CACC Programs » Students In Service » Campus Partner FAQ

 

(formerly known as HELP Program) funded by the Corporation for National and Community Service and Washington Campus Compact For the latest info, please visit the official Students in Service website

Campus Partner Frequently Asked Questions

• How can the Students in Service program work on my campus?
• How does the recruitment and orientation process work?
• Who presents the orientations?
• How often are orientations presented?
• Will I be the only Campus Partner on my campus?
• What are the specific responsibilities of a Member and/or Site Supervisor?
• Will I need to fill out any forms for the Members?
• Can I or should I serve as a Site Supervisor to any Students in Service Members?
• What service activities are appropriate or not appropriate?
• What are some specific examples of what service Members can do?
• Can a Member’s position be paid?
• Who is responsible for completing and sending paperwork?
• What if there is a concern with the quality or nature of the Member’sservice activities?
• Is serving in a soup kitchen that is located in a church considered a “prohibited activity”?
• How does an agency or organization benefit from hosting an AmeriCorps Member?
• Can documents be faxed?
• Will AmeriCorps or Campus Compact staff visit my campus?
• What are “Great Stories”?
• Are there additional resources I can consult?

How can the Students in Service program work on my campus?

One program goal is to have Students in Service accessible to as many students as possible. To that end, Campus Compact staff will work with you to identify the level of support you would like for your campus. If your campus is not yet a Member of Campus Compact, the first step is to work with you, and your institution’s President to enroll as a Member of Campus Compact.

The Students in Service program is designed to operate using a train-the-trainer model. We understand campuses have varying resources to promote this program, and we have a structure that can be tailored to meet your campus’ individual needs.

Campus Compact will provide you, the Campus Partner (CP), with marketing materials to support recruitment efforts on your campus. Campus Compact will train you and any additional staff you identified to work with this program to give In-Person Program Orientations. We will give you a “script” for the orientation, including a PowerPoint presentation, slides, and handbooks to ensure consistent and complete information is provided to potential Members. You will then be able to orient students on an as-needed basis. Another option is for the Students in Service staff to come directly to your institution and provide program orientations for students. However, feedback from past partners has demonstrated having a person on site who can orient students has made the program more accessible, and minimized any delays for students wanting to start their service.

How does the recruitment and orientation process work?

Your state Campus Compact has established a process for recruitment and orientation, and a representative will work with you to adapt it to meet your program/campus’s needs. Campus Compact will provide you recruitment materials. In addition, best practices (partnering with work-study staff, presenting at service, fairs, presenting in service-learning courses, etc.) will be provided and support offered to tailor best practices to your program/campus.

Students interested in the program must first complete the Online Pre-Service Orientation. After completing the Online Pre-Service Orientation, students attend the In-Person Program Orientation. Whether Campus Compact provides the program orientations or you do, usually an orientation date is set in the fall, at which time students on your campus are invited to attend. Because the In-Person Program Orientation is required, all students must attend a session to receive training for the program and receive program materials/forms. If Campus Compact presents the orientations, staff will work with you to set orientation dates in advance to allow plenty of time to advertise the program effectively.

Who presents the orientations?

Orientations will either be conducted by you or by Students in Service staff. Either way, nearly all campuses typically have a large-scale orientation during the fall quarter/semester. For campuses that would like Campus Compact assistance, Students in Service staff will travel from campus to campus to provide orientations. It is common for Students in Service staff to schedule a few orientation sessions during their visit to accommodate different student schedules. However, because of the geographical distance of the Campus Compact office from some institutions, it is often ideal for Campus Partners to assume the Trainer role themselves.

How often are orientations presented?

Because most students commit to service in the beginning of the academic year, Campus Compact encourages a strong emphasis on recruitment and enrollment in the fall quarter/semester. However, the Students in Service program does offer enrollment at any time throughout the calendar year. As a result, it is important to have mechanisms in place that allow Members the opportunity to do so (ongoing, rolling, and individualized orientations allow this to happen).

Will I be the only Campus Partner on my campus?

You may or may not be the only contact for the Students in Service program. Campus Compact has multiple contacts on each of our Member campuses, and different individuals have different roles. A Campus Compact goal for the Students in Service program is to make this program accessible to as many students as possible; keeping a “diversified portfolio” of campus contacts allows for the most efficient, effective and all-encompassing outreach possible. However, Campus Compact wants to make sure each campus is aware of students participating in the program, and would like to streamline communication regarding the program to a few key people. As a CP, you play a leadership role as a key point of contact. Campus Compact can help keep you connected to others on your campus to build a local resource and support network.

What are the specific responsibilities of a Member and/or Site Supervisor?

Please refer to the Site Supervisor Resource Book and the Member Resource Book for specific information about each of these roles and responsibilities. This information is also available on this website in the forms section.

Will I need to fill out any forms for the Members?

As a CP, you may not have any actual responsibilities for a specific Member. Members are required to choose a Site Supervisor at their service site who will be directly responsible for monitoring paperwork and service activities.

Can I or should I serve as a Site Supervisor to any Students in Service Members?

While you may serve as a Site Supervisor to Members, first consider how you will manage that role. Members are encouraged to select as their Site Supervisor an individual who is directly related to their service activities, usually someone who’s actually at their service sites. Sometimes, for ease, several students will identify the same faculty or staff person as a Site Supervisor. Specifically, as a CP you may have multiple requests (perhaps you are a service-learning center coordinator or a faculty internship advisor, in which case multiple students may have contact with you, but they are not volunteering with you). As a CP you may want to ask the Members to select someone at their actual service site as their supervisor (it’s more appropriate considering how hours and direct service content can be monitored, etc.). Site Supervisors are also required to complete an evaluation at the end of the Member’s term of service, and the questions are best answered by an individual who is at the Member’s service site.

