Utilizing AmeriCorps National Service as a Transition Option for

High School Students with Disabilities

A Mini Grant OpportunityA Mini Grant Opportunity

A Partnership BetweenA Partnership Between

• Volunteer FloridaVolunteer Florida

&&

• The Florida Collaborative for The Florida Collaborative for Community Inclusion at UFCommunity Inclusion at UF

Volunteer Florida Volunteer Florida

• Created in 1993 to Created in 1993 to fulfill federal fulfill federal legislation that created legislation that created AmeriCorpsAmeriCorps

• A state commission A state commission consisting of twenty-consisting of twenty-five Governor five Governor appointed appointed CommissionersCommissioners

• AmeriCorps AmeriCorps legislation requires legislation requires programs to recruit programs to recruit and retain members and retain members with disabilitieswith disabilities

• 1998 Commissioners 1998 Commissioners dedicated one FTE to dedicated one FTE to direct inclusion effortsdirect inclusion efforts

Establishing RelationshipsEstablishing Relationships

• For the last four years Volunteer For the last four years Volunteer Florida has had an established Florida has had an established relationship with the University of relationship with the University of Florida (UF) as a member of Florida (UF) as a member of statewide Transition Task Forces statewide Transition Task Forces administered through The Transition administered through The Transition Center at UFCenter at UF

Establishing Relationships Establishing Relationships (Cont.)(Cont.)

• Through a grant from the Florida Through a grant from the Florida Developmental Disabilities Developmental Disabilities Council, UF established a Council, UF established a University Centers for Excellence University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, The in Developmental Disabilities, The Florida Collaborative for Florida Collaborative for Community Inclusion (FCCI)Community Inclusion (FCCI)

Maximizing ResourcesMaximizing Resources

• Untapped Resource in AmeriCorpsUntapped Resource in AmeriCorps

• Inclusion Funds from Volunteer FloridaInclusion Funds from Volunteer Florida

• Expertise From:Expertise From:

– The Transition Center at the University The Transition Center at the University of Floridaof Florida

– ProjectProject CONNECTCONNECT Sites Sites

– Florida Collaborative for Community Florida Collaborative for Community InclusionInclusion

Maximizing Resources Maximizing Resources (Cont.)(Cont.)

• The newly formed FCCI applies The newly formed FCCI applies for and receives funding from the for and receives funding from the National Service Inclusion National Service Inclusion Project (NSIP)Project (NSIP)

Collaborative Project Collaborative Project

• FCCI through a contract with Volunteer Florida FCCI through a contract with Volunteer Florida will develop and distribute Mini Grant will develop and distribute Mini Grant opportunity for transition projects throughout opportunity for transition projects throughout FloridaFlorida

• The focus of the project is to work with The focus of the project is to work with AmeriCorps programs to increase the number of AmeriCorps programs to increase the number of transitioning high school students with disabilities transitioning high school students with disabilities in Florida’s AmeriCorps programsin Florida’s AmeriCorps programs

Mutually Beneficial OutcomesMutually Beneficial Outcomes

• Increase viable options for transitioning high Increase viable options for transitioning high school students with disabilitiesschool students with disabilities

• Increase the number of persons with disabilities in Increase the number of persons with disabilities in Florida’s AmeriCorps ProgramsFlorida’s AmeriCorps Programs

• Increase skills acquisition and employment Increase skills acquisition and employment outcomes for transitioning high school students outcomes for transitioning high school students with disabilitieswith disabilities

• Fulfill NSIP Grant RequirementsFulfill NSIP Grant Requirements

Impacting Local AmeriCorps Impacting Local AmeriCorps Programs Programs

• AmeriCorps Dignity ProjectAmeriCorps Dignity Project

• AmeriCorps Florida State Parks, District AmeriCorps Florida State Parks, District TwoTwo

• AmeriCorps Charter Schools Reads! AmeriCorps Charter Schools Reads!

• ALACHUA READS!ALACHUA READS!

• Equal Justice Works Three Rivers Legal Equal Justice Works Three Rivers Legal Services, Inc. (National Direct)Services, Inc. (National Direct)

AmeriCorps Dignity ProjectAmeriCorps Dignity ProjectMember Robert Thomas works with Dignity participants on their school work.•AmeriCorps members repair and give away vehicles and AmeriCorps members repair and give away vehicles and complete home renovations for families coming off of complete home renovations for families coming off of public assistance. AmeriCorps members receive hands-public assistance. AmeriCorps members receive hands-on instruction in auto mechanics or construction while on instruction in auto mechanics or construction while completing their service duties.completing their service duties.

