Center for School, Family, and Community
Volunteer Leadership Center
The Volunteer Leadership Center (VLC) helps strengthen programs that engage volunteers to meet critical community needs. Through both national and regional partnerships, we provide training and technical assistance, including distance learning, to VISTA, AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, and Learn and Serve America programs. National work supports anti-poverty efforts, youth-focused programs, and recruitment and development of national service participants. Regional events promote collaboration, provide leadership training, and celebrate the volunteer experience. Primary funding for VLC comes from the Corporation for National and Community Service, a federal agency that promotes civic engagement, service and volunteerism.
LEARNS
The LEARNS project provides training and technical assistance to Corporation for National and Community Service, 21stCCLC, and Federal Work Study projects focused on tutoring, mentoring, literacy, out-of-school time, and other youth-development activities. Services include in-person training, print and Web resources, training videos and discussion guides, and technical assistance via phone and e-mail. We can be reached at 800-361-7890 or learns@nwrel.org.
AmeriCorps Network NW
AmeriCorps Network Northwest provides training, technical assistance, and other support to national service programs in Oregon and Washington. Services include participant leadership training, program staff institutes, and the nation's only event focused exclusively on recognizing the accomplishments of those who serve local communities. Network NW is a partnership of NWREL, Oregon Volunteers!, and the Washington Commission for National and Community Service.
Participant Recruitment and Development Project
This national project provides distance learning and face-to-face training and resources to recruit, orient, train, supervise and transition VISTA and AmeriCorps members. The project provides training to over 5,000 VISTA volunteers and supervisors each year in regional events held throughout the country. Training supports VISTA's anti-poverty mission, with sessions on capacity-building, resource, volunteer, and partnership development. Additionally, the Participant Recruitment and Development project develops web-based content and resources, such as the EnCorps Collection and VISTA Campus that include tutorials and downloadable resources that support AmeriCorps and VISTA staff and members. The project has also produced an innovative process that engaged 81 AmeriCorps and VISTA programs throughout the country in contributing and peer-reviewing effective practices for adaptation to web formats.
For more information on the Participant Recruitment and Development Project, contact henryn@nwrel.org or abelj@nwrel.org