The Appalachian Ohio Restore Corps (AORC) mobilizes 70 AmeriCorps members to help educate youth and the public, restore, conserve, and preserve environmental resources, improve food distribution to people in poverty, support reduced waste and recycling initiatives, and support economic resilience through climate mitigation and sustainability projects.
Appalachian Ohio Restore Corps members serve a term of 12 months in community based service, an average service load of 35 hours a week. This position for the People of Color Museum in Tablertown, Ohio.
Benefits for AmeriCorps Positions Include:
- An annual living allowance of $22,882
- An education award of $7,395 for a completed term of service to be used to pay student loans or for future education
- Health care coverage for members
- Child care (if income eligible)
- Mileage, training, and equipment budget totaling $1,400
- Assistance finding comfortable and affordable housing in your service community
- Professional development and training opportunities including valuable certifications and industry credentials
- Joining a family of AmeriCorps Alums in the region committed to lifelong-service and activism
- Student loan forbearance and the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program
- Networking with local non-profit and government leaders
- Connection to post-service careers with Employers of National Service
Activities & Duties
- Become familiar with resources located on the VISTA Campus Member Activity
- Attend regional and Rural Action AmeriCorps gatherings Member Activity
- Attend Rural Action and People of Color Museum staff meetings when possible
- Become familiar with the operations and capacity needs of regional community organizations involved in economic, community and food access development
- Create partnerships, identify shared organizational goals, map partners, service areas, assets and gaps
- Regular check ins with Supervisors to determine where understanding of systems and assets need to grow
- The VISTA will become oriented to museum databases (People of Color Museum and regional partner museums) and other site software, including the AmeriCorps timesheets and Monthly Report.
- The VISTA will make note of areas for improvement in the site’s data collection processes
- The VISTA will continue to maintain operational databases in order to ensure effective communication with non-profit members, donors, community participants, and recipients of services.
- The VISTA will make note of possible technology and infrastructure that will improve volunteer recruitment and retention for direct service activities at the site and make recommendations to the People of Color Museum board.
- The VISTA will develop a system for volunteer appreciation.
- The VISTA will make sure all museum acquisitions are properly accessioned into the museum’s database.
- The VISTA will make sure all displays are properly cleaned, preserved and visitor ready.
- The VISTA will learn about the history of the museum and the artifacts on display to help answer any museum goers questions.
- The VISTA will memorize the museum’s current welcome script. This is utilized to familiarize museum visitors with the space upon entry.
- The VISTA will help check the museum’s emails and voicemails regularly in order to keep potential visitors engaged and informed on any questions they might have.
- The VISTA will help visitors schedule their visit to the museum when needed.
- The VISTA will become familiar with funding structures, donor patterns, and current funds available to the People of Color Museum.
- In partnership with the board, the VISTA will research and propose fundraising opportunities, including government and foundation grants, awards, community fundraisers (such as the Rotary Club) and potential earned income opportunities.
- The VISTA will track all grants and earned income and establish a sustainable system of managing and reporting non-profit funds.
- The VISTA will help keep track of any donations given by visitors at the museum.
- The VISTA will help think of strategies to keep track of communities where people are visiting from. The VISTA will become familiar with current infrastructure funding sources for Canaannville, Tablertown, and other culturally important hubs.
- The VISTA will plan and attend community meetings and listening sessions with village staff and stakeholders in order to understand community needs. Member Activity
- The VISTA will attend webinars and information sessions for potentially-relevant funding opportunities, take notes, and develop ideas for eligible projects.
- The VISTA will help to develop relationships with funding and grant partners.
- The VISTA will help map out grant writing opportunities and funding proposals.
- The VISTA will represent The People of Color Museum and partner museums at conferences, gatherings, and requested presentations such as the Appalachian Studies Association, sometimes in partnership with Board members or volunteers.
- The VISTA will recruit representatives for outreach at conferences and respond to requests for attendance and presentations at conferences.
- In partnership with the Board, the VISTA will create and schedule an annual outreach calendar.
- The VISTA will develop and maintain outreach supplies relating to environmental stewardship, cultural programming, education around issues of poverty, and opportunities for economic security and sustainable livelihoods.
- The VISTA will research and implement media outreach and manage the People of Color Museum’s social media presence.
- The VISTA will create outreach materials as needed for presentations, conferences, community tours and exploration, and events.
- The VISTA will help advertise the museum especially to school, universities and communities of color and/or that are low income.