VYT VOICES Winter Edition
Vermont Youth Tomorrow AmeriCorps VISTA Program (VYT)
CONTENTS :
1. VYT Team Introduction 2. Mikayla Humiston
3. Tenzin Dorjee 4. Nicholas Ellis 5. Josh Wolf 6. Brigett Weinstein 7. Kacey LaBonte 8. Devin Thomas 9. Gabrielle Rameriz 10. Joe Warburton 11.Kate Nicoletti 12. Molly Schneider 13. Jilly dos Santos 14. Samantha French 15-17. Dr. King Day of Service & Mid-year Successes 18. Former VISTA Pays It Forward 19-20. VYT Host Sites 21. Contact Information
Winter is finally over.
Here's how we weathered it. The Vermont Youth Tomorrow AmeriCorps VISTA Program (VYT) supports organizations across Vermont which create opportunities for youth in low-income families to rise above poverty and flourish. VYT VISTA members build the capacity of initiatives designed to – (1) provide access to affordable health care, mental health and substance misuse prevention and treatment programs, healthy food, housing, and other comprehensive support services; (2) develop job skills and academic proficiency; (3) increase food security; and (4) promote the cultivation of social assets necessary to transcend poverty, avoid unhealthy behaviors such as opioid misuse, and ultimately thrive.
In this issue, we asked VYT members to respond to some questions as they reflected on the first half of their service year. 1. While serving during COVID-19, what challenges have you encountered? How have you responded to or are continuing to respond to these challenges? 2. What’s been the most impactful moment of your service so far? This can include projects you have assisted with, interactions you have had, impact on you, or anything else that comes to mind.
Join us in celebrating the VYT members’ steadfast dedication and astounding accomplishments during this unparalleled year. 1.
Mikayla Humiston Resource Development and Volunteer Coordinator VISTA
Addison Central Teens
When we had to shut down the Teen Center based on the Governor’s COVID-19 guidelines, we had to switch to virtual programming. Luckily, we had been anticipating another shutdown or tightening of restrictions, and we had contingency plans ready to go. The biggest challenge was rolling out our new operations and communicating changes swiftly and effectively to the community.
So far, the most impactful moment of my service was getting to see a project, that I had originally come up with, come to fruition. During the interview process for this position, I came up with an idea to include pre-stamped postcards in the annual appeal mailing, asking the current donors to help spread the word about our organization and potentially gain new funders. In the fall I designed the postcard and introduced the idea to the board of directors for approval. We sent more than 300 in the November appeal mailing. We're not sure of the exact impact yet, and we are hopeful that more people know about our organization now. One donor sent back a postcard saying thank you for our dedication to the youth in our community. That was really nice to see.
Middlebury, VT
2.
Tenzin Dorjee Mentoring and Outreach VISTA
Middlebury College Center for Community Engagement
Middlebury, VT
One challenge I’ve faced while serving during COVID-19 has been a lower participation rate from children/families. When I reached out to families and spoke with them, there was the consensus they did not have the capacity to join virtually for a variety of reasons. However, I did not let that impede me from my larger goal of advising and running the youth programs. Even though we had lower numbers, I was still very pleased to have the participants we got. I was able to focus more on the core values of managing and providing the services of the youth and mentoring programs I advise. This challenge emphasizes the importance of quality over quantity and going forward. I hope to continue focusing more in-depth on the quality of the adjustments I’ve made so far.
The greatest and most impactful moments I have had in my service so far is my interactions with families and when families express their gratitude. As the advisor of the youth and mentoring programs, I am the contact person for when families have any questions or concerns. From my interactions with them, it is their expression of gratitude that has been the most impactful part of my service simply because it motivates me to do good and makes me love my service role.
3.
Nicholas Ellis Community Resource VISTA
Essex CHIPS
COVID-19 has provided a variety of unprecedented challenges in my service. One of the key challenges has been feeling disconnected from my service site and the community at-large. I’ve compensated by proactively staying updated on Essex community news, as well as keeping in close contact with my team members at Essex CHIPS. I’ve found this to be helpful in feeling more directly connected to my service site’s activities in serving our community during this time.
