1. The Bonner Program:
Service Placements
“Access to Education,
Opportunity to Serve”
A program of:
The Corella & Bertram Bonner Foundation
10 Mercer Street, Princeton, NJ 08540
(609) 924-6663 • (609) 683-4626 fax
For more information, please visit our website at www.bonner.org

2. The Bonner Program:
Leveraging Broader Impact
Academic Connections
Campus-Wide
FIPSE Civic
Campus-Wide
Engagement Minor
Center
Bonner Program
Learn & Serve
Institutional CBR/
Support PolicyOptions.org
Recruitment Training
Community National
Cornerstone
Service
Partnerships Community
Activities
Bonner
Co-Educators AmeriCorps
(National & NJ)
National Bonner
Site-Based Teams
Gatherings
www.bonner.org

3. Service Placements:
Overview
• Overview
Community Partnership Model
•
Steps in the Process
•
Identifying & Orienting Partners
•
Administrative management
•
Supervising placements
•
Partners as Co-Educators
•
Evaluation
•
Awards/Recognition
•
• Resources
• Best Practices
• Self-Assessment & Evaluation
www.bonner.org

4. Service Placements:
Community Partnership Model
Site-
Based
Team
www.bonner.org

5. Service Placements:
Developmental Nature of Placements
Expertise - specialist
Placements evolve to • Culminating project or capstone
• Academic connection
offer increasing • Future-focused
complexity and
Example - site/project coordinator
responsibility • Continued focus
• Project/Site Coordinator
• Possible third summer (abroad or career connection)
Experience - regular volunteer
• Development of greater focus
• Commitment to one agency and type of placement
• Sophomore Exchange
• Summer in a new geographical area
Exploration - occasional volunteer
• Exposure to the neighborhood, agencies, issue areas and types of placements
• First-Year Service Trip
• Summer in the hometown
www.bonner.org

6. Service Placements:
Developmental + Capacity Building Placements
TYPE OF WORK DESCRIPTION EXAMPLE: Education
Steering a five-year strategic
Students involved in strategic
Vision/Strategy plan for the school’s
planning, visioning for future work
immunization program
Expertise
Students involved in grant writing, Writing a Healthy Start grant;
Fundraising
financial partnerships creating a corporate partnership
Students involved in community- Interviewing families about
Research / Writing /
based research that answers an health care needs and
Academic Work
identified community question developing a written paper
Brokering relationships with
Students involved in broader
Outreach/Public Relations other non-profits for expanding
community development work
health services for children
Students involved in managing other Managing a corps of regular
Project Coordination
volunteers or staff volunteers
New Program Students involved in creating a new Creating a Family Involvement
Development program or service Program
Improving Existing Students involved in expanding or
Curriculum development
Services improving a key service area
Explore Students involved in sustained
Regular Volunteer Work Tutoring a child in the classroom
volunteer activity over a semester
Playground Build
Students involved in short-term
One-time Service Projects
service project or meeting a need Family Fair
www.bonner.org

7. Service Placements:
Campus Administrator Monitoring & Reporting
Prepare Student Member
Profiles Enrollment
BWBRS
Agency Service Training &
Profiles Opportunities Enrichment
Monitor Community
Service
Hour Logs
Learning
& Approve Accomplishments
Agreements
www.bonner.org

8. Service Placements:
Student Reporting
Community
CLA Review
Learning (1 on 1 Advising)
Agreement
Service
Hour Logs
Accomplishments
www.bonner.org

9. Service Placements:
Sequence
Agency Site Campus Director/
Step Student
Supervisor Coordinator
Each Semester/Summer:
Update BWBRS Agency,
Prepare Bonner Web-
Service Opportunity, and
Based Reporting
Training & Enrichment Profiles
System (BWBRS)
Each Semester & Summer: Sign printed Community Sign Community Learning
Enter & print CLA in Learning Agreement Agreements
Community Learning
BWBRS Electronically approve
Agreement
CLAs in BWBRS
Each Week: Enter Hours in Sign printed Monthly Sign printed Monthly Hour
BWBRS Hours Log Report Log Reports
Hour Logs Monthly: Print Hour Log Electronically approve
Report Hour Log entries in
BWBRS
End of Semester: Sign printed Service Approve & Sign Service
Log & Print Service Accomplishments Report Accomplishments Report
Service
Accomplishments in
Accomplishments
BWBRS
www.bonner.org

