VISTA Assignment Description (VAD) Instructions Literacy VISTA Program

Transcription

1 VISTA Assignment Descriptin (VAD) Instructins Literacy VISTA Prgram A VISTA Assignment Descriptin (VAD) explains the VISTA prject and rle f the VISTA member in accmplishing the gals f the prject. The hst site will be asked t reprt n their prgress n the VAD each year f the prject n a quarterly basis. Think f the VAD as a rad map fr the VISTA member and prject. It is als a tl that can be used t help keep bth the VISTA member and the hst site/supervisr accuntable. Included in the VAD are: verarching gals f the whle 3-5 year prject and the identified cmmunity need that gave rise t the prject; bjectives and activities a member is expected t cmplete during the specific ne-year timeframe f the prject; and perfrmance measure targets (utputs and utcmes) t measure the prgress ver the 3-5 year timeframe f the whle prject. Instructins: SECTION ONE In sectin ne, enter basic cntextual infrmatin abut the 3-5 year prject: hst site and prject name, service area, capacity-building fcus, prject year, cmmunity need, verarching gal, and prject interventins (check all that apply fr interventins). This infrmatin n page 1 shuld nt change significantly frm year t year. If yur prject is cntinuing frm a previus year (as ppsed t a new prject), yu shuld nly need t cpy this infrmatin fr Sectin One frm yur previus VAD and tweak as necessary. Definitins Primary and secndary service area: Please select up t tw service areas frm 3 ptins n the drp-dwn menu. This is the primary and secndary target ppulatin r type f prgram which the prject is intended t serve. Schl Readiness: preparing yung children fr kindergarten; parent educatin r family literacy fcused n early childhd K-12 Success: getting schl-aged children and yuth reading at grade level; bsting literacy skills; increasing academic engagement; supprting n-time graduatin and/r transitins t pst-secndary educatin; parent educatin r family literacy fcused n schlage children and yuth Adult Literacy: serving individuals at least 18 years ld wh are nt enrlled in K-12 schl system; supprting English as a Secnd Language; preparatin fr GED/high schl equivalency; pathways t cllege and career readiness; parent educatin and family literacy Capacity-building fcus: Please select 1 frm 2 ptins n the drp-dwn menu. This defines in what way the prject will build capacity fr yur rganizatin r prgram imprving an existing prgram, r creating a new prgram r expanding the reach/scale f an existing prgram. Effectiveness: As a result f this prject, we will be able t prvide a HIGHER QUALITY f literacy services, particularly fr individuals living in pverty. The VISTA is enhancing existing prgramming (e.g., by imprving curriculum, training, evaluatin strategies, systems, r practices fr vlunteer engagement). Scale/Reach: As a result f this prject, we will be able t SERVE MORE peple r a NEW GROUP f peple. The VISTA is adding new literacy services r expanding existing literacy services t build the rganizatin s capacity t serve mre individuals, particularly thse living in pverty.

