The Challenge

What are five to ten successful National Service Day Events that can be replicated by VISTA projects across the country?

Our Action Learning Team was presented with the challenge of providing detailed guides for five to ten successful National Service Day Events that can be replicated by VISTA projects across the country.This website and the companion document, the final products of our team, serve as a  guide for VISTA members to plan and execute their own Service Day Projects. There are five detailed guides for projects that can be completed in diverse settings; with each explaining everything from volunteer recruitment and forming community partnerships, to planning for the day’s setup. In addition to the comprehensive guides, there are also other ideas for projects, a Marketing and Promotion Guide and a Social Media Guide. While the focus of the project is on providing all of the steps necessary for completing a successful Service Day, many of the sections can be used as a reference tool for other tasks throughout the VISTA year.

 

Completing a service project with your AmeriCorps VISTA team has many benefits, the most substantial being: creating leadership opportunities for members, having the opportunity to make a tangible difference in the community, increasing the visibility of the program and VISTA’s anti-poverty focus, as well as developing partnerships within the community and AmeriCorps network.

 

Working together to accomplish these tasks allows for AmeriCorps VISTA members to help their community while educating people about National Service. Each project will give members the opportunity to have a day outside of their capacity building role where they can engage in direct service to benefit their community. Completing projects and publicizing the results will increase the visibility of VISTA programs, and also AmeriCorps as a whole.