Bonner Global Village Project: Bonner Belize Trip Open to National Network!

Bonner Network — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 16:47:39 +0000

We are excited to be partnering with Peacework to share an international service trip opportunity open to the Bonner Network. Although this service immersion will not count toward AmeriCorps hours (international focus), it is a tremendous opportunity to network with other Bonners and apply locally relevant issues like education and youth empowerment to a global context.

Did you know that from 2010-2011, Bonners served 78,731 hours in Youth Program Enrichment capacities? It is the number one issue area that Bonners work with across the network. Join us in taking these activities from LOCAL to GLOBAL!

Of special interest is a national network opportunity to be a student leader and curriculum designer for the project. Details are in text and the flier below.

BELIZE: Bonner Global Village Network

A partnership with Peacework and the Bonner Foundation

May 26 – June 2, 2012

$1290 + airfare

On this week-long trip, Bonners will expand their impact from local to global by working within the Belizean education system in eight primary schools — engaging youth in a variety of programs that will be designed and facilitated by Bonners.

Literacy | participate in literacy programming to boost academic performance
Community Arts and Music | promote self expression and cultural exchange
Social Entrepreneurship | build the future of Belize, starting with its youth
Life & Leadership Skills | share the Bonner Common Commitments abroad

Additionally, Bonner participants in the trip will receive training on international development as well as engage in strategic planning to grow the Bonner Global Village Network in other communities.

International Student Leadership Opportunity!

We are also currently looking for students interested in being on the trip’s planning committee as Global Village Network Coordinators. E-mail us for more details!

INTERESTED?

bonnernetwork.pbworks.com/bonner-global-village

Send an e-mail to bonner@peacework.org to learn more & register.

BY MONDAY, JANUARY 30 2012

CLICK HERE FOR PDF FLIER

Post-Graduate Opportunity: L’Arche Greater Washington DC

Bonner Network — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 16:34:51 +0000

Special Opportunity for Bonner Grads:

Consider joining L’Arche Greater Washington, DC, where people with and without intellectual disabilities live together in family-like homes and give witness to the reality that persons with disabilities possess inherent qualities of welcome, wonderment, and friendship.

Share your love, laughter, and talents in our interdenominational Christian community where all are welcome.

Room and board, generous stipend, insurance, and Americorps education grant are available.

To apply, visit www.larchewashingtondc.org and click on “Join/Becoming an Assistant,” email join@larche-gwdc.org, or call 202-580-5638.

Lilly Summer Discernment Institute for Undergrads: Applications Out Now!

Bonner Network — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 16:31:43 +0000

The Lilly Summer Discernment Institute is now accepting applications from undergraduate students at colleges and universities across the nation interested in exploring careers in ministry and/or service for the summer. The program, which has space for twelve students, will run from June 4 – July 28, 2012.

All applications are due by March 1, 2012 and must be submitted on-line.

To learn more about the program and to apply, please visit http://life.sewanee.edu/believe/lilly-summer-discernment-institute.

Students interested in exploring vocations in ordained ministry or service with non-profit organizations are encouraged to apply for the eight-week program which offers a $2400 stipend for work in their chosen internship. Students spend the first week at Sewanee (June 4 – engaged in activities that help prepare them for their six-week internship. They return back to Sewanee for a final week of reflection and sharing of their experience (July 23 – 28). Past internships have been in parishes, shadowing clergy, leading youth ministry, studying monastic life, working with disabled adults and children, the homeless, rural medical care, orphanages, refugee assimilation and more. Over 200 students from more than fifty colleges and universities have participated in the program which began in 2002 through a grant from the Lilly Foundation. A number of these students go on to complete divinity and graduate theological programs, work as youth ministers or in lay positions in churches, serve as teachers, or continue to work in non-profits and medicine.

Ordained ministry discernment is open to students of all denominations. Applications for the 2012 Lilly Summer Discernment Institute will be due by March 1, 2012. IMPORTANT NOTE: Students may nominate their own placements. Students in all four years of college, including seniors, are encouraged to apply.

For more information about this program, go to http://life.sewanee.edu/believe/lilly-summer-discernment-institute, email rhille@sewanee.edu, or call 931.598.1869.

