Member and Volunteer Development
The service experience, whether for AmeriCorps members or volunteers, can be an opportunity for development. This page includes resources for both Member Development and Volunteer Development.
Member Development and Ongoing Training
AmeriCorps programs are encouraged to have their members spend a percentage of service hours on member development. Member development can be professional, personal, or service related and can take place within group training or with individual activities. Common topics include diversity, conflict management, facilitation, time management, leadership, citizenship, and career development. Listed below are some of our most relevant resources for this topic.
- EnCorps Member Development Resources
- EnCorps Transition Resources - Tools to help members transition to life after service
- What's Next: Life After Your Service Year Tutorial for Members
- Ed Award (Segal AmeriCorps Education Award) Tutorial for Members
- Citizenship Toolkit Section Two: Member Development Strategies
Effective Practices
- Creating a member development plan
- Encouraging AmeriCorps members to write their stories
- Using a personal style inventory for volunteer and member development
- Encouraging positive responses to members’ stresses throughout a service term
Lending Library
- Experiencing Learning: Tools for Reflecting on Your Life Experiences
- Where Do You Want to Go? Career Transitions Toolkit for National Service Participants
- Member Career Development: AmeriCorps Training Workshop
Sample Forms
- Sample Member Development Activity Form 2007-2008 from Campus Compact
- Sample Member Development Plan 2007-2008 from Campus Compact
Volunteer Development
Develop a win-win relationship with your volunteers. Find ways to give volunteers increasing responsibility, and help them develop leadership capacity and specific skills that they can apply to both personal and professional life. Following are some of our most relevant resources to support volunteer development.
- Volunteer Assessment Form
- Providing a Sense of Control to Volunteers
- Volunteer Development Practice Application Brief
Online Courses
Effective Practices
- Using a personal style inventory for volunteer and member development
- Supporting student volunteers in building leadership skills
- Exploring life's options with informational interviews
Lending Library
- Leadership Skills for the New Age of Nonprofits: Keeping Volunteers Happy in a Changing World
- Volunteer Management: Mobilizing All the Resources of the Community
- Voluntarism, Community Life, and the American Ethic
Related Websites