

• Government Documentation Required: State or County-Issued Birth Certificate, unexpired U.S. Passport or Legal Permanent Resident Card

Eligibility Requirements

• Educate communities about their environment

• Renovate and Rebuild Abandoned Homes

• Provide Mentoring During Non-School Hours

• Recruit Volunteers

• Bridge the Digital Divide

• Assist the Homeless

• Provide Support to People with Disabilities

• Support Immigrants through a variety of Human and Educational Services

As part of the National Service Movement, Members take action and find solutions to address community needs while learning new skills and sharing talents to make a difference across the country.

What do AmeriCorps Members Do?

A job

A job program

An internship

Free labor

A staff builder

AmeriCorps is NOT:

Do only clerical work

Answer phones

Perform janitorial duties

Supervise other Members

Manage paperwork or financial issues

AmeriCorps Members DO NOT:

•Individuals who serve in National Service programs are referred to as Members--they are not volunteers, participants or employees.

•AmeriCorps members serve--they do not “work.”

AmeriCorps Common Myths

Half-Time Members

Quarter-Time Members

Minimum-Time Members

900 Hours of Service

450 Hours of Service

300 Hours of Service

Education Award $2,675.00

Education Award $1,415

Education Award $1,132

Two-year term (minus one day)

One-year term (minus one day)

One-year term (minus one day)

What do AmeriCorps Members Receive?

At no time may a Bonner AmeriCorps member:

•Spend more than 20% of their term of service in Training and Enrichment activities.

•Spend more than 10% of their term of service engaging in fundraising activities.

•Devote any of their service hours to fundraising for any purpose other than directly supporting their service activities.

Rules of Conduct

Acceptable ServiceFundraising Provisions

1.AmeriCorps members can spend no more than 10% of their hours on fundraising activities.

2.Members can raise resources to support projects related to their issue area/ site's direct service activities. 

3.Members cannot raise resources for an organization’s general operating expenses or endowment.  

Acceptable ServiceFundraising Provisions

4.Members cannot fundraise

for their own living

allowance.

5.Members cannot raise funds

for an organization's general

operating expenses or

endowment.

6.Members cannot write a

grant application to any

Federal agency including

the Corporation for National

and Community Service.

Acceptable ServiceFundraising Provisions

•Members cannot engage in

any fundraising where the

beneficiaries are

international. If the goods or

funds collected will be sent to

an international community,

the fundraising time cannot

be approved for AmeriCorps. 

Prohibited Activities(cont.)

1. Participating in efforts to influence legislation, including lobbying for your program;

2. Organizing a letter-writing campaign to Congress;

3. Engaging in partisan political activities, or other activities designed to influence the outcome of an election to any public office;

4. Participating in, or endorsing, events or activities that are likely to include advocacy for or against political parties, political platforms, political candidates, proposed legislation, or elected officials;

5. Printing politically charged articles in a Corporation-funded newsletter or discussion list;

Prohibited Activities(cont.)

6. Taking part in political demonstrations or rallies;

7. Engaging in any efforts to influence legislation, including state or local ballot initiatives;

8. Voter registration drives;9. Organizing or participating

in protests, petitions, boycotts, or strikes;

10.Assisting or deterring union organizing;

11.Impairing existing contracts or collective bargaining agreements;

Prohibited Activities(cont.)

12.Religious activities, including engaging in religious instruction; conducting worship services; providing instruction as part of a program that includes mandatory religious instruction or worship; constructing, operating, or maintaining facilities primarily or inherently devoted to religious instruction or worship; or engaging in any form of religious proselytization;

13. Activities that pose a significant safety risk to participants;

14. Assignments that displace employees;15. Placement of Members into internships

with for-profit businesses as part of the education and training component of the program;

16. Providing assistance to a business organized for-profit;

Prohibited Activities(cont.)