The most impactful project of my service thus far has been our TeenLine project. The TeenLine project is an information and referral hotline that provides youth with access to key support services in the community. I am particularly proud of this project as it addresses the needs of at-risk youth in our community who have been left particularly vulnerable in the pandemic.
Essex Junction, VT
4.
Josh Wolf Talent Development and Training VISTA
Howard Center
As an AmeriCorps member serving during COVID-19, I’ve encountered some unique challenges, the biggest being adjusting to online service. Since the very beginning of my term, I have been serving remotely, which has definitely taken some time to adjust to. I haven’t been able to meet my coworkers in person and have had to learn to cultivate relationships through email, video, and phone calls. As difficult as these challenges have been, I am in constant communication with my team and have received an immense amount of support from them.
Burlington, VT
5.
My service so far has culminated into an exciting project centered on improving and streamlining the Howard Center’s current internship program. When I started my service, this program was largely in its infancy, and it’s been great helping it grow to a point that it is now being discussed with more vigor by agency leaders. While the project has come with its own challenges, it has overwhelmingly been a great opportunity to grow as a professional and member of a team.
Brigett Weinstein Community Outreach and Engagement VISTA
Howard Center Department of Development and Communications
For me, the hardest part about serving remotely due to COVID-19 was familiarizing myself with the culture of my service site. I do not have much professional experience, and I was unsure what would be expected of me or how offices typically operate. Prioritizing clear, consistent communication by (checking in regularly with my supervisor, communicating with staff, asking clarifying questions) has really helped me adjust to Howard Center’s culture and has ensured that I have the information and tools that I need to succeed as an AmeriCorps VISTA member.
Burlington, VT I was really involved in promoting Howard Center’s World Mental Health Day speaker series, I distributed posters in three different counties and connected with all of the public schools in Chittenden County. Knowing that some of the attendees were there because they saw a poster that I put up or read about the event in their school e-newsletter made me feel like I really made a difference in expanding Howard Center’s reach.
6.
Kacey LaBonte Gleaning Capacity Building VISTA
Salvation Farms
Service from home initially challenged me. Prior to COVID-19, my schedule involved a lot of physical movement throughout the day. The beginning of my service was filled with inperson opportunities—meeting farmers and interacting with volunteers harvesting and packing crops. My service has changed, and I’ve been able to adjust. I’ve scheduled time for movement and to prioritize exercise to help burn off energy that accumulates during the day while serving from home. A steep learning curve at first, and now I’m getting the hang of it!
Morrisville, VT
7.
The most impactful moments of my service so far have been through our Bounty Share program. In collaboration with University of Vermont (UVM) Extension and Community Health Services of Lamoille Valley (CHSLV), Salvation Farms assembles and distributes a weekly supply of fresh, gleaned produce (a “Bounty Share”) to eligible patients of CHSLV. Managing volunteers in the field who are harvesting the crops, creating a weekly newsletter, and ensuring that the produce and materials get to the grateful recipients has been so meaningful for me. Especially during COVID-19, when food is even harder to come by, it has been a privilege to serve the community in such an essential way.
Devin Thomas The Spark Education & Outreach Coordinator
WonderArts
When I started serving with my organization, much of its operation was beginning to return to normal. However, following a spike in COVID-19 cases, we began transitioning our programs to a virtual space. One of our largest annual events was scheduled to take place inperson in early December, and we successfully pivoted to host the event online. The WonderArts team has a resilient, positive attitude and I have enjoyed serving with them to address challenges that have arisen and to initiate innovative solutions in order to serve our community.
Greensboro, VT I have really enjoyed connecting with this vibrant, inspirational community. The events my organization hosts bring joy to children and families in this very rural community, which is a beautiful thing to witness. It has been an honor to be a part of that and to facilitate the continuation of the creative environment WonderArts maintains.
