This document provides information and recommendations from an AmeriCorps VISTA team on how to increase collaboration among VISTA members. The team identified a need for VISTAs to have better connections and networking opportunities due to their decentralized roles. Their project created an online collaboration toolkit with guides for VISTA leaders and members, instructions for using the VISTA Campus platform, and recommendations for national service coordinators. The toolkit aims to strengthen the VISTA program through improved member satisfaction, retention and sense of community. The team members reflected positively on their experience collaborating online to develop these resources.

1. HOW CAN VISTA MEMBERS & LEADERS
INCREASE LOCAL & REGIONAL
COLLABORATION & NETWORKING AMONG THE
VISTA POPULATION?
ALC Presentation

2. Perdita
LOCAL & REGIONAL VISTA
COLLABORATION & NETWORKING
Action Learning Challenge Project Presentation
July 13th 2015 2PM EST
Chris
Gretchen
Perdita
Ryan
Vanessa
Kapila

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WEBINAR ETIQUETTE

5. MEET THE TEAM
AmeriCorps VISTA Leader Action Learning Challenge
Team Members

6. CHRIS MACKEY
AmeriCorps VISTA Leader
Toward a Sustainable Kentucky
Highland Heights, KY

7. GRETCHEN CHOMAS
AmeriCorps VISTA Leader
Spokane County United Way
Spokane, WA

8. PERDITA DAS
AmeriCorps VISTA Leader
North Carolina Campus Compact
Elon NC

9. RYAN HASKELL
AmeriCorps VISTA Leader
The Market Foundation
Seattle, WA

10. VANESSA REYES
AmeriCorps VISTA Leader
Virginia Mentoring Partnership
Richmond, VA

11. PRESENTATION OVERVIEW
The Challenge
• What is the Need?
• Vision, Mission, & Goals
• Why Collaborate?
The Project
Outcome
• Collaboration Toolkit
• Recommendations for
CNCS
Reflections
Team Testimonials

12. WHAT IS THE NEED?
CHALLENGE
VISTAs across the country
and locally currently have
an underutilized space
(VISTA Campus, social
media) to connect or
communicate with other
VISTAs thus isolating some
members.

13. WHAT IS THE NEED?
SCOPE
The challenge is
nationwide and affects
every AmeriCorps VISTA
member, leader, and
project.

14. WHAT IS THE NEED?
CAUSES
The VISTA program, by
design, is decentralized
and independent. This
can lead to isolation and
make it more difficult to
build a community.

15. WHAT IS THE NEED?
CONSEQUENCES
A weak or nonexistent
community causes VISTAs
to miss out on chances to
collaborate and improve
their program and
personal professional
development.

16. WHY IS COLLABORATION
IMPORTANT AMONG VISTAS?
Builds lasting
connections and
relationships
Enhances the
efficiency of the
VISTA program
Gives additional
support to
individual VISTAs.
Holds value both
personally and
professionally for
the VISTAs
Strengthens
VISTA projects
Creates
meaningful
relationships
Provides a strong
support system
for VISTA
members
Helps relocated
VISTAs form a
sense of
community
Increases a
sense of
connection with
national service
Increases
networking
opportunities

17. VISION
The vision of the AmeriCorps VISTA ALC team is increased deliberate
collaboration among VISTAs locally, regionally and nationally; leading to
better VISTA retention, greater satisfaction among members and
programs, a greater sense of community, increased peer support
structure and greater branding of the VISTA identity.

18. MISSION
The purpose of the project is to provide AmeriCorps VISTA members with
an improved sense of community by providing them with an easy-to-use,
sustainable, online tool that increases collaboration, satisfaction, member
retention and improved the VISTA brand identity. This, in turn, will
strengthen the AmeriCorps VISTA program and benefit the people we
serve.

19. GOALS
Goal 1: To provide a mechanism/tool for VISTA members that will allow
them to easily use the VISTA Campus (or other platforms like social media)
to search and connect with VISTAs for the purpose of promoting
collaboration and meaningful relationships.
Goal 2: To develop a strategy to promote and utilize this collaborative
mechanism before, during, and after PSO.

