Blog
Why is it is so hard to give members feedback?
Feedback is essential for your AmeriCorps member’s growth... and it can be very hard to receive, especially if you do not have a strong foundation of trust and open communication. We use a mental model called the Johari Window to understand how people experience...
Addressing AmeriCorps Member Burnout: A Guide for Program Staff
Burnout isn't just a buzzword; it's a real issue that can disrupt the wellbeing and effectiveness of AmeriCorps members. As a helper yourself, I’m sure you’ve been there yourself. But here's the kicker: as program staff, you have a pivotal role in identifying and...
Insider Tips for Onboarding AmeriCorps members
I've been speaking with a lot of AmeriCorps Program Managers throughout the country. I know this is a busy and often stressful time for you getting new members recruited and onboarded. We have a resource called the Virtual Orientation in a Box which can be a huge help...
Virtual Orientation in a Box Updated
If you plan on orienting your AmeriCorps members in the next few months and are looking for orientation resources, please read on. If you have everything ready to go already and don't need help - congratulations! Best of luck on the new program year. In 2021 I...
New Workshop August 9th for AmeriCorps Program Staff
Next month we’re facilitating a virtual workshop for staff, Planning Your Member Calendar Around the Member Lifecycle. Although every member is unique, there are patterns to the ups and downs of a member’s term. Knowing this, we can proactively plan for different...
Maximizing Member Retention: Planning Your Member Calendar Around the Member Lifecycle
Are you ready to take member engagement and retention to the next level? We're excited to invite you to our upcoming virtual workshop, "Planning Your Member Calendar Around the Member Lifecycle," where we will delve into strategies for aligning your engagement efforts...
Why do members need Life After AmeriCorps support?
With summer upon us it is the season when AmeriCorps members are preparing to exit their terms of service and seek out employment or higher education. We want AmeriCorps members to be prepared for Life After AmeriCorps. Why? First and foremost because we care about...
Figuring Out Your Next Steps as an AmeriCorps Member
We reached out to a recent AmeriCorps NCCC alum to get his perspective on Life After AmeriCorps and figuring out your next steps. Here’s what Adrian Skabelund had to say: There comes a point in everyone's term with an AmeriCorps program when attention begins to be...
Esprit de Corps – What it is and how to build it
Esprit de Corps. Community. A sense of belonging. Being part of something bigger than yourself. However you describe it, this is the intangible benefit of a great AmeriCorps experience. It is transformational when it all comes together. If your program has this,...
Time Management, Setting Boundaries, and Developing Healthy Habits
AmeriCorps members (and let’s be honest, AmeriCorps program staff) are uniquely suited to being overwhelmed and overcommitted. Having a hyperactive yes response is almost a prerequisite to joining AmeriCorps. What we share in common is our design to take action, to be...
Do you have AmeriCorps members exiting this Spring or Summer?
America Learns presents Surviving Exit Fever: Preparing Your Member for a Successful Exit on March 31st. We know that there can be both excitement and anxiety as a member’s term winds down- for the member AND for you! It can be a productive time for reflection and...
How to visit me at the National Service Training Virtual Conference
Are you attending the National Service Training Conference May 4th-7th? Let’s connect! As a Sponsor of the event, I will be hanging out in my Exhibit Booth during the coffee sessions and during the workshop breaks. My booth will be easy to find, just look for the Do...
What you will learn if you attend my session at the National Service Training Virtual Conference
Are you an AmeriCorps Program Director or a State Training Officer for a Commission? Are you attending the National Service Training Virtual Conference? Woo hoo! I hope I get to meet you. I will be presenting “Help Your Members Understand the Education Award” on...
Meet Yolanda Fraction
It has been a few years since I met Yolanda at a National Service Regional Training. At the time she was working at the Maryland Commission. Since then, I’ve stayed connected with Yolanda through attending her Learning and Development Chats, and by listening to her...
Online team building that is actually fun
In Fall 2020, I met Jed and Sophia Lazar and had a chance to try their online team-building game, “Cozy, Juicy, Real.” I was put on a team with 3 strangers and sent to a zoom breakout room. In addition to me, our team consisted of one woman from Mexico, a woman from...
My favorite tool for meaningful engagement online
As a professional facilitator, I am always looking for new tools to create experiences for the groups I work with. Whether it is training, team building, or strategic planning, I find that groups are able to reach new insights when they have a meaningful experience...
How I used Human Centered Design Thinking to Create Life After AmeriCorps Programs
I am an Organizational Development Consultant and I work with a lot of AmeriCorps programs and State Commissions. In my own pursuit of learning, I took a free course last year called Intro to Human-Centered Design, led by Acumen. If you’ve never seen Acumen’s course...
Meet Corina Sadler, CVA
I first met Corina Sadler when I stopped in Plano Texas on a road trip and reconnected with my friend Robin, who had served as the director of Volunteers in Plano for decades. Robin was getting ready to retire and was very excited to introduce me to her protégé...
Virtual Meetings Can be Enhanced with Low Tech Old School Methods
Congratulations, you have now been working for over a year during a pandemic. You have learned new technology. You have adjusted your audio / visual setup. You may have even gone beyond Zoom to try tools like Wonder or Mural or Miro. Before you devote any more time...
#60 Smalls Steps Towards a Healthier Community
David Martinez III describes himself as a black sheep of his family, a middle child of 6 kids from rural southern Arizona. He was the first in his family to attend college and during college he served as a member of the Board of Regents. He describes the pressure of...