The document outlines the bylaws of the 2011-2012 Indiana AmeriCorps LeaderCorps. It describes the mission to strengthen national service identity in Indiana through outreach, service projects, and civic engagement. LeaderCorps members are expected to represent their AmeriCorps programs and assist with leadership development, outreach, and coordinating regional events. Requirements for members include conducting presentations in their communities and assisting with articles, service projects, and trainings. The bylaws also establish meeting schedules, attendance policies, and support services for AmeriCorps LeaderCorps members.

1. INDIANA AMERICORPS
LEADERCORPS
BYLAWS 2011-2012
Mission
o To strengthen the national service movement and identity of AmeriCorps in
Indiana through effective outreach, community-wide service projects, and civic
engagement.
Goals
o Act as ambassadors for National Service in Indiana.
o Reach out to AmeriCorps Alumni through involvement in outreach and service
projects.
o Promote AmeriCorps as a meaningful and inclusive service opportunity for all
Americans.
o Expand leadership and professional development opportunities for AmeriCorps
members.
o Promote involvement of programs and members in regional events and national
days of service.
o Act as a conduit of information between OFBCI, Program Directors, Host Site
Supervisors, and members.
o Design and assist in planning and implementation of events, trainings and other
activities for statewide members.
Membership
o Any AmeriCorps State member may apply with the approval of their program
director and host site supervisor.
o Members who apply may be involved in full (1700 hrs.), part time (900 hrs.),
reduced half time (675 hrs.), quarter time (450 hrs.), or minimum time service
(300 hrs.).
o Each program is responsible for selecting one representative for LeaderCorps on
an annual basis.
o Membership is voluntary but strongly encouraged in order to provide lines of
communication for OFBCI and service sites. Also, programs are encouraged to
nominate members to assist with building the community and outreach of
AmeriCorps both in the state and their own region.
2011-2012 Indiana’s AmeriCorps LeaderCorps Bylaws
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2. o It is strongly recommended that a second year member of Indiana AmeriCorps be
nominated but not required if the program director believes a first year member
would benefit from LeaderCorps service.
o Any program having more than 50 members may have 2 LeaderCorps positions.
Any program with 100 or more members may have 3 LeaderCorps positions.
o Alumni of AmeriCorps may join as representatives every other month on
conference calls.
o Alumni will also act as mentors for LeaderCorps members.
Expectations
o Commitment to the mission and purpose of LeaderCorps Indiana. To this end,
members will participate in all LeaderCorps activities, including but not limited to
traveling to and participating in retreats, meetings, and trainings, sometimes
requiring overnight stays and all-member events and service project planning
sessions and actual all-member events and service projects.
o LeaderCorps members must be active in representing his/her program during
LeaderCorps meetings, and in return, communicate information at each of his/her
regular program meetings. A summary of key points will be provided for
LeaderCorps representatives to share at upcoming program site meetings.
o Communicate to their respective programs the activities and discussions of
LeaderCorps Indiana, including making announcements and posting LeaderCorps
meeting minutes.
o Keep accurate records of all projects in order to pass on planning materials to
future LeaderCorps members.
o LeaderCorps members should always conduct themselves with respect for
themselves, one another, and the ideals of AmeriCorps and community service.
o LeaderCorps members must get permission from their host site supervisor to take
part in the LeaderCorps program.
Requirements 2011-2012
o Each LeaderCorps member will be responsible for conducting two community
outreach presentations in his/her community. Presentations will be made to
increase community awareness of the local AmeriCorps program, its impact and
service opportunities for all Americans, as well as information about other
national service programs. One of the presentations must be made to a group
involving or involved with persons with disabilities. A general presentation
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3. format and training will be provided by OFBCI. Each representative will be
responsible for scheduling, planning, and carrying out the presentations, in
addition to submitting an outreach presentation report. Each representative will
notify their Program Director and the OFBCI office of the dates of their
presentations and submit a one-page outreach presentation report within 14 days
of its completion.
o LeaderCorps members will be in charge of collecting and submitting at least two
articles about his/her program to be featured in the Indiana AmeriCorps blog and
OFBCI publications. At least one of the three articles must be about an alumnus
of AmeriCorps in the LeaderCorps member’s region. These articles should be
completed by February 1, 2012 and May 1, 2012. LeaderCorps members may
reuse these stories to submit to their Program Director when asked by them for
“Great Stories.” Contact information for alumni is available through Program
Directors, AmeriCorps Alumni chapters, and the OFBCI. A LeaderCorps
member may also utilize their alumni mentor, if they have one. Training and
guidance will be given on how to complete this assignment.
o Each member is responsible for offering leadership and assisting in the
coordination of a regional service project and/or event. This may or may not
include existing projects and events for AmeriCorps Week, National Days of
Service (i.e. MLK, Jr. Day), or other program-specific activities. LeaderCorps
members located in the same region are strongly advised to work together on
projects. All representatives should complete a one-page summary of their
service project/event, which must be submitted to the OFBCI within 14 days after
the service project/event.
o Each member will assist if requested in facilitating trainings at LeaderCorps
member service sites as directed by their Program Director.
