10.26.09
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Senate Committee Hearing Thursday on the Public Lands Service Corps

This coming Thursday the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources will look at a bill to strengthen national service activity on public lands.

The Public Lands Service Corps Act, s. 1442, would amend the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993 and would:

  • provide service-learning opportunities on public lands
  • establish a grant program for Indian Youth Service Corps
  • help restore the Nation’s natural, cultural, historic, archaeological, recreational, and scenic resources
  • train a new generation of public land managers and enthusiasts, and promote the value of public service

The bill was introduced in July by Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), who is also the chair of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Senator Tom Udall (D-NM) and Senator Olympia Snowe (R-ME) cosponsored the bill.

According to its blog, The Corps Network is providing information to help land management officials prepare their testimony for Thursday’s hearing.

These Senators are on the Energy and Natural Resource Committee and will be considering the legislation:

Senate Energy + Natural Resources Committee Members

Senate Energy + Natural Resources Committee Members

In March, Congressional Representatives introduced similar legislation (H.R. 1612) in the House. That legislation passed out of committee in June, and has the past week been added to the Union Calendar in the House (Calendar no. 177).

Learn more about Public Lands on the Public Lands Day site.

10.24.09
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Make a Difference Day

Today marks Make a Difference Day, when volunteers and national service members take on community service projects across the country.

Every October, on the fourth Saturday, people implement service projects to improve their communities — anything from “beautification” projects to improve the grounds of schools, urban areas, and public gardens to canvassing neighborhoods door to door on behalf of breast cancer awareness (October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month).

In many places, national service groups are encouraged to lead community volunteers in special one-day projects in addition to their regular service assignments. For example, this weekend:

For service project leaders today and everyday, check out these discussion prompts that help volunteers reflect on their service experience and connect their efforts to social impact careers.

10.21.09
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Staying Fit on a Budget: A Guide to Cheap and Healthy Supermarket Eats, Under $1.

Picture 1It’s fair to say the majority of us are feeling the economic squeeze these days.  Dollar menus, 32oz cup drinks, and vending machine selection goodies like B-12, A-3, and F-2 undoubtedly win hands down in terms of inexpensive snacks and/or meals.  However, although they may be light on the wallet their also light on nutritional value.  And they can turn into a problem if they’re the rule rather than the exception.

Don’t count out your local grocer, supermarket chain, or farmer’s markets.  They are chock-full with low-cost and nutritious eats for home, work, and play.

We often picture healthy food as either costing too much or tasting second-rate to their less-healthy counterparts.  You decide for yourself!  Check out this fantastic list of 20 healthy foods for under $1, courtesy of divinecaroline.com.

1. Oats: Sprinkled with nuts and/or fruit, oatmeal cookies.

2. Eggs: Boiled, scrambled, egg-salad sandwiches. Continue reading →

10.21.09
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Online Chat: Nonprofit Careers Using Peace Corps Experience

Posted as part of Nonprofit Career Month, featuring the diversity of professional opportunities in the nonprofit sector.

Peace Corps experience isn’t just for people who want to become international development leaders or Swahili professors or even English teachers. Peace Corps assignments vary immensely, the technical training and hands on experiences that Volunteers get are intense — and valuable for people thinking about nonprofit careers.

Whether you’re just starting out in a career, or have years of experience you can apply for Peace Corps assignments with direct application for later nonprofit work, such as:

This coming Monday join nonprofit leaders who are applying their Peace Corps experience directly to their current jobs in an online chat about Peace Corps:

Jessica Ross served as a community development volunteer in South Africa from 1998 to 2000 where she worked on several projects, including the creation of a youth HIV/AIDS awareness team that educated youth in rural schools. Currently, Ross is the Associate Director of Development for Treehouse, a non-profit organization that fills the gaps for kids in foster care by providing services that no other agency addresses, including money for extra-curricular activities and summer camp, professional educational support services, resources to fully participate in the everyday activities of growing up, clothing and supplies to help them fit in at school.

Maureen Oscadal served as a health volunteer in Zambia from 2006 to 2009 where she worked on a variety of health outreach initiatives as part of the Community Action for Health Project. She also became heavily involved and even led malaria education and prevention programs. Currently, Oscadal is the Program Coordinator for the Hepatitis Education Project (HEP), a Seattle-based non-profit which has grown from a support group for people living with Hepatitis C to a statewide program that raises awareness, teaches prevention, promotes political action, and provides information and support to those living with the virus.

The hour-long chat takes place Monday, October 26th, at 9 pm ET/6 pm PT. Learn more here.  Registration is required!

10.20.09
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Free Webcast Today: Nonprofit Career Tips with Meg Busse and Steve Joiner

Posted as part of Nonprofit Career Month, featuring the diversity of career opportunities in the nonprofit sector.

Today, Tuesday, October 20, as Idealist hosts a Nonprofit Career Fair together with Seattle University, we will also run a live webcast during an accompanying information session, “Connecting Intention to Action. Connecting Action to Career” (1:30-2:30 pm PST).

Meg Busse and Steve Joiner, Directors of the Career Transitions Program here at Idealist, will lead this workshop.

They’ll take a holistic view of the career search by helping participants to:

  • See themselves and their career paths in a more complex and complete way
  • Understand several self-assessment tools that will help them articulate their experiences, skills, values, and priorities in a compelling way
  • Explore the “nuts and bolts” of the nonprofit sector in order to gain a larger view of how they might fit in
  • Explore ways to create intentional opportunities with organizations by exploring the synergy between their self and sector understanding

This event will also be offered as a free webcast to the first 150 attendees who register.

If you are interested in joining us via the web, here is the log-in information:

To access the presentation, click here.
To call in, dial: 866-740-1260
Enter the code: 2270113

To learn more: http://www.nonprofitcareermonth.org/simulcasts