2 SECTION TWO In sectin tw, enter the specific bjectives and VISTA member activities fr the specific ne year f the prject fr which yu are writing the VAD (e.g., ). As yu write this sectin, please cnsider hw yur VISTA prject will evlve frm ne year t the next year. Each year f a prject is meant t build upn the previus year, typically: Year 1: VISTA creates prject fundatin, cnducts research, and begins implementatin prcess Year 2: VISTA cntinues t implement prject, evaluates and makes refinements frm Year 1, and begins t create structure fr sustainability Year 3: VISTA fcuses n sustaining the prject beynd the VISTA resurce Years 4 and 5 (if needed): VISTA cntinues t fcus n sustaining the prject beynd the VISTA resurce Fr cntinuing prjects that successfully placed a VISTA this current prgram year, we expect that althugh related, yur VAD fr the next prgram year in Sectin Tw will necessarily lk at least smewhat different frm the current year s VAD, as the next VISTA member builds ff f the wrk f the previus VISTA member and the prject evlves. 1. Please select 3-5 bjectives fr the VISTA prject. An bjective statement shuld be a full sentence with actin verb, nt just a phrase. 2. Fr each bjective, select the bjective categry that best relates t the bjective statement. 3. Fr each bjective, fill in an apprximate percentage f the VISTA s time that will be dedicated t achieving that bjective. The ttal percentage f the 3-5 bjectives (nt including the VISTA member develpment and Green Bk bjectives that are standard n all VADs) shuld add up t 100%. 4. Fill in related specific activities fr each bjective fr each quarter. Yu will be asked t submit quarterly reprts based n these timeframes. Example: Objective f the assignment 1. Objective statement: Develp and nurture partnerships in the cmmunity t deliver services and create prcesses fr nging cllabratin and cmmunicatin between cmmunity partners Objective categry: Develping and Nurturing Partnerships % f VISTA time: 25% Early service/ rientatin Fall quarter Winter quarter Spring quarter and summer end f service/ wrap up July 31 September 30 Octber 1 December 31 January 1 March 31 April 1 July 31 Q1 activities: Identify ptential partners and existing systems already meeting with targeted families such as Public Health and Head Start/Early Head Start, schl districts, etc. Develp expectatins f partners that will pilt family literacy kits. Q2 activities: Priritize partner(s) wh will test the kits created as a pilt. Select staff f partners t attend training. Design tracking tls fr dcumenting partner invlvement. Q3 activities: Meet with trained partners and Family Engagement wrk grup t facilitate cnversatins abut service delivery and cntinued cllabratin. Discuss and establish further pprtunities fr partnership. Q4 activities: Expand the invlvement f additinal partners t participate in this prject.

3 Definitins Objective categries: these are brad categries f apprpriate VISTA prject activities and member respnsibilities. Mre than ne bjective may relate t the same categry. Chse the categry that relates the mst t the bjective listed. Develping, Designing r Enhancing Prgram Cntent Activities culd include: Develping r designing new prgram cntent; creating systems fr standardizing cntent acrss prgrams; aligning prgram cntent with standards; creating prcesses fr reviewing and mdifying prgram cntent; evaluating prgram cntent t ensure it is respnsive t participants needs; finding ways t make better use f technlgy t increase effective use f cntent and materials; and/r develping and implementing training fr staff n new prgram cntent and related systems, tls and prcesses. Designing r Cnducting a Prgram Evaluatin Activities culd include: Develping a cmprehensive, actinable lgic mdel; defining measurable utcme bjectives and utput targets; cnducting a prgram evaluatin; analyzing evaluatin results t guide prgram imprvement; and/r disseminating evaluatin findings. Develping r Strengthening Gals/Perfrmance Targets and Milestnes Activities culd include: Develping r strengthening prgram gals/perfrmance targets t ensure they are clearly defined and aligned with prgram gals and strategies; articulating shrt-term and lng-term targets and milestnes; ensuring prgram staff and vlunteers are aware f relevant gals, bjectives and milestnes; identifying, develping and/r implementing new tls fr assessing and tracking prgram gals/targets (i.e. pre and pst-test assessments, participant surveys, intake frms, databases); finding ways t make better use f technlgy t increase efficiency in cllecting data; and/r develping and implementing training fr staff n new systems, tls and prcesses fr assessment and data tracking. Develping and Nurturing Partnerships Activities culd include: Develping and nurturing partnerships in the cmmunity t deliver services r therwise directly supprt service delivery (fr example, by prviding a vlunteer pipeline); creating prcesses fr nging cllabratin and cmmunicatin between cmmunity partners; and/r develping r identifying apprpriate systems fr tracking infrmatin related t cmmunity partnerships. Enhancing Vlunteer Recruitment and/r Training Activities culd include: Creating new pprtunities fr engaging vlunteers; increasing the size and diversity f the rganizatin s pl f vlunteers; identifying pipelines fr prviding an nging surce f vlunteers; increasing the effectiveness f vlunteers in prgram delivery by develping enhanced resurces fr training and rientatin; and/r develping and implementing training fr staff n new systems, tls and prcesses fr vlunteer recruitment and training. Imprving Vlunteer Systems Activities culd include: Implementing new systems fr vlunteer recruitment, training and/r management; frmalizing systems s the rganizatin can mre effectively and efficiently use vlunteers; increasing vlunteer retentin and reliability by creating imprved systems fr vlunteer supprt, recgnitin and management; creating r enhancing a written vlunteer generatin plan, vlunteer manual, jb descriptins fr vlunteers, frmal screening prcess, frmal vlunteer rientatin, systems fr measuring vlunteer impact, etc.; develping r identifying apprpriate systems fr tracking vlunteer infrmatin (i.e. databases, intake frms, etc.); finding ways t make better use f technlgy t increase efficiency f tracking vlunteer data r cmmunicatin with vlunteers; and/r develping and implementing training fr staff n new vlunteer systems, tls and prcesses.