10. Service Placements:
BWBRS Screen — Log-in
www.bonner.org

11. Service Placements:
BWBRS Screen — Navigation
www.bonner.org

12. Service Placements:
BWBRS Screen — Online Help
www.bonner.org

13. Service Placements:
BWBRS Screen — Student Profiles List
www.bonner.org

14. Service Placements:
BWBRS Screen — Student Profile
www.bonner.org

15. Service Placements:
BWBRS Screen — Student Enrollment
www.bonner.org

16. Service Placements:
BWBRS Screen — Agency Profile
www.bonner.org

17. Service Placements:
BWBRS Screen — Service Opportunity Profile
www.bonner.org

18. Service Placements:
BWBRS Screen — Training & Enrichment Profile
www.bonner.org

19. Service Placements:
BWBRS Screen — Community Learning Agreement
www.bonner.org

20. Service Placements:
BWBRS Screen — Hour Log Entry Form
www.bonner.org

21. Service Placements:
BWBRS Screen — Hour Log Report
www.bonner.org

22. Service Placements:
BWBRS Screen — Service Accomplishments
www.bonner.org

23. Service Placements:
BWBRS Screen — Monitor Hour Log Status
www.bonner.org

24. Service Placements:
BWBRS Screen — AmeriCorps Member Tracking
www.bonner.org

25. Service Placements:
Summary — Steps in the Process
Placement Process Steps: Resources:
• Bonner Handbook
• Agencies submit Requests for Partnerships and all relevant
Service Opportunity job descriptions. —Comprehensive
Placement Process
• Students review the BWBRS Service Opportunity job
descriptions to identify a placement.
• CLA Quickstart
Guide
• Student and agency site supervisor complete the BWBRS
Community Learning Agreement, including the student’s
• Creating Service
service objectives for the semester or summer.
Objectives Training
Module
• Student records service and training/enrichment hours in the
BWBRS Hours Log, submitting signed Hours Logs
• At the end of each semester or summer, the students summarize
the impact of their service activities in the BWBRS Service
Accomplishments log.
• Finally, the student and agency site supervisor complete
Community Learning Agreement Review at the end of
each semester or summer.
www.bonner.org

26. Service Placements:
Summary — Campus Administrator
Resources:
Recommendations:
• Sample Calendar—
• Verifying Placements and monthly guidelines
Securing Hours for reporting
• Community Partner
• Transportation arrangements Implementation
Guide—sections on
and procedures management
• Hour Logs
• AmeriCorps Logs
www.bonner.org

27. Service Placements:
Identifying Partners
Resources:
Recommendations:
• Bonner Handbook
• Select organizations with strong staff and
the capacity to host Bonner students • Community
Partnerships
• Organize around the place (asset Implementation
mapping) or prominent issues and Guide
themes
• In Good Form
• Utilize written materials examples
- Higher level application for • Create a binder for
partners using
committed, multi-year sites
samples
- Simple application or form for
• Bonner WBRS
occasional sites
• Input each partner into BWBRS (identify
level, type, mission, projects, placements)
www.bonner.org

28. Service Placements:
Selecting Committed Sites
Recommendations: Resources:
• Community
• Consider capacity building and the Partnerships
developmental model as frameworks Implementation
Guide—detailed
• Have a mix of partners at all levels— guidelines, forms
identify 4-12 committed sites
• Create a binder for
partners
• Make site visits in the summer to
solidify arrangements
www.bonner.org

29. Service Placements:
Inappropriate Activities
• All Bonners
- For-profit companies
- Limited office administrative work to 20% (e.g., filing,
copying, answering phones, etc.)
- Scientific research in a lab
- Religious training or proselytizing
- Military service
• Bonner AmeriCorps Members
- lobbying
- international service
- limited fundraising (10%)
- other restrictions listed in Prohibited Activities Form
www.bonner.org

30. Service Placements:
Organize Bonner Orientation for Partners
Recommendations: Resources:
• Community
• Have time set aside; build this into Partnerships
program expectations Implementation
Guide
• Introduce Bonner Program structure;
• Sample calendar—
Bonner volunteers can commit to a annual timeline
longer time frame and higher level
• Utilize other
work schools in the
network, i.e., Berea
• Introduce the developmental model
• Provide a binder or written materials
• Set out communication expectations
• Talk about appropriate and
inappropriate service projects
www.bonner.org

