A. Required Policies, Procedures, and Documents 1

2012
Training Manual / Notre Dame Mission Volunteers - AmeriCorps

Table of Contents

I. storyHiOrientation

1.1 Orientation Agenda 1

A. Required Policies, Procedures, and Documents 1

1.2 Planning Orientation 2

1.3 Program Manual and Member Handbook 4

1.4 Additional Orientation Resources 5

II. Team Meetings and Trainings

2.1 Planning Your Trainings 7

A. Purposes and Goals 7

B. How to Lead Trainings 8

C. Types of Trainings 9

2.2 Service Year Calendar 13

III. Closing CeremonystoryHiCLosing Ceremonies

3.1 Ending the Service Year 16

Section I

Orientation

I. Orientation

The purpose of NDMVA’s Orientation is to familiarize members with the program. Site Directors typically hold 2-4 day Orientations. We make Orientation more than one day because we want members and their Site Directors to be able to bond as a group, while also going over the concrete components of being a Notre Dame Mission Volunteer – AmeriCorps member. This includes discussing the mission of Notre Dame Mission Volunteers – AmeriCorps, laying out the year of service for the members, establishing their roles, duties, and responsibilities as AmeriCorps members, and providing them with the tools to be successful in their year of service. Orientations are typically a balance of reflection of service and nitty-gritty details.

It might be helpful to think of your service year as a course in school. On the first day your teacher introduces everyone, has you all get to know one another, and outlines all the important information you need to know. This includes the broader ideas and goals of the course as well as the details and specifics for each class.

· What is your goal for the year with your members?

· How will you achieve it?

· What types of themes and ideas do you want to carry through your Orientation and trainings and why?

These are all things to consider when planning your Orientation and training calendar.

1.1 Orientation Agenda (back to table of contents)

Site Directors lay out Orientation is several different ways. The goal is for your members to leave the orientation feeling ready to begin their service on both an emotional and practical level.

A. Required Policies, Procedures, and Documents

Typically, Site Directors go over the following policies, procedures, and documents with their members:

· Explain NDMVA Mission and Goals

· Enhance member’s security and sensitivity to the community

o Orient them to the city’s history, communities, lingo, transportation system, fun areas, neighborhoods, etc.

· Give an overview of AmeriCorps

o Corporation for National and Community Service, branches of AmeriCorps, brief overview of NDMVA’s partnership (Go to http://www.americorps.gov/about/ac/history.asp for more information)

· Review Member Contract, covering member rights and responsibilities such as:

o Prohibited activities

o Release from terms of service/suspension and termination

o Nondiscrimination issues (including sexual harassment) – review all forms found in the Enrollment section of the Site Directors Website

o Requirements under the Drug-Free Workplace Act

o Grievance procedure

(This is all information to put in your Member handbook as well)

· Review Member Handbook (See section 1.2 of the Training Manual)

o Allowable and Prohibited Activities - see §2520.65 of AmeriCorps Regulations

o Member Conduct

o Disciplinary Procedures

· Discuss timesheets and other reporting

· Recite AmeriCorps Pledge

· Discuss Progress Reporting

· Explain evaluation and member surveys

1.2 Planning Orientation (back to table of contents)

When planning your Orientation think about its purpose: Why do we hold Orientation? What do your members need to know to be able to start their year of service? What types of questions can you anticipate your members having? How will you answer them?

Orientation sets the tone for the entire year. Not only is it important as it stands alone, but it also relates to the Team Meetings (also known as trainings) you will be holding for you members. Be sure to think about how Orientation and trainings connect and how you will carry certain messages and ideas through your trainings that you introduce in Orientation.

Introductions

Introducing yourself and who you are is an important component to Orientation. As Site Director, you want to consider your role to the members and make that clear to them within your introductions. You are their support, their teacher, their mentor, and their friend.

Make sure to also introduce your members – everyone has a story and you want to be sure you all get to know one another from day 1.

