Service Nation launches Mission Serve to Strengthen and Create Civilian-Military Service Partnerships

Michelle Obama and Jill Biden help kick off the Veteran’s Day launch of the new Service Nation initiative Mission Serve.

Today we pause to think of our veterans who have served our country in the Service. In honor of Veteran’s Day, Service Nation — the campaign to expand service opportunities — launches a new initiative, Mission Serve, to connect civilians and the military community in service.

Service Nation aims to strengthen the bonds between the military and civilian service worlds — two overlapping communities that have much in common because we all want to serve our countries and make our communities stronger.

Mission Serve will build a broad partnership of civilian service organizations, veterans groups, military family groups, and active-duty and reserve members of each military branch. The partnership will encourage troops, veterans, and their families to serve at home and continue to strengthen our country in new ways. By coming together in service, it’s Service Nation’s hope that these two communities can support one another and grow the service movement across the country.

So far the network of partners includes 36 groups who will offer crucial support to military families while their loved ones serve their country. They will help veterans transition to new careers through focused training, job search assistance, and mentoring.

At 2 pm ET today, First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden will join Service Nation to officially kick off Mission Serve. Service Nation will be streaming the event live on its website.

Mission Serve is launching a new veterans volunteer match registry www.MilServe.org and in support of that, Idealist.org’s Steven Joiner has created a toolkit to ease the path of members of the military community who are transitioning into the civilian service world.

Youth Service is a Powerful Strategy for Youth Employment

Reports from the US and many other regions in the world continue to show that young people are bearing the brunt of the recession.

In the US, the Center for American Progress reports that minority workers, teens and less-educated workers have unemployment rates far above the national average. The latest available data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that in July 2008, 3.4 million young people in the United States were unemployed representing a youth unemployment rate of 14 percent, the highest rate recorded for July since 1992.

According to the National Youth Employment Council, “an unprecedented “age twist” in employment rates occurred in the US over the past 8 years with older workers (55+) improving their employment rates strongly while teens and 20-24 year old males reached new post-World War II lows.”

This trend is true in many parts of the developing and developed world. In several countries, young people represent the largest cohort in society yet experience some of the lowest employment rates.

The Middle East/North Africa region has an unemployment rate near 15 percent, the highest of any region in the world. Young people in the region experience even greater unemployment with average rates of 25 percent, far exceeding the world

Really? Another year?: Committing to Another Term of Service

This post was contributed by Kate Borman who is currently serving her second AmeriCorps VISTA term with ThreeSixty Journalism, a youth journalism program based at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN.

Most people are shocked to hear that I chose to serve a second term as an AmeriCorps VISTA member. While the decision to serve an additional year may not have been the easiest choice (thoughts of actually receiving an income prodded my mind constantly) it was equally responsible and wise. Sure the dwindling job market and suffering economy played a tremendous role in my decision – especially after several job interviews resulting in a job offered to someone who had three times my experience. But I made my decision based on richer reasons that have little to do with money.

1. Long-term investment. Serving a second year means an additional education award, which means I can either use it for future school or to pay off loans. A year or two of service partially funds at least four years of school. Not to even mention the loan forbearance and paid interest. Talk about a steady ROI for such a short period of time.
2. Professional development opportunities. What other job do you know that allots each of its employees at least $150 in training opportunities before they have even established a year at the organization? Very few to none. AmeriCorps VISTA encourages all of its members to seek out professional development opportunities and even pays for us to do so.
3. Passion for the work. I consider myself lucky to serve with AmeriCorps simply because I love working with social service organizations and intend to stay in this field of work in the future. By committing to a second term with a different nonprofit, I am widening my perspectives about the operational and organizational structure of nonprofits.
4. Career building and networking. Since I intend to continue working in nonprofits after my term of service, I am seeking out every opportunity to network and build my career. I was just getting my feet wet and establishing my position in my first term. Now I consciously network and build relationships with other professionals as an effort to best position and market myself for the future. Also, if anything, serving two terms with AmeriCorps only increases my chances as being taken seriously as a devoted nonprofit employee.
5. Proving myself wrong. My first year of service is what many call a character-building year. For the most part, I did not enjoy my year much, and often felt the VISTAs in my office were being used as cheap labor. I figured this could not possibly be the case for all organizations, and was determined to prove myself wrong by making my second term much better than the first.

