Category Archives: Advice

This blog features several types of advice, such as careers and grad school.

02.07.09
by

Senate Stimulus Deal Preserves National Service Funding

picture-9

Update 2/11: Senate passed their version of the stimulus with national service funding intact. Check out this post with the details.

According to CNN’s list of “what got cut” from the Senate’s compromise version of the stimulus package, national service funding to the Corporation for National and Community Service has been preserved.

Lawmakers vote on Tuesday on the compromise American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Between now and then, of course, more cuts may be made to the proposed legislation — including cuts to additional national service funding.

See details on how national service faired in the House version that passed last week.

In the Senate’s version, billions were cut, but not the $160 million dollars proposed to fund 16,000 additional “stimulus” AmeriCorps members. Some senators had questioned the funding and included it in a list of “wasteful” items in the proposed package.

add to del.icio.us :: Add to Blinkslist :: add to furl :: Digg it :: add to ma.gnolia :: Stumble It! :: add to simpy :: seed the vine :: :: :: TailRank :: post to facebook

02.05.09
by

Google Blog Post about the Idealist Global Volunteer Event

picture-7Google’s Public Policy blog featured the Idealist Global Volunteering Fair which Google hosted Tuesday night in Washington, DC.

Check out other fairs this week in New York tonight and Boston on Saturday.

The event Tuesday night drew a crowd of 650 prospective volunteers.

During the fair were three back-to-back workshops: International Volunteerism 101, Google Tools for Volunteers, and Affordable Volunteering Abroad.

add to del.icio.us :: Add to Blinkslist :: add to furl :: Digg it :: add to ma.gnolia :: Stumble It! :: add to simpy :: seed the vine :: :: :: TailRank :: post to facebook

02.05.09
by

Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme

Program brings people to Japan for up to five years of teaching, in rural and urban settings.

From the JET web site

From the JET web site

Sponsored by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a way to increase mutual understanding among people of Japan and people of other countries, the goal Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme (JET)is to internationalize local Japanese communities by inviting and involving foreign teachers.

Unlike most service programs I write about on this blog, JET participation is considered contract employment between program participants and the schools where they teach — JET teachers’s airfare to and from Japan is covered, and they earn a salary.

Similar to a service corps, JET participants form a network for support throughout Japan — and throughout the world as JET Alumni.

Also similar to a service corps, the JET participant’s role does not end when the work day ends — they are meant to be cultural ambassadors who have an impact in the community beyond the classroom.

JET recruits teachers from around the world. Applications to the JET Programme are made through the Japanese Embassy in your country; find yours.

Eligibility for the program includes qualities as varied as an interest in Japan, and good diction in your native language (for teaching purposes).

Today, the Idealist.org Global Volunteering Fair takes place in New York, at Barnard College. Check out the fair Saturday in Boston. In honor of the fairs, The New Service blog will feature international service programs all week!

add to del.icio.us :: Add to Blinkslist :: add to furl :: Digg it :: add to ma.gnolia :: Stumble It! :: add to simpy :: seed the vine :: :: :: TailRank :: post to facebook

02.03.09
by

Diaspora Volunteering

Diaspora volunteering connects Diaspora communities with their countries of origin through strategic volunteer placements.

Many people in Diaspora communities have a passion for helping their communities back home, and Diaspora volunteering is one of many ways they can help. Sometimes Diaspora volunteering can also counter the effects of out-migration of skilled workers and bring entrepreneurial energy to isolated communities.

The Volunteer Service Organisation (VSO, the U.K. counterpart to Peace Corps) is one international volunteer-sending group that offers Diaspora placements for long-term, stipended assignments. For example, VSO Canada—which accepts U.S. citizens—works with partners to match the skills of Canada’s Diaspora communities with the needs of “under-resourced social development sectors in their countries of heritage. VSO Canada (now called CUSO-VSO) works with people of the Guyanese, Filipino, and Ethiopian Diasporas.

African Foundation for Development (AFFORD) partners with VSO in the United Kingdom to harness the knowledge and skills of the African Diaspora to nurture small and medium-sized businesses in Africa through its Supporting Entrepreneurs and Enterprise Development in Africa (SEEDA) Initiative. (Other ways for members of the African Diaspora to contribute to the development of African countries: Project Diaspora, supporting members of the African Diaspora to support African nations through remittances. Mukuru.com specializes in remittances to Zimbabwe.)

Indicorps is a fellowship program that recruits young professionals of the global Indian Diaspora to Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India, to serve for one or two years with a grassroots organization. The program aims to nurture social conscious leaders “to transform India and the world.”

People of the Jewish Diaspora have many opportunities through which to volunteer with communities in Israel. Some places to start are the Jewish Coalition for Service, and also the National Council for Volunteering in Israel which lists volunteer opportunities for residents and non-residents of Israel.

Do you know of other international volunteer-sending organizations that focus on Diaspora volunteering? We’d love to hear!

Today, the first 2009 Idealist.org Global Volunteering Fair takes place in Washington, DC, at Google. Check out other fairs this week in New York and Boston. In honor of the fairs, The New Service blog will feature international service programs all week!

add to del.icio.us :: Add to Blinkslist :: add to furl :: Digg it :: add to ma.gnolia :: Stumble It! :: add to simpy :: seed the vine :: :: :: :: post to facebook

01.28.09
by

Global Citizen Year Launch Party – San Francisco

Map of the event locationThe emerging international service corps for gap-year students will hold a launch party Feb. 7th in San Francisco.

The Global Citizen Year West Coast Launch Party will be Feb. 7th, 8 pm to midnight at Mr. Barbershop and Urban Lounge, 560 Sacramento Street in San Francisco. The cost to attend is a minimum donation of $10 (which will go to GCY).

Global Citizen Year, which will launch its pioneer group of fellows this fall, aims to “prepare a pipeline of new American leaders to combat global poverty and injustice throughout their lives” by putting high school grads in apprenticeships throughout Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

According to the vision, Fellows will emerge with leadership, cross-cultural and language skills — and a commitment to global concerns throughout their lives.

Because U.S. high schoolers will serve under the guidance of local development projects and leadership, the program has the potential of side stepping some of the pitfalls of other one-way development models, where people from the Global North head to the Global South as experts.

Global Citizen Year Fellows also live in local homes which will likely be a profound experience for them.

As part of their capstone project, Fellows return home to share their experience with the community through a presentation.

To learn more about international volunteering, check out the upcoming Idealist.org Global Volunteering Fairs and/or our International Volunteerism Resource Center.

Next week The New Service will introduce a different international service corps each day in honor of the fairs, so check back for more.

add to del.icio.us :: Add to Blinkslist :: add to furl :: Digg it :: add to ma.gnolia :: Stumble It! :: add to simpy :: seed the vine :: :: :: TailRank :: post to facebook