Writing white papers for sustainability

Abstract

Most Ohio Campus Compact AmeriCorps*VISTA members serve only one year, but ensuring the sustainability of the program beyond that time is important. To help achieve this goal, each member ends his/her year by writing a "white paper" that details service-learning on the campus, what the AmeriCorps*VISTA member has accomplished, and recommendations for institutionalizing a campus service-learning program. The white paper helps guide the next AmeriCorps*VISTA member(s) and provides support for fundraising efforts.

Issue

Ensuring the sustainability of a project for longer than an AmeriCorps*VISTA member's one year term of service takes forethought and cooperation on the part of members.

Action

Ohio Campus Compact asks each AmeriCorps* VISTA member to complete a "white paper" that describes:

The history of service and service-learning on his/her campus
What the AmeriCorps*VISTA member has accomplished
Next steps for the campus as they try to institutionalize a service-learning program

Each AmeriCorps* VISTA member presents his/her "white paper" to campus presidents, deans, faculty and staff.

The white paper is also left as a guide for the next AmeriCorps*VISTA member to start where the previous AmeriCorps* VISTA member left off.

Context

Each Ohio Campus Compact AmeriCorps*VISTA member is charged with developing a service-learning program on one of the member campuses. The AmeriCorps*VISTA members attend trainings and conferences that help build their knowledge of service-learning. This information is put to use as they make presentations on campus and meet with faculty, students, and community members. The AmeriCorps*VISTA members will do research throughout the year. They often go through old campus newspapers, interview staff members, and read through many service learning articles. Each "white paper" is specific to the campus where they are placed.

Outcome

Most Ohio Campus Compact AmeriCorps*VISTA members serve only one year. After they leave, the "white paper" remains and helps focus the efforts on campus. This is also an effective way for the AmeriCorps*VISTA member to transmit the knowledge that they have gathered through their year of service. They are providing a very tangible product for the campus and community. The "white paper" also provides a guide for the next AmeriCorps*VISTA member to work from and to build on.

Evidence

After the presentations in 2000-2001 to campus administration, several campuses began to discuss where to find funds and long range plans for a service-learning program.