AmeriCorps Pre-Service Training Guidelines

Pre-Service Orientation:

AmeriCorps members must receive pre-service training to prepare them for their term(s) of service. This is also the time to establish the foundation for promoting an ethic of service, active citizenship, esprit de' corps, and team-building. The Commission recommends a time frame of 3-10 days for implementation of pre-service orientation depending on program design.

Programs can choose to host one, multiple-day event incorporating all topics or host several shorter events throughout the first 30 days of members' terms of service. Programs may also choose to partner with other programs to host a combined orientation to offset costs and provide opportunities for networking and to reinforce the national service concept.

As a minimum, topics to incorporate in pre-service orientation, include:

Core Topics for PSO:

Active Citizenship
Developing a Service Ethic
Team-building
History of National Service
Program Rules (expectations, attendance policy, rules of conduct, drug free workplace, prohibited activities, grievance procedures)
Personnel Management (timesheets, travel policies, reimbursement policies, living allowance, benefits)
Member Enrollment (forms, health insurance, childcare, loan forbearance, member contracts)
Service Training (service description, goals and objectives, skills training)
Homeland Security Training (guidelines to be announced)
Volunteer Recruitment
Planning Service Projects
First Aid/CPR (must be completed during first 90 days of members' service term)

Additional Training Topics:

Personal Development Plans (GED support, individual plans)
Cultural Diversity
Service-Learning
Conflict Resolution
Communication
Small Group Dynamics