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KsCC eNews
Volume 2, Issue 7
1) Announcements: New Federal Report Shows Kansas 5th in American Volunteerism
2) New Programs in the Spotlight: WaterLINK Bioretention Project at University of Saint Mary
3) Program Updates: AmeriCorps*Kansas, AmeriCorps*VISTA, and WaterLINK Updates
4) New Calendar Events: National Volunteer Week and Campus Compact Regional Conference
5) Award Opportunities: Congressional Fellows, President's Community Volunteer, Student Service
6) Funding Opportunities: Cooperative Education, Community Outreach, and Skilled Construction
7) Other Opportunities: Position Opening at the Center for Community Engagement
8) New Publications: Reports, Articles, and Other Announcements
1) Announcements:
New Federal Report Shows Kansas 5th in American Volunteerism
A new federal report found that 61.2 million Americans volunteered in 2006 – a figure that approaches historic highs – while pointing out that one in three Americans dropped out of volunteering between 2005 and 2006. The report shows Kansas 5th in the national rank of volunteers by state.
Kansas Ranks 5th!
Rounding off the top 5 volunteering states, Kansas’ overall rate of volunteers was 38.3 percent, which is significantly higher than the national average of 26.7 percent. Between 1989 and today, Kansas’ volunteer rate increased by 10.6 percentage points, making it the ninth-highest increase in the nation. Kansas also boasts the third highest rate of volunteering in the Midwest and jumped from last years rank of 8 to claim a spot in the top 5 moving from 37.9 percent up to 38.3 percent.
Kansas Trends & Highlights:
● 760,000 Kansas volunteers dedicated 92.6 million hours of service in 2006.
● Compared to other states, Kansas had the fourth-highest volunteer rate for Baby Boomers and sixth-highest rate for older adults.
● Kansas was one of 17 states in the nation in which providing professional services was one of the top four activities for volunteers.
● In addition to the 760,000 Kansas volunteers in 2006, over 45,000 people participated informally by working with their neighbors to improve the community.
● Overall, 40.7 percent of people in Kansas engaged in civic life by volunteering, working with their neighbors, or attending public meetings.
Financial Impact of Volunteering in Kansas:
In 2006, residents of Kansas contributed 92,645,255 hours of volunteer service totaling $1,738,951,436 of service to the State. This figure is based on the group Independent Sector’s annual estimation of the dollar value of a volunteer hour, which is currently $18.77.
More than 16,000 people of all ages and backgrounds are helping to meet local needs, strengthen communities, and increase civic engagement through 56 national service projects across Kansas. Serving with national and local nonprofits, schools, faith-based organizations and other groups, these citizens tutor and mentor children, coordinate after-school programs, build homes, conduct neighborhood patrols, restore the environment, respond to disasters, build nonprofit capacity and recruit and manage volunteers. This year, the Corporation will commit more than $7,300,000 to support Kansas communities through Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve America.
“Volunteering in America: 2007 State Trends and Rankings in Civic Life,” is the second annual study by the Corporation for National and Community Service that gives a detailed breakdown of America’s volunteering habits and patterns by state and region. The report, which was released today, provides the agency’s first-ever ranking of levels in civic engagement by state through a new Civic Life Index.
For more information on this and other Announcements, click here.
2) New Programs Spotlight:
WaterLINK Bioretention Project at University of Saint Mary
The project began last year with students from the human geography class charged with designing the bioretention site, and planting the plants. New to the concept, they gained support from Chris Lavergne, the coordinator of WaterLINK, who was engaged in a service-learning project of his own. He was a student in the Kansas Environmental Leadership Program (KELP) and saw the University of St. Mary endeavor as one where his KELP Applied Leadership Project team could be helpful.
“It is a great partnership,” says Lavergne. “My fellow KELP class members and I had the easy part. We designed and placed the interpretive sign. The St. Mary students had the hard work of planting.” Lavergne, as coordinator of WaterLINK, has advised and assisted 25 service-learning projects on eight campuses across the state. Since the program started in 2005, more than 600 students have taken part in the program. WaterLINK is funded through Environmental Protection Agency 319 funds administered by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.
For more information on this and other Programs Spotlights, click here.
3) Program Updates:
AmeriCorps*Kansas Campus-Community Youth Service Corps
Our Youth Service Corps continues to seek colleges and/or community organizations who want to sponsor a college student returning home to work with community youth as an AmeriCorps member. Sponsors need to have an established youth program where AmeriCorps members can work with youth at least 35-40 hours per week until July 31, 2007. Sponsors are asked to provide a $1000 match to the federal living allowance. AmeriCorps members would receive a $2000 living allowance and, after completing their service, a $1000 Education Award that can be applied to college expenses.
