Demonstrating the goals of AmeriCorps service

Abstract

The Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) AmeriCorps program created an activity to demonstrate how a placement site, the grantee, and the overall goals of AmeriCorps interact and connect. LISC shared this "Interlocking Circles" activity at the AmeriCorps Direct Best Practices Conference in Nashville, Tennessee in April 2005. The activity was used as part of the Conference's "Get Geared Up for Service" focus, and the LISC facilitators emphasized that it could be used during orientation for operating site staff, members, and placement site supervisors.

Issue

AmeriCorps members and staff need to know how they fit into the national service world. By starting with the four overarching goals of AmeriCorps, members begin to understand the interconnection between these objectives, the sponsoring organization (grantee), their placement site, and their personal goals.

Action

Planning

Materials needed:

Blank paper for participants to jot down their thoughts
A flip chart, overhead, or white board to display the activity and consolidate the participants' contributions
Writing implements for participants and facilitator

The display method (e.g., flip chart) should contain five pre-drawn circles, four of which contain the goals of AmeriCorps:

Getting Things Done
Strengthening Communities
Encouraging Responsibility
Expanding Opportunity
The facilitator should also be prepared to include their own organization's goals in the fifth circle.

(For visual examples, see slides 6 and 7 of the LISC presentation, provided in the "Related Resources" section below.)

Implementing

The LISC facilitator:

Led the initial discussion by introducing the four goals of AmeriCorps. They showed an illustration of five interlocking circles, four of which contained the AmeriCorps goals.
Placed the word "LISC" in the fifth circle and discussed their specific goals, demonstrating where these goals fell within the circles. They then pointed out the similarities and differences between LISC's and AmeriCorps' goals.
Had each participant place the name of their program in the appropriate circle along with several words that described their program's mission.
Asked the participants to describe their personal goals and to examine the relationship between their own aspirations and the overarching goals of AmeriCorps service.

Context

The Local Initiatives Support Coalition (LISC) AmeriCorps program uses the "Interlocking Circles" activity with members during pre-service orientation.

LISC AmeriCorps operates in ten cities nationwide. Members serve in community development corporations to help promote volunteerism and civic engagement by encouraging neighbors to take active roles in helping to transform the communities in which they live.

Outcome

Participants learned the following:

The four goals of AmeriCorps
The interconnection between AmeriCorps goals, the grantee, and their placement site
How they personally fit into the "big picture" of national service