Nebraska Campus Compact

AmeriCorps Service ScholarsCourtney Jerke, Program Director

What is the Purpose of the NECC AmeriCorps Service Scholars

Program?

• Promote civic engagement among college students while addressing community identified unmet needs through service.

• Priority Areas:o Educationo Economic Opportunityo Healthy Futureso Disaster Preparednesso Environmental Stewardshipo Veterans Services

Service ActivitiesHow will AmeriCorps Members address these community identified needs:

• Provide academic support services (does not include tutoring or mentoring) to disadvantaged youth at after-school programs;

• Provide financial literacy and tax preparation services to economically disadvantages individuals and families at volunteer income tax assistance sites (VITA); and

• Provide health education services and/or programs to students and community members .

Program Goals• Provide one-on-one academic support services to

350 youth at after-school programs.

• Provide financial literacy and/or tax preparation services to 2,000 low to moderate income individuals and/or families.

• Provide health care education programming to 500 individuals.

AmeriCorps PositionsQuarter Time

• 450 hours of service• $675 stipend• $1,468 education

award

Minimum Time

• 300 hours of service• $500 stipend• $1,175 education

award

Institutional Partners: Roles &

Responsibilities • Identify appropriate host sites • Assist in the recruitment and enrollment of

students • Collect and submit the necessary forms and

documents • Provide AmeriCorps Member support as needed

Host Site: Roles & Responsibilities

• Complete and submit the following:o Host Site Application Formo Host Site Agreement Formo AmeriCorps Position Description (detailing duties and responsibilities -

must not include any prohibited activities)

• Provide direct support and daily supervision of AmeriCorps Members

• Verify service hours monthly (via My Service Log)• Complete mid-term and end-of-term member

evaluations• Assist with data collection

AmeriCorps Members: Roles &

Responsibilities• Conduct 300 / 450 hours of service

o 20% of hours may be for member development (trainings, workshops, conferences, etc.)

• Enter service hours monthly (via My Service Log)o Due by the 10th of each month

• Complete monthly reports o Demonstrate impact through service accomplishments and storieso Due by the 15th of each month

• Provide support for campus and community service projects and programs (i.e. National Days of Service)

• Recruit 5 volunteers

AmeriCorps Recruitment &

Enrollment

Eligibility• To be eligible to enroll in AmeriCorps, an

individual must:o Be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national or lawful permanent resident alien of the

United States;• Be at least 17 years old;• Have a high school diploma or GED

o or agree to obtain one while serving; and • Successfully pass a criminal history background

check

Eligibility • The Corporation for National and Community

Service requires one of the following pieces of identification to establish eligibility:

• A birth certificate OR

• An unexpired U.S. passport

Enrollment• AmeriCorps Member Application • National Service Trust Enrollment Form• AmeriCorps Member Contract• I-9

o Birth certificate and/or passport• W-4

o Driver’s License and social security card• Citizenship Attestation Form• Criminal History Background Check

o 2 fingerprint cards • Loan Forbearance Waiver Form

Criminal History Background Check

• A criminal history background check must be initiated on or before the first day of service. This includes:o A state and FBI criminal background check (fingerprints)o National Sex Offender Public Registry (NOSPR)

• AmeriCorps recruits will need to visit a Nebraska State Patrol location (or local police station) to be fingerprinted.o 2 fingerprint cards will need to be submitted to the Program Director

Criminal History Background Check

• AmeriCorps Members may perform service while awaiting the results of the background check

o AmeriCorps Members must be “accompanied” their Host Site Supervisor

o The Host Site Supervisor will need to complete an accompaniment document each month until the background check is complete

Required Forms & Documents

AmeriCorps Member Application

• Students must complete the AmeriCorps Member Application online at: www.americorps.gov

National Service Trust Enrollment Form

 • This form is required to enroll a serving member

in the National Service Trust, making the member eligible for an education award upon successful completion of his/her term of service.

• AmeriCorps Members must complete parts 1-3

AmeriCorps Member Contract

 • This contract describes the terms, rules and

conditions of enrolling into the AmeriCorps program (terms of service, benefits, loan forbearance, prohibited activities, rules of conduct, etc.)

• AmeriCorps Members must initial pages 2-9 and sign page 9

I-9 Form • This document is used to determine eligibility• AmeriCorps Members must complete and sign the

form

• Birth Certificate OR U.S. Passport (Institutional Partner must view original document)

W-4 Form• This document is used for tax withholding • AmeriCorps Members must complete and sign the

form • Driver’s License AND Social Security Card

(Institutional Partner should view original documents and submit copies)

Citizenship Attestation Form

• Similar to the I-9 document (required by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln)

• AmeriCorps Members must complete and sign the form

Loan Forbearance Waiver Form

 • If choosing to waive the loan forbearance option,

AmeriCorps Members must complete and sign the form

AmeriCorps Training

AmeriCorps Training• Host sites are encouraged to provide on-site

orientation and training for AmeriCorps Members

• AmeriCorps Member training provided by the NECCo TBA

• AmeriCorps Members are encouraged to attend the ServeNebraska AmeriCorps Member Conferenceo October 16, 2012o Lincoln, Nebraska

Prohibited Activities • AmeriCorps members cannot participate in the

following activities while performing service:

o Engaging in partisan political activities, or other activities designed to influence the outcome of an election to any public office;

o Organizing or engaging in protests, petitions, boycotts or strikes;o Providing abortion services or referrals for receipt of such services; ando Conducting a voter registration drive

My Service Log• Online system used to track AmeriCorps service

hours

o Utilized by AmeriCorps Members and Host Site Supervisorso Once enrolled, Members and Supervisors will receive information on

how to log on o Hours are to be entered and signed by the 10th of each month

Monthly Reports• AmeriCorps Members must complete monthly

reportso Short online surveyo Must be completed by the 15th of each month

• Demonstrate Impacto Stories, pictures, articles, etc. We want to hear how AmeriCorps

Members are impacting their communitieso We also encourage Institutional Partners and Host Site Supervisors to

share this information

Exit Process

Exit Check List • Hour Logs

o Must be complete and signed by both the AmeriCorps Member and Host Site Supervisor in My Service Log

• Performance Evaluationo Must be completed by the Host Site Supervisor

• National Service Trust Exit Form

National Service Trust Exit Form

• This form ends the term of a serving member in the National Service Trust and report on the eligibility of the member for an education award

• AmeriCorps Members must complete part 1

Segal Education Award

Education AwardTerm of Service #of Hours Education AwardMinimum Time 300 $1,175Quarter Time 450 $1,468

• AmeriCorps Members must complete the full term of service to receive the full education awardo Partial awards are based on the number of hours served

Education Award Highlights

• Members have up to 7 years to use the awardo It does not have to be used all at once

• Awards can be used to repay qualified student loans or to pay for current education expenseso Payments are made to the school or lender NOT the Membero Accessed through AmeriCorps.gov

• Awards are considered taxable income

Resources• ServeNebraska

o www.serve.nebraska.gov

• Nebraska Campus Compacto (402) 472-9638o www.nebraskacampuscompact.org

• AmeriCorpso www.americorps.gov

• My Service Logo http://necc.nebraska.myservicelog.org

Questions?