Ask the Scholar
Document scope · 1 page
Scholar
Ask about this object, its catalog metadata, its source description, or the page inventory.
For page-specific OCR and visual context, open one of the page chats.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
348834107
label
[USDA Education Award Nominations] [5]
core
doc
dtoType
document
citationUrl
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
348834107
contentType
document
title
[USDA Education Award Nominations] [5]
citationUrl
collections
Records of the Office of National Service (Clinton Administration)
AmeriCorps Files
imageCount
1
hasImages
yes
source
import
hasTranscription
no
Source extras
naId
348834107
levelOfDescription
fileUnit
otherTitles
311842741-20130661F-Seg3-084-016-2023
recordType
description
ocrSource
nara-archive
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
document
mediaId
3b0b394c824c0d61
ocrText
FOIA Number: 2013-0661-F (3)
FOIA
MARKER
This is not a textual record. This is used as an
administrative marker by the William J. Clinton
Presidential Library Staff.
Collection/Record Group:
Clinton Presidential Records
Subgroup/Office of Origin:
Americorps
Series/Staff Member:
General Files
Subseries:
OA/ID Number:
24238
FolderID:
Folder Title:
[USDA Education Award Nominations] [5]
Stack:
Row:
Section:
Shelf:
Position:
S
66
1
1
1
NRCS/AmeriCorps
Team Leader Training
Closure of the Team
Video roll-in of Corps members with
Closure of the Team
the Chief.
At the end of this module, you will be
able to:
RI Amerit orps
1. Guide the team through positive
closure of relationships
At the end of this module,
2. Formally bring closure to the
you will be able to:
team process
1. Guide the team through
positive closure of
relationships
2. Formally bring closure to
the team process
" Americ orps
AMERICORPS
A
Instructor Lesson Plan
3.1
Team Leader Training
Introduction
You have worked together for about nine months and
have developed many new relationships within the
team. We hope that you have become a real team
while working together on your project. In this
segment, we will provide some ideas for wrapping up
both of these relationships-the interpersonal and the
team. Doing a good job in these areas will assist your
group in bringing positive closure to your AmeriCorps
experience.
Closure of relationships
The goal of the first objective is to help your
AmeriCorps members bring a positive ending to the
relationships they have developed with each other
during this past year. As the project year comes to an
end, relationships between individuals will be affected
whether your team disbands entirely or some members
plan to continue on another year. It is usually helpful
to pay some attention to bringing these interpersonal
relationships to positive closure-even if members plan
to continue their relationships after service is ended.
We can use many different techniques to bring a
positive end to interpersonal relationships formed
during this project. We encourage you to think of
your own idea or consult with your project manager
Instructor Lesson Plan
3.2
Team Leader Training
for ideas. We will share one with you that you may
use if you think it fits. It is best to do this activity
in groups of five to 10 people and it is most
appropriate close to the end of your time together.
Here is the idea for bringing interpersonal
relationships to a positive ending within a group
setting.
The following are instructions for the Interpersonal
Closure Activity. You will find a document entitled
"Interpersonal Closure Activity" in your packet.
Let's take a look at it. Read all of the instructions
before starting the activity. Have enough sheets of
paper available so each person can have one sheet
for each of the other members of the group.
1. Pass out the paper. Ask the
members to write the name of a
Interpersonal Closure Activity:
1. Ask the members to write the
different team member at the top of
name of one team member at the
top of one sheet until they have a
each sheet until they have a sheet
sheet with each person's name on
it.
with each persons name on it.
2. Working alone, each person should
write down two or three things they
like about the member whose name
2. Working alone, each person should
list qualities that make it enjoyable
is on the sheet. List qualities that
to know or work with that person.
Allow 5 to 10 minutes for this step.
make it enjoyable to know or work
Vii Ameritorps
Instructor Lesson Plan
3.3
Team Leader Training
with that person. Allow 5 to 10
minutes for this step.
3. Ask each person to write down
3. Ask each person to write down one
one characteristic they suggest
that person try to improve or
change. Allow 5 to 10 minutes
characteristic they suggest that
for this step.
person tries to improve or change
in order to be a more effective,
ARCS AmeriCorps
enjoyable friend or work partner.