For the most recent AmeriCorps*Kansas Summer of Service recruitment flyer, please click here.
KsCC AmeriCorps*VISTA Project
CNCS has received our KsCC AmeriCorps*VISTA Project proposal of next year's host-campuses, we are now reviewing applications and scheduling interviews for 2007-2008 VISTA Member candidates, and our next generation of VISTAs will be placed at host-site campuses in July and/or August 2007. We are now refining our training and reporting materials, and next year's KsCC VISTA host-site programs will value our most integrated and VISTA-friendly materials yet. Also in development is a Cost/Value Report on the KsCC VISTA Project, reflecting the new cost-share contributions of our host-campus partners.
For the recently released Cost/Value Report on the KsCC VISTA Project, please click here.
KsCC WaterLINK Project
Our EPA-funded WaterLINK project to improve water quality through campus-community partnerships has completed 25 projects to date, and worked with more than 600 students across the state on watershed restoration projects. WaterLINK also works with faculty throughout the state, helping to develop service-learning courses, and is assisting with coordination of an April 19 Engaging Community symposium for K-State faculty and extension educators. Don't miss out on the innovative opportunities to enhance both student learning and water quality through participation in our WaterLINK projects.
For more information on KsCC Programs, click here.
4) New Calendar Events:
National Volunteer Week, National & Global Youth Service Day, and Earth Day
National Volunteer Week is here! From April 15-21, this special week offers opportunities to thank some of America’s most valuable assets - our volunteers - and to recognize the myriad of ways they improve our communities. April 20-22 is also National & Global Youth Service Day, and April 22 is Earth Day.
National Volunteer Week reflects the power that volunteers have to “inspire by example” - volunteers both encourage those they help and motivate others to serve! Find out how you, too, can participate in the week’s many offerings. Visit our Youth Service Day webpage for a list of service projects around the state, which will be updated through the week and in the coming weeks it will feature photos and stories.
Campus Compact Regional Conference:
Developing Citizens
through Leadership and Civic Engagement
We invite your participation in the Fifth Annual Multi-State Conference on Civic Engagement, July 9-11 in New Orleans, Louisiana. This Campus Compact regional conference will bring together colleagues and partners from Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas and beyond to explore multiple perspectives on service-learning and civic engagement in our south-central region.
Conference participants will include learners and educators from diverse constituencies: faculty, students, administrators, and service-learning coordinators; VISTA members; and government, community agency and organization partners. Conference participants will share program models and best practices, and network with service-learning practitioners and community partners. For more information on this multi-state conference and to register, please click here. To make hotel reservations at the New Orleans Convention Center, click here, and specify Campus Compact.
For more information on the KsCC Events Calendar, click here.
5) Award Opportunities:
Congressional Fellows on Women and Public Policy
WREI awards annual fellowships to a select number of graduate students with a proven commitment to equity for women. WREI Fellows gain practical policymaking experience and graduate credit as they work from January to August at Congressional legislative aides in Washington, D.C. Established in 1980, the WREI Fellowship program is designed to : a)encourage more effective participation by women in the formulation of policy options; b) promote activities that encourage the translation of research into policy; c) raise awareness that national and international issues concerning women are interdependent; d) encourage better understanding of how policies affect women and men differently; and e) encourage greater appreciation of the fact that issues often defined as women's issues are really of equal importance to men. Only students who are currently in, or have recently completed, a graduate or professional-degree program at an accredited institution in the United States are eligible.
Applications are due May 18, 2007. For more information, click here.
The President's Community Volunteer Awards
The President's Service Awards were established in 1982 to honor outstanding individuals, families, groups, organizations, businesses and labor unions engaged in voluntary community service addressing unmet human service, educational, environmental and public safety needs. The award winners are traditionally presented their awards by the President at a White House ceremony. This ceremony and other events celebrating the winners' commitment to community service traditionally take place during National Volunteer Week in April. The President's Service Award is the nation's highest honor for volunteer service. All nominations for the President's Service Awards will also be considered for the reinstated Daily Points of Light Award. For more information, please click here.
The President's Student Service Awards
The President's Student Service Awards program is a broad-based awards program recognizing youth volunteers who complete between 50 and 100 hours of community service during a year. It is sponsored by the Corporation for National Service and jointly administered by the American Institute for Public Service, the Points of Light Foundation and Youth Service America. For more information, click here.
For more information on Award Opportunities, click here.
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6) Funding Opportunities:
Cooperative Education and Internship Association Grants
The Cooperative Education and Internship Association has established grant funds of $6,000 to support (a) research that documents the benefits and outcomes of participating in cooperative education or internships and/or (b) the design of a research instrument that will assist with documenting these benefits and outcomes. It is expected that two or three grants will be awarded depending on the quality and quantity of proposals submitted.
