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Training: The service year begins with three days of orientation for all Literacy*AmeriCorps members. After orientation, members go directly to their service sites where they begin site orientations which usually last two or three weeks.
Additionally, members attend monthly Friday AmeriCorps trainings. Typically occurring on the last Friday of each month, these mandatory training sessions allow members to share their experiences. The main topics for these sessions may vary greatly, for example, from tutoring tips to addressing social problems or learning CPR and First Aid. The largest training sessions of the year are a four day retreat where members learn to interact as a group and the national conference in Pittsburgh where members meet with memebr form the six other Literacy AmeriCorps programs across the country and attend diverse training sessions. Other state and regional conferences are also available as training opportunities throughout the year.
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Idealist Journey
Through the course of the year Literacy AmeriCorps members will receive a lot of training but one reoccurring theme is the development of the members as Idealist Leaders. Using the model creating by City Year, Literacy AmeriCorps members will discuss their term of service and their leadership development in terms of the idealist journey. Through a series of activities, reflections, goal setting, and case presentations member will depart on their journey travel through the trials and transformations of service and finish the year with a better understanding of themselves as civic leaders and their goals for their future.
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Literacy AmeriCorps Retreat
The AmeriCorps Retreat was strategically planned two months into our service year; this gave all members the time to learn the in's and out’s, what we will be facing, and our own ways to combat challenges that arise at our individual sites.
The entire retreat was jam packed with group activities to gain the trust of our fellow members; these team building exercises were great, members that we already had a good report with was strengthened, and the members we were only beginning to develop a relationship was solidified. The team building activity that increased the bonds of friendship between us greater than any other was the wall climb: we had to put our lives, literally, in the hands of our fellow members while we made our way up the 100ft tower. One wrong move, one slip of the hand, one distraction, or a member just have a bad day would have resolved in out immanent death; however, the retreat was perfect. All members were understanding, patient, and sympathetic to everyone’s needs.
Another great experience we had was the opportunity to facilitate discussion groups. Young professionals, in all probability, have never facilitated a discussion group – the accord silences, the self-doubt, the unexpected; all these and more are what educator’s experiences daily. As AmeriCorps Members, we need to be able to think on our toes, change topic, rephrase the question, and get people motivated. These facilitations are vital when teaching students; because, standing in front of the class, nerves, unsure and terrified you will not know the answer to one of your student’s many questions is a fear-provoking experience for and educator to have. Its better to resolve this paranoia with our friendly group of AmeriCorps Members then in front of a classroom full of youths.
I’ve only been on one AmeriCorps Retreat, but I would imagine they are this productive. We are all young idealists looking to better the world and ourselves, and this retreat was the perfect opportunity for growth.
Pictured on left: The members try to pop the last balloon in a team building game by staging a whole Corps group hug; however, the stubborn balloon failed to pop until a full corps dog pile occurred!
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Red Cross Training
We’ve had the opportunity to learn quite a few skills through our Friday trainings; how to proctor the TABE test, financial planning, and disaster preparedness to name a few. Our Red Cross training, however, has been one of the most viable. While techniques in tutoring is helpful for us every day, the idea that we are now trained to help someone in a health crisis or to even save their life is all the more meaningful. After our training, I believe every Literacy AmeriCorps member felt either a sense of duty or a raw fear at the obligation that came with carrying the Red Cross certified card. The training was exciting in part because of the ‘Hands-On’ nature of it. We were practicing with one another and on dummies. We learned how to make an arm sling and a splint, how to give mouth-to-mouth, and how to perform the Heimlich maneuver. I enjoyed having AmeriCorps members we had met at the 9/11 service day train us in the material and techniques. It was interesting to interact with AmeriCorps members who are doing much more physical endeavors than we, Literacy AmeriCorps members, are doing overall, and to spend the day being more active; the dichotomy of being a tutor being tutored. Overall, I believe that this training was important to our team because it provided us with life skills beyond what we learn in the front of the classroom.
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Avoiding Ruin
In October, members gather for our first training with just our Corps since orientation. After spending some time catching up we heading straight for disaster! (or really how to prevent disaster). In the morning, Phoebe Brown from the Consumer Credit Counseling Services conducted a workshop on how to create and stick to a budget (something that is especially important in light of the small living allowance members receive). Then after a delicious potluck lunch provided by the members, Christine Mullarkey from the American Red Cross came to discuss disaster preparedness and flu safety/prevention. Despite the subject matter, members gain valuable information and had the chance to touch base after completing their first month of service.
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Literacy*AmeriCorps 