Bonner Reflection: Mentoring in New Brunswick, NJ

Bonner Network — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 19:13:59 +0000

Bonner AmeriCorps members at Rutgers University, New Brunswick serve with the Rutgers Future Scholars Program. The goal of the Rutgers Future Scholars program is to increase the numbers of academically ambitious high school graduates who come from low-income backgrounds, help them meet the standards to be admitted to colleges and universities, and then provide tuition funding to those who are admitted and choose to attend Rutgers University. One Member wrote the following about herr experience as a mentor for the students.

“It was a mentoring session I will never forget; to this date it is still my most remarkable experience. All my scholars (mentees) were there and the task was a group discussion. What followed was a flow of opinions and ideas that would be a learning experience for all involved, myself included. The Rutgers Future Scholars Program addresses educational inequalities by providing mentoring, college preparation, and academic support to at-risk high school students. Having this in my mind when I entered the program I knew context would be key. Mentoring in New Brunswick High School would be very different than doing so in Princeton or Cherry Hill and maybe that is what attracted me to the program even further. As I developed my own style of mentoring I stuck by what I believed to be most beneficial to their academic success. However, still, in an academic program, I believed discussing social barriers would create second order change and academics would fall into place. And so I embarked on this method during my first group discussion. The topic was bullying. Even before the new New Jersey anti-bullying law came into place, it was still a hot topic. I inquired if any had seen acts of bullying in their school, “No” was the overall response. I decided to share a personal story, an experience I had with a bully when I was younger that I still remembered and thought about often. I believe this was the turning point in the conversation; the floodgates opened. Stories were shared, varying situations, ages, encounters, but they all stirred up the same emotions in all of us. I saw scholars empathize with each other, find common ground and ultimately build a bond and a closer family atmosphere. They all told of personal stories and acts they had witnessed; they asked each other questions and tried to learn from each other. I found that after this session, I was closer to all of them, I had learned about them and had a personal connection to each one; I saw the same thoughts towards me. I feel my scholars felt a connection to me and to this day, our communication is very open. Overall this created and developed their comfort level with me. This experience gave them a safe place to share with each other, learn from each other and develop further as youth. Discussing their own ideas and experiences or simply having the option to do so does build a better future for them; a future of thriving as caring, empathetic, opinionated and thoughtful individuals.”

Bonner School, Stetson University, Offers Scholarships to Homeless Teens

Bonner Network — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 16:20:07 +0000

Metzger Teens with Stetson University President, Wendy Libby (copyright CBS News)

CBS New Reports…

There has been an incredible outpouring of support for a homeless brother and sister in Florida, profiled last Sunday by Scott Pelley on “60 Minutes.” They’d been living out of their father’s truck.

Hard Times Generation: Families living in cars

Now after that story, both Arielle Metzger and Austin Metzger will be getting full, four-year scholarships to college.

On “The Early Show on Saturday Morning,” Wendy Libby, president of Stetson University, said the scholarships were the result of an outpouring by alumni and faculty. The school offered each of the teens a financial package that today is worth about $46,000 a year, The Orlando Sentinel reports.

Arielle Metzger, who was wearing a green and gray Stetson T-shirt for part of the “60 Minutes” broadcast, said since the “60 Minutes” feature aired, they’ve received many calls, emails and letters from people who have said they are an inspiration.

“(The contact has been) very helpful because just hearing that is really warming,” she said.

Arielle is a freshman honors student at Seminole High School. She dreams of eventually becoming a child-advocacy attorney.

She told co-anchor Russ Mitchell that life experience drew her to that profession: “I always see people or you always hear on the news about children, like, being inappropriately abused, and I know that kids, most of the time, don’t have a say. … And I just want to, even with the smallest instances, want to help and reach out for the kids and hear what they have to say.”

Austin, who also appeared on “The Early Show on Saturday Morning” from DeLand, Fla., said he wants to be a marine biologist one day. Libby assured him that the school has a marine biology program.

Libby added, “At Stetson, we always talk about daring to be significant. To be significant as a university, to be significant in your individual life, and when we first saw the Metzger family and the amazing things that their father, Tom, has done to hold this family together, we really said that is part of the Stetson University experience.”

