Tuesday, May 24, 2011

NEW COORDINATOR CHOSEN FOR AREA AMERICORPS PROGRAM

Council on Rural Services is pleased to welcome Kristy Warren as a new member of the Council on Rural Services team. She has been selected as the project coordinator for the AmeriCorps for Entrepreneurial Success program in Darke, Miami and Shelby counties. The AmeriCorps program, an extension of Gateway Youth Programs, will address the school-to-workforce skills gap that many vulnerable youth in our area experience.

AmeriCorps is a national service program that provides people the opportunity to give back to their communities. AmeriCorps for Entrepreneurial Success will prepare vulnerable youth to join the workforce and maintain economic independence through career exploration, entrepreneurial activities, academic support, and family intervention services. The program will feature the Junior Achievement curriculum at the middle and high school levels. Participants will have the opportunity to learn basics about the economy, business, and entrepreneurship, while also job shadowing local enterprises and business leaders. AmeriCorps Members will eventually aid in the launch of participant-driven social enterprises within their communities.



Projected outcomes for AmeriCorps for Entrepreneurial Success participants are: improved confidence in school and work readiness, improved grades with less drop-outs, higher sense of self-worth and self-esteem, and increased self-sufficiency for their future.

According to Sue Parker, Gateway Youth Director, “Kristy was chosen as the new coordinator because of her excellent communication skills, commitment to service, and leadership skills.”

Kristy has a bachelor degree in Mass Communication from Miami University. After graduation, she moved to New York City to work for Fox Cable Networks, and returned last August from serving 2 years with the Peace Corps in South Africa. Kristy has returned to her hometown with plans to combine her passion for volunteerism with philanthropic work.

“I am so excited to be involved in a new program that focuses on youth and their success. We have many educational and business resources in Darke, Miami and Shelby counties. It’s critical to tap into the richness of our communities and collaborate with focused AmeriCorps Members and business leaders to create a work readiness program for our vulnerable youth.”

Kristy continued, “We are in a position to positively impact their future career and life decisions. We can do this effectively through passionate AmeriCorps Members and community counterparts who create hands-on experiences and support systems.”
AmeriCorps for Entrepreneurial Success is currently recruiting 20 adult Members from around Ohio and the U.S. who will provide academic assistance to keep participants on track and engaged, teach the Junior Achievement curriculum, recruit community counterparts to participate in the program, conduct community mapping while collecting resources and identifying business leaders/mentors; and provide on-going support with social services for participants and families.

If you are interested in learning more about the program, search AmeriCorps for Entrepreneurial Success on Facebook or you can call or email Kristy at 937-778-5220 ext. 456, kwarren@councilonruralservices.org . You can also apply directly through the AmeriCorps website at https://my.americorps.gov .

Council on Rural Services, Inc. is a non-profit human service agency administering programs in their nine county service area. Programs include: Gateway Youth Programs, Kids Learning Place Child Care Centers, Head Start, Early Head Start, Achievement Center for Educational Success, WIA Youth Program, HandsOn West Central Ohio and Retired and Senior Volunteer Programs. To learn more about our mission, visit www.councilonruralservices.org.

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