Allow 5 to 10 minutes for this
step.
4. Tell members they have the option
4. Tell members they have the option
of signing their name on the sheet.
to sign their name on the sheet.
5. Instruct the members to verbally
share some of what they wrote.
5. Ask the members to verbally share
some of what they wrote-
ARC AneriCorps
Choose one member for each of the
other members to read one positive quality. The
recipient can respond with some form of
appreciation (this is good practice for accepting
compliments) or ask a question if they would
like further clarification.
Move to the next member and ask each of the
others to read one ot their compliments.
Continue this way until each person has received
one verbal compliment from each of the others in
the team.
6. Ask members to fold the paper in half, write the
recipient's name on the outside and pass it to
that person.
ADERICORPS
A
Instructor Lesson Plan
3.4
Team Leader Training
7. As an optional discussion opportunity, ask the
group to comment on what they learned about
qualities that seem to be most appreciated by
others, especially those that are helpful in a
teamwork situation.
Q-What questions do you have about this
exercise or what other ideas do you have for
bringing positive closure to the
interpersonal relationships that have
developed through this project?
What questions or ideas do
you have about closure of
interpersonal relationships?
Note to instructor-call on a specific
How about a volunteer!
state if there are no voluntary responses.
Use the elmo to record responses.
ARCS AmeriCorps
Preparing a name and address sheet is another
activity that is helpful in bringing closure to
interpersonal relationships and provides an
opportunity for continuity. Ask each team member to
write down a contact address and telephone number,
get the list copied, and provide each member with a
copy. Such a list makes it easier for everyone to
remember their team members and be able to contact
them later if desired.
AMERICORES
A
Instructor Lesson Plan
3.5
Team Leader Training
Closure to the team process
Now we will move to the second objective-formally
bringing closure to the team process.
Again, you may have an idea of your own for reaching
this objective-an idea that may work better for your
particular situation. If so, go with it! Here is one idea
which we offer for your consideration.
Note to Team Leader-You will find a document in
your packet entitled "Team Closure Activity." Let's
take a look at it. The following are instructions for
the Team Closure Activity. Read all of the
instructions before starting the activity. Have
newsprint, blackboard, or posterboard and writing
utensils. Prepare, in advance, two columns titled
"Characteristics" and "Source."
1. Lead a discussion with your team,
asking them to do some thinking
and talking together about your
Team Closure Activity:
team. Explain that the purpose is
1. Lead a discussion with your team,
to identify some of the major
asking them to do some thinking
and talking together about your
characteristics of your team at this
team.
time and to figure out how they
came to be.
Amerit orps
AMERICANS
Instructor Lesson Plan
3.6
Team Leader Training
2. After discussing, ask members to
toss out their observations about
the major characteristics of their
team. Use the elmo to write down
some possible items-for example,
has fun together, well organized,
respectful of diversity. Do not
allow discussions, just ask for
2. Ask members to share their observations
about the major characteristics of their
their perceptions of the team-
team.
3. Ask members to identify the sources of
both good and bad.
this characteristic.
3. Go back to the top of the list and
ask members to identify the
ARC % AmeriCorps
sources of this characteristic. Use
the elmo to write down some
possible items-taught in
training, due to leadership of a
4. Ask members to make suggestions
certain person, team decision, etc.
on how to develop important
characteristics presently missing
from the list.
4. Ask members to think of whether
there are any important team
characteristics that are missing
R N. Amerit orps
from the list and to make
suggestions about how they might
be developed in your team.
5. If there is time, ask the group
which 2 or 3 characteristics they
5. Ask the group which 2 or 3
think are the most positive about
characteristics they think are the
most positive about their team.
their team.
ARC S Amerit orps
AMERICORS
A
Instructor Lesson Plan
3.7
Team Leader Training
One other suggestion for bringing a positive and
enjoyable closure for your team is to have a small,
informal party at your last meeting. Perhaps someone
can make a cake or you could pool money to buy food.
Spend a part of your last session eating some
"celebration food" and just relaxing together.
Q-What ideas do you have for a
What questions or ideas do
Team Closure Activity?
you have about closure of
the team?
