Programs & Operations VISTA
This Program & Operations VISTA will be hosted by Share Our Spare in Chicago, IL. Share Our Spare is a part of the Housing Action AmeriCorps Network, an AmeriCorps VISTA program managed by Housing Action Illinois since 2010. As such, this position will receive customized training, support, guidance, and networking opportunities, in addition to the traditional opportunities for AmeriCorps VISTA positions. Learn more about the program on Housing Action’s website.
At Share Our Spare, our mission is to ensure every child in Chicago has the essentials they need to thrive in the first five years of life. We do this by collecting new and gently used infant and toddler items from those with “extras” to spare and distributing them to families living in poverty through a sustainable network of volunteers, community stakeholders, and social service agencies. With a distribution network of more than 35 agency partners, we are supporting social workers across Lake, Cook, and DuPage counties and providing essential items to more than 10,000 children annually.
Share Our Spare seeks a highly motivated, versatile, and socially conscious Program & Operations VISTA to join our team. This role will work with the Director of Partnerships and Community Engagement to create programmatic and organizational growth opportunities. Additionally, this role will deepen Share Our Spare’s impact by using data-driven research to inform improved structures and processes. This role will also support pilot programs that aim to meet more needs in the community by factoring in economic and poverty statistics that will help target areas for growth.
Duties & Responsibilities
- Implementing pilot programs with new partner networks to increase the number of individuals we’re able to reach throughout the year.
- Creating agency profiles to enhance our ability to provide accurate referral and resource information about the agencies we work with therefore increasing access to services for more individuals.
- Researching to support Illinois Diaper Bank Coalition’s work by expanding upon a Connecticut study on the economic effect of experiencing diaper need to include data on the relationship between diaper need and rates of housing insecurity and homelessness as well as the impact of diaper need on the physical and emotional wellbeing of individuals.
- Implementing new score card tool and updating census data to reflect most recent data collected.
- Developing a plan for increasing the quality and frequency of feedback from agency partners.
- Outline next steps for the continuation of each element, lessons learned, and next steps.
Benefits – Financial
Bi-Weekly Living Allowance: $575
Choice of two End-of-Service Awards:
- Segal Education Award: $6,345
- Cash Stipend Award: $1,800
Forbearance or Deferment of Student Loan Payments While in Service
Non-Competitive Eligibility Status
Healthcare Allowance
Leave Days: 10 Personal and 10 Medical
Positions located in the Chicagoland area that use public transportation to commute to and from your office receive or are reimbursed for an unlimited pass to use the public transit system.
Some organizations can offer supplementary financial benefits in the form of a housing or grocery stipend. Ask your interviewer if they offer any supplemental benefits.
Benefits – Training
In addition to the training offered by AmeriCorps to all members in the VISTA program, Housing Action coordinates two mandatory, multi-day, trainings. One in September focused on setting AmeriCorps members up for success during their term of service, and one in the spring focused on setting AmeriCorps members up to secure their next professional endeavor after their term of service. Both trainings are highly specialized based on Housing Action’s experience running the program, contemporary best practices, and trends, and input from the currently serving AmeriCorps members themselves.
Benefits – In-Kind
- Waived registration fee for annual HousingAction Conference
- Waived registration fee for annual Housing Action Benefit Event
- Informational interviews through your hosting organization and Housing Action network(s).
- Peer networking among the cohort.