|
|
September 27, 2012
Volume 19, No. 39
Circulation: 41,000
| | |
|
YOUth Changing the World:
A Service Project Toolkit
|
This brand new YSA resource for young people helps you take action on an issue that is important to you and discover your power to change the world through service!
Whether you are doing your service project with friends, family, a school group, a community organization, or a faith-based youth group, this toolkit will take you step-by-step through planning your service project.
Download the YOUth Changing the World Toolkit and other YSA resources at www.YSA.org/resources
You can order free, printed copies of this and other YSA Resources at www.YSA.org/resources/request
October 17 - 19 in Houston, TX
The Youth Service Institute is YSA's signature national training event. Over the course of three days, participants will:
- Share... your ideas with others dedicated to youth engagement.
- Participate... in hands-on workshops that will invigorate.
- Engage... in thought-provoking sessions that will inspire.
- Get your hands dirty... in community service projects in the Houston community.
- Plan... for Global Youth Service Day or Semester of Service.
Learn more and register now at www.YouthServiceInstitute.org
|
|
Connect with YSA
  
YSA Funding Partners
|
News From the FielD
|
Continue the Fight to Save Service in America for the Next Six Weeks
Members of Congress are now back home and campaigning in their districts until the elections on November 6th. This is the perfect time to go to their events and engage them directly by asking them:
"I'm a voter and I want to know if you will support federal funding for national service programs like AmeriCorps and Senior Corps?" These questions - and these conversations - matter. Check your local newspaper or candidates' websites to find out where they will be. Once you do, here's a guide to help you make the most of your experience: http://bit.ly/QsDk7U
Recruiting District Captains
ServeNext is looking for people who are passionate about national service to volunteer as their community's District Captain. District Captains serve as the main point of contact for local grassroots action efforts. They are supported by ServeNext who ensures they have everything they need to be successful. The position requires about 10 hours per month. Learn more about becoming a District Captain: http://bit.ly/OsvbBR
|
Celebrate Day of the Girl - 10.11.12
The Day of the Girl is about highlighting, celebrating, discussing, and advancing girls lives and opportunities across the globe. Use the Proclamation Project Toolkit to get a Day of the Girl proclamation in your city: http://bit.ly/V2AcAT Find 11 Ideas for Action: http://bit.ly/TJc4p2 Sign up to participate in the Day of the Girl Virtual Summit on October 1 from 7:00-8:00 p.m. Eastern. The summit will kick off with 11 Days of Action and conclude with an awesome national online celebration on 10.11.12! http://bit.ly/PtW7wK
Half the Sky Movement & DocumentaryInspired by journalists Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn's book of the same name, Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide brings together video, websites, games, blogs and other educational tools to raise awareness of women's issues and to provide concrete steps to fight these problems and empower women. Watch Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide on PBS Oct. 1 & 2. http://bit.ly/SFGtTR
|
|
|
|
ServiceVote 12 for '12: Engaging Youth in the 2012 Elections Special Series
| |
With just under 6 weeks to go until Election Day (and the first presidential debate next Wednesday), YSA continues this special 12-part series leading up to November 6.
YSA offers the ServiceVote 12 for '12 - twelve ideas of how young people can serve this election season (and only one of them requires you to be 18!) Get all the ideas, related resources, and let us know how you're getting involved at www.YSA.org/ServiceVote
Each week until Election Day, we'll feature one way young people can get involved during the election, and share partner programs, resources, and events.
|
 Watch and share Rock the Vote's #WeWill video featuring Miley Cyrus, Darren Criss and other Glee cast members, Josh Duhamel, Neil Patrick Harris, Joel McHale, and more! http://youtu.be/4AeRFhwSYVQ |
|
ServiceVote 12 for '12:
Serve as poll workers or election judges on Election Day.
There are often shortages of volunteers to serve as election judges. With the increasing prevalence of electronic voting machines, it is especially important to have younger election judges who are familiar with technology. 41 states allow high school students to serve as poll workers or election judges. Since many polling locations are in schools anyway, it's a great opportunity for students to volunteer during the election. Now's the time to register with local programs. www.YSA.org/ServiceVote#11
|
Election Protection Smartphone App
The new Election Protection Smartphoneapp gives you all you need to know about voting in the palm of your hand! The app is available in both English and Spanish for iPhone, Android, and Blackberry users. App users will be able to:
* Verify their registration and register to vote;
* Look up their polling place;
* Review key voting rules and regulations for their state;
* See what type of machine they vote on; and
* Contact Election Protection via phone or email to report a problem or get answers to their questions.
Download the free Election Protection Smartphone App at: http://tinyurl.com/8bcdbh9
|
Grants & Awards
| |
|
Last Chance to Apply!