I understand that most do not choose to serve a second term for many reasons. However, even on my worst days, I am glad I took the plunge again. On those days, I remind myself that a year is a short commitment and, if anything, this is a huge learning experience from which I will walk away as a stronger, more educated and informed citizen.

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For more related articles, see also:

• Mistakes I’ve Made, Lessons I’ve Learned…Wisdom from a Second-Year VISTA
• Committing to a Second Term of National or International Service?

Please Pay Attention to the People Behind the Curtain

Think about what it takes to change the world. Now think about all the people involved. I’m not talking about the global leaders here—after all, we’re all familiar with extraordinary figures like Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Mother Teresa—but rather those who contribute behind the scenes, who change the world for the better outside the spotlight’s glare.

For every global leader, there are millions of individuals working, volunteering, and generally doing their part to foster healthy citizens and communities the world over. One such oft behind-the-scenes role that deserves a shout-out today? Volunteer resource managers.

If you’ve had a great volunteer experience somewhere—a role or project where you felt engaged in meaningful work,

“The Way We Get By” Film to Air on PBS and Online Next Week

A new film shares the story of an community of service in Maine.

On Veteran’s Day, The Way We Get By — a new documentary about senior volunteers who staff a welcome center in the airport at Bangor, Maine, to receive returning military folks — will premiere on PBS stations as part of POV, “documentaries with a point of view.” (Check the broadcast schedule.)

From the show’s synopsis:

On call 24 hours a day for the past five years, a group of senior citizens has made history by greeting over 900,000 American troops at a tiny airport in Bangor, Maine. The Way We Get By is an intimate look at three of these greeters as they confront the universal losses that come with aging and rediscover their reason for living. Bill Knight, Jerry Mundy and Joan Gaudet find the strength to overcome their personal battles and transform their lives through service. This inspirational and surprising story shatters the stereotypes of today’s senior citizens as the greeters redefine the meaning of community.

Participants of the Conference on Volunteering and Service in June 2009 were invited to a preview of the film, but now anyone with a television or internet connection (Nov. 12 through Dec. 12, the film will stream online) will be able to view the film.

Here are other ways to share the film’s message in your community:

• If you are part of a service corps, nonprofit, class, or community group that would benefit from seeing the film, you can access a free copy of it and host a screening in your own community. When you sign up you’ll also be able to access facilitation guides, lesson plans and other tools.
• Promote the activities of seniors and veterans in your community and find new ways to get involved.
• Learn more about ways to support the documentary.
• Watch the film’s trailer:

Chronicle of Philanthropy Announces VolunTV Contest Finalists

Nov. 4th Update: A submission based on the t.v. show 30 Rock won the competition, with prize money to benefit Quality Services for the Autism Community, a New York nonprofit. Read more here:

The entry was submitted by Joe Moran, assistant director of multimedia development at the autism group, who created a video showing how 30 Rock could highlight the organization’s work in one of its episodes. The plot twist involves a cast member’s confusion over the words “artistic” and “autistic.”

And check out his submission:

This month, the Chronicle of Philanthropy has sponsored a contest for people to produce scripts of their favorite television shows with plot themes that incorporate volunteerism.

Finalists, announced recently, submitted scripts and video for shows like Bones, House, two submissions for Two and a Half Men, a couple for 30 Rock, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Glee and at least a couple inspired by The Office (and here). (See all the submitted ideas and the nonprofits that will receive the prize money here.)

VolunTV contest judges include people like Ashley Judd and Nigel Barker  from the entertainment industry as well as leaders in our sector like volunteer resource management guru Susan Ellis, social media mavens Beth Kanter and NTEN’s Holly Ross, and blogger and podcaster Rosetta Thurman.

Contest prizes and categories include:

• $5,000 Grand Prize: The most creative pitch, script, or scene that best incorporates volunteerism
• — written or video — into a TV show.
• $2,500 Silver Prize (Text): A written pitch/script that effectively incorporates volunteerism into a TV show.
• $2,500 Silver Prize (Video): A video pitch/scene that effectively incorporates volunteerism into a TV show.

