Resources
Ins & Outs of VISTA Service
- PSP VISTA Member Handbook (pdf) - specific to PSP
- AmeriCorps VISTA Member Handbook (pdf) (for ALL VISTAs across the country)
- Benefits of VISTA Service
- USU COVID Leave Benefit guidance
Helpful Training Resources
PSP YouTube Channel
- PSP YouTube Channel (various training videos)
Google Drive Training
Training specific to individual Google collaboration and file storage applications.Working with Students
- Every Kid Needs a Champion (7:34) - A great TED Talk with Rita Pierson on building relationships with your students.
- Improving Attendance for Students- This Resource Center, managed by Attendance Works, provides trainings, printables, exercises, and other resource to assist you and your school in improving student attendance.
Communication & Building Relationships
- Wearing Different Hats at Work and in Life
- Communicating Your Value and Successes
Toot Your Horn (docx) - Feel proud of all the work you are doing as a VISTA? Not sure how to communicate that to your Site Supervisor or coworkers? Take a look at this simple work sheet, created by PSP VISTA Alumni Jason Jensen, for some direction on how to "Toot Your Horn."
Harnessing Social Media
- Communication through Digital and Social Media (3:34) - A very useful VISTA Campus webinar. Hosted by the federal government's own social media consultants, this webinar will teach you how to craft effective email campaigns, how to set up an email subscription service linked from your website and Facebook. Download the Communication through Digital and Social Media PowerPoint(pdf).
- GovDelivery: Digital Communication Best Practices for the Public Sector - GovDelivery, the federal government's main digital communication consultants, offer a series of free guides on how to best reach the population you serve. For a quick primer, check out The Guide to Digital Outreach and Engagement.
Writing, Fundraising, and Events
- Writing a Federal Resume - Hoping to apply for a federal job and looking for tips on how to prepare your resume? Check out these resources: federal resume writing slideshow (pdf) and federal resume handout (pdf).
- Researching Grants (pdf) - A VISTA Campus tutorial that gives a good overview of how to research grants online and on foot in your community.
- Donation Letter Templates & Guidance
- Download and alter these templates to fit your needs!
- Donation Request Template (doc)
- Donation Follow Up Template (doc)
Look over this doc for help on how to solicit donations in the community! - Fund Raising & Event Planning
- How to plan a successful fundraiser (pptx) - discussing tips on planning a successful fundraising event. Created by The Family Place's Britney Bird and VISTA Alumna Ashlee Flitton.
- Fundraising Ideas List (pdf) developed by Help Hope Live - Canva.com - Canva is an online design and publishing tool with a mission to empower everyone in the world to design anything and publish anywhere."