in-person program orientation
TRANSCRIPT
Students in Service BasicsWhat are allowable service
activities?3 Phases of ServiceMember AgreementEnrollment PaperworkQuestions?
Orientation Overview
Please sign the SIS In-Person Orientation Sign-In Sheet provided by your SIS Campus Coordinator before completing this SIS In-Person
Orientation.
Students in Service (SIS) is a part-time AmeriCorps program offering education awards to college students
who serve their community in critical needs areas.
What is Students in Service?
Civic Engagement Challenge
By joining SIS, you are recognizing yourself as a member of a larger social fabric, committed to working with others in the community to solve social problems, improve lives, and strengthen communities.
While serving in SIS, we challenge you to think about what it means to be a civically engaged citizen of the USA and why it is important now and in the future?
Program Goals:1. Increase the number of college student volunteers and
service learners
2. Help disadvantaged youth succeed and advance along the academic continuum
3. Develop members' and students' civic skills, attitudes, and habits
4. Improve members' and students' workforce skills
5. Engage Veterans (college students at participating colleges) in serving their local communities
6. Build organizational capacity at non-profit, government, and educational institutions
Service can be co-curricular or academically-based, MUST be completed at a non-profit or government organization AND fall under one of the four Service Concentration Areas
SIS Service Concentration Areas
• Service activities strengthen the organizational capacity of a non-profit to serve its community and achieve its mission
Strengthening Community- Based Organizational Capacity
• Service activities involve mobilizing volunteers for community events and/or community organizations
Mobilizing Volunteers
• Service activities improve the academic access and success for disadvantaged and/or at-risk youth
Education/Improving Academic Access and Success
• Service activities that engage Veterans in serving their community or benefit Veterans in general
Engaging Veterans
300 hours (.21 MSY) = $1,175 (1 Year Term)
450 hours (.26 MSY) = $1,468 (1 Year Term)
900 hours (.5 MSY) = $2,775 (2 Year Term)
A person can be awarded up to 4 AmeriCorps awards in a lifetime but not to exceed the
equivalent of 2 full year terms of service or 2.0 MSY (member service year)
SIS Offers Three Terms of Service
Choose a term of service you feel you have a reasonable chance to complete.
Once you sign up for a term of service you cannot change it.
It is important to SIS that members who commit to a term of service complete their term of service.
Enrolling in SIS Program is aSerious Commitment
At least 80% Direct Service
Up to 20% Member Development
No more than 10% Fundraising
Term of Service is Made Up of:
What is Direct Service?
Is Hands On
• it can take the form of mentoring, counseling, coaching for Special Olympics, planting trees, building houses, feeding the homeless, and many more acts of service!
Is Face to Face
• 51% of direct service must be face to face with the community. No more than 49% may be in the form of administrative service which is needed to coordinate or support the direct service. This can include marketing an event, staff meeting time, doing follow-up calls, writing reports, etc.
Any service that is purely administrative, like a research position, clerical work, student assistant positions on campus that do not work with the community.
Any internship with a for-profit organization. Any position that involves activities on our list of
prohibited activities. Any international volunteer work. Sleeping time on overnights or travel time. Lobbying, Political, Religious, or other Advocacy
activities. List of prohibited activities provided in the
member agreement, pages 4 & 5.
What is Not Direct Service?
learning a new language such as Spanish to better serve the Hispanic community,
to take a class in website design so as to help non-profits with their website,
to attend a diversity workshop or conference to take a course in coaching that will benefit my service
with Special Olympics
What is Membership Development?
Encourages members to strive for goals that would help them in developing their ability to better serve
their community now and/or in the future.
Allowable activities related to fundraising must:◦ Provide immediate and direct support to a specific and direct
service activity;◦ Fall within the program's approved direct service objectivities;◦ Are not the primary activity of the program;◦ Involve in-kind donations rather than cash donations
See SIS website for more details on allowable fundraising activities
What is Fundraising?
Members can spend no more than 10% of their term of service fundraising; fundraising hours will count toward their no more than
20% member development hours
ENROLLMENT
Reviews SIS website and Pre-Service
Online Overview
Contact Campus SIS Coordinator to schedule an
In-Person Orientations
Attend in-Person
Orientation.
Complete enrollment paperwork
ASAP
Enrollment occurs after paperwork is
approved by SIS Staff.
Sign Up for “My
AmeriCorps” online
account.
Service/ExitComplete service hours at site(s) and complete monthly time
logs.
Write a “Great Story” and/or
participate in an on-campus reflection session
At 90% completion of service, begin
exit paperwork.