20. PRESENTATION OVERVIEW
The Challenge
• Vision, Mission, & Goals
• Why Collaborate?
• What is the Need?
The Project
Outcome
• Collaboration Toolkit
• Recommendations for
CNCS
Reflections
Team Testimonials

21. TOOLKIT OVERVIEWToolkitforIncreasing
CollaborationAmongVISTAs
Guide for VISTA
Leaders
Guide for VISTA
Members
Recorded Webinar on
Utilizing VISTA Campus
for Collaboration

22. GUIDE OVERVIEW
Introduction
What We
Know Now
Webinar
Social Media
& Marketing
Guide
Collaborative
Opportunities
During New
VISTA OSOT
Events &
Meetups
Community
Connections
Appendix
VISTA Leaders AND VISTA Members
Included only in the VISTA Leader Guide

23. WHAT WE KNOW NOW
• Combined 9 years in VISTA
• Stories and key points
• With what we know now...

24. WEBINAR
• Thorough tour of the collaborative tools on the VISTA campus
• Quick tutorial on how to create an account
• Highlight Maps, Forums, Learning Connections, VISTA Meetup
• Easy to follow, step by step printed guide in the toolkit

25. SOCIAL MEDIA & MARKETING GUIDE
• Creating a community & maintaining interest
• Making connections: #AmeriCorps #SupportTheCohort
• Using scheduling tools to help manage your plan
• Online meeting platforms

26. COLLABORATIVE OPPORTUNITIES
DURING NEW OSOT
• Purpose: Promoting collaboration & networking
during OSOT
• Suggestions for communicating with new VISTAs
& building sense of VISTA community
• Templates: PowerPoint, welcome letter,
organizational chart

27. EVENTS & MEETUPS
• Why meeting up is important
• Planning a casual event
• Planning a formal event
• Planning a multi-day retreat

28. MAKING COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS
• Benefits
• Identifying potential partners
• Inside and outside AmeriCorps
Connections
• Making an ask

29. RECOMMENDATIONS TO CNCS
1. Before during and after PSO
2. VISTA Leaders
3. VISTA Campus
4. Observations

30. PRESENTATION OVERVIEW
The Challenge
• Vision, Mission, & Goals
• Why Collaborate?
• What is the Need?
The Project
Outcome
• Collaboration Toolkit
• Recommendations for
CNCS
Reflections
Team Testimonials

31. “
”
For an Action Learning Challenge project with a goal of increasing
collaboration between VISTAs I have enjoyed the chance to
collaborate, network, and talk with other VISTA leaders (and ALC
team members) during the past few months. I hope we can
continue collaborating during the remainder of our VISTA terms
and after.
VISTA Leader with Toward a Sustainable Kentucky
Highland Heights, KY
Chris Mackey

32. “
”
I am grateful that I have had the opportunity to work with such a
reliable and dynamic team. The ALC process has helped grow my
capacity to work with and trust others to be strong teammates
despite time differences and distance and think more strategically
and systematically than I might typically.
VISTA Leader with Spokane County United Way
Spokane, WA
Gretchen Chomas

33. “
”
Being a part of this Action Learning Challenge Team has been a
great experience, both personally and professionally. I believe I
have been privileged to work so closely over the past few months
with this team of exceptional leaders, who worked seamlessly with
each other to create this product that we are all proud of. I have
been able to apply many of what I have learned to both my work
and myself already and I have definitely gotten over my fear and
hesitancy of online collaboration. It can be done! Thank you ALC!
VISTA Leader with North Carolina Campus Compact
Elon NC
Perdita Das

34. “
”
Working on this ALC team has been an eye opening experience.
After hearing horror stories about working at a distance and
having my own bad experiences with online courses I was
skeptical. However, I don't think I've ever worked with a better
more capable team than I have these last few months. Everyone
came together when needed and contributed their skills and
perspective. I've learned so much about working as a team and
practical tips on using online tools for working on project.
VISTA Leader with The Market Foundation
Seattle, WA
Ryan Haskell

35. “
”
We ended every meeting with personal reflections about our
experience. During this process, I would be amazed by the
cohesion of our team and the progress that we made each week.
I personally have learned that great things can be accomplished
despite physical distance.
VISTA Leader with Virginia Mentoring Partnership
Richmond, VA
Vanessa Reyes

36. COMMENTS & QUESTIONS
Thank you for attending our presentation