Transforming Communities through Service:
a collection of 51 of the most innovative americorps programs in the united states
A report by Innovations in Civic Participation (ICP)

excerpt on the....

NEW JERSEY
Bonner Leaders Program

Program Mission and Goals

Campus and community leaders came together to address compelling needs of our society and created the New Jersey AmeriCorps Bonner Leaders Program (NJABLP). It is an innovative campus-based program housed at campuses in central New Jersey designed to integrate the goals of meeting community needs and inspiring college students to become committed and engaged citizens. The network has a united vision that seeks to strengthen the hand of community agencies by mobilizing the resources of the campus and impacting the campus culture.

Currently, more than 80 “Bonners” work on projects and initiatives that vary slightly from year to year. Current service objectives state that members will:

• increase literacy, academic skills, or engagement in learning of homeless and at-risk youth through afterschool, mentoring and enrichment programs;
• increase the amount of food delivered to individuals in need;
• increase the academic and vocational skills of low- income and homeless adults enrolled in educational programs of local soup kitchens;
• complete community-based research projects strengthening agencies’ capacity;
• raise community awareness through on-site visits and/or presentations explaining issues related to poverty, public safety, etc.; and
• carry out intensive volunteer recruitment initiatives. Program Description

The NJABLP trains a team of students from community and four-year, public and private, colleges and universities who serve as reduced-time members at community agencies. Each agency hosts a full- or half- time member who is recruited directly from the community and serves alongside the teams of student members.
Campus directors meet weekly with their corps to build skills necessary for effective service. Directors assess and reflect with each team as well as with members on their progress. All corps events bring students and community members together for trainings and seasons of service projects to create synergy and increase collegiality.

The program has three, mutually reinforcing components:

• providing service and enrichment activities for members;
• providing programs that help develop a culture of service at institutions of higher learning and infrastructures to engage the larger campus community; and,
• providing a skilled and committed group of members who deliver basic services, build capacity, and initiate and support enrichment activities that agencies would otherwise not be able to provide.

The NJABLP expects students to build their current competency and skill sets and move closer toward achieving program benchmarks and student development goals. It approaches the member holistically, considering the variety of factors that influence their development. As a result, the developmental model aligns itself to a tiered undergraduate curricular experience.

As a campus-based program structurally congruent with the undergraduate experience, where possible the four-year calendar is integrated. Students have the option of enrolling for terms supported by an Education Award Bonner Leaders Program, or by additional institutional support allowing the program to take on larger initiatives supported by returning Bonner Leaders who have experience and a personal investment.

Innovation

Lasting Impact In interviews with program alumni, directors, and partners, the following Common Commitments of Bonner Leaders were identified: social justice, civic engagement, spiritual exploration, diversity, international perspective, and community building. Bonner Leaders have the opportunity to explore each of these areas during their four-year experience. Members have gone to exciting careers in public service.

Exceptional and/or Unique Partnerships

Agencies strive to offer effective programs that target community needs, and yet they are facing increasing competitiveness for funding. Funders have stiff requirements and few agencies have the human or financial resources to conduct the necessary research to regain funding. As universities seek relevant and innovative learning experiences for students, community-based research has emerged as a powerful and mutually beneficial mechanism for non-profits and campuses.

The NJAPLP allows community agencies to work collaboratively with faculty and AmeriCorps members to produce needed evidence and build organizational capacity and sustainability. For example, student-members at The College of New Jersey serving as mentors also worked with a faculty member to complete a report for the Trenton Youth Services Commission. A comprehensive report on non-school hour programming in the city and its impact on youth violence was produced, examining local programs and nationwide best practices. The report influenced the commission’s funding and program strategies.

Volunteer and/or Resource Generation

This program has empowered local non-profits by allowing them to leverage the professional expertise of the faculty and to harness the energy of college students. As higher education continues to make student volunteerism a priority, NJABLP members have numerous venues to connect students to the initiatives of their partners.

For example, student-members at Rider University have organized an entire week of activities dedicated to raising awareness for local hunger relief initiatives, make more than ten recruitment presentations to campus organizations each semester, and have established four annual campus wide service events. They organize fundraising events and food drives.

Potential for Replication

Through a National Education Award Program, the Bonner Leader Program has been replicated by 77 colleges and universities in 25 states nationwide, and has partnered with more than 350 community organizations. This strong network provides New Jersey members with a larger framework for their service, and provides campus and community partners with a wealth of resources and best practice models.

Successes

For years, the NJABLP has surpassed its stated objects and provided community agencies with thousands of hours of service. New initiatives have been launched, advocates trained, hundreds of volunteers recruited, food goods delivered, young people empowered, and members have become confident and competent citizens committed to serving.

Community partners who were initially wary of becoming involved with the program now welcome NJABLP members, expecting and receiving high-quality service delivery. Members have also returned in successive years, indicating general satisfaction with the program and an eagerness to exercise their civic responsibility.
AmeriCorps’ presence on each of the campuses has revolutionized the way the institutions value service. One of the goals of the NJABLP is to engage the wider campus culture to promote service. The program concentrates on recruitment of volunteers on campus and at community events. This has been a successful effort and the momentum continues to build as other students hear about the work to which the members are committed. During the 2003-2004 academic year, more than 850 non-AmeriCorps volunteers have been recruited and have completed more than 8,000 hours of service.

Campus partners have recognized powerful possibilities of program expansion. In order to provide more students with opportunity to serve, they have found creative ways to replicate the AmeriCorps experience. Each uses a different combination of work-study, private funding, grants, and other institutional support to put together a package for corps members. These packages provide students with a living allowance and a $1,000 scholarship equal to what the official AmeriCorps members receive. These students also commit to 300 hours of service, training and reflection and serve alongside the AmeriCorps members to further the work of our community partners.

The NJABLP initiative began with campus and community leaders coming together on equal footing to forge a new vision of what campus and community partnerships can achieve. This spirit of collaboration has ensured a channel of communication in order to more effectively respond to the evolving needs of the community and help close the historical divide between campus and community. The highly collaborative nature of the NJABLP has provided space for community organizations and campuses to take part in the national service movement as well as to be true partners and co-educators.