AmeriCorps ALACHUA READS!AmeriCorps ALACHUA READS!

Member Karen Derby assists an Alachua County student improve his reading ability

•AmeriCorps members provide reading tutoring services AmeriCorps members provide reading tutoring services to students in grades K-8. Members also participate in to students in grades K-8. Members also participate in community events to promote, encourage, and support community events to promote, encourage, and support family and adult literacy.family and adult literacy.

AmeriCorps Florida State Parks, AmeriCorps Florida State Parks, District IIDistrict II

Member Jamie Gray prepares to help manage resources at Paines Prairie

•Crews at Gainesville build trails, improve Crews at Gainesville build trails, improve compliance with the Americans with Disabilities compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and participate in resource management Act and participate in resource management (exotic plant removal, prescribed burning and (exotic plant removal, prescribed burning and planting of native species).planting of native species).

Mini Grant Particulars Mini Grant Particulars

• Grant Amount: $2,000Grant Amount: $2,000• Cycle: August 31, 2004 to Cycle: August 31, 2004 to

June 30, 2005 June 30, 2005 • Administered by the Florida Collaborative Administered by the Florida Collaborative

for Community Inclusion and Volunteer for Community Inclusion and Volunteer FloridaFlorida

Mini Grant RequirementsMini Grant Requirements

• Initiate contact with all AmeriCorps State and Initiate contact with all AmeriCorps State and National Direct programs in applicants area and National Direct programs in applicants area and develop a partnership agreement that includes a develop a partnership agreement that includes a collaborative plan of action with AmeriCorps collaborative plan of action with AmeriCorps program to increase the recruitment and program to increase the recruitment and enrollment of transitioning high school students enrollment of transitioning high school students with disabilities in AmeriCorps with disabilities in AmeriCorps

• Visit each local AmeriCorps program, observe Visit each local AmeriCorps program, observe members and gain a full understanding of the members and gain a full understanding of the service provided by the members and mission of service provided by the members and mission of the programthe program

Mini Grant Requirements Mini Grant Requirements (Cont.)(Cont.)

• Develop a process for matching transitioning Develop a process for matching transitioning high school students with disabilities based on high school students with disabilities based on interest and skills with the appropriate interest and skills with the appropriate AmeriCorps programAmeriCorps program

• Work with appropriate local ESE and school Work with appropriate local ESE and school district administrators to include AmeriCorps district administrators to include AmeriCorps national service as a potential outcome on national service as a potential outcome on transition IEPs for high school students with transition IEPs for high school students with disabilities;disabilities;

Mini Grant Requirements Mini Grant Requirements (Cont.)(Cont.)

• Utilize or develop a process for tracking the Utilize or develop a process for tracking the number of transitioning high school number of transitioning high school students with disabilities who become students with disabilities who become AmeriCorps membersAmeriCorps members

• Utilize a process for determining job skills Utilize a process for determining job skills acquisition from participating in acquisition from participating in AmeriCorps programsAmeriCorps programs

Mini Grant Requirements Mini Grant Requirements (Cont.)(Cont.)

• Develop pre-service exploration Develop pre-service exploration opportunities for transitioning high school opportunities for transitioning high school students with disabilities in conjunction students with disabilities in conjunction with local AmeriCorps program staffwith local AmeriCorps program staff

• Develop an orientation process for Develop an orientation process for AmeriCorps for all transitioning high AmeriCorps for all transitioning high school students with disabilitiesschool students with disabilities

Questions?Questions?

Paul MartellPaul MartellVolunteer Florida, the Volunteer Florida, the

Governor’s Commission Governor’s Commission on Volunteerism and on Volunteerism and Community ServiceCommunity Service

401 S. Monroe St. 401 S. Monroe St. Tallahassee, FLTallahassee, FL

3230132301Phone: 850-414-0093Phone: 850-414-0093

paul@volunteerflorida.orgpaul@volunteerflorida.org

W. Drew AndrewsW. Drew AndrewsFlorida Collaborative for Florida Collaborative for

Community Inclusion Community Inclusion University of FloridaUniversity of FloridaG315 Norman HallG315 Norman Hall

PO Box 117050PO Box 117050Gainesville, FLGainesville, FL

32611-705032611-7050Phone: 352-392-0701Phone: 352-392-0701

Ext. 260Ext. 260 drewa@coe.ufl.edudrewa@coe.ufl.edu