31. Service Placements:
Partners as Co-Educators
Recommendations: Resources:
• Community
• Invite the partner to be involved in an Bonner
Partnerships
Orientation, Retreats, Meetings
Implementation
Guide—full section
• Invite the partner to present to your class (if
you are faculty) or connect with a faculty • Sample calendar—
member annual timeline
• Other schools
• Gather information from partners about topics
examples, i.e., Mars
that they would be willing and able to provide
Hill
training
• Encourage a partner to help articulate an
agenda for research or shape the project
• Gather information from partners about what
skills and topics they would like to see students
receive training
www.bonner.org

32. Service Placements:
Supervising Placements
Resources:
Recommendations:
• Community
• Set clear expectations with partners about Partnerships
what their management roles are and how Implementation
to respond when there are issues Guide—sections
with forms and
• Utilize materials on topics like: details
Rights & Responsibilities of Partners • Bonner WBRS
-
Above Suspicion Policy • Bonner Handbook
-
Informed Consent
-
Volunteer Retention
-
Handling Problems
-
• Design & implement a communication
strategy that keeps you in touch with
partners and an open door to you
www.bonner.org

33. Service Placements:
Evaluation
Resources:
Recommendations:
• Community
• Written evaluations should be carried out Partnerships
each semester—these are completed by Implementation
Guide—sections
both partner supervisor and student
with sample
evaluations
• Use the sample evaluation materials from
• Advising
the Community Partner Implementation
Implementation
Guide Guide
• Integrate information from evaluations into
your 1 on 1 advising and other meetings
• Utilize information annually with partners
when you solidify next year’s arrangements
www.bonner.org

34. Service Placements:
Awards & Recognition
Resources:
Recommendations:
• Community
• Have a formal Awards Program at least Partnerships
annually Implementation
Guide—section on
Awards &
• Ceremonies can build campus-wide and
Recognition
community-wide visibility, recognition and
support
• Have students involved in personalized
recognition and thanks to partners
• Informal recognition should also happen
consistently
www.bonner.org

35. Service Placements:
Resources
• Bonner Handbook—Comprehensive Placement
Process
• Community Partnerships Implementation Guide
• In Good Form samples
• Bonner Web-Based Reporting System (BWBRS)
• Recipes for Change
• Community Fund
www.bonner.org

36. Service Placements:
Self-Assessment and Evaluation
Bonner Community Partner Selection: appropriate, effective strategy for selecting or confirming community partners;
annual planning, including in written form (applications or agreements); orientation for partners around the Bonner Program
Developmental Model in Place: mix of community partners offer developmental student service placements; integration into
partner orientation, materials, selection process, and ongoing management; coding of agencies and in students’ CLAs in the reporting in
BWBRS.
Community Partner Communication and Management: consistent communication with community partners; at least
one annual site visit; communication at least each semester or more often
BWBRS Administrator Usage: staff use Bonner Web-Based Reporting System (BWBRS) effectively
BWBRS Student Usage: students use Bonner Web-Based Reporting System (BWBRS) effectively
Partners as Co-Educators: engage community partners as co-educators; community partners are informed and engaged in
providing training, orientation, guidance, and structured learning opportunities to students
Site-Based Model and Project Coordinators: utilize a site-based partnership model, with some sites identified as longer-
term or multi-year; have teams at sites with a (student) project/site coordinator
Partner Evaluation Process: implement partner evaluation process; formal (written) evaluation and feedback at least once each
year; ongoing informal opportunities for feedback and recognition
Awards and Recognition: institution recognizes contributions and achievements of students and community members through
awards and other recognition initiatives.
Community voice and involvement: accessible channels by which community individuals and/or agencies can be involved in
contributing to, designing, carrying out, and/or evaluating academic, research and service-learning activities; representation on
institutional boards, presenting to classes, teaching, and shaping the research agenda
www.bonner.org

37. Service Placements:
Best Practices
• Rina Tovar, Jessily Ramirez, and Kevin Winchell,
Community Asset Mapping
• Jim Ellison, Laughlin Memorial Chapel
www.bonner.org