4 Cnducting a Needs Assessment Activities culd include: Planning, cnducting, r analyzing an rganizatinal needs assessment t determine the needs, pprtunities and ptential challenges with regard t develping and expanding literacy-fcused prgramming; creating systems t facilitate nging needs assessment; and/r develping and implementing surveys, cnducting fcus grups, etc. Implementing New Prgram-Related Outreach r Fundraising Strategies Activities culd include: Creating plans r materials fr utreach fr new r expanded prgramming; cnducting utreach in the cmmunity r amng ptential participants t increase awareness f prgramming; develping cmmunicatins materials t shwcase prgram utcmes r successes t ptential stakehlders; identifying and securing resurces fr new r expanded prgramming thrugh fundraising, grant-writing, vlunteer engagement, r in-kind dnatins; and/r develping and implementing training fr staff n new systems, tls and prcesses related t new marketing r fundraising strategies. Tips: DO: Outline expectatins as clearly as pssible s that an utsider can understand Think abut what is apprpriate fr a full-time persn t accmplish in ne year Get it dne early and plan t wrk with Minnesta Literacy Cuncil n revisin Fcus n systems r materials the VISTA will put int place Fcus n hw the VISTA will create, expand, enhance Use wrds like: Research, investigate, explre, becme familiar with, gather infrmatin n Reflect, analyze, evaluate Create, develp, identify, meet with, plan Pilt, test, wrk with staff/vlunteers t Survey, reflect n, analyze results f Present recmmendatins t, train staff n, wrap up, pass ff DON T: Be vague Use jargn r acrnyms Stray t far frm the main gal f the prject Make it t sparse Make it verwhelming r verly ambitius Delay recruitment by prcrastinating! Dn t include direct service r respnsibilities mre apprpriate fr lng-term staff Avid/be careful with the fllwing wrds: Manage, direct, supervise Maintain, update, cntinue Implement, crdinate Help, assist, supprt Advcacy, activism

5 SECTION THREE In Sectin Three, yu will enter perfrmance measure targets fr all three years f the prject. In future years f the prject, yu will have an pprtunity t change yur perfrmance measure targets. Yu will be asked t reprt n yur prgress n meeting the perfrmance measure targets yu set nly fr the year f the prject that yu are reprting n. Please be reasnable and mdest in a target number that yu expect t be able t reach in the upcming year f yur VISTA prject. Be realistic abut what will be manageable t accmplish within this timeframe and smething that yu will be able t measure and reprt n. If yu will be unable t track/reprt n this data during a particular year, please enter 0. If yur prject is cntinuing frm a previus year, yu shuld enter the infrmatin fr previus years targets frm yur previus VAD under the apprpriate years, and then enter the new infrmatin fr the new upcming year fr which yu are applying. 1. Under Year 1, Year 2, and Year 3, enter the expected year f the prject. (e.g., if yur prject will be in its first year/a new prject in , Year 1 wuld be , Year 2 wuld be , and Year 3 wuld be ). 2. Capacity-building measures: In the first clumn, select any measures frm the capacity-building perfrmance measures in the drpdwn menu that best relate t yur prject. 3. Anti-pverty measures: G t the sectin that relates t yur service area (Schl Readiness, K-12 Success, r Adult Literacy). In the first clumn, select at least ne utput AND at least ne utcme frm the anti-pverty perfrmance measures in the drp-dwn menu that best relate t yur prject. Yu may additinally enter ther utputs/utcmes. Required measures: a. Schl Readiness: i. Outputs: 1. Number f children that will cmplete participatin in early childhd educatin prgrams supprted by the VISTA (REQUIRED) ii. Outcmes: (SELECT AT LEAST ONE) 1. Number f children demnstrating gains in schl readiness in terms f scial and/r emtinal develpment 2. Number f children demnstrating gains in schl readiness in terms f literacy skills b. K-12 Success: i. Outputs: 1. Number f students that will cmplete participatin in K-12 educatin prgrams supprted by the VISTA. (REQUIRED) ii. Outcmes: (SELECT AT LEAST ONE) 1. Number f K-12 students with imprved academic perfrmance in literacy 2. Number f students in grades K-12 wh demnstrated imprved academic engagement c. Adult Literacy: i. Outputs: (SELECT AT LEAST ONE) 1. Number f adult learners enrlled (enrllees, regardless f duratin f participatin) 2. Number f adult learners cmpleting participatin r cmpleting pre-and pst-test assessments ii. Outcmes: (SELECT AT LEAST ONE) 1. Ttal number f cntact hurs fr the prgram