The application deadline has been extended to May 9, 2007. Applicants can be from any country and do not have to be members of CEIA. For further details and application information, go to www.ceiainc.org and click on Research and then Research Grant.
Community Outreach and Assistance Partnership Program
The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC), operating through the Risk Management Agency (RMA), announces the availability of funding for collaborative outreach and assistance programs for limited resource, socially disadvantaged and other traditionally under-served farmers and rancher, who produce Priority Commodities as defined in Part I.C. Awards under this program will be made on a competitive basis for projects of up to one year. Recipients of awards must demonstrate non-financial benefits from a partnership agreement and must agree to the substantial involvement of RMA in the project. Applications are due May 1, 2007. For more information, click here.
$1 Million in Funding Available to engage Skilled Construction Volunteers in Gulf Coast Rebuilding
The Corporation for National and Community Service has announced the availability of up to $1 million in funds to eligible organizations to bring skilled construction volunteers to help rebuild Gulf Coast communities. The grant competition is designed to stimulate the particular kind of volunteering that the Gulf needs the most—volunteers who are skilled in the building and other trades—and to create a viable national model for skilled trades volunteering in rebuilding efforts after future disasters. Skilled Baby Boomers with relevant experience are especially a target group, as the initiative seeks to increase the number of volunteers among working and retired citizens from that generation who are carpenters, electricians, and plumbers, etc. The potential grantees’ strategy should include outreach to increase public awareness and the recruitment, support, and management of skilled volunteers.
The grant will be awarded to between one and three nonprofit organizations. Although the immediate goal is to stimulate the recruitment of construction volunteers to assist Gulf communities, the long-lasting implication is to create a viable national model for building trades to assemble an army of volunteers to rebuild after future disasters. The Corporation will award one grant of up to $1 million, or up to three smaller grants to organizations, to develop and execute a plan to engage skilled trade professionals in Gulf rebuilding efforts. Intermediary organizations, which specialize in supporting the work of many smaller, newer, often faith and community-based organizations through which they make their impact, are encouraged to apply.
Grant applications should be submitted by email to SkilledServiceGulf@cns.gov by 5 pm Eastern Daylight Time, May 1, 2007. Applications submitted by fax or hard copy will not be accepted. Applicants are also asked, but not required, to submit an email stating their intent to apply. Those emails should be submitted by 5pm Eastern Time, Friday, April 20, 2007. For complete application instructions, click here
For more information on Funding Opportunities, click here.
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7) Other Opportunities:
Position Opening: Associate Director of the Center for Community Engagement, University of Denver
The University of Denver is seeking a highly qualified individual for an Associate Director position within the Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning. This person will be responsible for development and implementation of campus initiatives designed to engage a broad base of DU students in curricular and co-curricular civic engagement activities. The Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning (CCESL) supports the University of Denver in developing the knowledge and experience that enables faculty, students and staff to actively participate in the public life of their communities. We lead the campus in embracing the university's vision of "being a great private university dedicated to the public good.” We do this by educating, engaging, and equipping the campus community to address and work toward the resolution of critical community issues.
The Associate Director of the Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning is primarily responsible for development and implementation of campus initiatives designed to engage a broad base of DU students in curricular and co-curricular civic engagement activities. Candidates must demonstrate an understanding of community organizing, civic engagement and service learning in higher education. A Ph.D. is preferred. A Master’s degree with 2-5 years experience in higher education and/or with non-profit organizations as well as ability to research and write for academic and wider public audiences is required. Applications are due May 14, 2007.
For more information on responsibilities and job requirements and to apply, click here then click on “View and Apply for Jobs at the University of Denver. Select “Associate Director Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning” from “Position Title” menu. Or, select “Learning Communities and Civic Engagement” from “Department” menu.
8) New Publications:
Reports, Articles, and Other Announcements
"Former President Bush to Address National Conference on Volunteering & Service"
"CMT One Country and Youth Service America Join Forces for National & Global Youth Service Day"
"National Council on Workplace Volunteerism Achieves Important Milestone"
"The Estimated Dollar Value of Volunteer Time is $18.77 per Hour for 2006"
"Disadvantaged Teens Benefit from Volunteering, But Do it Less than Better-Off Peers"
"Campuses Host National Post-Katrina College Summit: Students Demand Jobs for Gulf Coast"
"America to Thank its 61 Million Volunteers Next Week"
"New Federal Report Shows Volunteering Strong in America"
For more information on Publications, click here.
Please email kscc@ksu.edu with information about successes, programs, and events on your campus that could be included in the next issue of KsCC eNews. We appreciate your involvement and support!
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