by Molly Szymanski

Molly Symanski at KACS

Last summer, I began my year as a CTCNet VISTA member in Chicago at Korean American Community Services with all the anticipation, and a bit of the idealism, that a progressive-minded college grad is destined to have. Fast-forward one year to the end of my VISTA term, and the year hadn’t gone as I originally envisioned. Of course there were positive aspects, such as the thrill of meeting new, inspiring people and the satisfaction of learning and acquiring new skills, but there were challenges as well. My youthful idealism was certainly put to the test, and I have never found more comfort in the mantra, “you learn something from every experience.” At times, the toughest challenge I faced was ‘people’ – how to motivate, connect, or effectively collaborate with them. As the lone VISTA member at a site, it can be hard to effectively navigate the cog-work of the non-profit world. Granted, these trials are not unique to the work of VISTAs, but for those that may feel a bit lost amidst the challenges of the coming year, I offer the following thoughts:

1. Utilize your VISTA networks. As a VISTA, you’re never completely disconnected. At the beginning of the year, you’ll be added to innumerable mailing lists and discussion forums. As the year goes on, it’s easy to get wrapped up in projects at your site and forget about these networks, but don’t! Using existing networks and the people in them as a go-to resource saves you the time and frustration of having to start something from scratch. Whether you’re looking for statistics for a grant proposal or sample curricula for a youth multimedia program – sending out e-mail to one of the listservs or posting on a discussion board almost always garners a helpful response.

2. Tap into local networks. Working on a project that requires knowledge of local resources can be difficult especially if you haven’t been in the city long enough to be familiar with community networks. Use existing relationships between your site and other agencies or go out and make the connections yourself. Do something as simple as cold-calling an agency and telling them who you are and what you’re looking for [i.e. other youth media programs, a field trip suggestion, etc]. Ask if there is an interesting program or agency they’ve heard about. Call and ask if you can stop by, meet their staff, learn more about their programs, and tour their facility. This is a great way to get out of the office, solidify a new collaborative relationship, and exchange information. Also, look for local non-profit networks that have monthly meetings, mailing lists, or other resources.

3. Help build programs that youth have a stake in. As those of you working in the Digital Media for Youth priority area will undoubtedly discover, one of the biggest challenges can be finding youth to participate in new programs and keeping them around! So, as much as possible, give them reasons to stick around and become invested in your program. For older youth, challenge them to take on leadership roles, such as becoming a peer instructor or coordinator for a fundraising project. Let participants know that their feedback and individual interests are valued. To do this, provide opportunities throughout your program for participants to share their opinions and ideas, and when possible make space for projects that focus on topics that youth have identified as important. The more that a program is actually driven by the youth themselves, the easier it will be to sustain their interest and participation; they’ll be getting more out of the experience and as a bonus your job will be that much easier.

4. Create your own projects. Each project site is different, and while some have very specific work plans, others aren’t always sure how to utilize their VISTA. If you feel like the work you’re doing [or not doing] isn’t satisfying…speak up! If you have areas of interest or specific projects you’d like to be part of, let your supervisor know. If you don’t have a clear direction right away, take the time to talk to other staff members and observe the current structure of your organization. Find a way to fit in and add to an existing program or fill a void by starting a new one.