What service activities are appropriate or not appropriate?

Excellent question! A Member’s service activities should follow program and AmeriCorps guidelines including:

• Service in one or more of the focus areas: Education, Public Safety, Environmental Initiatives, Homeland Security, or Human Needs.
• Direct Service hours must be voluntary and follow AmeriCorps Prohibited Activities guidelines; the ONLY paid position for which a Member can accrue hours for both a job and for the Students in Service program is a service-related, Federal/State-funded Work Study position.
• Member Development hours must follow program guidelines that have serious and detailed goals that contribute to a Member’s personal and professional development, and service experience.
• Direct Service will constitute at least 80% of the total hours; Member Development hours will constitute no more than 20% of the total hours.
• Note: a list of Prohibited Activities included in this Resource Book and “Allowable Service Activities - What Counts and What Doesn’t” for more detail.

What are some specific examples of what service Members can do?

Members can do virtually any type of community service, as long as it is in one of the focus areas for national service. They can serve at domestic violence shelters and food banks/soup kitchens; tutor or mentor youth; volunteer within the criminal justice system, community health programs, or the Red Cross; serve as a volunteer firefighter; support stream restoration, revegetation, or reforestation projects; work with recycling programs or wildlife conservation; etc.

Can a Member’s position be paid?

The ONLY paid position for which Member can accrue hours for both a job and for the Students in Service program is a service-related, Federal/State-funded Work Study position. All other service must be non-paid (including internships, academic course-related service, and general volunteer service).

Who is responsible for completing and sending paperwork?

Ultimately, the Member is responsible for completing, securing appropriate signatures, and sending program-related paperwork to the respective Campus Compact office. Site Supervisors have agreed to assist the Member in completing the tasks that do require their participation, collaboration, and approval/verification signature. As a CP you may follow up with students who attend a program orientation to make sure they’ve sent in their paperwork. However, we strongly encourage Campus Partners to NOT assume responsibility for mailing documents.

What if there is a concern with the quality or nature of the Member’s service activities?

While Site Supervisors are encouraged to work directly with Members to outline responsibilities and expectations, if the Site Supervisor needs clarification or has a concern, he/she can directly contact the state Campus Compact office, or you, the local CP for additional support.

Is serving in a soup kitchen that is located in a church considered a “prohibited activity”?

To determine whether or not an activity is prohibited, a Site Supervisor and Member should consider first the type of the activity, and secondly the location. If a Member is serving food in a soup kitchen that happens to be in a church, that activity in and of itself is appropriate. Students in Service encourages partnering with faith-based organizations. However, if a Member is expected, as part of the soup kitchen experience, to discuss or promote the particular ideology or mission of the hosting religious organization, that would be an unacceptable direct service activity. This may be a helpful example in determining prohibited activities.

How does an agency or organization benefit from hosting an AmeriCorps Member?

The benefits of sponsoring an AmeriCorps Member are numerous:

• Access to a committed volunteer who can serve at an agency for a given period of time
• Ability to collaborate with a volunteer to identify a community need and outline steps to address community issues
• Fostering of a deeper relationship between community organizations and college/university resources;
• Development of programs or sustainability measures by an AmeriCorps Member for an agency or organization
• Direct connection to the national service movement and support of national service initiatives

Can documents be faxed?

Yes, documents can be faxed to the respective Campus Compact office. If a deadline is near, a Member may fax documents, but will eventually need to send the original document with original signatures. If the Member is unable to fax, have him/her call the state Campus Compact to notify the Program Director/Administrator that the paperwork will be late.

Will AmeriCorps or Campus Compact staff visit my campus?

Throughout the year, the Students in Service staff has an interest in visiting sites around the state to make connections with Campus Partners, Members, and community agencies. Along with program orientations, the Students in Service staff will also endeavor to visit Member institutions. The Corporation for National & Community Service (CNCS) also conducts yearly site visits to each state Campus Compact office. During a site visit, CNCS visits one college or university and reviews program administration. CNCS staff also feel strongly about making a connection in the community and invite direct feedback about program experience from Members, community partners, and Campus Partners. Again, while CNCS may not visit every campus, if yours is selected, you will be notified in advance. In that case, the Students in Service staff will bring Member files, meet with you on campus to review the program, be present during the CNCS review, and visit a few service sites.

What are “Great Stories”?

A significant component of any service-learning program is the element of reflection. Participants must have an opportunity to consider their experiences, and reflect upon the meaning of those experiences. The experiential learning process is a valuable component to Students in Service. Two times per term, Members are asked to submit a Great Story as part of their participation in the program. This story is a reflection piece about a positive experience that occurred at their service site and/or about their service with a client.

We encourage you to stay in touch with your Members about these stories. You may be rejuvenated after reading the wonderful learning experiences of other AmeriCorps Members. Many times, Members are willing to have their reflections shared with campus officials, other Members, agency staff, parent newsletters, or even boards of directors. Sometimes in the most challenging of service experiences, these kinds of reflections and learning experiences continue to inspire our Members and put their service experience into perspective. We hope you will be able to share in the positive outcomes of service!

Are there additional resources I can consult?

Aside from Students in Service program website, you can also contact your state Campus Compact office for additional training and technical assistance.