8
Gabrielle Rameriz Collaborative Out-of-School Time Programs VISTA
The Collaborative
Serving remotely has been a challenge at times. I’ve had to adapt to serving in a different capacity. Sometimes I feel like Wade from “Kim Possible,” living entirely in a screen! I’ve responded by continuing to find different ways I can be of service remotely. Creating digital posters, newsletters, and social media posts for my organization has become a daily occurrence for me.
Londonderry,VT
Reading through hundreds of responses from our youth and seeing all of the wonderful art our students created for our Refuse To Use* program reminded me of the impact we make, even remotely. Seeing such effort and enjoyment in an optional program showed me the impact my service was having, and made me feel real joy. (*An educational program in which participating students learn the health risks of substance use and have the opportunity to engage in fun and healthy activities.)
9.
Joe Warburton VYT Team Leader
Vermont Youth Tomorrow AmeriCorps VISTA Program
I think the biggest challenge I have faced so far was cultivating relationships with VYT team members virtually. COVID-19 prevented us from gathering for in-person training and in-person site visits. These opportunities are normally crucial in getting to know each other and developing relationships. To overcome this, I have utilized a variety of virtual events and check-ins to forge relationship building. I currently check in with each individual member monthly and plan virtual activities, such as game nights and trivia tournaments. These virtual interactions have allowed me to get to know members better, even without inperson activities.
Berlin, VT
The most impactful moment of my service so far has been being tasked with planning and facilitating discussions. I have found the experience to be beneficial to me personally, as it has allowed me to grow more comfortable with facilitating conversations. I have also found that I enjoy the planning aspects of events and all the little details that come together to make an event a success.
10.
Kate Nicoletti Youth Programs Coordinator VISTA City of Winooski Recreation & Parks Department.
I serve at the City of Winooski’s Recreation and Parks Department, which runs sports leagues, outdoor activities, community events, and educational programs. In-person activities are usually the norm, however the Governor’s order to help curb COVID-19, meant that formal and informal gatherings needed to cease until further notice. This presented both a challenge and an opportunity as we moved our offerings to a virtual space. Our participants are mostly kids from K-12, and we were aware that they were already spending half of their week on Zoom in virtual classes. For this reason, I coordinated a project creating take-home activity kits so that community members had the opportunity to participate in projects that don’t require a screen.
Winooski, VT The first big event I participated in was the Winooski Community Services Department’s Halloween event. This year, the event included a week’s worth of community pumpkin carving, culminating in a three-day jack-o-lantern display in the city center. This required a lot of long hours and preparation time. My fellow VISTA member (Molly) and I got to meet some of the youth our programs serve. They were excited to carve and find their carved pumpkin creations in the sea of a thousand jack-o-lanterns. It can be difficult to cultivate relationships with the public when physically distanced and virtual events are
the norm. It was incredibly rewarding to witness the emotional reaction to the event
11.
Molly Schneider Community Engagement Coordinator VISTA
City of Winooski Community Services Department
Regardless of the challenges that come with serving as an AmeriCorps VISTA during COVID19, I found that my first months have been very successful. Since there is less going on in terms of community events and programming, I have been focusing on community assessment and brainstorming on important capacity building goals for this service year. I think in a crisis a lot of things can come to light about where a community is succeeding and where it is lacking in resources and support. During COVID-19 I have been taking my time to learn about Winooski and what the community wants and needs.
I have been able to serve with many folks in the community. Although it’s mostly over Zoom, I feel as if connections are being made! In the first few months in my role, I was tasked with organizing and putting on Winooski’s Annual Halloween Pumpkin Festival in Rotary Park. I coordinated over 150+ volunteers over email, and together as a community we successfully put on an engaging (and safe) Halloween event. From the many thanks from community members and volunteers to seeing everyone’s excitement around the jacko'-lantern lighting, it felt great to give the community a fun thing to enjoy during these hard times.
Winooski, VT
12.
