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Glossary of Terms
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Select a letter below to view specific glossary entries.
| A | C | D | E | G | H | I | L | N | P | S | V |
- Points of Light Foundation (POLF)
- - a national non-partisan nonprofit organization whose mission is to engage more people more effectively in volunteer community service to help solve serious social problems. The POLF sponsors and works closely with the National Volunteer Center Network, which connects and supports Volunteer Centers across the country.
- Program
- - a coordinated group of activities linked by common elements such as recruitment, selection and training of participants and staff; regular group activities and assignments to projects organized for achieving the mission; and goals of national and community service.
- Project
- - an activity or a set of activities carried out through a program. For example, a Learn and Serve program may conduct a drug awareness project.
- Senior Corps
- - Senior Corps taps the skills, talents, and experience of more than 500,000 Americans age 55 and older to meet a wide range of community challenges through three programs: RSVP, Foster Grandparents, and Senior Companions. RSVP volunteers conduct safety patrols for local police departments, participate in environmental projects, provide intensive educational services to children and adults, and respond to natural disasters, among other activities. Foster Grandparents serve one-on-one as tutors and mentors to young people with special needs. Senior Companions help homebound seniors and other adults maintain independence in their own homes.
- Service learning
- - an educational method by which participants learn and develop through active participation in service that is conducted in and meets the needs of a community. Service learning is coordinated with a school or community service program and with the community. It is integrated into and influences the lifelong learning of a participant and includes structured time for the participants to reflect on the service experience.
- Service site
- - withing the context of national service programs, a service site is not a work site; it is not a job site. It is a service site — a place where service is being performed by corps members and perhaps other people who are volunteers or employees.
- State advisory board
- - a 15-25 member independent, bipartisan commission appointed by a governor to implement service programs in the state. Each state advisory board or commission receives funding from the Corporation for National and Community Service and is overseen by an Executive Director. The state commission’s duties include developing a state plan, submitting the state applications to the Corporation and overseeing funded programs.
- State plan
- - a policy document that describes the mission and goals of a state as well as how the state will promote, coordinate and support national and community service.
- Successful completion of a term of service
- - the term of service is determined by each program and must contain at least 1700 hours served within 9 to 12 months (full-time). Part-time members serve a minimum of 900 hours within 2 years. Those serving in education-only terms (part-time) may take up to 3 years to complete their terms of service. A term may include the satisfactory completion of a training or educational component. It may also include other factors as set forth by individual programs in a written agreement.
- Virginia Advisory Board on National and Community Service
- - Governor appointed body that oversees the Unified State Plan for Community Service and Volunteerism. The Advisory Board administers the funding of sub-grants to AmeriCorps programs in Virginia and promotes all types of volunteer service throughout the Commonwealth.
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