AmeriCorps VISTA - Community Health Project Coordinator - paid

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Inspire healthy behaviors. Empower youth. Alleviate poverty. Create a bright future for Bennington and for yourself. You will receive a modest living stipend of ~$1,000/mo and be eligible for an education award of ~$5,800 as an Americorps VISTA serving at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC).

At SVMC, you will seek to improve health outcomes and quality of life for the residents of Bennington County with the overarching goals of alleviating poverty, inspiring healthy behaviors, and empowering youth. You will play a role in programs and events within the health system and in the community, building capacity for area organizations by recruiting volunteers, securing funding, and encouraging collaboration among programs. By addressing the social determinants of health, you will build a bright future for Bennington and while creating a strong skill set for your future. The VISTA site supervisor will guide you to success as you create and lead programs of your interest.

Prior VISTAs developed and launched projects such as:

· Teen peer-to-peer videos

· Farm-to-patient fruit and vegetable program

· Healthy living photo contest

· Annual Youth Appreciation Event

· Diabetes and COPD themed texting service

· Oral hygiene education

· Launch of an entrepreneurial hub

· and many more.

The root causes of poverty are varied and individual. As such, VISTAs are encouraged to link their passion to program implementation. VISTAs will work in collaboration with a dynamic healthcare executive to develop community-based programs that have real impact on the social determinants of health and poverty. Some effort will be spent on continuation of projects launched by prior VISTAs (eg. teen videos and coordinating youth appreciation day), while other projects can be tailored to the VISTA’s specific interests. The goals of this service are twofold; positively impact the community and enhance the VISTA’s future. Specific attention is placed on creating a portfolio of projects and related collateral about the projects (eg. flyers, news stories, videos, blogs, etc.) that demonstrate the VISTA’s ability and the direct community impact of projects. VISTAs that are eager and ambitious, yet need an opportunity to shine are encouraged and mentored to maximize impact and broaden their future.

Being an AmeriCorps VISTA at SVMC will allow you to gain valuable skills and experience in a wide range of areas, including public health, community-building and economic development. This position offers ample opportunity to create and develop programs that align with your vision, while building your personal skill set for the future.

Bennington, a small town nestled in Vermont's idyllic Green Mountains, has ample outdoor recreation opportunities, a vibrant arts scene, and 5 colleges (www.Bennington.com). However, the town is faced with a number of challenges:

· 60% of adults are overweight or obese and 1/4 of Bennington adults are regular smokers

· 1/3 of children in Bennington are born into poverty

· 2 of the town's public elementary schools are rated in the bottom 10% in the state

· A prevalence of opioid abuse, and regional water contamination issues

This VISTA position provides an opportunity for you to have a tangible impact. VISTA is a year-long, full-time commitment (Aug-Aug) with the following compensation:

· stipend (~$1,000/mo) and $100/mo rent assistance

· a Segal Education Award (a scholarship worth about $5,800)

· reimbursed travel/moving expenses

· basic health insurance coverage and a childcare stipend

Requirements:

Bachelor's Degree

Dates: Position runs from August 2017 - August 2018

Job Type: Full-time