How about a volunteer!
Note to instructor-cal on a
&
specific state if there are no
voluntary responses. Use the elmo to
ARCS AmeriCorps
record responses.
AVERICORS
A
Instructor Lesson Plan
3.8
NRCS/AmeriCorps
Team Leader Training
Closure with NRCS and Key Partners
Video roll-in
At the end of this module, the student
will be able to:
At the end of this module,
1. Provide written notification to
you will be able to:
partners of completion of the
1. Provide written notification to partners
of project completion
team's projects
2. Employ actions to ensure good project
transition
3. Gain awareness of actions for
2. Employ the proper actions to
processing out of AmeriCorps
ensure good transition of a project
III Amerit orps
after AmeriCorps members have
completed one year of service
3. Gain an awareness of the
4. Gain awareness of options for
necessary actions for processing
obtaining feedback
6. Explain options for closing out
out of AmeriCorps
partner relationships
6. Assist team members in telling
their AmeriCorps story
4. Gain an awareness of options for
obtaining feedback from community
R 8/Americ orps
partners regarding whether
expectations were met
5. Explain options for closing out relationships with
community partners
6. Assist team members in preparing to "tell their
AmeriCorps story"
AMERICORPE
Instructor Lesson Plan
4.1
Team Leader Training
The team leader's role in closing out a project
Bringing closure to the working relationships
established during the year of service is an important
event. Each community service project had clearly
defined objectives for the year. The progress made
needs to be acknowledged, documented and
communicated to others. Identify unfinished business
and make plans for what to do next. Work with your
partners to make a smooth transition. Make this
information accessible to others to show the team's
successes and help others to appreciate
the program's value.
Stages of project development:
Projects usually have 3 stages of
development:
Initiation
1. Initiation-developing the service
AmeriCorps
objectives and planning the work to
be done
Stages of project development:
2.
Execution-carrying out the plans
and establishing partner
Execution
relationships
Initiation
3. Termination-bringing closure to
ARCS Amerit
the working partnerships and
evaluating the results
Stages of project development:
Completion
keeppon
Initiation
ARE Amerit orps
AMERICORPS
Instructor Lesson Plan
4.2
Team Leader Training
A few AmeriCorps projects will have a fourth stage-
transition. In cases where the project will continue to
develop, team members need to participate in :
assessing the current status,
identifying what needs to be done to complete
the work, and
providing any documentation or supplies
necessary for the people who will continue the
work.
ADERICORES
A
Instructor Lesson Plan
4.3
Team Leader Training
We will focus today on the third stage-
termination.
Termination steps:
Talk with team members about importance
of communicating accomplishments
As the team leader, you need to know and
As the team leader, what steps can you
understand what results can be measured
or demonstrated
take to insure the smooth termination of
a project?
orps
1. Talk with your team members
about the importance of
communicating the team's
Document practices effective in achieving
accomplishments. Work with each
results
Document benefits of the team's work
team member on clearly
Meet with organization or community
understanding all of the team's
served to share accomplishments
accomplishments, and being able to
the Amerit orps
verbalize those accomplishments to
others.
2. As the team leader, you need to know and
understand what results can be measured or
demonstrated.
3. Document what practices were effective in
achieving results.
4. Document other benefits of the team's work
about which you are aware.
AMERICANS
A
Instructor Lesson Plan
4.4
Team Leader Training
5. Meet with the organization or with
the community served to share the
Send a letter or exit report
accomplishments and to share how
Thank partners
you personally benefited from the
AmeriCorps experience.
6. Send a letter or exit report:
VRC S/Americ orps
outlining accomplishments and
tasks that still need to be done;
document files or equipment you are leaving;
and
state if the project is to continue.
Do not make any commitments that have not
been agreed to with the project manager.
7. Thank partners, both orally and in writing, for
their guidance and support. Let them know what
impact the experience has had on you.
ADERICORES
A
Instructor Lesson Plan
4.5
Team Leader Training
Termination of members forms
What is your responsibility for ensuring proper
termination of team members?