Recently the Entertainment Industry Foundation and partners piloted the iParticipate campaign, in which t.v. shows actually mentioned volunteerism, or at least offered public service announcements in support of the iParticipate campaign.

Quitting Early? Some Dos, Don’ts, and To-Dos

You haven’t really participated in a term of service until you one day think to yourself, “You know, I could just quit. I could make more money at Subway, plus get free sandwiches and “burnt” cookies. What am I doing with my life?!”

I can think back to conversations with my dad when I first started. He told me that it’d be smart to keep looking for “real” jobs while in AmeriCorps VISTA and not to worry about ending my term early. He said it’d make sense to take another offer, economically, since anything else would likely pay more than $210/week.

I reminded him that I’d be forfeiting the $4725 education stipend and the forbearance benefit, and that my healthcare at a new place might not be as good as the VISTA benefits. I also reminded him that it doesn’t look good to only have worked at an organization for a few months, not to mention those few months were my only post-degree experience.

So I never applied for jobs while a VISTA with the intention to end my term early.  I’ve certainly been tempted and browsed open positions.  But I know others who have applied for jobs, and still others who have left their term of service early for another situation.

I don’t know how many service corps participants leave early or try to leave early, but I do know there are many reasons given for doing it or trying to end early:

• The stipend is too little for me and my family.
• I don’t have enough to do/I don’t feel like I’m making a difference/I don’t agree with my program/I don’t get along with my supervisor.
• A family member (or self) has a medical emergency/condition that prevents me from working.
• I was on an acceptance waitlist and just got accepted to grad school.
• I have no real interest in doing anything related to this in the future, I took the job as a stepping-stone because the market was awful.
• The way the site the position was presented, there was lots of work to do, but I completed everything within the first (insert period of time).
• I thought I could have a part-time job or go to school while doing the term of service, but that’s not true according to my program’s guidelines (like AmeriCorps VISTA, or NCCC).

Some can be solved, others are not as flexible; some could’ve been forseen, and others emerge after time.

If you do choose to look for other jobs, please please please be professional (yes, I have seen most of these happen):

• Don’t apply for open positions at your site or host organization.
• Don’t use your site’s/organization’s fax/email/phones to communicate with potential future employers, send out resumes, and complete applications.
• Don’t apply for other jobs while at your site, using your site’s computer, on your site’s time.
• Don’t talk to other corps members or staff about applying for other jobs.
• You get 10 sick/10 vacation days if you’re a VISTA (you get them in other programs too). Use these for interviews instead of coming in dressed differently than normal.

 

Thinking of leaving? Applying for other jobs?

See if there are things you can be doing differently to make the current service experience a better one. Meet with your project supervisor or manager. If that doesn’t leave you happy, meet with your site supervisor. Still not happy? Meet with your service corps team leader or a staff member at the organization that placed you (the Corporation for National and Community Service state office, for example, or your specific service corps). Be open to hearing others’ observations about yourself. You may have to face some hard truths about your own work style and readiness for the workplace.

Re-evaluate your plan for what you want out of your term of service. Re-evaluate whether you are taking care of yourself or burning yourself out. Take time off to have a life, re-connect with hobbies, friends, and family. You may just be stressed out.

Most importantly, if you choose to leave don’t do it in a bad way. Don’t burn your bridges. If you choose not to leave, don’t think you’ll stick it out but make everyone else around you as miserable as you are. You may not consciously think to make everyone around you painfully aware of your unhappiness, but that’s how it comes off.   It’s hard to pretend you’re happy. But it’s also hard to make these decisions on your own and without first talking to a trusted non-work friend or adviser, and then your supervisor.

I also found this post from March on the Change.org site, which tries to filter people out to begin with.

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Service Corps to Social Impact Career — a free career transitions guide from Idealist for service corps participants — offers specific career-related advice for people who who have terminated their term of service early, or who are considering it, including how to talk about early termination in a future job application (see Part Two).

The same book also offers basic work-related skills to build during your term, that might save you from needing to terminate early (see Part One).

