Presentation Title: AmeriCorps: Get Involved, Give Back, Gain Skills, Earn an Ed Award and Obtain a Living Allowance! Featured Speakers: Paula Sotnik, Project Director, National Service Inclusion Project, Institute for Community Inclusion at UMass Boston Robert Shogren, Director, Arizona Governor's Commission on Service and Volunteerism Jason Wheeler, Senior Program Manager, National Service Inclusion Project, Institute for Community Inclusion at UMass Boston Amy Rocker, AmeriCorps Alumna & Commissioner for the Arizona Governor's Commission on Service and Volunteerism Description: When considering life after high school, national and community service presents an appealing option for students with disabilities. Whether the decision is to go on to college, get a job or both, a national service experience is a valuable place to develop skills, expand networks, and explore career options. This session will provide an informative overview of how an individual becomes a national service member or volunteer. This workshop will discuss how service can help young adults give back to their communities while simultaneously developing skills and experience, describe how service members can develop social networks and receive a living allowance, training and an Ed award, matched by 78 colleges and universities, to pay educational costs.

2. Speakers (in order of presentation sequence) Paula Sotnik , Director, National Service Inclusion Project, Institute for Community Inclusion at UMass Boston Robert Shogren , Director, Arizona Governor’s Commission on Service & Volunteerism Jason Wheeler , Senior Program Manager, National Service Inclusion Project, Institute for Community Inclusion at UMass Boston Amy Rocker , AmeriCorps Alumna, Commissioner & Disability Navigator

4. Questions: What is the most important piece of information that you hope learn today? What is your burning question?

5. The Corporation for National & Community Service (CNCS): A federal agency established in 1993 and reauthorized in 2009, to provide opportunities for ALL Americans to give back to their communities through service and volunteering The mission is to improve lives, strengthen communities and foster civic engagement through service and volunteering Structured volunteer service opportunities are provided through three major programs: Senior Corps, AmeriCorps and Learn and Serve America. Many new programs to be established with the passage of the 2009 Kennedy Service Act Federal Agency

6. VISTA Leaders  HQ  Sponsoring Agencies Senior Corps Foster Grandparents  Sponsoring Agencies  State Offices RSVP  Sponsoring Agencies  State Offices Senior Companions  Sponsoring Agencies  State Offices Nat’l Demonstration Projects  Nat’l Organizations  Sponsoring Agencies AmeriCorps Nat’l Demonstration Projects  HQ  Nat’l Organizations National, Regional & Local Projects  SE Region Campus  NE Region Campus  Central Region Campus  Western Region Campus  Capital Region Campus State Grants  State Commissions Ed Award Program Grants  State Commissions  Nat’l Organizations  Tribes & Territories Tribes & Territories Grants National Directs Grants  Nat’l Parent Organizations * Sub - Grantees * Sub - Grantees Learn & Serve America  State Ed Agencies (K-12)  Higher Ed Institutions  Community-based Orgs  Tribes Presidential Freedom Scholarships  HS Jrs & Srs Learn & Serve America Nat’l S-L Clearinghouse  All S-L practitioners & researchers A  State & National A  NCCC A  VISTA  Sponsoring Agencies The National Service Network Programs & Partners Local Projects  Sponsoring Agencies  State Offices

8. Thousands of people with disabilities serve (or have served) in the CNCS three major programs: AmeriCorps, Senior Corps and Learn and Serve America. Did you know…

15. On March 31, 2009 the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act to reauthorize the CNCS and its programs through 2014 On April 21, 2009. President Obama signed the bill into law. The 2009 Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act

27. How to apply to become an AmeriCorps Member

28. Step One : www.americorps.gov

29. Step Two : Select Interest & State

30. Step Three : Browse Opportunities

31. Step Four : Select “Apply Now”

32. Step Five : Complete Online Application

34. www.volunteeringandservice.org