NDMVA Program

While your members clearly know a little bit about the program they picked, explaining the NDMV mission, program, and methods will be helpful for the members, especially as you explain the impact the members can and will have on the community they serve. Additionally, going over our partnership with AmeriCorps is a crucial part of who we are.

Find out what everyone knows about the program. Why did they pick it? What drew them to NDMVA? Why do they want to serve? These are all questions to consider during Orientation.

AmeriCorps and NDMVA rules and regulations

During the first day of Orientation members are required to fill out all necessary paperwork. It must be signed and dated on the first day of Orientation.

IMPORTANT:

1) Orientation MUST BE verified in one of three ways to meet Federal requirements – noted in writing on timesheets, a sign in list, or individual affidavit signed by the member stating the date and place of Orientation. Sign in list must be dated and have member signatures. Sign in list template can be found on the Site Director Resource page on the Site Directors Website.

2) All NDMVA policies for the member files must be signed and dated on the first day of Orientation.

IMPORTANT: the following forms MUST BE SIGNED and DATED on the FIRST DAY of Orientation:

1. AmeriCorps enrollment form

2. Notre Dame Mission Volunteers – AmeriCorps member contract

3. NDMVA Non-Discrimination Policy

4. NDMVA Communications Policy

5. NDMVA Harassment Policy

6. NDMVA Drug Free Policy

7. NDMVA Acknowledgement of Understanding

8. NDMVA Publicity Release Form

As members are filling out the paperwork on the first day, this is a good time to review all the policies and procedures required by AmeriCorps. This includes timesheets, logging hours, the member contract, the member handbook, and prohibited activities – the do’s and don’ts. A list of all forms that need to be signed and put both in your own member files and the member files at the National Office can be found in the Program Manual under 3.2 G: Important Documents and Forms.

Partnering Site Placements

As Site Director you want to go over the Partnering Site placements where members are serving. Be sure to review the sites both with the whole group and with the members individually. Explain to your group why you picked the Sites you picked, what drew you to these sites and why you think they are a good fit with the overall NDMVA program. Individually, explain to your members why you matched them with these sites.

Introduction to the City

Depending on the group, some of your members – or maybe all of your members – may not be from the area. Be sure to take them around the city, explaining things they might need to know about public transportation, attractions to check out, housing, and other such information that is pertinent.

Here are a few examples of how Site Directors have begun the year for their members.

Click on the hyperlinked examples below. They will take you to the NDA Resource Center (linked to your NDMVA email account). Once there, scroll down to the folder entitled “Training Manual – Orientation Agenda Examples.”

Orientation Agenda Example 1

Contact Cathie Williamson, Boulder Site Director at or at 1-303-444-3636 x 12

Orientation Agenda Example 2

Contact Lauren Mehl, Seattle Site Director at or at 1-206-525-1213 x 3110

Orientation Agenda Example 3

Contact Kristin Miodonski, Chicago Site Director at or at 1-773-722-7440 x 3280

Orientation Agenda Example 4

Contact Sr. Ann Kendrick and Laura Firtel, Apopka Site Directors at at 1-407-880-4673

Orientation Agenda Example 5

Contact Alex Garcia, Baltimore Site Director at at 1-410-532-7465

1.3 Program Manual and Member Handbook (back to table of contents)

As stated in Section 1.2, Site Directors need to go over important rules and regulations with members during Orientation, (including the Member Contract and all NDMVA member policies that go in the member files). The Program Manual provides a good overview of these important documents, which can all be found on the Site Directors Website. Many Site Directors create a Member Handbook for their site that includes the basics for being a member, the how-tos needed throughout the year (logging hours, benefits, obtaining the Ed-Award, etc. ), and the most up to date NDMVA rules and regulations (enrolling a member, exiting a member, approving hours, prohibited activities, member policies, etc.).

IMPORTANT: When creating your Member Handbook make sure to use the most up to date policies and to continually update the handbook as new rules and regulations occur. Just like the National Office will alert you to changes in our policies and procedures, so should you alert your members and update your Member Handbook.

