National Service and all....

07/02/2008 01:10:57 AM EST by gwzdavid in Action Network Forum

I was once approached by a close friend asking “what would you say if I asked you about serving you community?” I replied “sure, I would love to volunteer.” “No, that not what I meant,” he says. I could not understand what he meant until this day.

Joining ServeNext as a Summer Intern, 2 years and 11 months later, I finally realized the meaning of Service. While the idea of serving the community is similar to volunteering, service, or rather, national service was not quite what I expected. Comprising of dedicated individuals to “work” towards improving the community and providing service to those of low income, disables, disadvantaged, and those simply looking for the means to help themselves or help others, programs like AmeriCorps and Senior Corps help closes the gap of inequality.

City Year Graduation

06/24/2008 02:09:54 AM EST by gwzdavid in Action Network Forum

Oh, what a day. Last Thursday, I had the opportunity to visit City Year’s graduation in San Jose/Silicon Valley. This is one day I cannot forget. I left my apartment one hour earlier than the time needed because I was afraid I would get lost on my way. And as expected I wandered my way into Downtown San Jose, taking random buses and asking people the directions to the graduation. In the end, I managed to find the location and joined the graduation ceremony 15 minutes in. But without know too much about City Year, within minutes I was able to grasp the mood of the graduation.

AmeriCorps Can Help!

06/24/2008 12:56:51 AM EST by gwzdavid in Action Network Forum

AmeriCorps is incredible. As I was reading several responses to “Still Serving: Measuring the Eight-Year impact of AmeriCorps and Alumni” I realized that the effects of serving in the program have extremely lasting effects. After the study, the results of the AmeriCorps program shows that for those who serve compared to those who thought about serving but didn’t, are relatively much more active in further serving their community.

Inspired by Others Commitment to Service

06/20/2008 03:08:08 PM EST by bucha020 in Action Network Forum

The Impact of a Year of Service

06/19/2008 07:40:56 PM EST by bucha020 in Action Network Forum

When we think about committing a year or two to serve – either as a Teacher, and after-school program leader, a volunteer recruiter or a disaster relief responder – we often think about the people that are served. We think about the student that learns to read, the family whose home you construct or the town park that gets rebuilt. However, although we rarely think about it, it would be difficult to deny that committing your time and ability to serve others isn’t just as influential on the volunteer. But the impacts may go far beyond just the service experience.

Meaningful Training
Americorps programs like City Year, National Civilian Community Corps, Teach for America and VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) also provide volunteers with meaningful training that they wouldn’t necessarily receive through other avenues. Teach for America corps members go through an intense teacher education and leadership training before they enter the classrooms. They also get ongoing development and support throughout the two years and after their commitment. City Year corps members develop and lead after school programs for K-12 students across the country. Americorps State and National, VISTA volunteers and Public Allies members work in non-profit organizations often as managers, volunteer recruiters, and communications specialists. They have hands on experience and training working in a non-profit organization. Americorps NCCC have disaster relief training. They are rapid responders to disaster situations across the nation and 15% are also trained firefighters.

a President's Vision for National Service

06/19/2008 01:10:35 AM EST by gwzdavid in Action Network Forum

Between Democratic Candidate Barack Obama’s “Call to Serve” plans and Republican Candidate John McCain’s “Putting the ‘National’ in National Service,” both present a strong perspective on expanding national service. The next President must understand the current conditions of US and must be able to mobilize and institute, and execute, if you will, these plans accordingly. McCain has yet to present a plan, but the list of additions Obama has to National Service is promising.

Obama's Plans:
http://www.barackobama.com/issues/service/

The Moral Equivalent of War for the 21st Century

06/19/2008 01:01:56 AM EST by gwzdavid in Action Network Forum

Today, I was reading through The Moral Equivalent of War by William James for the second day of the orientation of the ServeNext summer internship program. And honetly, after reading it for the first time I was fairly baffled by the thought of connecting War with organized national service. After another look however, the idea of civic duty, moral obligation to one’s nation, and active service to one’s community, upholds a very genuine idea about national service.