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Program Overview
The OSB AmeriCorps Program improves the work-readiness of visually impaired Pennsylvanians ages 16-28. OSB AmeriCorps will enroll 16 visually impaired Pennsylvanians as AmeriCorps members who will deliver a work readiness curriculum and serve as mentors to 60 visually impaired Pennsylvanians per year.
This AmeriCorps program is unique in its design. AmeriCorps members and the students they serve are close in age and share the experience of living with visual impairments. This creates especially powerful near-peer mentoring relationships and develops work-readiness of 60 young Pennsylvanians and the AmeriCorps members.
OSB AmeriCorps will offer 3 sessions per year. In each session, lessons and virtual mentoring will be delivered during afterschool and evening hours to be most accessible to students. Lessons will be conducted in group settings, maintaining the small student to instructor ratio. To meet student needs, AmeriCorps members may offer lessons multiple times per week to allow students to attend the lessons that fit their schedule. Lessons will be 60- to 90- minutes each, and be a combination of presentation, discussion and reflection activities. Most of these reflection activities will require student action to further explore topics or to practice skills. Each session will deliver a different set of lessons that are independent of other sessions to allow students to attend one or multiple sessions per year. Students who attend multiple sessions will be encouraged to play a leadership role.
Weekly 1 on 1 mentoring dialogues will be structured conversations with three goals: assessing the student’s understanding and application of the week’s topics, ensuring students have the technology and access necessary to fully engage in the program and learning, and improving students’ perception of their ability to be work ready. A summary of the benefits of youth mentoring by Youth.gov shows that youth mentoring supports positive behaviors that encourage success in future education and employment. This is found to be specifically true for youth with disabilities who, because of social isolation, have fewer opportunities for informal mentoring relationships. Mentoring will also help students navigate all that is needed to independently attend the 1- day service day during each session.
Position Descriptions
Full Time
Full Time, at least 1700 hours, approx. 35 per week October through August.
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Need help filling out the application?
If you are encountering issues filling out the application feel free to email Pamela McGonigle at pamela.mcgonigle@obs.org.