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The University of Wisconsin-Parkside seeks and outstanding individual to provide one year of service to build capacity for its affiliate program, HOPES Center of Racine, a not for profit, faith-based, community organization. The VISTA member will help the HOPES Center build its capacity to impact poverty through strengthening relationships and supporting volunteers and students to meet needs in the Racine community. The HOPES Center provides counseling and healing services to people who are homeless, at risk of being homeless or who are without insurance and live at 200% or below of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.

HOPES Center ‘s volunteer program includes coordinating volunteers, working with staff and community members to develop volunteer opportunities, building volunteerism infrastructure, and developing a recognition program to honor volunteers that support social justice work in low-income communities and communities of color.

The HOPES Center’s service learning program includes working with students and faculty from local colleges and universities and high schools to develop and carry out service learning projects, building a service learning infrastructure, and developing reflection and evaluation activities.

Volunteer coordination involves coordination for events, developing volunteer program procedures, and cultivating volunteers. Responsibilities include giving agency tours to volunteers, writing volunteer job descriptions, training, using a database to track hours for volunteers, working with volunteer groups, developing a recognition program for volunteers, assisting with fundraising strategies and developing sustainable volunteer program infrastructure.

Service learning coordination involves helping students and faculty develop viable service learning opportunities, assisting with the development of time lines and tasks to be carried out by the organization and the students, creating reflection activities and identifying methods of evaluation.

Qualifications:
Applicants must be U.S. Citizens at least 18 years of age, self-motivated and have the ability to manage multiple on-going projects. A successful VISTA will have excellent verbal and written communication skills and be able to have positive interactions with the community. Relevant non-profit or community development experience is a plus. A Bachelor’s Degree is preferred.

Summary of additional benefits offered by UW-Parkside:
In addition to the usual benefits UW-Parkside will provide the following benefits:
• Assistance with housing identification
• A UW-Wisconsin parking pass
• Access to the UW-Library
• Access to professional development opportunities
• Access to all other staff resources

To apply to the Wisconsin Campus Compact AmeriCorps* VISTA program on the AmeriCorps web site, follow these steps:
• Go to MyAmeriCorps (https://my.americorps.gov)
• Click on "Apply to Serve" at the bottom of the page
• Complete the requested profile information
• Once you receive your account information via email, log into the MyAmeriCorps portal and use the navigation pane on the left to complete your application and reference information
• When your application is complete, click "Search Listings"
• Type "WiCC" into the Program Name field (ignore all the other fields)
• Click "Search"
• Find the specific Wisconsin Campus Compact AmeriCorps* VISTA program you are interested in
• Click the listing to view program information.
• Read the program information and then click "Apply Now" at the bottom of the page