1. Each team member must complete two forms at
the end of their service: Member exit form and
National Service Trust End. Your Project
Manager must work with you and each team
member to ensure proper completion of the
forms. These forms are in your packet. Let's take
a look at them now.
Note to instructor-use the elmo to go over the key
points of the forms.
Q-Any questions?
2. Make sure team members know how to follow up
on receiving their education award.
Note to instructor-This process is not described in
these lesson plans. Please be prepared to discuss.
ADERICARS
A
Instructor Lesson Plan
4.6
Team Leader Training
The project manager's role in closing out a project
It is time to decide the future status of your
AmeriCorps projects. Note-this year, states will be
informed of the status of their applications by July
1st.
What options are there for projects?
1. Some projects will be accepted for a
second year renewal.
Project Options
Some projects will be accepted for a
2. Some projects will have been
second year renewal
completed during the first year.
Some projects will have been completed
during the first year
Some projects will not be renewed to
3. Some projects will not be renewed
receive AmeriCorps members
to receive AmeriCorps members.
ARCS Ameritorps
Instructor Lesson Plan
4.7
Team Leader Training
Planning for Project Termination
Next year, and in the years to follow, pay attention to
project termination needs during the planning process.
Listed are questions to ask yourself as
you plan for termination:
1. How easy is it to terminate the
Planning questions:
services you have provided?
1. How easy is it to terminate the services
you have provided?
2. Have you set up sustainable
2. Have you set up sustainable projects?
projects? The ability for a
community to sustain the efforts
NRI S/Amerit orps
initiated by AmeriCorps is a
priority for involvement in this
program.
ANERICORPS
Instructor Lesson Plan
4.8
Team Leader Training
Preparing the community and partners for
transition
Project leaders need to avoid a rapid
withdrawal of resources from a community.
Rapid withdrawal
Short notice to partners and the
community may result in insufficient
preparation and organization by the local
entities.
Initiation
Executive
Termination
&-AmeriCorps
A gradual withdrawal provides the
Gradual withdrawal
opportunity for better preparation. Earlier
notice allows for processes to be used for
closing out activities and making the
smoothest transition possible.
Initiation
Executive
Termination
S dinerit urps
When you do adequate planning and
preparation, the local organization can
provide the resources necessary to
Planning for local withdrawal
maintain the effort. Projects are able to
recover rapidly when additional resources
become available. Both the team leader
and project manager can play an important
Indiation
Executive
Termination
role in facilitating the community in
Americ orps
meeting needs. You can eliminate, or at
least minimize, opposition from affected
AmeriCorps Renewal
citizen groups.
Being aware of the impact that you have
had on a community and making an effort
initiation
Executive
Termination
at smooth transition both lead to benefits
Amerit orps
such as:
AULBICCRES
A
Instructor Lesson Plan
4.9
Team Leader Training
1. an increase in program
Benefits:
credibility and long-term
1. An increase in program credibility and
acceptance by the community
long-term acceptance by the community
and partners
and partners
2. A more likely formation of future
partnerships
2. a more likely formation of future
partnerships
MILL " Amerit orps
What steps can a team leader and project manager
take to better ensure a smooth close-out between
NRCS and key partners?
1. accent the positive and focus
on improvements made
Steps for a smooth close-out:
1. Accent the positive
2. keep partners informed and
2. Keep partners informed and involved
involved
3. Cultivate local interests and local
leadership
3. cultivate local interests and
local leadership
SHON AmeriCorps
AMERICORS
A
Instructor Lesson Plan
4.10
Team Leader Training
4. conduct sessions that keep partners
informed of project closing activities
4. Conduct sessions that inform partners
5. share objectives established for each
of project closing activities
5. Share objectives for each project
project
6. Make sure others understand what has
been done
6. summarize progress made and make
sure others understand what has
Americ orps
been done
The more successful you have been, the harder it may
be to leave a project!
Work with your project manager and partners to
explore opportunities to gain additional support for
the work you have started.
