Create a Short-Term Service Project
Potential Audience:
- Schools
- Colleges
- Youth organizations
- Service clubs
- Faith-based groups
- Community organizations
- Influential people (funders, elected officials, community leaders)
What better way to tell the AmeriCorps story than by inviting others to serve? You can create some short-term service projects that are an extension of the work you are already doing as a way to promote awareness of AmeriCorps and its impact.
Start by identifying potential projects
A short-term service project should be connected to the long-term goals of your AmeriCorps program. For example, if your program is already engaged in tutoring activities, you should create an education project, such as a book or school supply drive. Days of Service such as MLK Day, awareness days like AmeriCorps Week, or holidays such as Veterans Day are great times to host short-term service projects that engage the community.
Recruit volunteers
A short-term project provides an opportunity to recruit new volunteers for
your ongoing work and may also serve to help recruit new AmeriCorps members. See the
Promote Your Work section of this website for ways to use traditional and new media and lowtech
ways to reach new audiences.
Attract media
To increase the reach of your message, you will want to seek media attention
for your short-term project. Make sure that your project is newsworthy by tying it to current
events, ensuring it addresses a critical community need, or appeals to both the heart and the
head.
Set clear, measurable goals
When organizing a service project, make sure that you have established goals and stick to them. If you find that your initial goals are too ambitious or too meager, revise the goals so the whole team will feel great about what you accomplish.
Demonstrate how AmeriCorps members are getting things done
Make sure that volunteers and the media know that the short-term project is an example of what AmeriCorps members are doing on a daily basis all over the country. During opening or closing events or reflection times, have members share stories about their service and how this project is helping to further the goals of their AmeriCorps project.
Plan and prepare for your service event
Sound planning is important to the success of any event including short term service projects. Many participants may volunteer occasionally and you want them to have a good experience so that they will return. Use the following forms to create reminder lists for before, during and after your event.