PCCE - Community & Campus Leader Empowerment Advocate VISTA

PCCE - Community & Campus Leader Empowerment Advocate VISTA

Supportive Partnerships for Youth (SPY) is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping children in the greater Carlisle area learn and grow academically, socially, and emotionally. We provide year-round, free educational enrichment programming to children from low-income homes who are struggling in the classroom. We advance the future for those most often left behind and in doing so, address a root cause of poverty.

For the last 38 years, SPY's capacity has been limited to serving students of elementary-ages, however, there is a growing, critical need in our community for accessible programs that address the similar needs of vulnerable middle-school aged students. The VISTA member will help establish the framework and foundation of a SPY Counselor-In-Training (CIT) program aimed at the identity and personal development needs of middle-school aged children.

At Dickinson, the Center for Civic Learning and Action (CCLA) seeks to nurture ethical civic leaders who collaborate in the pursuit of stronger communities. The CCLA prioritizes community engagement through equal attention to student education, community development, and academic engagement. Our two organizations are aligned in mission given our investment in addressing community needs through education, our shared attention to partnering with the local Carlisle community, and our capacity-building efforts to institutionalize more robust student empowerment programs to meet community-identified projects.

At the CCLA, we have found an overwhelming number of community organizations who have needs that are not being met, particularly related to direct service, which Dickinson College has the capacity to meet, given a large number of interested participants, but not the infrastructure to make these connections efficient and streamlined. The VISTA member would be a part of the solution by building the infrastructure at Dickinson College to build a system for this purpose.

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Member Duties :
This is a Year 2 Project, with the hope of renewing for three years. We selected Education (K-12 Success) as our Project Focus Area given the design of this VISTA position as an empowerment advocate at the intersection of two educational institutions--Dickinson College and SPY. In both roles, the VISTA is developing the capacities of young people such that they are able to meet the needs identified by the Carlisle community and network of social service organizations.

With regard to SPY's project, the VISTA would invest in the growth and leadership of middle-school aged youth living in poverty through program development and delivery of a "Counselor-in-Training" initiative. As related to the Dickinson College branch of the VISTA's responsibility, this professional would build the institutional infrastructure of a campus-wide engagement program that would ultimately serve all of our Carlisle community partners tackling poverty, hunger, homelessness, and education.

Program Benefits :
Childcare assistance if eligible , Choice of Education Award or End of Service Stipend , Stipend , Health Coverage* , Living Allowance , Education award upon successful completion of service , Housing , Relocation Allowance , Training , Plus on Campus Resources/support .

Terms :

Permits attendance at school during off hours , Permits working at another job during off hours .

Service Areas :

Health , Hunger , Community Outreach , Community and Economic Development , Education .

Skills :

Conflict Resolution , Social Services , Team Work , Recruitment , Education , Writing/Editing , General Skills , Teaching/Tutoring , Community Organization , Leadership , Youth Development .