Atlas Corps Needs Your Help to Win America’s Giving Challenge

Last year, Atlas Corps won America’s Giving Challenge, and this year it’s in the running again — but it needs the support of people like you who care about service, crossing borders, and professional development for people dedicated to working in social impact careers from all over the world.

Atlas Corps, a year-long international service fellowship which sends U.S. residents abroad as well as brings foreign nationals to the United States to serve in nonprofits, is currently in sixth place in the overall competition that rewards the number of daily donors, not the total amount raised through the competition. Your daily donation of $10 can help Atlas Corps win, as it did last year.

See the standings — for today and “all-time” for this year’s competition — here.

America’s Giving Challenge, which takes place using the Facebook Causes platform, is co-sponsored by the Case Foundation, the W.G. Kellogg Foundation, and Parade Magazine, among other groups. According to the rules:

$50,000 will be awarded to the cause with the highest total number of unique daily donations over the 30 days of the Challenge. $25,000 will be awarded to the causes with the second and third highest total number of unique daily donations over the 30 days of the Challenge. $10,000 will be awarded to the next five causes with the highest total number of unique daily donations over the 30 days of the Challenge.

So far, over $1.3 million dollars has been donated to 7,600+ organizations, through the competition—by over 70,000 donors. Atlas Corps’s had nearly 2000 donors.

Last year Atlas Corps not only raised $33,000 through America’s Giving Challenge, but also won the $50,000 grand prize for having the most donors. The organization, headed by Scott Beale, went onto to win $20,000 from an online Ideablob competition. (Read more about these online contests here.)

I plan to donate daily this week because I believe that Atlas Corps’s mission of bringing nonprofit professionals from the Global South to serve in the U.S. nonprofit sector stands to strengthen our perspectives as well as help us discover new ways of solving problems. As a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, I also admire Atlas Corps’s efforts to send mid-career U.S. nonprofit professionals overseas — people who have a great deal of targeted skills, and who already speak the host country language fluently and can jump into short-term, high-skill roles at partner organizations. Atlas Corps is completely privately funded, and has only recently emerged from its pilot phase.

Learn more about Atlas Corps:

• Check out its website
• Listen to this early 2009 podcast interview with founder Scott Beale
• Listen to a recent Nonprofit Career Month podcast episode featuring recently returned Atlas Corps Fellow Abby Flottemesch
• Check out this video from 2009-2010 Atlas Corps Fellow from Kenya Becky Gitonga:

And please consider donating to Atlas Corps as part of America’s Giving Challenge.

Site Visit: San Miguel School Gary Comer Campus in Chicago

Comer Staff greeting students as they enter the building

Jim Conti contributed this post — a visit to a site where  Inner City Teaching Corps (ICTC) of Chicago’s Volunteer Teaching Corps (VTC) members serve. Jim is the program’s Recruiting Coordinator and Associate Director.

For 18 years, the Inner-City Teaching Corps has placed highly excited and motivated recent college graduates in high-need, urban schools.  Though some schools have been partners for many years, the Inner-City Teaching Corps’s Volunteer Teaching Corps also searches out new placements for volunteer teachers.  One such partnership was established in 2007 and has had members of the Volunteer Teaching Corps ever since.  The character, identity, and make-up of the school are specific to this one placement, but the message and sense of hope are transferable to all other school placements.

San Miguel School – Gary Comer Campus is located on Chicago’s West-side, specifically within the Austin neighborhood.  The school and community are almost entirely African-American, with a small percentage of students and residents coming from a Hispanic background.  The neighborhood lies to the West of the Garfield Park and Humboldt Park neighborhoods, and to the East of Chicago’s first Western suburb, Oak Park.  For several years now, residents have been facing the loss of affordable housing as the surrounding neighborhoods continue to be re-gentrified and the identity of this proud neighborhood is transformed.

New Jersey Nonprofit Leader: Heather Calverase, Teach For America

Posted as part of Nonprofit Career Month, featuring the diversity of career opportunities in the nonprofit sector. Listen to more shows in this series.

Today’s guest is Heather Calverase, Executive Director of Teach For America’s Newark, New Jersey region where she is responsible for growing sustainable base of financial, community, and district awareness and support including cultivating and stewarding donations, building strong ties with local school districts, and recruiting corps members.