Click here to read more and to view the video

Rider Holds Hunger, Homelessness Awareness Week

Bonner Network — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 21:41:19 +0000

Rider Works with Homelessness

Coming from the LawrencevillePatch, edited by Michael Ratcliffe.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, the Rider community embraced the opportunity to help the surrounding area’s less fortunate through a number of service projects during its annual Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, which runs until Saturday, Nov. 19.

Organizers say the events, designed to raise awareness of the realities of homelessness and hunger in our society, have been a huge success so far.

The week kicked off with Invisible Children on Nov. 14, when 40 students gathered for a presentation and documentary about child soldiers in rebel war and ways to restore communities in central Africa to peace and prosperity.

Later that night, more than 70 students participated in Sleep Out for the Homelessness on the Campus Mall. Participating students represented various majors and student organizations, including The Rider Bonner Community Scholars, Alpha Phi Omega, Greek Life, Intervarsity Christian Fellowship and Women’s Volleyball.

On Nov. 15, some 45 students came out to the Hunger Banquet to learn about food inequality of the world. Then on Nov. 16, students surpassed the goal of making 500 sandwiches during the Peanut Butter Jelly Time program. All sandwiches will be donated to individuals in need.

In order to make a Mercer County family’s Thanksgiving a little brighter, students, organizations, and faculty and staff departments were asked to put together baskets for Rider’s annual Thanksgiving Basket Drive.

Jane Sanchez, coordinator of Community Service, estimated that more than 275 baskets were donated by the university community to Homefront, Womanspace and Grace Community Church.

Organizers for this year’s Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week have teamed up with organizers of the annual Feed the Hungry outreach project.

For more than 20 years, Rider’s Campus Ministry, the men’s baseball team, students, faculty and staff have supported the Loaves and Fishes, a nonprofit organization that serves hot meals to the poor and homeless of Trenton.

On Saturday, Nov. 19, Rider will continue the tradition by serving a pre-Thanksgiving meal to the homeless in the area at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Trenton.

During the entire week of Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, the Protestant Campus Ministry and Catholic Campus Ministry and GOALS have been holding a Midnight Run Clothing Drive. University community members can donate new and gently used clothes, shoes, coats and blankets to the Greek Houses or Gill Chapel.

Coady Summer Institute Certificate Course: “Skills for Social Change”

Bonner Network — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 21:15:26 +0000

Skills for Social Change

The Coady International Institute has been promoting community self-reliance since it opened its doors to educate leaders from around the world 50 years ago. Established by St. Francis Xavier University in 1959, the Coady International Institute is world-renowned as a centre of excellence in community-based development and leadership education. The Institute was named in honour of Rev. Dr. Moses Coady, a prominent founder of the Antigonish Movement – a people’s movement for economic and social justice that began in Nova Scotia during the 1920s.

Over the past five decades, the global reach of the Institute has grown immensely. More than 5,500 development professionals from 130 countries have taken part in the Institute’s campus-based programs, and many others have benefited from Coady training overseas.

The Institute is a learning organization dedicated to identifying, developing and disseminating knowledge on effective development practice. As a leader in the study and practice of community-based development, the Coady provides relevant programs that support practitioners in making a positive difference in their communities.

In May 2010 the Coady Institute is offering a new 3-week certificate for young community practitioners, volunteers and activists. Skills for Social Change provides an opportunity for youth to share their experiences with one another, explore the challenges of community engagement and gain new skills in order to better contribute to the communities of which they are a part. They will also have the chance to interact and engage with experienced community practitioners from across the world whom they will be studying alongside at the Institute in Antigonish, NS.
Please share the e-flyer below with your networks and with youth that you feel might be interested in this course. There is more detailed information about the certificate on our website. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to get in touch.

http://www.coady.stfx.ca/education/certificates/Skills_for_Social_Change/

Bill Emerson National Hunger Fellowship Applications

Bonner Network — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 21:04:01 +0000

