AmeriCorps VISTA, Aspire Mentoring Corps

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Aspire Mentoring Corps Public Posting

Title: AmeriCorps VISTA, Aspire Mentoring Corps

Location: Lansing, MI

The Aspire Mentoring Corps is an innovative public-private partnership between MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership (MENTOR) and the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) with support from AT&T. The Aspire Mentoring Corps was announced in July of 2014 with President Obama at an event to celebrate key commitments to the My Brother’s Keeper initiative to address persistent opportunity gaps faced by boys and young men of color and ensure that all young people can reach their full potential. The My Brother’s Keeper Task Force identified quality mentoring as a critical support for young people and recommended the AmeriCorps program be further leveraged to deliver on this promise.

MENTOR and CNCS are responding to the President’s call to action by launching the Aspire Mentoring Corps with support from AT&T. Through this program, VISTA members will serve at MENTOR’s affiliate Mentoring Partnerships throughout the country and focus on two key areas: increasing private sector engagement in youth mentoring and building the capacity of local mentoring programs, with the long-term goal of fostering positive youth outcomes in areas like educational achievement, workforce readiness and violence prevention.

About Mentor Michigan

Mentor Michigan is an affiliate of MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership (MENTOR), which is the unifying champion for expanding quality mentoring for America’s young people. MENTOR’s mission is to close the mentoring gap by driving the investment of time and money into high-impact mentoring programs and promoting quality mentoring through the development of mentoring program standards, cutting-edge research and state-of-the-art tools.

MENTOR accomplishes this work in partnership with a national network of affiliate Mentoring Partnerships. As part of this Network, Mentor Michigan leads the mentoring movement in Michigan. Mentor Michigan assesses local mentoring needs, then implements plans to:

• Expand the capacity of agencies to provide high-quality mentoring programs;
• Ensure quality standards in all mentoring efforts;
• Significantly increase the number of youth in quality mentoring relationships;
• Convene local mentoring providers, and promote networking, collaboration and shared learning;
• Multiply and leverage the human, financial and in-kind resources dedicated to mentoring initiatives;
• Expand the number and types of organizations - nonprofits, faith communities, corporations, schools, civic groups and universities--that are equipped to start, manage and expand a mentoring initiative; and,
• Advocate for legislation, policies and funding that support the mentoring movement locally and nationally.

Mentor Michigan focuses its work in four key areas:

• Mentoring Program Capacity Building - Enhance quality mentoring practices to support positive youth outcomes and long-term sustainability.
• Stakeholder Engagement - Engage a wide variety of public and private stakeholders to increase both the number of volunteer mentors as well as resources for the local mentoring field.
• Data Collection & Knowledge Management - Collect data on the prevalence and quality of mentoring to describe the impact of mentoring in the community and identify gaps in services.
• Public Awareness & Advocacy - Expand investment in mentoring by positioning it as a key positive youth development strategy and through advocacy for supportive mentoring policies.

Position Summary

The AmeriCorps VISTA member at Mentor Michigan will play a critical role in strengthening mentoring programs and increasing support for mentoring. The AmeriCorps VISTA member will focus on capacity building and stakeholder engagement work as outlined in the Mentoring Partnership key areas above, through the following activities:

Enhance the impact of mentoring programs by:

- Supporting the delivery of trainings, including trainings to improve the experience of and outcomes of youth served.

- Supporting implementation of the National Quality Mentoring System, a national quality improvement and assessment process for mentoring programs.

Build the foundation of support for mentoring by:

- Identifying and helping to cultivate private sector partners whose priorities align with youth mentoring.

- Identifying and creating meaningful opportunities for private sector, particularly AT&T, employees to engage in youth mentoring.

- Structuring and helping to execute a private sector engagement strategy, including recruiting, engaging and retaining corporate partners.

The AmeriCorps VISTA member will receive training and have the opportunity to learn from senior professionals in the mentoring field to execute their work. They will be trained in quality mentoring program practices, principles of positive youth development, and the delivery of trainings. The AmeriCorps VISTA member will learn strategies for building strong relationships across sectors and conducting corporate outreach.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• BA/BS strongly preferred
• Strong writing and editing skills
• Comfortable speaking in front of groups
• Some experience with blogging and social media preferred
• Experience with and/or commitment to youth development
• Interest in nonprofit organizations and their development
• Excellent organization and communication skills
• The ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Proven leadership and project management abilities
• A passion for national and community service
• Experience with and/or desire to work with diverse people, organizations and communities
• Flexibility, adaptability, and a good sense of humor
• Positive attitude
• You must be a U.S. citizen, national, or legal permanent resident alien of the U.S. to be an AmeriCorps member.
• Member will need their own vehicle for transporation

AMERICORPS SERVICE REQUIREMENTS:

• Be able to complete a minimum of 1700 hours of documented service to complete host site project
• Complete all required AmeriCorps documentation and monthly reporting
• Satisfactorily complete host site service project
• Maintain a service portfolio and blog posts
• Must be able to travel to all Corps-wide trainings and events to cultivate future non-profit leaders.
• Must be able to effectively manage time and meet competing demands
• Complete all professional development requirements as part of member contract

POSITION BENEFITS:

• Monthly living allowance of $973
• AmeriCorps childcare benefits are available to qualifying members with children under the age of 13
• Opportunity to participate in the AmeriCorps VISTA Healthcare Allowance
• Relocation travel and settling-in allowance if relocating for service
• Additional transportation reimbursement for Corps-wide meetings and events
• $5,730 Education Award upon completion of service, or a $1,500 cash stipend
• Professional training and networking opportunities on the mentoring field and the nonprofit sector, including attending the National Mentoring Summit and States Caucus for Mentoring Partnerships
• Opportunity to work with senior leadership in the mentoring field
• Extensive experience in nonprofit programming, communications and development strategies, as well as opportunity to strengthen his/her writing and communications skills
• A built-in network of Corps members and colleagues

TO APPLY:

Please submit a resume and thoughtful cover letter to vista@mentoring.org. Make sure to include what position you are applying for in the subject of the email, and include the location of service in the body of the email.

Applications will continue to be accepted on a rolling basis until positions are filled. Members will be selected by May 25, 2015. Early applications are encouraged.

The position is a one year commitment. Selected members must be able to attend the Pre-Service Orientation July 7-10, 2015 and begin service after this date.

About the Michigan Community Service Commission:
TheMichigan Community Service Commission utilizes service as a strategy to address the state's most pressing issues and empowers volunteers to strengthen communities. It is the state’s lead agency on service and volunteerism. In 2013-2014, the MCSC is granting more than $7.5 million in federal funds to local communities for volunteer programs and activities. The MCSC is funding 23 Michigan’s AmeriCorps programs and five Volunteer Michigan grantees. The Governor’s Service Awards and Mentor Michigan are also premier programs of the MCSC. The MCSC is housed in the Michigan Department of Human Services, whose mission is to assist children, families, and vulnerable adults to be safe, stable, and self-supporting. The Corporation for National and Community Service grants the federal funding the MCSC administers.