Prior to her position with Teach For America, Heather worked in the business sector, including nearly a decade with Kaplan, best known for its test preparation books and classes.

Amy Potthast chats with Heather about what is appealing about what Heather brings to the nonprofit sector from her business sector experience, as well as her background on educational issues.

Podcast transcript coming soon.

Final Nonprofit Career Month Simulcast: How can national service members set themselves up for success during the term?

To join this free presentation, please refer to the login information below.

October 30th — 2:00pm Eastern/11:00am Pacific
How can national service members set themselves up for success during the term?

What can you do to make the most of your term of service so that your career transition is fulfilling rather than intimidating?

• Discerning your next steps (through evaluation, reflection, and other specific exercises)
• Building additional, strategic relationships and skills that put you closer to your goals
• Documenting and displaying your accomplishments to impress potential employers or admissions committees
• Learning the nuts and bolts of a job search as your service term nears an end

This simulcast offers national service participants detailed specific steps and necessary tools to emphasize their own professional development, even as they are tackling intractable social concerns and building a better community through their service. The simulcast emphasizes practical suggestions, given corps members’ budget and time constraints, diverse activities, and varied program resources.

To access today’s free presentation, click here for the web portion at 11 am PT/2 m ET, and call in here:

Toll-free number: 1-877-802-4003
Participant Passcode: 718097

Want to learn more about simulcasts, how to sign up, and what technical set up you’ll need, read our Simulcast FAQ.

Senate Committee Hearing Thursday on the Public Lands Service Corps

This coming Thursday the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources will look at a bill to strengthen national service activity on public lands.

The Public Lands Service Corps Act, s. 1442, would amend the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993 and would:

• provide service-learning opportunities on public lands
• establish a grant program for Indian Youth Service Corps
• help restore the Nation’s natural, cultural, historic, archaeological, recreational, and scenic resources
• train a new generation of public land managers and enthusiasts, and promote the value of public service

The bill was introduced in July by Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), who is also the chair of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Senator Tom Udall (D-NM) and Senator Olympia Snowe (R-ME) cosponsored the bill.

According to its blog, The Corps Network is providing information to help land management officials prepare their testimony for Thursday’s hearing.

These Senators are on the Energy and Natural Resource Committee and will be considering the legislation:

Senate Energy + Natural Resources Committee Members

In March, Congressional Representatives introduced similar legislation (H.R. 1612) in the House. That legislation passed out of committee in June, and has the past week been added to the Union Calendar in the House (Calendar no. 177).

Learn more about Public Lands on the Public Lands Day site.

Make a Difference Day

Today marks Make a Difference Day, when volunteers and national service members take on community service projects across the country.

Every October, on the fourth Saturday, people implement service projects to improve their communities — anything from “beautification” projects to improve the grounds of schools, urban areas, and public gardens to canvassing neighborhoods door to door on behalf of breast cancer awareness (October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month).

In many places, national service groups are encouraged to lead community volunteers in special one-day projects in addition to their regular service assignments. For example, this weekend:

• Public Allies in Miami, FL, are leading local volunteers in a service project to help maintain community gardens and nurseries.
• LIFE/Project LINC AmeriCorps members in Jackson, MS, are leveraging community volunteers to clean up a local park, and improve its accessibility for people of all abilities.
• AmeriCorps members, professionals, and 70 community volunteers are getting together to weatherize homes of low-income people in West Asheville, NC.

For service project leaders today and everyday, check out these discussion prompts that help volunteers reflect on their service experience and connect their efforts to social impact careers.

Staying Fit on a Budget: A Guide to Cheap and Healthy Supermarket Eats, Under $1.

It’s fair to say the majority of us are feeling the economic squeeze these days.  Dollar menus, 32oz cup drinks, and vending machine selection goodies like B-12, A-3, and F-2 undoubtedly win hands down in terms of inexpensive snacks and/or meals.  However, although they may be light on the wallet their also light on nutritional value.  And they can turn into a problem if they’re the rule rather than the exception.

Don’t count out your local grocer, supermarket chain, or farmer’s markets.  They are chock-full with low-cost and nutritious eats for home, work, and play.