Emerson Fellowship

The Congressional Hunger Center (CHC) is excited to offer a unique opportunity to be actively involved in the movement to end hunger and poverty. CHC is a bi-partisan organization committed to making access to nutritious, affordable and culturally appropriate food a national priority. Every year, we look for promising young leaders who care about addressing the problems of hunger and poverty in communities across the nation. Our national initiative, the Bill Emerson National Hunger Fellows Program, trains, inspires and sustains a tight-knit community of emerging leaders committed to social justice. The program provides Fellows with an opportunity to gain practical experience fighting hunger and poverty, work with community-based and national leaders, deepen their analysis around poverty and develop leadership skills. Each year, twenty Emerson National Hunger Fellows help shape and implement local social justice programs all over the U.S. and then research and support national policy initiatives in Washington, DC. Participants are selected for this eleven-month program based on the criteria below. Fellows are placed for five months with urban and rural community organizations involved in fighting hunger at the local level, such as grassroots organizing groups, food banks, local advocacy groups, economic development agencies, and faith-based organizations. They then move to Washington, D.C. to complete the year with five months of work at advocacy and public policy organizations involved in anti-hunger and anti-poverty work at the national level. This unique program allows Fellows to bridge community grassroots efforts and national public policy. Applications are encouraged from candidates reflecting diverse educational, cultural, personal and experiential backgrounds.

A living allowance of $16,000, health insurance, housing in the field, a housing stipend in D.C., travel expenses, professional development training opportunities, and a $3,500 end of service award are included.

Deadline:

The application deadline for the 2012 – 2013 program is January 17, 2012.

Selection Criteria:

Commitment to social justice
Demonstrated leadership qualities and skills
Commitment to anti-racism
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
U.S. citizenship or permanent residency
Flexibility and ability to adjust to new situations
Creativity and initiative in problem solving
Willingness to learn from experts in the field, and commitment to the search for new models in anti-hunger and anti-poverty work

Timeline:

Semifinalist selection will be complete by mid-February; interviews will be scheduled in Washington, D.C. in March; and final selection decisions will be made in April. Hunger Fellows arrive in D.C. for Orientation and Field Training in late August 2012.

For more information about the Program and for details on the application process, please visit our website:http://www.emersonapplication.org.

If you have questions, please email fellows@hungercenter.org or call (202) 547-7022 ext. 29

2012-2013 Coro Fellows Program in Public Affairs – Accepting Applications!

Bonner Network — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 20:43:28 +0000

From Coro Fellows Program site

The Coro Fellows Program shares…

The Coro Fellows Program in Public Affairs is a full-time, nine month, graduate-level experiential leadership training program that prepares diverse, talented and committed individuals for effective and ethical leadership in the public affairs arena. Unconventional by traditional academic standards, the Fellows Program is rigorous and demanding, an unparalleled opportunity for personal and professional growth. The Fellows Program is offered in Los Angeles, New York, Pittsburgh, San Francisco and St. Louis.

Coro introduces program participants to all aspects of the public affairs arena, preparing them to translate their ideals into action for improving their own communities and beyond. Coro Fellows learn to see the big picture – the community as a whole – and appreciate the varying perspectives that characterize our cities, states, and nation. Through field placements, group interviews, seminars, focus weeks, individual and group projects, they develop:

hands-on project experience
an understanding of complex public issues
leadership skills in inquiry, problem-solving, communication, organization analysis, and consensus-building.
political acumen to get things done
professional growth and personal transformation.
extensive personal and professional networks

Sixty-eight Fellows are chosen nationally each year through a highly competitive selection process, including a day-long assessment at each center’s city. The Fellows represent a broad range of academic, work, cultural, racial and economic backgrounds, ages and interests. What they share is an unwavering commitment to civic engagement. Recent participants have ranged from 21 to 53 years of age.

Coro is currently recruiting for the 2012-2013 Fellows Program.

Coro recruiters and alumni are hosting webinars for potential applicants to learn more about the program and the application process. Click on one of the dates below to register for a webinar:

Monday, November 7, 9:00 – 10:00 pm eastern time

Wednesday, November 16, 8:00 – 9:00 pm eastern time

Thursday, December 1, 3:00 – 4:00 pm eastern time

Monday, December 12, 9:00 – 10:00 pm eastern time

Saturday, December 17, 12:00 – 1:00 pm eastern time

Thursday, January 5, 6:00 – 7:00 pm eastern time

2012 Roosevelt Institute Summer Academy Applications Now Available!

Bonner Network — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 20:42:00 +0000

Will YOU join the ranks of this year's summer fellows?

