Student Leaders in Service is an AmeriCorps Education Award Only program which engages college students as part-time AmeriCorps members. AmeriCorps is a network of national service programs which engage more than 70,000 Americans each year in intensive service to meet critical needs in areas such as education, public safety, health and the environment. AmeriCorps Education Award Only programs are designed to add value to on-going service initiatives through the Education Award and through additional support and training. The program expands opportunities for people to serve and brings new communities and sponsors together as partners in service. The Student Leaders in Service is ideal for higher education institutions that already sponsor community service efforts and have the capacity to recruit, train, supervise and generally support these leaders in service.
Massachusetts Campus Compact is pleased to announce AmeriCorps Student Leaders in Service for the Academic Year 2009-2010! Campuses may submit a proposal to request the number of positions for their campus.
AmeriCorps Student Leaders in Service is an AmeriCorps Education Award Only program which engages college students as part-time AmeriCorps members. AmeriCorps is a network of local, state, and national service programs that connects more than 70,000 Americans each year in intensive service to meet our country’s critical needs in education, public safety, health, and the environment.
This program builds upon five successful years of an AmeriCorps Education Award program. During the five years, over 1,500 college students participated in the program, totaling in over 450,000 hours of service in their communities.
AmeriCorps Education Award Only programs are designed to add value to on-going service initiatives through the Education Award and additional support and training. AmeriCorps Student Leaders in Service, administered by Massachusetts Campus Compact, empowers college students to connect campuses and communities across Massachusetts through active citizenship and service. As AmeriCorps members, 300 college students will each provide direct service to faith-based and community organizations. Through their service, students build the capacity of campus-community partnerships for long-term sustainability through volunteer recruitment and coordination, service program management and development, and by improving community knowledge of the Community Federal Work-Study program and other partnership-building resources.
Students chosen to become part of the MACC AmeriCorps Student Leaders in Service will be the students most committed to local communities and playing a leadership role in strengthening campus community partnerships through service and capacity building activities. AmeriCorps Student Leaders in Service will serve a 300, 450, 675 or 900 hour term of service that will be completed over the course of one year (12 months). Students participating may serve in a variety of capacities but will identify a primary community or faith-based organization for their service.
There is no limit to the number of positions a campus may request. However, we are requiring that campuses request and fill a minimum of five positions for the academic year, in order to encourage esprit de corps and personal development among members on individual campuses.
AmeriCorps members who successfully complete the term of service as well as other minor program requirements are eligible to receive an AmeriCorps education award that corresponds with their term of service (see below). Education awards can be used to repay qualified student loans, to pay all or part of the cost of attending a qualified institution of higher education, or to pay expenses incurred while participating in approved school-to-work programs. While no stipend is provided for member service, community service federal work-study students are eligible and encouraged to participate.
The most frequently used type of position for the Student Leaders in Service Education Award program is the Minimum-Time, 300 hour, position. However, there are other types available, as listed in the chart below. Campuses will request the number and type of positions on the application cover sheet. We encourage you to fully consider the time commitments of your students before requesting positions, as all position types adhere to the 12 month limit to complete hours.
|
Position |
No. of Hours |
Award |
|
Half-Time
|
900 Hours |
$2,362.50 |
|
Reduced Half-Time |
675 Hours |
$1,800.00 |
|
Quarter-Time
|
450 Hours |
$1,250.00 |
|
Minimum-Time
|
300 Hours |
$1,000.00 |
Benefits for Students
In addition to receiving the education award to finance their educations, students will also be connected to the national service movement. They will join a group of 300 college students in Massachusetts committed to strengthening local communities and will be connected through an electronic distribution list and various training opportunities.
Campus Administrative Support
Each participating campus must select a supervisor. Campus supervisors will be responsible for:
- Recruiting and filling the number of positions requested
- Ensuring that each member receives a program orientation, completes all required ASLIS paperwork, and adheres to all AmeriCorps policies
- Maintaining regular contact with student AmeriCorps members
- Ensuring that all service projects meet guidelines as outlined by AmeriCorps and comply with the objectives of the ASLIS program
- Completing all reporting requirements within required timelines, including monthly time sheets and enrollments/exits
- Approving student AmeriCorps member hours
- Remaining in contact with community-based organizations where the members serve to monitor the activities of the AmeriCorps members
- Making program documentation available to MACC & CNCS at any time
- Ensuring that members have sufficient opportunity to complete the required number of hours to qualify for an Educational Award
- Participating in training, technical assistance, and program update phone calls every other month
**Preference will be given to institutions whose supervisor is a full-time, permanent staff member. MACC AmeriCorps*VISTAs should not be serving as the campus supervisor for this program. If you have any questions about this, please contact Kate Ustach at 617-627-2033.
Campus Compact Administrative Support
AmeriCorps Student Leaders in Service is managed by Massachusetts Campus Compact. MACC has a program coordinator specifically for the Student Leaders in Service program who is the primary contact person and responsible for the overall management of the program (collecting timesheets, managing the listserv, etc.). The program coordinator is available to provide training and technical assistance (T/TA) services as necessary to the sub-site including, but not limited to, site visits, compliance visits, email, phone calls, and the provision of materials.
Recruitment Note
Campuses will be awarded the positions and be responsible for recruiting and enrolling members during a rolling enrollment period (September 1 – October 1, 2009). Campuses are not required to submit the names of the AmeriCorps members with the host campus application.
Award Notification
Campuses will be awarded a number of AmeriCorps positions that the campus supervisor will be responsible for recruiting and enrolling. These positions will be awarded based on the application and the number of positions requested by campuses. Campuses will be notified by May 20, 2009.