Gladys Marinelli Coccia Award
Deadline: September 30
YSA is accepting nominations for the Gladys Marinelli Coccia Award, recognizing two exceptional young people, ages 13 to 22, who are actively engaged in social entrepreneurship and in leading sustainable social change. Social entrepreneurs apply business practices to achieve positive social change and measure their success through their social impact. Two honorees will be selected to receive $2,000 to support their social enterprise and receive resources and technical assistance from YSA. Nominees must be between the ages 13 and 22 at the time of nomination and be located in United States. One of the two honorees will be selected from the Washington, D.C. or West Virginia region. www.YSA.org/grants/coccia-awards
|
Earth Savers Club Stream Water Monitoring & Rain Garden Grants
Deadline: October 2
Non-point source pollution such as stormwater poses the most significant threat to the ecological quality and integrity of our nation's waterways.
Rain gardens serve a meaningful role in intercepting stormwater by capturing and filtering pollutants before they reach our sensitive waterways. Apply for one of 10 $1,400 rain garden grants: http://bit.ly/SohnaA
Stream monitoring is another way that youth groups can help their municipal, county, state, and federal governments in receiving data that they can use to better address the needs of our waterways. Apply for one of 10 $1,400 stream water monitoring grants: http://bit.ly/QsurLy
| |
|
State FarmŽ Good Neighbor YOUth In The Driver Seat Grants
Deadline: October 15
Learning to drive is one of the most exciting milestones in a teen's life. To support teens and their teachers in this rite of passage, YSA and State FarmŽ are offering $1,500 YOUth in the Driver Seat Grants to implement a service-learning program that encourages safe driving habits, community service and student achievement. www.YSA.org/grants/YOUthInTheDriverSeat
|
UnitedHealth HEROES Grants
Deadline: October 15
YSA and UnitedHealthcare are inviting schools and other community-based nonprofit organizations to Step into Service by applying for UnitedHealth HEROES grants. Grants of up to $1,000 are available for youth-led service-learning projects which aim to combat childhood obesity through walking, running or hiking programs. Watch a webinar that explains the grant program and guides applicants through the application process. For more information, visit www.YSA.org/HEROES
|
Everyday Young Heroes
|
Stevie Peacock
Venice, FL
YSA recognizes 17-year-old Stevie Peacock of Venice, Florida as an Everyday Young Hero for her passion and dedication to local, national, and international humanitarian efforts through her organization, Project KINDNESS (Kids in Need Deserve New Elementary School Supplies).
Stevie's organization, Project KINDNESS, gives needy students in the Venice area the opportunity to have new backpacks and school supplies on an annual basis! Stevie, along with her friends, peers, family, and local organizations, have banded together to collect donations in order to provide to other students in her community. In addition to supplying students with school supplies, Stevie and four friends visit elementary schools quarterly to read to the kindergartners and give them seasonal themed goodie bags. Project KINDNESS has also expanded to aid both national and international causes. Stevie holds toy drives for Children's Hospital and the Pediatric Unit at Sarasota Memorial Hospital. Internationally, Stevie and youth from across the country combined efforts to raise the funds to build a school called "For Each Other" in Cambodia. For her commitment and dedication to humanitarian efforts on all levels, we honor Stevie as an Everyday Young Hero. To nominate a young person who has improved their community through service to be recognized as an Everyday Young Hero, please visit www.ysa.org/awards/hero. |
|
Resources & Trainings
|
"That's Not Democracy." How Out-of-School Youth Engage in Civic Life and What Stands in Their Way
A new study by CIRCLE, "That's Not Democracy. How Out-of-School Youth Engage in Civic Life and What Stands in Their Way," finds that non-college young people lack organized and institutional opportunities to address large-scale social issues - reinforcing previous research. They often report helping individuals, and they discuss social issues in their own networks, but generally they do not connect these activities to making systemic or society-wide changes. http://bit.ly/Uxgvhx
|
NYLC Webinar: How to Create a Model Service-Learning Unit
Thursday, October 4 at 12:00pm Central
Are you writing your first service-learning unit, an experienced practitioner looking to hone your planning skills, or a service-learning coordinator preparing to lead a workshop on unit planning? In this webinar we will take an in-depth look at how to create an exemplary service-learning unit that incorporates the K-12 standards for quality service-learning, Understanding by Design, formative and summative assessments, and state/common core standards. http://bit.ly/Rm1FvQ
| |
Bullying Prevention Training Modules
Free, online bullying prevention training modules are now available on StopBullying.gov. The training modules offer a PowerPoint presentation for community events, speaker notes with suggested talking points, a Community Action Toolkit, and a video for use in bullying prevention efforts in communities. http://1.usa.gov/SojA5S
|
National Homeless and Low-Income Voter Registration Week Resources
Each presidential election since 1992, NCH has sponsored National Homeless and Low-Income Voter Registration Week, this year held from September 30 - October 6, 2012. Read the Voter Registration manual to learn how to get involved, and access other resources at http://bit.ly/STD1zv
|
|
|
|
Song of the Week
| |
Switchfoot - "Dare You To Move"
"I dare you to move
I dare you to move
I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor
I dare you to move
I dare you to move
Like today never happened
Today never happened before
Welcome to the fallout
Welcome to resistance
The tension is here
Tension is here
Between who you are and who you could be
Between how it is and how it should be..."
|
The Editor
|
 Mike Minks Director of Outreach and Innovation
Editor-in-Chief @michaelminks |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