Jilly dos Santos Youth & Partnerships VISTA
Middlebury College Center for Community Engagement
From the start, the 2020-2021 year of service has not been typical. Starting remotely was a strange, sometimes stressful experience (so much to absorb — would I remember it all?) However, once the initial serve-from-home nerves and growing pains went away, the biggest issue I have had is my spotty internet and cell connection where I live in rural Vermont. While I can access basic internet for documents, webinars, and watching Zoom, things get messier when I have my camera and mic on at the same time. By communicating with my service site and Vermont Youth Tomorrow, I’ve been able to mitigate most ill-effects of being a disembodied voice on Zoom, like being forgotten in a big meeting, and they have been helpful in suggesting WiFi solutions. Thankfully, my service site has allowed me to serve in-person two days a week, which makes my service a little easier those days.
Middlebury, VT
13.
In spite of being off camera, I’ve had a great time serving at the College, namely because I get to interact with students. I’ve really enjoyed growing relationships with student volunteers and being able to advise their remote engagement with the community. One event this year that impacted me the most was watching how a student-run youth literacy program expanded their activities in spite of COVID-19. This year the students in the program helped a student build two Little Free Libraries, organized a book and candy giveaway booth at the town of Middlebury’s physically distanced Spooktacular (Halloween event), performed readalouds to elementary students over Zoom, and created book-based craft kits they sent to classrooms. It really impressed me how creative the students were, and I like to think my advice helped them stay confident in their endeavors.
Samantha French Volunteer and Development Coordinator
Youth Services, Inc.
I started my service at the end of August 2020, when things seemed to be calming down with COVID-19. My service site’s reopening plan was based on the reopening guidelines of Vermont. We were just at the start of phase 3 when multiple people, following precautions, could be on the same floor at once. This made training volunteers easier. We are now back down to level 2, which limits the number of people allowed in the office at the same time, and requires me to serve remotely more than before. Thankfully, I have great supervisors who supports me when I am serving remotely.
The most impactful aspect of my service so far has been sitting in on court diversion cases. For restorative justice (RJ), we use narratives (peoples stories) to learn why they committed a small crime, how it affected them and others, and how they can restore what was harmed. This process is one of healing and repair, and after 2 years of no further offenses, the record of the person in question is wiped clean, completing the restoration of self. Seeing RJ in practice has opened my eyes to how the concepts can be used for all sorts of conflicts and disagreements. By allowing stories to be told (with a mediator usually), and engaging in dialogue, helps find a new way forward to a solution that works for all involved.
Brattleboro,VT
14.
VYT Mid-year Successes (2020-2021) Procured
$230,963
in grants, cash donations, inkind donations, and volunteer resources to enhance programs and initiative that support lowincome youth and families
Developed
designed to build resiliency, 34 programs including nutrition education, physical movement, job skills and internships, financial literacy, academic skills, mentoring, tutoring, afterschool programs, literacy, and service learning.
Facilitated
6 presentations
to community stakeholders or prospective beneficiaries, reaching individuals.
510
15.
Collaborated with
44
community stakeholders.
(nonprofit agencies, businesses, schools, municipalities, state government, etc.)
662
Created
posts on social media platforms.
Developed
84
public relations tools.
Designed
18
Public relations and media plans.
Recruited
574
community volunteers, mentors, and tutors who gave more than
3,789
hours of service to communities, organizations, and youth.
16.
16,273
vulnerable individuals directly benefited from the efforts of VYT members!
Mid-way through the program year, VYT Members have built capacity of the organizations engaged in fighting poverty in Vermont. We’re so proud of the members’ accomplishments to date and look forward to see what they accomplish in the next 6 months.
.
17.
Former VISTA Ryan Rysewyk Pays It Forward
A BIG thank you to VISTA alum Ryan Rysewyk for a generous donation to VYT members. Ryan’s thoughtfulness will allow us to provide grocery gift cards to current members. Ryan served from 2003 - 2004, when VYT was known as the Vermont OutOf-School Time VISTA program (VOOST). After serving, Ryan taught English overseas. Upon returning to the U.S. Ryan started working in insurance. Ryan spends free time usually telling jokes to friends and family, volunteering, and organizing virtual Zoom events (murder mysteries, trivia night, and cooking competitions). Ryan credits AmeriCorps for gaining a greater understanding of living in poverty and the myriad of obstacles poverty puts in your way. Service also helped Ryan become much more flexible, both personally and professionally. Public service still plays a role in Ryan’s life--organizing events with friends and family to help others in Madison, WI.
