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**WE'RE JUST 7 DAYS**
New Jersey's Exciting Annual Conference on Afterschool
Fri 11/21/14 - Sat 11/22/14

Click here to learn more!


Do you want to make a difference in the life of a child? Join the Afterschool Alliance and NJSACC on our mission to provide low-income children with access to nutritious afterschool and summer meals. In 2010, Congress expanded resources to offer afterschool meals for low income children. Offering meals after school and in the summer are demonstrated factors in students regular participation in enrichment and academic support programs after school and in the summer intersession. Schools, programs and community providers have an opportunity to end hunger among low income children in their communities, but program knowledge, operational barriers and other obstacles have impeded widespread expansion of these meal programs. NJSACC is recruiting two VISTAS: one will be located in Newark and one will be located in Jersey City, NJ.


About AmeriCorps VISTA: AmeriCorps VISTA is the national service program designed to specifically fight poverty. Founded as Volunteers in Service to America in 1965 and incorporated into the AmeriCorps network of programs in 1993, VISTA has been on the front lines in the fight against poverty in America for more than 40 years. VISTA Members commit to serve full-time for a year at a community based organization or institution working to fight poverty.


PLEASE NOTE! This position is a one-year, full-time commitment of volunteer service. A modest living allowance is provided by AmeriCorps. This is NOT a permanent position with NJSACC.

  • Start Date: February 1, 2015
  • Application deadline: 11/28/14

Type: Full-time position. AmeriCorps VISTA members receive a modest living allowance depending on county of residence (generally about $1,000 per month).


Benefits: Health, Child Care, Relocation, Training, End of Service Education Award or End of Service Cash Stipend


ABOUT THIS POSITION


Member Duties: Become knowledgeable about afterschool and summer meal program requirements, identify critical gaps of service and develop plans to increase knowledge of nutrition programs, identify afterschool programs eligible for funding, work with food advocates to engage non-school partners, work with programs, identify and document operational barriers or policy obstacles and develop potential solutions to remove these challenges; research innovative practices and strategies that other cities have used to expand Afterschool and Summer Meals.


Location: NJSACC is recruiting two VISTAs -- one each for Newark and Jersey City. These positions will be based in Newark and Jersey City, NJ. NJSACC's office is located in Westfield, NJ.


Qualifications:

  • Must have strong writing, research and analytic skills

  • Must be proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint and a willingness to learn and use a variety of online tools

  • The ideal candidate will have a demonstrated interest in nutrition

  • Ability to work independently and on a team

  • Ability to work with diverse groups of individuals and constituencies

  • Strong oral and written communication skills

  • A Bachelor's degree is required.

How to apply: Qualified applicants should email a cover letter and resume to [email protected]. Please feel free to contact Lee McDermott Schaefer with questions at: [email protected].


All AmeriCorps*VISTA applicants must also complete an AmeriCorps application, which includes an online form to be filled out by 2 references. The AmeriCorps posting is available here!


 What can we do about bullying? Here are 9 things!
 
On October 23rd and 24th, Kean University's Counselor Education Department and the New Jersey Coalition for Bullying Awareness and Prevention hosted 'Beyond Bullying: Building Schools Where Everyone Belongs,' a conference faciliated by nationally renowned bullying expert Stan Davis.

The program was designed for teachers, counselors, nurses, administrators, paraprofessionals, consultants and trainers and other educators who are working to create welcoming school environments.

After attending this special conference, NJSACC felt it was important to share some of the wonderful information they all learned.