We often picture healthy food as either costing too much or tasting second-rate to their less-healthy counterparts.  You decide for yourself!  Check out this fantastic list of 20 healthy foods for under $1, courtesy of divinecaroline.com.

1. Oats: Sprinkled with nuts and/or fruit, oatmeal cookies.

2. Eggs: Boiled, scrambled, egg-salad sandwiches.

Online Chat: Nonprofit Careers Using Peace Corps Experience

Posted as part of Nonprofit Career Month, featuring the diversity of professional opportunities in the nonprofit sector.

Peace Corps experience isn’t just for people who want to become international development leaders or Swahili professors or even English teachers. Peace Corps assignments vary immensely, the technical training and hands on experiences that Volunteers get are intense — and valuable for people thinking about nonprofit careers.

Whether you’re just starting out in a career, or have years of experience you can apply for Peace Corps assignments with direct application for later nonprofit work, such as:

• NGO Development and Urban and Regional Planning
• Youth and community development
• Education (not just teaching English, either)
• Environment
• Food Security
• Public Health and other health-related work as well as HIV/AIDS work

This coming Monday join nonprofit leaders who are applying their Peace Corps experience directly to their current jobs in an online chat about Peace Corps:

Jessica Ross served as a community development volunteer in South Africa from 1998 to 2000 where she worked on several projects, including the creation of a youth HIV/AIDS awareness team that educated youth in rural schools. Currently, Ross is the Associate Director of Development for Treehouse, a non-profit organization that fills the gaps for kids in foster care by providing services that no other agency addresses, including money for extra-curricular activities and summer camp, professional educational support services, resources to fully participate in the everyday activities of growing up, clothing and supplies to help them fit in at school.

Maureen Oscadal served as a health volunteer in Zambia from 2006 to 2009 where she worked on a variety of health outreach initiatives as part of the Community Action for Health Project. She also became heavily involved and even led malaria education and prevention programs. Currently, Oscadal is the Program Coordinator for the Hepatitis Education Project (HEP), a Seattle-based non-profit which has grown from a support group for people living with Hepatitis C to a statewide program that raises awareness, teaches prevention, promotes political action, and provides information and support to those living with the virus.

The hour-long chat takes place Monday, October 26th, at 9 pm ET/6 pm PT. Learn more here.  Registration is required!

Free Webcast Today: Nonprofit Career Tips with Meg Busse and Steve Joiner

Posted as part of Nonprofit Career Month, featuring the diversity of career opportunities in the nonprofit sector.

Today, Tuesday, October 20, as Idealist hosts a Nonprofit Career Fair together with Seattle University, we will also run a live webcast during an accompanying information session, “Connecting Intention to Action. Connecting Action to Career” (1:30-2:30 pm PST).

Meg Busse and Steve Joiner, Directors of the Career Transitions Program here at Idealist, will lead this workshop.

They’ll take a holistic view of the career search by helping participants to:

• See themselves and their career paths in a more complex and complete way
• Understand several self-assessment tools that will help them articulate their experiences, skills, values, and priorities in a compelling way
• Explore the “nuts and bolts” of the nonprofit sector in order to gain a larger view of how they might fit in
• Explore ways to create intentional opportunities with organizations by exploring the synergy between their self and sector understanding

This event will also be offered as a free webcast to the first 150 attendees who register.

If you are interested in joining us via the web, here is the log-in information:

To access the presentation, click here.
To call in, dial: 866-740-1260
Enter the code: 2270113

To learn more: www.nonprofitcareermonth.org/simulcasts

Make an Hour for Change

Reminder: Sunday, November 1st, set your clocks back an hour, as daylight savings time ends around the country and standard time resumes.

In case you are wondering how you can productively use that extra hour, check out Make Time for Change, a campaign that asks you to commit to devoting the extra 60 minutes to a child.

For every pledge on their website, the refrigerator company Frigidaire will donate a dollar to Save the Children’s Change program that provides healthy snacks and promotes healthy habits for U.S. kids.

Free login is required in order to pledge but you don’t have to give your phone number (you do have to share an email address they use to verify you) and you can opt out of receiving offers.