18.
HOST SITES Addison Central Teens (Middlebury,VT): Addison Central Teens provides a Teen Center and afterschool alternatives to increase safe and healthy opportunities for teens to connect with each other, as well as opportunities to plan and participate in activities, special events, and community service. The Collaborative (Londonderry, VT): The Collaborative promotes the development of a healthy involved community supporting substance free youth in a caring environment.
Essex CHIPS (Essex Junction, VT): Essex CHIPS is a small non-profit agency whose mission is to support, engage, inspire, and empower youth to make healthy decisions and become community leaders. Its impact is reflected in a higher quality of life for all particularly those disadvantaged by social inequities & poverty.
Howard Center (Burlington, VT): The Howard Center provides mental health, substance use, education, and developmental services across the full age spectrum.
Middlebury College Center for Community Engagement (Middlebury, VT): MCCCE prepares students for lives of meaning and impact through service, scholarship, and citizenship. Six youth and mentoring programs work to strengthen communities, contribute to the public good, and improve outcomes for youth across Addison County.
Salvation Farms (Morrisville VT): Salvation Farms builds increased resilience in Vermont’s food system through agricultural surplus management. Its activities are based in farm-fresh food rescue to reduce food loss and increase consumption of wholesome, regionally produced foods by Vermont’s most vulnerable residents.
VYT Leader (Berlin, VT): The Vermont Youth Tomorrow AmeriCorps VISTA Program (VYT) Leader supports members across Vermont in maximizing their impact in their communities.
19.
HOST SITES Winooski Community Services Department (Winooski, VT): The mission of the WCSD is to promote lifelong wellness; enrich the lives of community members; and to offer high-quality, affordable programs, activities, and events that meet community needs and respond to community Interests. WonderArts (Greensboro, VT): WonderArts is a multidisciplinary community organization that connects, empowers, and supports our rural Vermont communities by providing hands-on activities and enrichment to all ages. Activities include enrichment programs for youth in school and afterschool, and each program supports the wellbeing and resilience of the community. Youth Services, Inc. (Brattleboro, VT): Youth Services helps families thrive by providing transformative prevention, intervention, and development programs for young people and families in Windham County communities. By helping people learn how to grow, both as individuals and as a family, they can solve their own problems.
20.
Vermont Youth Tomorrow AmeriCorps VISTA Program (VYT) Mission: The Vermont Youth Tomorrow AmeriCorps VISTA Program (VYT) supports organizations across Vermont which create opportunities for youth in low-income families to rise above poverty and flourish. Vision: Hope, justice, and wellbeing for all Vermont youth Motto: Ingenuity choreographing youth potential VYT, a program at the Washington County Youth Service Bureau/Boys & Girls Club, receives funding from AmeriCorps. .
The opinions expressed in the articles in this newsletter belong to the individual writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the site where the AmeriCorps VISTA members serve, Vermont Youth Tomorrow, the Washington County Youth Service Bureau, and AmeriCorps
Connect With Us! twitter.com/VTAmeriCorps @VTAmeriCorps instagram.com/americorps_vyt_vydc @americorps_vyt_vydc facebook.com/vermontyouthamericorps
linkedin.com/company/vermontyouthamericorps
VYT AmeriCorps VISTA Program P.O. Box 627 Montpelier, VT 05601-0627 802.229.9151 phone www.vermontyouthamericorps.org
21.
VISTA Team Leader Joe Warburton
vyt.leader@wcysb.org
Assistant Directors Danielle Shaw dshaw@wcysb.org Hans Heisler vydc.vyt.AD1@wcysb.org
Program Director M. Kadie Schaeffer vyt.vydc@wcysb.org