St. Vincent de Paul Dream Center Summer Learning Program Fellow
Position Title: Dream Center Summer Learning Program Fellow
Dates / Time Frame of Fellowship: May 13th – August 2nd
Hour Commitment: 15-20 hours per week
St. Vincent de Paul Mission and Organization Overview: The Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVdP) strives to Feed, Clothe, House, & Heal individuals and families in our community who have nowhere else to turn for help. Equally as important, we provide meaningful opportunities for volunteers to serve their neighbors in need with love and compassion.
We are about CONNECTING OUR COMMUNITY. Volunteerism is the way we work, because we believe in interdependence. We believe our community works best—when we’re all taking care of each other.
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is an international nonprofit organization that feeds, clothes, houses and heals. It is dedicated to serving people in need and providing the community with the opportunity to serve. SVdP has been assisting central and northern Arizona families since 1946. It operates a network of more than 80 neighborhood food pantries, five charity dining rooms, a transitional shelter, a resource center for the homeless, bill assistance and homelessness prevention programming, as well as a charity clinic with medical, dental and wellness care for the uninsured.
St. Vincent de Paul – Phoenix is the largest SVdP in the world and thousands of people in need are served annually. SVdP collaborates with other nonprofit, for profit, government and higher education institutions throughout the community. Organizations and people want to partner with SVdP because SVdP is known for getting things done with grace, kindness, and dignity. They partner and collaborate internally and externally to ensure the most holistic services for our guests. SVdP recognizes that they excel in providing services like hospitality, food production, homelessness prevention, responding to community emergencies, service, emergency and maintenance health care, nutrition, etc. However, they also value the strengths and assets that others bring in supporting those in need in our community.
Website: https://www.stvincentdepaul.net/
Fellow Capacity: 2
Leadership In Action Fellowship Program Overview: The SVdP Leadership In Action (LIA) Fellows are current University or College Students or recent graduates who strive to be a part of the solution by sharing their gifts, expertise, and passion with SVdP and those we serve. At the core of the Fellowship is the desire to co-create an experience with our fellows that helps to develop the next generation of strong, social leaders and builds the capacity of SVdP to serve the community.
LIA Fellows will be supported through a cohort model that exemplifies collaboration and cross pollination within SVdP Departments, programs, SVdP Leadership, donors and Fellows. Throughout the Fellowship, Fellows will engage in a continuous learning framework through one on one mentorship, biweekly cohort gatherings, monthly educational sessions, an intentional
feedback process, and guided reflection. This framework is intended to create time and space for fellows to support one another, learn from each other, and develop their personal leadership style.
Dream Center Program Overview: The Dream Center (DC) works alongside the Family Evening Meal program (FEM), which provides essential meals and services for low income families with children under the age of 17. The Dream Center is available to children between the ages of 4-17, and offers educational and entertaining materials, such as tutoring services, chess, art, piano, and dance classes. Both programs work side by side to provide nourishment, offer stimulating programming to the children, resources for assistance and offer fresh take home boxes of food.
Dream Center Fellow Duties: The focus of the Dream Center Summer Learning Fellow will be to assist with planning, creating and maintaining programming, and distribution of items weekdays. Specific responsibilities include:
- Maintain accurate electronic records of Summer Learning Program
- Distribute Summer Learning books, logging all recipients
- Provide cooking/healthy habits classes for the children
- Create art for summer t-shirts for the children
- Create flyers, reports, signs and any other printed collateral for programming •
- Create nightly curriculum for SLP participants including gardening and chess (chess tutor provided)
- Data entry in guest records and other service trackers
- Maintain an orderly and clean warehouse area for Summer Learning projects/materials
- Clean Dream Center nightly alongside volunteers
- Set up Summer Learning Program materials/activities nightly
- Procure materials for and prepare activities nightly
- Help supervise volunteers and further develop your leadership skills
- Photograph and log nightly activities
Benefits: The Dream Center Fellow will have the opportunity to work directly with children in our community. The Fellow will have a chance to make a positive impact on the lives of the children they meet and build relationships with, acting as a positive mentor and leader. The Fellow will gain skills in teamwork, leadership, problem solving, time management, as well as relationship building and management with people across SVdP.
In order to demonstrate that SVdP sees the LIA Fellowship as mutual learning with high expectations, compensation up to $2,500 will be provided from May 13th – August 2nd, 2024. Interested Fellows may have the opportunity to continue through Fall 2024 with additional compensation.
Training Required: Students interested in any of the SVdP Fellowship Opportunities will be required to participate in a virtual SVdP Orientation prior to start of fellowship. This will ensure that students understand the SVdP mission, role of volunteers within SVdP, the population served by SVdP, and the range of volunteer opportunities that are available.
Additional training will be provided by site preceptor to support fellow’s capacity to complete goals and objectives during the semester.
Equipment Required: Students interested in this opportunity must have access to a computer, internet, and phone. The tasks and responsibilities associated with this opportunity require the ability to access multiple websites and online tracking platforms. Additionally, students must be able to register for a zoom account and have video and audio capability through their computer or phone for weekly meetings and overall communication.
Required/Desired Skills:
- Bilingual in Spanish desired
- Strong interest in issues of poverty and children’s services.
- Must be available Monday-Friday 3:30-6:30 PM
- Adaptability to an ever-changing environment and set of demands.
- Ability to work well under pressure and remain cool under pressure.
- Passion for serving underserved populations.
- Interpersonal Skills: Strong communication skills, patience and determination.
- Leadership: Ability to take initiative and provide direction to others.
- Team Oriented: Able to collaborate well with others.
- Must be able to operate Microsoft Word, Excel and Canva or Publisher.
- Must be able to stand and walk for extended periods, bend, stoop frequently and lift or carry.