Volunteering and Service in Prime Time

Service becomes the theme of mainstream t.v. shows this week.

I’m so excited to watch t.v. this week because I want to see how television tackles volunteerism and service — if you haven’t heard, all week, prime time shows are taking true stories of volunteerism and nonprofit work and weaving into their plots.

More than 90 shows are participating (did you know there were 90 primetime shows in a week? I didn’t) and many stars are offering public service announcement style endorsements of community service.

Some examples of what I mean, according to the HollywoodReporter.com:

• “Parks and Recreation” — the newish comedy starring Saturday Night Live’s Amy Poehler, as a local government leader — is featuring a playground build with an organization I’m a big fan of, KaBoom. Poehler’s character has been working to convert an abandoned and dangerous pit into a park and this week it’s finally going to happen with the help of KaBoom. Watch the episode here.
• “The Biggest Loser” weight-loss contestants will volunteer at a Los Angeles food bank— here is the PSA airing as part of the show:

• “Brothers” stars will volunteer as coaches.
• “CSI: NY”’s Dr. Sheldon Hawkes volunteers at a hospital.
• Actors Simon Baker, Emily Deschanel, Eva Longoria Parker, Rainn Wilson, Kate Walsh along with some all-star casts will appear in PSAs.
• General Hospital offers this direct reference to the iParticipate campaign with a few simple lines of diaologue:

The Chronicle of Philanthropy is trying to track the t.v. shows that feature volunteerism on a live blog. Let them know what you’ve seen on their website.

The initiative has been coordinated by the Entertainment Industry Foundation in partnership with Service Nation the campaign to expand service opportunities in the United States. The multi-year initiative is called iParticipate and you can learn more about it on the iParticipate website, and/or follow iParticipate on Twitter.

Should you Go to Grad School?

Guest post by Jung Fitzpatrick, who coordinates Idealist’s Public Service Graduate Education Resource Center.

The challenging thing about deciding to apply for graduate school is that each person’s situation is unique. Here are a few things to think about:

You can gain skills and knowledge in a number of ways.

Grad school is just one of them. If you feel you’re in a rut at your current job, perhaps you should talk to your supervisor to see if
you can take on new responsibilities or projects. You can also start looking for another job. If you are unemployed, you can always volunteer or intern with an organization – perhaps even proposing a project that would benefit the organization and allow you to learn and gain some new skills.

Alternatively you can sign up for classes such as continuing education courses or local professional development workshops.

Grad school costs money.

Unless you are applying for a doctoral level program that will fund your education, most professional masters programs charge tuition. Even with financial aid, mostly in the form of student loans, you will be responsible for the cost of your degree. There are some programs that offer free tuition to their students, but they are competitive and
usually have specific eligibility requirements. The National Urban Fellows is a full-tuition fellowship for mid-career professionals of color who are interested in getting a Masters in Public Administration. Forte Foundation works with business schools to recruit more women and offers full-tuition through its Forte Fellows program. These sorts of programs are few and far between, though.

With some research, flexibility and creativity, you may be able to reduce the cost of a graduate education. Read more about financing your graduate education.

There are alternatives to full-time graduate study.

You can work while you study, or get a certificate in a degree area. These alternatives may also help you afford further education.

If you’re unfazed by cost and really feel that grad school will give you an opportunity to achieve your goals, then you can read these articles for your next steps. You can also check to see if one of our remaining Idealist.org Graduate Degree Fairs for the Public Good is coming to a city near you this fall!

Best of luck!

Join the Online Career Chat “Breaking into the Sector”

This Thursday, October 8th at noon ET, Idealist.org will partner with the Chronicle of Philanthropy for an online chat on Breaking into the Sector.

An intensely competitive job market is making it harder than ever for recent graduates and established business professionals to break into careers in the nonprofit world.

• What can you do to stand out from the crowd?
• What can you do to make sure you are an attractive candidate for a great new role when conditions improve?
• And if you do land a position, what should you do to make the most of your opportunity?

Career transition experts Meg Busse and Steve Joiner (authors of the Idealist.org Guides to Nonprofit Careers and our Career Corner advice column) and nonprofit leader Rosetta Thurman will answer these questions and more.

We hope you will join us Thursday.