Some suggestions are:
Opportunities to explore:
1. partners can apply to the State
1. Apply to the State Commissions for
AmeriCorps project support
Commissions for AmeriCorps project
2. Apply again with USDA for the next
fiscal year
support
3. Utilize volunteers to continue the work
Amerit.orps
AUERICORS
A
Instructor Lesson Plan
4.11
Team Leader Training
2. project managers can apply again
with USDA for the next fiscal
4. Apply to other funders for support
year
5. Continue to operate the program at a
lower level
3. utilize volunteers to continue the
work
Amerit orps
4. apply to other funders for support
5. continue to operate the program at a lower level
Telling the AmeriCorps story
Share the AmeriCorps story in
conversation as well as in writing.
Sharing your story:
Share with
Local community newsletters and
newspapers
Work with your project manager to plan
Associations
Colleges and universities
activities.
ARC AmeriCorps
Share stories with newsletters and newspapers of local
communities, associations and colleges and
universities.
National press policy has been established. Guidance
needs to be consistent with NRCS policy for
AmeriCorps. A press packet has been prepared for
project managers.
EUERICORPS
A
Instructor Lesson Plan
4.12
NRCS/AmeriCorps
Team Leader Training
Member Development-
Present and Future
Video roll-in
Member Development
- Present and Future -
At the end of this module, you will be
able to:
AROS AmeriCorps
1. identify local sources for career
planning
At the end of this module,
2. explain the value of networking
you will be able to:
1. Identify local career planning
3. request a letter of reference
sources
2. Explain the value of networking
3. Request a letter of reference
4. prepare a work experience file
5. recognize volunteering as ongoing
Americ orps
community service and a valid work
experience
6. lead the team in performing a
4. Prepare a work experience file
self-assessment of the AmeriCorps
5. Recognize volunteering as valid
work experience
experience
6. Perform self-assessment
Ameritarps
ANERICORES
A
Instructor Lesson Plan
5.1
Team Leader Training
Introduction
After this training, we anticipate that you will be
ready to facilitate discussion and planning with your
AmeriCorps team members. You will help prepare
them to make maximum use of this experience to find
a job or apply for further education. Objectives one
through four help individuals decide their next career
step, five assists them to continue volunteering in the
future, and six helps members reflect upon how to
apply this experience to their future.
Local sources for career planning
As team leader, one of the simplest and most
effective things you can do to assist your team
members in planning for their future is to direct
them to accessible resources. Let's take a look at a
few.
Instructor Lesson Plan
5.2
Team Leader Training
Sources include:
local community college
public library
high school counselor or college career counselor
people who do the type of work in which you are
interested
If appropriate, you might want to contact
your NRCS project manager concerning
Local career planning sources:
the possibility of getting guidance from
Local community college
Public library
an NRCS human resource specialist on
High school or college career counselor
job fairs, work/study positions, student
People who do the type of work in which
you are interested
trainee positions, and realistic
ric orps
possibilities for Federal employment.
Q-Do you have other ideas about
resources in your area?
Do you have other ideas about
resources in your area?
Note to instructor-call on a specific
How about a volunteer!
state if there are no voluntary responses.
Use the elmo to record responses.
Amerit arps
After generating a list of available resources,
encourage your group members to go and talk with
one. You could even set it up so that everyone will
report on a contact at the next team meeting.
Instructor Lesson Plan
5.3
Team Leader Training
Value of networking
Often you obtain a job or are accepted for college
through the assistance of networking. This means that
the applicant works on building a network, or set of
connections, between the people contacted about jobs.
The applicant asks everyone for suggestions on where
and how to look, requesting names where possible. The
applicant may say, "Julie Smith mentioned you and
suggested I contact you." You can then ask the new
person who else and where else to try. Ask relatives,
teachers, coaches, or job supervisors for ideas. Taking
this approach usually multiplies the possibilities for
obtaining a job because the networking expands the
group helping and utilizes personal contacts. If it
seems appropriate, the applicant could even ask if the
person making a suggestion would be willing to call
the other and ask them to see or consider the
applicant.
AUERICARS
A
Instructor Lesson Plan
5.4
Team Leader Training
Q-Have any of you received a job or
something else through this kind of
Have any of you received a job
or something else through this
networking? How about an example
kind of networking?
or two?
How about an example
or two?
Note to instructor-call on a specific
Amerit orps
state if there are no voluntary responses.