17.Raising funds for an AmeriCorps stipend;

18.Raising funds for an organization’s operating expenses or endowment;

19.Writing grant applications for AmeriCorps funding or for any other funding provided by the Corporation for National and Community Service;

20.Writing grant applications for funding provided by any federal agencies;

21.Administrative work, unless it benefits the Members approved direct service activities; and

22.Activities providing abortion services or referrals for receipt of such services.

Prohibited Activities(cont.)

Activities that pose a significant risk to AmeriCorps Members or others;

23.Internships with a for-profit business as a part of the education and training component of the program; and

24.Medical research;

25.Service that is paid through an hourly wage other than Federal Work-Study;

26.Activities (service or trainings) performed internationally; 

•Activities performed that serve or educate about individuals residing outside the US and US territories

• If a Member has a compelling personal circumstance and has completed at least 15% of his/her service commitment, the Member may receive a portion of the education award.

This means that the situation is absolutely beyond the Member’s control (e.g. illness)

Documentation provided by Member is MANDATORY

• Compelling Personal Circumstances do not include:

(1) to enroll in school, (2) obtaining employment (other than moving from welfare to work), or (3) dissatisfaction with the program.

• Member leaving for any other reason other than compelling personal circumstance, will not receive an educational award.

Release from Term

• The Program may suspend the Member’s term of service for the following reasons:

1.Compelling personal circumstances (e.g. illness)

2.A violation of the Rules of Conduct

3.If during the term of service the Member has been charged with a violent felony or the possession, sale or distribution of a controlled substance.

• During the suspension from service, the Member will not receive credit for service hours or benefits. The Member may resume his or her term of service once the circumstances supporting the suspension have been resolved.

Suspension

In the event that informal efforts to resolve disputes are unsuccessful, AmeriCorps members, labor unions, and other interested individuals may seek resolution through the grievance procedures detailed in the Member Contract. These procedures are intended to apply to service-related issues, such as assignments, evaluations, suspensions, or release for cause, as well as issues related to non-selection of Members, and displacement of employees, or duplication of activities by AmeriCorps members.

Grievance Procedures

Participation in AmeriCorps is based on merit and equal opportunity for all, without regard to factors such as race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, political affiliation, marital or parental status, military service, or religious, community or social affiliations.

It is also unlawful to retaliate against any person who, or organization that, files a complaint about such discrimination. Each campus and/or service site that receives the services of an AmeriCorps Member agrees to abide by Federal laws and CNCS policies on Equal Opportunity.

Nondiscrimination Policy

Programs and activities must be accessible to persons with disabilities, and the Bonner AmeriCorps Program at your campus must provide reasonable accommodation to the known mental or physical disabilities of otherwise qualified members, service recipients, applicants, and staff.

All selections and project assignments must be made without regard to the need to provide reasonable accommodation.

Reasonable Accommodation

Consistent with the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988, The Corella and Bertram F. Bonner Foundation and The College of New Jersey are committed to providing a workplace that is free from the unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensation, possession, or use of controlled substances.

• The Member must notify the Bonner Program in writing, within five (5) calendar days, if he or she is convicted of a criminal drug violation in the workplace.

• Violations of the Drug-Free Workplace policy will result in personnel action against the Member, up to and including dismissal pursuant to The College of New Jersey procedures relating to Member discipline.

Drug-Free Workplace

The staff of the Bonner Foundation, The College of New Jersey, your Campus, your Site and the Corporation for National and Community Service with your consent may:

•release your name, interests and any training you have received.

•write a recommendation or give a verbal recommendation for employment, etc. at the end of your term of service.

•photograph you at your service site for recruitment/promotional purposes (you may opt out by checking the appropriate box in the Enrollment Workbook).

Informed Consent

As you complete the Enrollment Workbook, please remember to:

•Sign in ink and date on all required signature lines (signature date must be on or before your requested start date).

• Initial any cross-outs, overwrites, etc.

•Do not use pencil or correction fluid.