Pass in paperwork with final time log. Upon approval,
Term is complete.
Education Award can be
accessed online immediately upon exit.
If you have questions about
the award, contact the
National Service Trust
1-888-507-5962
900 Hour Members are required to have their site supervisor complete a mid-term site supervisor evaluation to be turned in to SIS Campus Coordinator with next time log.
Mid-Term EvaluationApplies to 900 hour Members ONLY
Before enrolling, all members are required to read and fully
understand the contents of the Member Agreement
(found on the SIS Website on the AmeriCorps Member page)
The next few slides touch base on especially important areas to understand
In order to enroll in the SIS program you must provide an acceptable form of identification.
Required ID
U.S. Birth CertificateU.S. PassportPermanent Resident CardOthers described in the Member Agreement
All members are required to have a Criminal Record Check on file and a name check completed on the National Sex Offender Public Registry.
Registered sex offenders or members showing a murder conviction on their criminal record check will not be allowed to participate in the SIS program.
Members serving Vulnerable Populations must have FBI Fingerprint Check conducted
Criminal Record Check
If you are a full-time student, all your loans may be in loan deferment and there would be no need to ask for a forbearance
Being issued a forbearance makes you eligible to have a portion of the loan interest (which is accruing while you serve) paid at the end of your term by the National Service Trust.
Forbearances may be requested using my.americorps.gov Request forbearances for any loans that you are making
payments and/or accruing interest on while you serve. Loan holders may or may not choose to grant forbearances. Interest accrual payments are made at the end of your term
of service, no more than 90 days following, and are done via the my.americorps.gov page as well.
For a more detailed explanation of Loan Forbearance, contact your loan holder and/or financial aid officer
Loan Forbearance/Interest Accrual
Prohibited ActivitiesCannot be counted as service hours. Full list is located on pages 4 & 5 of the Member Agreement
Attempting to influence legislation;
Organizing or engaging in protests, petitions or strikes;
Engaging in partisan political activities;
Engaging in religious instruction, constructing or operation facilities devoted to religious instruction, or proselytizing;
Conducting a voter registration drive;
Providing abortion services or referrals;
Activities that pose a significant safety risk;
Performing any services or duties, or engaging in any activities, prohibited under the nonduplication, nondisplacement, or nonsupplantation requirements relating to employees and volunteers.
Member dropped out of program Member convicted of felony or selling controlled substance Discipline reasons
Reasons for ReleaseCause
Compelling Personal Circumstance
Program Direct Release Member has not completed at least 15% of service hours within 4
months of the start of their term of service AND has not been in contact with their SIS Coordinator
Member illness, illness in family, military service, others Must provide letter or email detailing circumstance Not to be abused
Members are responsible for completing and submitting required paperwork by the assigned deadlines.
Members are required to provide up-to-date contact information.
Failure to complete program requirements (including not fully completing exit paperwork or not completing all service hours before completion date) may result in the member being released from their term of service and exited without award.
Paperwork Requirements
Member Agreement details the SIS AmeriCorps Grievance Policy
Most grievances are dealt with by informal means
Grievance Procedures
All three policies are detailed on the SIS Web Site and the Member Agreement.
SIS AmeriCorps members are required to review and fully understand the Member Agreement before enrollment in the SIS AmeriCorps program.
SIS values service by all individuals and will provide reasonable accomidations when needed.
Civil Rights, Drug Free Workplace, and Reasonable
Accommodation
Enrollment Checklist – Review for completion AmeriCorps Enrollment Form (Part 1 and 2) Member Agreement Authorization Copy of Proper Identification must be included
before you can be enrolled. Acknowledgement of Prohibited Activities FBI Fingerprint Check Verification Form Site Agreement and Member Development Plan
(pages 1 – 3)
Review Enrollment Forms
AmeriCorps Enrollment Form
Check that you have completed all three parts of the AmeriCorps Enrollment FormIncluding Educational History and Veteran Status
Check that you have written your Date of Birth and Social Security Number clearly and legibly
Don’t forget to sign and date the form
Member Agreement Authorization Review and understand the terms of the
Member Agreement before signing
Check that you have circled the proper Term of Service (300, 450, or 900hrs)
If you are under 18, a parent or legal guardian must also sign the Member Agreement.
You cannot count any service hours that are considered Prohibited Activities
You and your Site Supervisor must certify that you have read and understood the List of Prohibited Activities and your service with the SIS AmeriCorps program will not include any Prohibited Activities.