What can we do about bullying? Here are 9 things:
  • "Language creates reality." We must take a look at the current language we use regarding bullying which implies that students are the negative behavior and focuses on only one subgroup. Using words or phrases that externalize the behaviors and re-frame the student and the behavior to focus on all those that are involved.
Bullying
Bully
Victim
Bystander
Mistreatment
Person who mistreated
Person who was mistreated
Person who witnessed the mistreatment
  • School needs can be assessed and plans can be developed using the "RISE" model: 
    • build Resiliency, 
    • encourage Inclusion, 
    • Support mistreated youth, 
    • implement behavior Expectations
  • How can we change our actions (as professionals) to reflect student's actions? Instead of building self-esteem... we can build self-efficacy: young peoples' knowledge that their actions make a difference in their lives and others' lives.
  • What mindset do we promote in our children to affect their behavior? Dr. Carol Dweck identified two mindsets: fixed and growth. A fixed mindset believes that they are good at some things and bad at others and interpret failure as a sign that they should give up. A growth mindset believes that strategy and effort matter more than ability and interpret failure as a sign that they should try harder or use a different strategy.
  • When praising children, do not use "I". Start with "I notice..." It encourages independence in children in recognizing their own behavior.
  • To reduce mistreatment amongst students; use smaller consequences with support. Show children consequences that they care about, those things that may have short term effects on them.
  • When dealing with "mistreatment" of others: set boundaries, pre-determine consequences, allow staff to determine what and how they will accomplish goals, keep formal records/documentation of the success of interventions, allow for reflection time.
  • Ways to Build Community: ask what everyone wants to see; greet everyone you see; acknowledge the outcomes of everyone's hard work; ask what is going well; allow everyone to be heard; connect people with similar interests; work towards common goals; set an example through your own behavior; share all successes-both common and rare.

 
Job Posting: YWCA Bergen County Seeks to Fill Several Positions!
 
If you enjoy working with children, then the YWCA Bergen County is the place for you! They have openings for several part time positions in their Bergen County School Aged Programs.

Must have reliable transportation!

Locations:
  • Allendale Monday to Friday 3pm to 7pm
  • Cresskill Monday and Tuesday 3pm to 7pm
  • Dumont Monday to Friday 3pm to 6pm
  • Oradell Monday to Friday 3pm to 6-7pm
  • Old Tappan Monday to Friday 3pm to 7pm
  • Ridgewood Monday to Friday 3pm to 7pm
  • Washington Township Monday to Friday 3pm to 7pm
  • Westwood Monday to Friday 2:45pm to 7pm 
Recreational Counselors:

Under the supervision of a Site Supervisor the Recreation Counselor a group of 15 to 25 elementary school aged children ages Kindergarten through sixth grade. Recreation Counselors ensure the safety of the children as they take them through a schedule of activities that include snack, homework, gym time, arts & crafts, outdoor sports reading, board games and special events. In addition to promoting a safe, welcoming and encouraging environment for all participants enrolled.

Qualifications:

A High School Diploma required and a minimum of 2 years experience working in a recreational setting required.

Must have reliable transportation!

Please submit a resume to: [email protected]


Survey Finds Large Unmet Need for Afterschool Programs Among African Americans
 
A new survey conducted for the Afterschool Alliance finds that 2.4 million African American children participate in formal afterschool programs. They make up about one quarter of all African American schoolchildren.

But the survey also shows that an additional 4.5 million African American children would participate in such programs if they were available in their communities. The survey found that the unmet need for afterschool programs is particularly high in Black and other minority households. Some 60 percent of the African American families that do not have a child enrolled in afterschool programs would take advantage of such programs if they were offered and safe transportation to and from the facilities was provided, according to the survey.

"Our country is nowhere close to meeting the demand for afterschool. In fact, the unmet demand for afterschool programs among African American families is large and growing," said Afterschool Alliance Executive Director Jodi Grant. "It's clear that African American families value afterschool programs, because they keep children safe, inspire them to learn, help working families, and promote healthy habits. But our public policy shortchanges millions of children of all races and ethnicities, leaving them without the programs they want and need. Federal funding for afterschool programs has been stalled for years. We need to increase federal support for quality afterschool programs."

Arnold Schwarzenegger, former governor of California and founder of the After-School All Stars, added that "due to the fact that most students come from homes where both parents are working, we have a duty to provide safe havens for our children during the crucial hours from 3 to 6 pm. These programs help kids with homework, teach them teamwork, engage them in community service, pair them with mentors, help them to be physically fit, involve them in activities like rocketry and robotics, and much more. Afterschool is a wise investment but, unfortunately, we're not investing nearly enough."
______________________________________________________
Diane Genco
Executive Director
NJSACC: The Network for New Jersey's Afterschool Communities
www.njsacc.org
[email protected]