AmeriCorps Ambassador Training

1. AmeriCorps Ambassador Training

2. Ice Breaker

3. Introductions • Name • Program • A touching, inspiring, or meaningful thing that you have experienced in AmeriCorps

4. What Did I Get Myself in to? • Why an Ambassador program? • What is this program? • Training • Speech Development • 10 minute speech by January 7th • Speaking • 4 presentations from January through April (1 per month) • Reporting • https://servemn.dabbledb.com/page/ambassadors/QPAlRWrw

5. Today’s Agenda: • AmeriCorps 202 • Elevator Speeches • Lunch • Public Speaking • Effective Speech Development • Group Presentation • Skills Review • What’s Next?

6. Reportinghttps://servemn.dabbledb.com/page/ambassadors/QPAlRWrwReportinghttps://servemn.dabbledb.com/page/ambassadors/QPAlRWrw

7. AmeriCorps Presentation Kit • Presentation Kit • Presentation Guide • PowerPoint Presentations • Slideshow • Handouts • Fact Sheet http://americorpsweek.gov/pages/resources/kit.asp

8. AmeriCorps 202

9. AmeriCorps Timeline 1910 - American philosopher William James envisions non-military national service in his essay "The Moral Equivalent of War." 1933- 1942 - Franklin Roosevelt creates the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) which provided opportunities for millions of young men to serve 6 – 18 months to help restore the nations parks, revitalize the economy, and support their families and themselves. 1961 – John F. Kennedy proposes the establishment of established the Peace Corps. He stated that “the wisdom of this idea is that someday we’ll bring it home to America” 1964 - Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) was created by President Lyndon Johnson as a part of the “War on Poverty”. 1990 - George H.W. Bush creates the White House Office of National Service and the Points of Light Foundation to foster volunteering. 1990 - President Bush signed the National and Community Service Act into law. 1993 - President Bill Clinton signs The National and Community Service Trust Act of 1993 creating AmeriCorps and the Corporation for National and Community Service to expand opportunities for Americans to serve their communities. 2004 - AmeriCorps receives a funding increase to allow programs to grow to the current level (excluding recovery members) of 75,000 members. 2009 - The Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act is signed by President Obama in which positions AmeriCorps to more than triple in size.

11. Learn and Serve America supports and encourages service-learning throughout the United States, and enables over one million students to make meaningful contributions to their community while building their academic and civic skills. By engaging our nation’s young people in service-learning, Learn and Serve America instills an ethic of lifelong community service. Support School/Community Partnerships, Training and Resources to Schools, Research and Information Distribution

12. Senior Corps connects today’s over 55s with the people and organizations that need them most. We help them become mentors, coaches or companions to people in need, or contribute their job skills and expertise to community projects and organizations. Conceived during John F. Kennedy's presidency, Senior Corps currently links more than 500,000 Americans to service opportunities. Their contributions of skills, knowledge, and experience make a real difference to individuals, nonprofits, and faith-based and other community organizations throughout the United States. Foster Grandparents RSVP Senior Companions

13. AmeriCorps*State and National Supporting Service Across America AmeriCorps*VISTA Serving to provide long term solutions to poverty AmeriCorps*NCCC A full-time, team based opportunity to serve

14. AmeriCorps VISTA • AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) provides full-time members to nonprofit, faith-based and other community organizations, and public agencies to create and expand programs that bring low-income individuals and communities out of poverty. • AmeriCorps VISTA members leverage human, financial, and material resources to increase the capacity of thousands of low-income areas across the country to address challenges and improve their lives and communities. • They leave behind lasting solutions to some of our country's toughest problems.

15. AmeriCorps NCCC • AmeriCorps NCCC (National Civilian Community Corps) is a full-time, team-based, residential program for men and women ages 18–24. Members live on one of five campuses, located in Denver, Colorado; Sacramento, California; Perry Point, Maryland; Vicksburg, Mississippi; and Vinton, Iowa. • The mission of AmeriCorps NCCC is to strengthen communities and develop leaders through direct team-based national and community service. In partnership with nonprofit organizations, state and local agencies, and faith-based and other community groups, members complete service projects in all 50 states and some U.S. territories. • Modeled after the Civilian Conservation Corps of the 1930s and the U.S. military, AmeriCorps NCCC is built on the belief that civic responsibility is an inherent duty of all citizens and that national service programs work effectively with local communities to address pressing needs.