The Roosevelt Institute Campus Network shares…

The Roosevelt Institute | Summer Academy fellowship combines a full-time placement in a partner organization with an integrated curriculum of leadership, policy development and implementation. Fellows are provided weekly policy trainings and a speaker series where they can interact with leading progressive thinkers and policy organizations. Throughout this rigorous program, each Fellow will develop the skills necessary to craft, implement, and promote community-focused policy; the product of which is a personalized policy piece. The Roosevelt Institute | Campus Networkcurrently runs the Summer Academy in three major cities: Chicago, New York, and Washington, D.C; providing a unique set of experiences and opportunities for each Fellow. Although different in city program, the Campus Network provides guidance in policy writing & research, policy implementation, and professional development under the Roosevelt | Thinks training curriculum.

WE PAY OUR FELLOWS: Each fellowship comes with a minimum $1500 (up to $3000 based upon need). Applicants with financial need or difficulty may qualify for additional funding, to be negotiated after acceptance. We are deeply committed to assembling a diverse group of Summer Academy Fellows that will, in turn, provide diverse and unique perspectives.

Chicago Academy The Chicago Academy focuses on green initiatives in the communities within Chicago. Placed within various agencies and departments of the Mayor’s office, Chicago Academy Fellows work directly with officials to promote sustainable local change. As a Chicago Academy Fellow, you will spend the summer working in agencies like the Chicago Transit Authority, Chicago Public Schools, and Department of Aviation. You will be able to discover the intracacies of working in a city government and observe how policy forms and impact take shape. As a final project, Chicago Academy Fellows write policy recommendations with initiatives that are not only appropriate within Chicago itself, but also can be utilized in cities and urban centers across the country.

New York Academy In partnership with Skidmore College, the New York Academy places Fellows across the city in government agencies and non-profits, including the Roosevelt Institute. As a Fellow, you will engage with alternative power structures outside of government through grassroots community driven work. The New York Academy capitalizes on the diversity of perspectives on community development through the arts, education, equal justice and human rights, economic development, and organizing.

Washington DC Academy The Washington, D.C. Academy focuses on policy topics including defense & diplomacy, equal justice, and health care. Fellows are placed at the Roosevelt Institute | Campus Network office as well as leading policy organizations including the AFL-CIO, NDN-New Policy Institute, Campaign for America’s Future, and the National Academy for Social Insurance. The D.C. Academy utilizes the wealth of resources the Capital has to offer, providing Fellows with the opportunity to experience the depth of the political sphere and help define the country’s narrative in Washington, D.C.

BEFORE YOU APPLY, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE FOLLOWING:

Complete application
1 copy of your unofficial transcript from college or university
Resume
2 letters of recommendation (one must be from a supervisor, chapter head or Regional Coordinator)
Essays

What attracts you to progressive policy? What attracts you to progressive action? (500 word limit)
Based on past experiences, what unique qualities and/or talents would you bring to the Summer Academy if accepted? (500 word limit; Hint: this is your chance to stand out.)
City Specific Essay (If you’re applying to two or more cities, you must answer each essay.)
Chicago Academy applicants: What about working for the city of Chicago appeals to you? Why are green initatives important to you? (750 word limit)
New York Academy applicants: What attracts you to the challenges of a major metropolitan city? What is it about community change that has made you apply for this program? (750 word limit)
DC Academy Applicants: What attracts you to a public policy internship in the Capital? What skills do you hope to gain through your work? (750 word limit)
Optional Essay: Why Roosevelt?

Program Dates: June 8, 2012 – August 12, 2012

Early Action Deadline: February 15, 2012

Application must be complete and submitted for students who wish to be considered for Early Action. Early Action must be indicated on the application. Early Action deadline qualifies for those students who wish to know sooner the status of their application.

Regular Decision Deadline: February 29, 2012

Application must be complete and submitted for students who wish to be considered for Regular Decision Deadline. Regular Decision Deadline must be indicated on the application. RegularDecision deadline qualifies for those students who are not selecting Early Action deadline and will be notified as soon as application reviewing concludes.

http://www.rooseveltcampusnetwork.org/applyacademy12