6 2. Average cntact hurs per adult learner 3. Number f adult learners demnstrating gains in literacy skills (e.g., making a level gain in CASAS r TABE) 4. Number f adult learners btaining a high schl equivalency credential (e.g., GED, adult diplma) 4. Fr the upcming year f the prject, fr each perfrmance measure, enter the relevant target number (shuld nly be a number), what tl(s) r prcess(es) yu will use t evaluate and track that target number, and the VAD bjective frm Sectin Tw that relates t that measure. Fr VAD bjective that supprts, please nly enter the number f the bjective, nt the whle bjective statement (e.g., #2). 5. Fr all ther years f the prject that are NOT the upcming prject year, fr each perfrmance measure, yu nly need t enter the relevant target number. Example: A. Capacity-Building Perfrmance Measures Perfrmance Measure: Output: Number f staff and cmmunity vlunteers that received training (by the VISTA and/r by the rganizatin with the capacitybuilding supprt f the VISTA) Year 1 Milestne Year 2 Milestne Year 3 Milestne Year: Year: Year: Target: 10 Measured By: registratin and sign-in sheets at trainings Target: 20 Measured By: Click here t enter Target: 30 Measured By: Click here t enter If chse Other, describe: Click here t enter measure: 1, 3, and 4 measure: Click here t enter measure: Click here t enter Fr Service area: Schl Readiness A. Anti-Pverty Perfrmance Measures OUTPUT 1: Perfrmance Measure: Number f children that will cmplete participatin in early childhd educatin prgrams supprted by the VISTA OUTCOME 1: Perfrmance Measure: Number f children demnstrating gains in schl readiness in terms f scial and/r emtinal develpment If chse Other, describe: Click here t enter Year 1 Milestne Year 2 Milestne Year 3 Milestne Year: Year: Year: Target: 100 Measured By: registratin and attendance sheets measure: 1 and 2 Target: 80 Measured By: Self-reprted parent survey based n Early Childhd Indicatrs f Prgress (ECIP) Target: 200 Measured By: Click here t enter measure: Click here t enter Target: 160 Measured By: Click here t enter measure: Click here t enter Target: 300 Measured By: Click here t enter measure: Click here t enter Target: 240 Measured By: Click here t enter measure: Click here t enter

7 measure: 1 and 2 Definitins Schl Readiness perfrmance measures (must select at least ne) Scial and emtinal develpment: An indicatr and element f schl readiness that measures a child's develpment in ne r mre f the fllwing dmains: self-cncept, self-cntrl, cperatin, scial relatinships, and knwledge f families and cmmunities. Literacy skills: An indicatr and element f schl readiness that measures a child s develpment in ne r mre f the fllwing dmains: phnlgical awareness, bk knwledge and appreciatin, print awareness and cncepts, early writing, and alphabet knwledge. K-12 Success perfrmance measures (must select at least ne) Imprved academic perfrmance in literacy: As measured by an imprved demnstratin f skill/knwledge at pst-test as cmpared t pre-test (gain scre) using a standardized test/instrument. Imprved academic engagement: A psitive and significant change in ne f the fllwing student behavirs r attitudes ver the curse f a schl year. Measures f student behavirs include: increased attendance, increased cmpletin f assignments including hmewrk, increased teacher-reprted participatin, decreased disciplinary referrals and decreased reprts f substance abuse. Measures f student attitudes include: increased interest in schl, imprved perspective n schl climate, increased attachment t schl and increased educatinal aspiratins.