16. AmeriCorps State and National • AmeriCorps State and National is the broadest network of AmeriCorps programs. It provides financial support through grants to public and nonprofit organizations that sponsor service programs around the country, including hundreds of faith-based and other community organizations, higher education institutions, Indian tribes, and public agencies. These groups recruit, train and place AmeriCorps members to meet critical community needs in education, public safety, health, and the environment.

17. Foster Grandparents School-Based Programs AmeriCorps*State and National Community-Based Programs Senior Companions AmeriCorps*VISTA Higher Education AmeriCorps*NCCC (10 months) RSVP

18. Where does my living allowance come from? (AmeriCorps State) + OTHER FUNDERS

19. AmeriCorps Terminology AmeriCorps member not AmeriCorps volunteer, AmeriCorps staff, or AmeriCorps worker Living allowance not salary or paycheck Serve or service not work Service position not job Service Site not job, work, or jobsite Position description not job description Education Award not scholarship

20. What is AmeriCorps? AmeriCorps provides opportunities for more than 85,000 Americans to give back in an intensive way to their communities and country each year. It consists of three main programs: AmeriCorps State and National, whose members serve with more than 2,900 national and local nonprofit and community groups; AmeriCorps VISTA, through which members serve full time fighting poverty; and AmeriCorps NCCC (National Civilian Community Corps), a team-based residential program for young adults 18 – 24 who carry out projects in public safety, the environment, youth development, and disaster relief and preparedness.

21. Intro to Minnesota Programs • What we do is… • We do this so that…

22. The Elevator Speech

23. Elevator Speech Format Hi, My name is _______ and I am an AmeriCorps member. • You know how… (state the problem) • Well what we do is …. (feature – description of what we do) • So that…. (benefit – feature translated – what happens because of what we do) • We’re kind of like … (metaphor – something funny or startling; make it memorable) • I would love it if you… (Call to action/engagement)

24. The Basics of Public Speaking

25. “According to most studies, people’s number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. Death is number two. Does that sound right? This means to the average person, if you go to a funeral, you’re better off in the casket than doing the eulogy.” ~Jerry Seinfeld

26. Fear of Public Speaking • Population • No. 1 fear - Public Speaking • No. 2 fear – Death • Stage fright - Being in spotlight - Being unprepared - Being inexperienced

27. Don't worry over what other people are thinking about you. They're too busy worrying over what you are thinking about them. – Source Unknown

28. Common Worries • “My heart races,” “I turn red,” or “I sweat a lot.” • “I speak too fast.” • “My mouth goes dry.” • “I’m afraid I’ll go blank.” • “I tend to ramble or go off on a tangent.” • “I’m afraid I’ll be boring” or “I can’t tell jokes.” • “My accent or dialect may be hard to understand.” • “I say um and ah too much.” • “I don’t know what to do with my hands.”

29. Handling Your Fear • Focus on your message. • Practice, practice, practice! • Visualize your success. • Remember the audience wants you to succeed. • It’s good to be nervous. • Breathe! • Don’t try to be perfect. • Involve your audience.

30. Three Tips to Build Your Confidence Know the: • Room - become familiar with the place of the presentation. Check out the seating arrangement, AV equipment and where you will be standing. • People - greet or chat with the audience before hand. It’s easier to speak to friends than strangers. • Material - increased nervousness is due poor preparation.