The idea here is that you explain the networking idea
to your team and perhaps have some discussion about
it. This way you can plant the idea as a helpful
approach to seeking a job.
ADERICORS
A
Instructor Lesson Plan
5.5
Team Leader Training
Requesting a letter of reference
The intent of this topic is to prepare
members to:
1. ask for a letter of reference from
Requesting a letter of
reference:
this experience
1. Ask for a letter of reference
2. Obtain one that will be the most helpful
2. obtain one that will be the most
helpful possible from the situation
Amerit orps
A basic message to convey to all
members is the value in obtaining the most positive
reference letter possible, for every paid and volunteer
experience, near the end or immediately after the
experience ends. In this way, each member can
gradually build up a file of reference letters to draw
upon in seeking jobs, entrance to school, scholarships,
etc.
We encourage you to devote some time soon in one
of your team meetings to this topic of reference
letters. Explain the value of obtaining a reference
letter for this experience and the importance of
requesting it soon. Supervisors are usually willing to
do it for current employees. It is typically harder to
get a reference letter after you leave an
organization. This experience should provide an
opportunity for a very specific and positive reference
letter if the member has worked hard on the project
and learned from it. You could ask your members to
think about who they would like to ask for a
reference letter and to plan on doing so within a
week or two. Then at the meeting following that
date, you can ask members to share their experience.
AMERICORE
A
Instructor Lesson Plan
5.6
Team Leader Training
The second aspect is the role the person requesting
can have in ensuring the best possible reference
letter. Ask the members to take a few minutes to
think about what new knowledge and skills they
have developed from this experience in addition to
their especially strong and perhaps already
developed characteristics, such as:
the ability to plan and organize a group work
session
writing formal letters
What are Yourstrengths?
speaking comfortably with farmers
The ability to plan and organize a group
about new programs
work session
Writing formal letters
developing and sticking to a
Speaking comfortably with clients about
new programs
schedule
ARE S. AmeriCorps
leading a work group
using humor effectively to reduce
stress
Developing and sticking to a schedule
being dependable in a work
Leading a work group
Using humor effectively to reduce stress
situation
Being dependable in a work situation
VICS Amerit arps
Q-What are some other strengths you
can think of that members might
have developed or exhibited through
What other strengths have
this experience?
you developed through this
experience?
How about a volunteer!
Note to instructor-call on a specific
state if there are no voluntary responses.
will Amerit orps
ACERICORPS
A
Instructor Lesson Plan
5.7
Team Leader Training
After your team members write down several of their
personal strengths, explain how to ask the reference
writer to mention these qualities or experiences.
Reminding the writer about specific activities you did
or led, and some of your strongest abilities and
characteristics can actually help him or her produce a
better reference letter. (I know because some of my
students have followed this advice and as a result
gotten better reference letters from me than they
would have without the memory prompting!)
Q-Does any one have a suggestion about who to
request a reference letter from?
Note to instructor-record answers on paper to
use with elmo. (Some possible answers: site
supervisor, SWCD or RC&D leadership,
representative of partner organizations,
customers satisfied with services, etc.)
Q-What other questions or comments do you
have on reference letters?
Note to instructor-answer questions from the
audience.
AMERICORPS
A
Instructor Lesson Plan
5.8
Team Leader Training
Preparing a work experience file
This is a good topic to discuss soon in one of your
team meetings. Many of the members may not yet
have developed such a file. Encourage those in college
to develop their file with the college career office, as it
is usually free or very low cost to students. However,
any person can do it themselves with a little planning
and work.
The basic item, of course, is the personal resume. It
would be helpful for you to obtain an example or
two of a good resume to show the group as a model.
Perhaps there are other ways to assist your
members in creating or updating a resume. For
example, you could invite a local expert to meet with
your team to give helpful ideas on developing or
improving resumes.
Instructor Lesson Plan
5.9
Team Leader Training
A specific and appropriate topic for part of a
meeting is how to write the experience into your
resume. Information from the Program Review we
discussed earlier can be helpful here. Ask each
person to experiment with writing up one or two
sentences describing the major points of the
experience to use on a resume. Then at the same or
a later meeting, ask members to share their "resume
statement on the AmeriCorp experience" and thus
gain ideas from each other.
