Dear Friend in Service:
The Points of Light Foundation is pleased to announce the 1996-97 YES
Ambassador Program. Launched in 1991, the YES Ambassador program places
community-minded young people, between the ages of 18-25 in statewide
leadership organizations. Through these institutions, known as Partner
Organizations, Ambassadors stimulate the development of meaningful service
and leadership opportunities for young people at the local level.
Since September 1991 the program has placed 40 YES Ambassadors in twenty
states (California, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky,
Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon,
Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Utah, Washington, and Washington, D.C.). These
Ambassadors have been invaluable in developing and supporting opportunities
for youth to serve, lead and learn at the local, state and national level.
Ambassadors have performed extensive outreach, training and consultation to
over 70,000 young people, organizations, and institutions interested in youth
service, service learning and youth leadership.
The 1996-7 YES Ambassador program will operate in ten states: Colorado,
Georgia, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, New York, Ohio, Tennessee,
and Washington. Several of the states are currently in the process of
recruiting and selecting an Ambassador. We have enclosed general information
on the program, a copy of the generic YES Ambassador job description, and a
contact list for the sites that are currently recruiting. We encourage you
to pass the information to any interested organizations or young people.
This one year position, which begins October 1, 1996, is an exciting
opportunity to have an impact on the involvement of young people in community
development and problem solving.
1996-97 YES Ambassador Position Description
The YES Ambassador program seeks to enhance the national and community
service field by developing young leaders. Leaders, who at the local, state
and national level mobilize other young people to become community problem
solvers and build the capacity of organizations and institutions to create
service and leadership opportunities for youth. In order to meet this
objective, the program places community-minded young people between the ages
of 18-25 for one year with statewide leadership organizations, known as
Partner Organizations, to engage young people in service and to create
service and leadership opportunities for youth.
Through a partnership between the Points of Light Foundation and statewide
leadership organizations YES Ambassadors will be placed in 10 states during
the 1996-97 program year. These leadership organizations are committed to the
concept of youth service, service-learning and youth leadership. Partner
Organizations assist in the development of a work plan with the Ambassador
and provide ongoing supervision, mentoring, support, guidance and evaluation.
The Foundation provides a national training program, assists in the
development of a work plan, provides a travel stipend and ongoing support,
mentoring, guidance and evaluation.
Specific responsibilities of a YES Ambassador include, but are not limited
to:
* Train youth and adults. Examples of topics: youth leadership, adult
youth partnerships, service-learning, service project development,
reflection, agency readiness, diversity.
* Build and support youth leadership opportunities in policy setting and
governance activities for service and volunteering.
* Consult with individuals, organizations and institutions on the
development of youth service-learning projects and programs.
* Connect individuals, organizations and institutions to local, state
and national networks and resources.
* Represent the Points of the Light Foundation and the Partner
Organization to youth audiences.
Young people between the ages of 18 and 25 are eligible. Applicants should
have a demonstrated commitment to community service as well as youth
leadership, youth service or service learning. Ambassadors must have
excellent written and oral communication skills, strong interpersonal and
coalition building skills. YES Ambassadors are highly motivated and able to
work independently as well as part of a team. Ambassadors exhibit leadership
potential and entrepreneurial spirit. Extensive travel is required. This is a
one year commitment, from October 1, 1996 to September 30, 1997. Annual
salary is $20,000 and includes benefits. Please see attached list of Partner
Organizations currently recruiting.
1996-7 YES Ambassador Partner Organizations who are Recruiting
KANSAS
Pat Kells
Executive Director
KS Office for Community Service
P.O. Box 889
Topeka, KS 66601
913/234-1423
Fax 913/234-1429
pkells@smtpgw.ksbe.state.ks.us
GEORGIA
Sandra Kay Barnhill
Executive Director
United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta, Inc
100 Edgwewood Avenue, NE
P.O. Box 2692
Atlanta, GA 30371
(404)527-7200
MONTANA
Mary Blake
Director
Office of Community Service
Office of the Governor
State Capitol
Helena, MT 59620-0801
(406) 444-3111
Fax 406-444-5529
mblake@jsd.dli.mt.gov
OHIO
Kitty Burcsu
Executive Director
Ohio Governor’s Community Service Commission
51 N. High Street, Suite 481
Columbus, OH 43215
(614)728-2916
NEW YORK
Tom Lukacs
Program Officer
State of New York
Office of National & Community Service
State Capitol
Albany, NY 12224
(518) 473-8882
Fax 518-486-1217
program.americorps@budget.mailnet.state.
ny.us
WASHINGTON
Kate McPherson
Project Service Leadership
12703 NW 20th Avenue
Vancouver, WA 98685
360/576-5070
Fax 360/576-5068
Most of the above sites are recruiting through August 23 or so. Please
contact them directly if you are interested in applying for their YES
Ambassador position. If you have any questions please feel free to call (or
e-mail) Jennifer Gilligan (JKGilligan@aol.com) or Cynthia Scherer
(polfcyn@aol.com) at (202) 223-9186.