31. Things to Avoid Don’t: • Read directly from notes • Read directly from screen • Turn your back on audience • Slouch with hands in pockets • Fill pauses with um, ah, okay • Exhibit repetitive nervous gestures • Talk too fast or too quietly • Apologize

32. Effective Communication • Preparation • Practice • Presence

33. Effective Communication • Preparation • Research - research the subject • Format - speak on what you know - Notes - outline main points - Note cards vs. full sized paper “Most people are more deeply influenced by one clear, vivid, personal example than by an abundance of statistical data.” ~Eliot Aronson, Social Psychologist

34. Effective Communication “Practice is the best of all instruction.” • Practice - Practice makes perfect - Get timing right - Make revisions - Use all your visual aids and deliver your talk idea-for- idea, not word-for-word.

35. Effective Communication • Presence - Body language - Breathe - Smile - Gestures - Eye contact - Work the whole room - Language - Articulation - Voice/Tone - Attitude - Positive and Enthusiastic

36. David Greenberg's Simply Speaking

37. Handling Questions • Ask your own questions. – “One thing people often ask me about my AmeriCorps experience is…” • Anticipate potential questions including the tough ones • Repeat or summarize the question. Also, reinforce their questions with ‘that’s a good question.’ • Do not bluff or panic. • Saying ‘I don’t know’ is okay…gives you a chance to follow up with that person and illustrates your authenticity.

38. Common Questions • How did you hear about AmeriCorps? • Why did you decide to join? • What doubts did you have about joining? • Were your friends and family supportive? If not, how did you convince them that this is a good opportunity? • What is it like to be an AmeriCorps member? • What have you enjoyed most? • What challenges have you faced? • What have you learned about yourself? • What have you learned about your community?

39. Tips for Humor and Telling Stories • Consider using a touch of humor in your speech, but keep it short until you have experience. • Tell a short embarrassing moment in your life that you might have thought not funny at the time. • Avoid long stories or jokes. • Skip the joke books—look at your life. • Maintain a Humor/Story File. • If in doubt, leave it out. • Practice your delivery.

40. Visual Aids • Easy to see • Easy to understand • Look professional • Should demonstrate something • Should be explained clearly • Should not be distracting • Choose visual aids that have relevance to your audience • Should be appropriate. Question: What visual aids might you use to enhance your AmeriCorps presentation?

42. Creating your Presentation

43. Creating your Presentation TELL…TELL….TELL • 1. Tell ‘em what you’re gonna’ tell ‘em(The Opening) • 2. Tell ‘em (The Body) • 3. Tell ‘em what you’ve told ‘em (The Conclusion)

44. Sample Speech Outline I. Introduction • Like a good conversation, the first thing that you do when greeting your audience is to establish rapport and find common areas of interest. • Smile • Have a good opener II. Body – Tell Your Story • Make your main points III. Conclusion • Review • End in a memorable way

45. Knowing and Adapting to Your Audience • Why is your audience interested in what you have to say? • What’s in it for them? Why should they care? • What’s the call to action? What can they do?

46. What’s your Point? - Intro • What are two things you want your audience to learn? To do this, picture yourself standing before your audience, saying a phrase such as one of the following: • “My purpose today is to . . . • - Unravel the mystery behind . . .” • - Prove to you . . .” • - Show you the three advantages of . . .” • - Provide you the four key ingredients for . . .” • - Share with you what it’s like to . . .” • - Introduce you to . . .” • - Help you understand . . .”

47. Attention Getters • Eye contact • Stories • Intriguing questions • Startling facts or statistics • Quotations • Challenging statements • News items • Props

48. “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: What are you doing for others?” — Martin Luther King, Jr. “Everybody can be great because everybody can serve.” — Martin Luther King, Jr.

49. What’s Your Point - Body • Use the “PIE” formula • P = State the point you wish to make • I = Illustrate the point with a story • E = Emphasize the importance to the audience

50. What’s Your Point – BodyTell Your Story • What is AmeriCorps? Explain what you do as an AmeriCorps member. • What is it like to serve in AmeriCorps? Give an example of your typical day. • Why should someone become an AmeriCorps member? Describe what attracted you to AmeriCorps service. Tell of a specific way that AmeriCorps has affected your life or why you would recommend AmeriCorps to others. • What impact does my AmeriCorps program make in the community or in the lives of people?Tell how your service makes an impact on the lives of others. Tell about any unique and/or memorable experiences during your service.