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2002-2005 NSIP Accomplishments: Delaware

October 15, 2005

Project Director: Judy Greene

Targeted Population

Delaware focused on AmeriCorps programs for the NSIP projects although we have included all CNCS programs in our training events.

Overall Impact

Educational/Information Exhibit: Total "exposures" = @ 16+
Total training events = @ 16+
Total participants in two events above: 4,047+
Targeted Mailings: Total mailed: 3, 354+
Total participants potentially impacted by the NSIP Grants in Delaware = @ 7,896+

2000-2004 DSIP Member and Alumni Survey sent to 354 Members and Alumni who served in Delaware. Survey was designed to determine how many people with disabilities had or were serving in DE CNCS AmeriCorps programs. Of the 54 responses, 11 indicated having a disability and a number chose to not disclose their disability to their program management. Most had "invisible" physical or mental health conditions. The subgroup was representative of the total population. Results were compiled and the report will be placed on the website at http://www.udel.edu/cds/dsip.html

Collaborative relationships/interactions/networking related to National Service

Total = 57+ agencies/CNCS programs (minimum) that have learned about the NSIP project in the past 3 years.

As a result of the NSIP, the Center/UCEDD NSIP coordinator developed collaborative relationships with the following Local and National agencies through our NSIP/Delaware Service Inclusion outreach activities-e.g., educational exhibits, collaborative grant submissions, and/or Inclusion training.

Highlight

For National Youth Service Days April 2005, Delaware Partners in Service/NSIP co-sponsored a joint project conceived and planned by a VISTA member. The project brought together for the first time the Delaware NSIP project, the State Office of Volunteerism (home of the DE Commission), students from the DE School for the Deaf, and students in the VIP club based at Christiana High School together. The VIP club consists of students from 8 high schools and students who are home-schooled-mostly 15-16 years of age. The 20 students who participated collected items and assembled comfort kits to be distributed to clients of AIDS Delaware and they worked at the DE Humane Association on Saturday.

Highlight

This spring 2005, KenCrest Services, a provider agency has begun to collaborate with us to develop grant proposals for community inclusion and to participate in upcoming Facilitated Planning meeting in September. Our goal is to work with KenCrest regionally in PA, DE, and NJ to increase the inclusion of people with disabilities who serve in community service, service learning, and National Service in the three states. We also service as a "job training" opportunity for the individuals. We have had positive conversations and support from Vocational Rehabilitation, Department of Education Transition Services, and the ARC of Delaware to continue developing the project.

The 57 agencies/National Service programs that have received information about the NSIP project or have participated in Inclusion trainings include the following:
AmeriCorps: First State Service Corps, State Parks Partners, Western Sussex B & G Club Corps Assistance Team, Public Allies,
AmeriCorps*VISTA: U of DE Mentoring Corps, American Red Cross, and RSVP
Learn and Serve Delaware2002-2003: Peoples Place, Western Sussex Boys and Girls Club, Brandywine Village Campfire Club,
Gauger Elementary School 4-H Club, Community Outreach Through Peer Service, Junior Achievement, Dover B & G Keystone Club
ARC of Delaware
Catholic Services
Chesapeake Care
Chimes
Christiana VIP - High School service club comprised of students from 8 high schools and home-schooling
Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation
Community Systems, Inc.
DE Community Service Commission/now Governor's Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service
DE Dept. of Education, Division of Transitional Services
DE Developmental Disabilities Council
DE Division of Developmental Disabilities
Delaware Elwyn
DE Federation for the Blind
DE School for the Deaf
DE State Office of Volunteerism
Delaware Assistive Technology Institute
Delaware Association of Volunteer Administrators
Delaware People First
Delaware Technical and Community College, ADA Coordinators in 3 counties
DE/MD AgrAbility Project
DOL, Vocational Rehabilitation
Dr. Scholl Foundation
Easter Seals
First State Community Services
Foster Grandparents
Freedom Center for Independent Living (CIL)
Goodwill Industries
Governor's Council on Volunteer Services
Independent Resources (CIL)
KenCrest Services
LIFE Conference-statewide annual conference for professionals, parents, and advocates in the Disabilities community
Mosaic (formerly Martin Luther Homes of DE)
Mental Health Association of DE
Salvation Army
Senator Biden's office representative
Senior Companions
Senior Corps
Social Security Administration, Public Relations Representative
United Cerebral Palsy
University of Delaware, ADA Coordinator, and Service Learning Coordinator
VOCA
Volunteer coordinators from several multinational corporations based in Delaware

Recruiting Highlights

Good news; Bad news: We met our goal of having the programs recruit at least 8 new members with disabilities. Of those who disclosed, there are currently 2 members remaining.

6 individuals with disabilities were accepted as members in two AC State programs and 2 in AC*VISTA for FY 2004-2005. Two AC State project directors recruited 6 individuals with disabilities for FY 2003-2004 programs, and the Program Officer required the project managers to include outreach activities to the disabilities community in their Annual Program Plans for FY 2004-2005. Unfortunately, partly as a result of the cuts made by Congress the previous year, the Commission Program Officer resigned, DE was cut to two AC programs, and in one of those programs the Program Director resigned. A new PD was hired who had not designed the program or recruited the members. The new PD also had not had the inclusion training. Four members in one program withdrew from the program shortly after their orientation period. That PD also resigned and the program eventually disbanded.

Delaware AmeriCorps programs recruited 3 members for FY 2004-2005 year

While the numbers are small, Delaware has one remaining AC State program and one AC* Vista program this year.

  • The AmeriCorps State Parks Partners program recruited a member with a physical disability for their 2004 summer program. The member completed the part-time agreement. The program director of the SPPP is extremely supportive of placing people with disabilities in volunteer positions. This DNREC State Parks Partners AC program has reported that after the regional training, one of their members worked with the local high school to provide a special education class with experience as volunteers and a work experience site. The students, working with their job coaches, learned employment skills and community service while preparing the Biden Center, a State Park conference facility, for the summer season. They also received public recognition through a story published in the local weekly newspaper.
  • The AC* Vista program recruited two members with disabilities for the 2004-2005 program year (who disclosed-our survey suggests that there were several others in that program who did not disclose their disabilities to their program directors) and the PD has requested TA to help them determine reasonable accommodations. One member is completing in June. The other was asked to leave by the site principal and was not placed elsewhere. A challenge with many of the programs is that there needs to be more inclusion training conducted with personnel in the placement sites IN ADVANCE of placing a member with a disability. Currently, we are providing many hours of on-going job coaching for the remaining member and moral support for the former member by assisting member involvement in community integration.

Additional funding was awarded to support a project that was a spin-off from DISP/NSIP

  • A grant of $5,000 was received from the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation for the Community Connectors project to partially support a graduate student in the Community Connectors project.
  • A second proposal was submitted to the CRP Foundation this 2005 spring for $25,000.
  • A proposal was submitted to the Dr. Scholl Foundation this 2005 spring for $50,000.
  • The Delaware Disabilities Council provided $5000 and a CIL, Freedom Center for Independent Living also provided $4000
    for the Community Connectors project. Community Connectors is a community integration project that grew out of an unsuccessful proposal for AC funding. Connectors are graduate students (and undergraduate volunteers) who work with adults with disabilities who want to be more active and involved in the community. We also encourage participants to consider National Service as an option. They now have community service projects on their list of projects for the coming year.