24 AmeriCorps members are serving at 17 host sites around Cuyahoga County to assist their literacy programs. In addition to their direct service in tutoring and volunteer coordination, each member will lead a sustainable capacity building project at their host site during the 2010-2011 service year. NEO Literacy Corps is supported by The Literacy Cooperative of Greater Cleveland as part of their organizational priority:
Enabling and Supporting High quality, Interconnected and Outcomes Oriented Service Delivery
“The Literacy Cooperative will support on going improvements in service quality by facilitating client centered service delivery, advocating alignment of resources across multiple funding systems, supporting outcomes based services, promoting program accountability and addressing policy issues that pose barriers to learners and programs.”
On Friday, October 22, the members met to discuss their first month of service and decide on a topic to pursue for this coming year. Topics chosen include:
Friend Us! Web-based volunteer coordination by Tracey Morrow at University Settlement
Teen Expressions Equipment for audio/video recording for young adults by Dario Baker at Thea Bowman Center
Support Group Build community for low literacy adult learners by Stanley Griffin at Cleveland Sight Center
Financial “Smarts” Prepare high school students for the real financial world of work & college by Molly Womack at WECO Fund
Throughout the year, members will develop their projects using the Appreciative Inquiry model of organizational development, an internationally successful strengths-based approach positive and lasting social change (developed in our own backyard at CWRU & Cleveland Clinic). They will also be given the opportunity to prototype & refine their projects by leading two 4D cycles to Discover, Dream, Design, and Deliver a sustainable system that will increase the quality, interconnectedness, and/or outcomes orientation of their host sites. Members will also work in teams of 4 to provide mutual support and accountability.
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