Here are a few examples of a Member Handbook compiled and used by Site Directors.

Click on the hyperlinked examples. They will take you to the NDA Resource Center (linked to your NDMVA email account). Once there, scroll down to the folder entitled “Training Manual – Member Handbook Examples.”

Member Handbook Example 1

Contact Mary Stanco D.C., NY, and Tampa Site Director at or at 1-410-532-6864 x 19

Member Handbook Example 2

Contact Kristin Miodonski, Chicago Site Director at or at 1-773-722-7440 x 3280

Member Handbook Example 3

Contact Lauren Mehl, Seattle Site Director at or at 1-206-525-1213 ext. 3110

1.4 Additional Orientation Resources (back to table of contents)

Orientation is not only a time to go over the rules and regulations of AmeriCorps and NDMVA, it is also an extended Team Meeting and training session that involves getting to know one another, community building, outlining personal and group goals, and thinking about the meaning and significance of the coming year. Here are training resources from some sites that are used during Orientation.

National Service Resource Center’s Orientation Resources

For AmeriCorps Members and Programs

· Member Orientation: Introduce new members to the world of service

· AmeriCorps Orientation Video: Getting Things Done

· Getting Things Started: The AmeriCorps Orientation Video

· A History of National Service in America

· AmeriCorps: Got Any Questions?

· Getting Geared Up for Service: Conducting Orientations for Operating Site Staff, Members, and Placement Site Supervisors (a session presented at the AmeriCorps*Direct Best Practices Conference 2007)

· Designing a site supervisor orientation and training plan

· Starting Strong: A Guide to Pre-Service Training

Orientation Training Resources 1

Contact Alex Garcia, Baltimore Site Director at or at 1-410-532-7465

· NDMVA Role Play Emergency Situations!

Orientation Training Resources 2

Contact Lauren Mehl, Seattle Site Director at or at 1-206-525-1213 x 3110

· Community and Service

· Bus Scavenger Hunt

· Community Assessment - active

· Community Discussion

· Getting to Know One Another

Section II

Team Meetings and Trainings

II. Team Meetings and Trainings

Team Meetings are meant to reinforce the values of the Notre Dame Mission Volunteer program and develop members’ skill sets at educators, community leaders, and AmeriCorps members. Training events are also a time for all of the members to get together and discuss their experiences thus far, learn from others, and have fun with their fellow members! Additionally, training events are a good time for Site Directors to review certain AmeriCorps policies and procedures (timesheet process, getting hours approved, member files, etc.) with their members and update everyone on upcoming events.

IMPORTANT: like Orientation, all training events MUST BE verified in one of three ways to meet Federal requirements – noted in writing on timesheets, a sign in list, or individual affidavit signed by the member stating the date and place of training event. Sign in list must be dated and have member signatures. Sign in list template can be found on the Site Director Resource page on the Site Directors Website.

Visit the Site Director Website for the Training Manual and resources for training events and orientation

2.1 Planning Your Training (back to table of contents)

There is no one way to do trainings; some Site Directors meet for just a few hours in the morning, some meet in the evenings, and others meet for the entire day.

A. Purposes and Goals

Prior to beginning the training events, think about what your goals are for the year with your members. The big questions are: Why do we have trainings and what types of values and skills do we want our members to have? Take some time to think about your answers to these questions before you plan your trainings.

Some answers that the National Office came up with were:

· We want to provide members with the necessary tools and skills for their service work

· We want to instill the NDMVA mission and values on members

· We want to energize members throughout the service year

· We want to support the members throughout the service year

· We want to engage members in discussion about their strengths and weaknesses, as well as their positive and negative experiences

· We want members to gather to socialize

· We want members to connect with one another and learn through discussion

· We want members to consider their values and how they relate to those of NDMVA

· We want members to consider the types of skills they need to know for their service work

· We want members to think about how to apply the skills and experiences learned here to the rest of their life

· We want members to have a safe space in which to talk about their challenges and accomplishments