Acknowledgment of Prohibited Activities
All members must complete the Criminal Record Check Authorization form.
This gives your SIS Campus Coordinator permission to conduct a criminal background check, which could entail one or all of the following:◦ National Sex Offender Public Registry (NSOPR)◦ State Criminal History Repository◦ FBI Fingerprint Check (if needed)
Criminal Record Check Authorization Form
Three pages and three parts
Part 1: Completed by you
Tell us about your service, duties, and the positive impacts of your service
Part 2: Completed by your Site Supervisor
Provide certification and contact information
Part 3: Completed by your SIS Campus Coordinator
Review and certify completeness of paperwork
Site Agreement & Member Development Plan
Site Agreement & Member Development Plan Part 1Check appropriate boxes for the following:
Q1. SIS Program Concentration Areas
See SIS website or talk to your SIS Campus Coordinator for explanation of Concentration Areas
Q2. Who are the beneficiaries of your service?
This is the target community population your site serves.
Q3. What critical community need does your service address
This is also the reason your service site exits, to serve a critical community need.
Site Agreement & Member Development Plan - Part 1Tell us about:
Q4. Specific duties and responsibilities at your service site.
Describe clearly and in a thorough manner. Review examples on SIS AmeriCorps Website for more information.
Q5. Two ways in which your service will positively impact your community.
Use the boxes checked for Q2 and Q3 to frame your responses.Ex 1. improve the education outcomes for 15 at risk youth providing them with more confidence in their academic abilitiesEx 2. Provide a positive role model for at-risk youth
Site Agreement & Member Development Plan – Part 1What is meant by value added service?
Q6. What additional value will your service bring to your site as an AmeriCorps member?
Check one of the boxes that best describes the Value Added Service you’re providing at your site.
Value Added Service is the additional benefit a community receives by having an SIS AmeriCorps member.
Ex: Service wouldn’t get done otherwise without the SIS AmeriCorps member
Ex: Increased ability to recruit volunteers for National Days of Service and other community based projects.
Member Development PlanActivities that help members develop their ability to better help their community.
Ex: learning a new language such as Spanish to better serve the Hispanic/Latino community
Ex: Taking a First Aid/CPR class
Ex: Time spent in workshops at a Service Learning conference
Ex: any trainings, readings, reflections, an elective class, symposiums, workshops, in-service presentations, etc. that will help you in better serving your community
Site Agreement and Member Development Plan - Part 2
Make sure your Site Supervisor checks “Yes” or “No” to answer the first two questions at the top of the page
Make sure your Site Supervisor reviews, certifies and dates the form before you turn the form in with your SIS AmeriCorps Enrollment Package
Having a backup Site Supervisor is optional, however is helpful if your Site Supervisor is unavailable.
All enrollment paperwork is expected to be handed in as soon as possible after In-Person Orientation
All enrollment paperwork must be Completely Filled Out and Signed in Pen and handed in, preferably, In-Person.
Enrollment Paperwork Basics
ENROLLMENT BEGINS…Official enrollment date begins no earlier than the day you pass in a complete enrollment package, the Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Registry (NSOPR) has been completed, and a State Repository and/or FBI Fingerprint check has at least been ordered at the time of enrollment.
All enrollment paperwork must be signed by the member, site supervisor, and SIS Campus Coordinator on or before the official enrollment date.
Always keep a copy for yourself One time log per service site One time log per month Check your math, round to the nearest half hour All time logs should be free from cross/white outs Do not make changes to your time log Provide descriptions of all service activities The Site Supervisor who signed your site agreement
must also sign your time logs Must be signed by member and Site Supervisor within
30 days of last hours served Always provide original signatures
Time Log Requirements
Submit Great Stories demonstrating how your service benefits the community members you serve or yourself.
Your submission of Great Stories educates our funders and the community on your service activities, and ensures future funding so more college students can participate in SIS.
Please submit a Great Story online at any time!
Great Stories Tell us about a part of your service of which
you are especially proud or a “light bulb moment” when you learned/realized something important.
Review Exit Checklist Begin your exit paperwork when you are 95% complete with your
service hours so you can turn in exit paperwork along with your final time log.
If you have multiple sites, only one site supervisor is required to complete the End-of Term Site Supervisor Evaluation. You must turn in a complete evaluation to be eligible for the education award.
Once exited by your SIS campus coordinator your award will immediately appear in your “My AmeriCorps” online account.
For Ed Award questions, contact the Trust at 1-888-507-5962 or visit www.edaward.org
Exiting Your Term of Service