Meetings
o LeaderCorps will have monthly conference calls on the 2nd Wednesday of each
month beginning in November. Conference calls will be facilitated by either the
program director advisors or the LeaderCorps members on a rotating basis.
o There will be three yearly meetings that each LeaderCorps member is expected to
attend.
 LeaderCorps retreat/Orientation – November (mandatory)
 AmeriCorps State Mid-Year Retreat - February
 Training/End of Year – May/June
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4. o Reimbursements will be made for all housing, meals, & transportation with regard
to LeaderCorps meetings.
o All members are expected to work to ensure that meetings are a safe environment,
one that allows for everyone’s perspective to he heard equally.
Attendance
o Attendance at all meetings, conference calls, and retreats is mandatory for all
LeaderCorps members. Failure to attend will result in the removal of the member
from LeaderCorps and the member’s AmeriCorps service site will forgo
representation with LeaderCorps for the remainder of the year.
o The only member(s) that may attend the LeaderCorps meetings are those who
have been chosen though application and nomination. No substitutes are
permitted.
o In the event of compelling circumstances, the LeaderCorps member will notify
both his/her program director and the OFBCI liaison of the situation prior to the
meeting.
Resignation & Termination
o If a LeaderCorps member has two unexcused absences from meetings/conference
calls, he/she will no longer be eligible to participate as a LeaderCorps member.
The member’s service site will then forgo representation with LeaderCorps.
Support Services/Advisement
o Two Program Directors will be chosen as advisors for LeaderCorps. Program
Directors selected as Advisors to LeaderCorps must be willing and able to:
 Serve alongside LeaderCorps members as mentors, trainers and leaders.
 Serve as ambassadors of Indiana’s AmeriCorps programs.
 Participate in face-to-face meetings and AmeriCorps statewide/regional
events (reliable transportation is required for face-to-face meetings and
statewide/regional events).
 Participate in LeaderCorps conference calls held on the 2nd Wednesday of
each month. A calendar of events will be provided.
 Act as a liaison, as well as a conduit of information between AmeriCorps
programs and the Office of Faith Based and Community Initiatives, sharing
updates and information on a regular basis.
 Help LeaderCorps members to develop partnerships within their
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5. community/region.
 Assist the LeaderCorps members with the coordination, promotion and
participate in days of service and national service events or finding events to be
a part of such as AmeriCorps Week, Martin Luther King Day and September
11th National Day of Service and Remembrance.
o The OFBCI will provide a staff liaison (Mariann Bernlohr, Training and Inclusion
Manager) to be an acting advisor and support the endeavors and activities of
LeaderCorps. All outgoing communications, financial and supply requests, and
meeting/event scheduling must be directed through the liaison.
Service Hours & Terms
o Indiana LeaderCorps members serve for approximately nine months (October –
June). All members will receive training hours for the time they spend in member
training and in meetings.
o Members must give 10 hours/full time, 5 hours/reduced half time and half time, or
3 hours/quarter time and minimum time toward their LeaderCorps responsibilities
at their service sites, unless otherwise designated to give more by their program
directors.
Benefits
o For Members
 Opportunities for leadership training in several areas including event
planning, fundraising, meeting facilitation, service project development,
communication skills and community outreach.
 The potential to attend the National Conference on Service and
Volunteerism (Chicago, 2012) with transportation reimbursement,
lodging, and conference fees taken care of by the OFBCI.
o For Programs and Host Sites
 A highly trained and enthusiastic National Service member with a
dedicated network of national service contacts throughout the state.
 A person that will promote a higher awareness of AmeriCorps in the
community through their own outreach and participation in service
projects. Leadership for both the community and other AmeriCorps
members.
 For programs with multiple sites, the benefit of connection between
members and programs.
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6. A trained person to help, if needed or wanted, with program site trainings
– as directed by the Program Director.
o For OFBCI and Indiana AmeriCorps
 Highly skilled and motivated ambassadors of service and local
connections to community through LeaderCorps members.
 Connection and community, as well as, a general esprit de corps
throughout the state of Indiana.
o For the Community
 An active and trained leader who can “get things done” on a grassroots
level by motivating people through modeling an ethic of service though
strengthened leadership and communication skills.
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