Enrollment

Along with your completed Enrollment Workbook, you must:

• Submit a legible copy of government-issued citizenship, naturalization or resident alien documentation (e.g. state-issued birth certificate, passport, permanent legal resident card, etc.)

• Submit a legible copy of government-issued photo ID (driver’s license, state ID, or passport)

• Provide documentation of any legal name change.

Enrollment Documents

Once you are enrolled in Bonner AmeriCorps, you are required to report regularly using the Bonner Web-Based Reporting System (BWBRS).

•Create a Community Learning Agreement (CLA) each semester

•Log your hours each week

•Sign your hour logs monthly along with your site supervisor and campus administrator

•Log your Service Accomplishments at the end of each semester.

BWBRS

•Create a new CLA each semester for your main service placement

•Discuss goals with your community partner and/or campus administrator

•Remember: COMMUNITY, COMMUNITY, COMMUNITY!

•Use resume language

•Even if you serve at the same site for multiple semesters, you need to create a new CLA each semester with new goals!

Community Learning Agreements

• Log Hour Entries into BWBRS every week

• One log entry per site per day (even if you went multiple times)

• Log hours according to: CLA service, non-CLA service (i.e. one-time opportunities), Training & Enrichment or Fundraising

Hour Logs

Hour Logs

• If the time was spent in fundraising (i.e. Relay for Life), you must check the box “this time was spent fundraising”

• Entries may not exceed a 12 hour maximum per day (or 16 with prior approval from Bonner Foundation Staff)

Each month:

•eSign an Hour Log from BWBRS by month (on “report page” choose the correct month from the “show hours in” and click “update”; then type your name at the bottom of the hour log report)

•The Member, site supervisor & campus administrator must all eSign logs on or after the last day of service logged that month

•The eSignatures must be signed in this order:

• Member;

• Site Supervisor;

• Campus Administrator.

Hour LogseSignatures

Each month:

•Print out an Hour Log from BWBRS by month (on “Report page” choose the correct month from the “show hours in” and click “update”; the print command is under “available actions”)

•The Member, site supervisor & campus administrator must all sign logs on or after the last day of service logged that month

•Signatures must be original and in ink (no pencil or stamps accepted)

•Any written changes must be initialed by the Member and Campus Administrator

TimesheetsHard Copies

•At the end of each semester, Members complete Service Accomplishments in BWBRS for their CLA.

•Your supervisor will conduct an end of term evaluation of your personal development and the quality of your service as part of your Bonner AmeriCorps Exit process.

Evaluation

If (1) you have logged enough hours to complete your term, or (2) you are withdrawing from your term:

•You must submit an AmeriCorps Exit Form to the Foundation within 20 days of your last day of service. Please be sure all hour logs are up to date and fully signed.

•Exit Forms must be signed and dated on or after your last day of service.

•Exit Forms are processed by the Foundation and BWBRS will notify you once you have been exited.

Exiting

Once you have been officially exited from your AmeriCorps term, you can begin the process of accessing your Education Award.

Register with www.my.americorps.gov to access your Education Award online. The online system allows AmeriCorps alumni to request Education Award payments to a qualified institution of higher education or a student loan holder.

Members are also able to update their contact information, view their account information and the status of their Education Award payments.

Education Award

An Education Award can be used to:

•Pay back qualified student loans.

•Pay current educational expenses at a Title IV institution of higher education.

Education Award

•An Education Award can only be used by the Member who received it, unless the Member is over the age of 55 at the time of enrollment. Members 55 and over can transfer the Education Award to a child, foster child or grandchild.

•A Member has up to 7 years to use his/her Education Award.

•An individual is eligible to receive the aggregate value of up to two full-time Education Awards in a lifetime.

Education Award

Need more information?

•Read through your Enrollment Workbook

•Visit the AmeriCorps website: my.americorps.gov

•Read the AmeriCorps pages on the Bonner Network Wiki: http://bonnernetwork.pbworks.com

•Explore BWBRS: www.bwbrs.org (see your campus administrator for login information)

Resources