In addition to this resume work, you could suggest
to the group that their work experience file include
the original copy of any reference letters given them,
or the name, address and telephone number of
people who have agreed to be references or have
submitted a confidential reference letter. Keep all of
this work-related material in a safe place and
updated with every new work or volunteer
experience.
Q-What questions or suggestions do
you have about this topic?
What questions or
suggestions do you have
about this topic?
Note to instructor-answer questions
How about a volunteer!
from the audience.
Ameritorps
A
Instructor Lesson Plan
5.10
Team Leader Training
Recognizing volunteering as ongoing community
service and a valid work experience
One of the goals of AmeriCorps is to encourage young
Americans to develop the volunteer ethic and carry it
with them through their life experiences. The
expectation is that service as members will likely lead
to continued service in the future, in their future
hometowns and communities, or in other parts of the
world.
However, this transfer is more likely to occur if
those involved do some active thinking and planning
in this direction. Thus we encourage you to lead a
discussion with your group about this topic.
Following are some questions you might ask. Before
starting, explain that you are counting this year of
involvement with AmeriCorps as a volunteer
experience even though there is a stipend and an
educational award involved.
Instructor Lesson Plan
5.11
Team Leader Training
You might want to have newsprint or blackboard
available so that you or someone else could write
down some of the ideas offered by group members.
Ask one of the group members to be the recorder. If
desired, copy these lists so all could have the ideas.
In your packet, you will find a document entitled
"Valuing Volunteering." Let's take a look at it.
Note to instructor-use the elmo to discuss
questions.
AUERICORPS
A
Instructor Lesson Plan
5.12
AMERICORPO
*
MASSACHUSETTS
Valuing Volunteering
1. What have you learned about volunteering from this
experience?
2. In what ways is volunteer service important for the
positive functioning of a community?
3. What are some of the things which volunteers can
do which might not otherwise get done?
4. What types of volunteer work do you feel especially
interested in doing in the future?
5. What do you think of the idea of making a personal
commitment to do volunteer work regularly in the
future?
6. What amount of time per week do you think would
be a good goal?
7. Have you considered joining another program
specializing in volunteer service, such as the Earth
Team, VISTA or the Peace Corps?
8. How or where would you be able to obtain information
about volunteer service opportunities in the future?
9. How is volunteer experience helpful in getting a job?
10. What other questions do you team leaders and
program managers think might promote some good
discussion of future volunteer service?
Team Leader Training
Leading team members in performing
self-assessments of the AmeriCorps experience
To accomplish this objective, we would like you to use
a set of questions located in your packet entitled "Self-
Assessment of AmeriCorps Experience" asking each
member (including yourself) to complete them. After
they have time to do this (probably best during a
group session), then you could lead a discussion that
asks the team members to share some of their written
responses.
Self-assessment of AmeriCorps Experience
Note to instructor-use the elmo with the following
list of questions for review.
AMERICANS
A
Instructor Lesson Plan
5.14
NATIONAL * AMERICORPO A
Self-assessment of AmeriCorps Experience
1. What were your personal goals for this
experience?
2. How far did you get in reaching your goals?
3. If not, why were you not able to fully reach all of
your goals?
4. What did you learn about working in a team?
5. What new knowledge and skills did you gain?
Team Leader Training
6. What did you learn about working with community
groups?
7. What attitude changes do you see in yourself as a
result of this experience?
8. Has this experience changed your career plans at
all? If so, briefly explain the change.
9. What are you going to do next?
Instructor Lesson Plan
5.16
Team Leader Training
Now it's time to summarize what we have covered in
this segment. We've talked about:
1. Value of networking
2. Requesting a letter of reference
3. Preparing a work experience file
4. Recognizing volunteering as ongoing community
service and a valid work experience
We hope you as Team Leader will take this
information back and spend 1 or 2 team meetings
sharing it with your members. Focusing on these
member development activities will help them
effectively transfer this AmeriCorps experience into
their future lives.
Note to instructor-Make concluding remarks now.
Take any final questions.
ENTRICORES
A
Instructor Lesson Plan
5.17