Boys and Girls Clubs in Indian Country

Valuable Resources
Located in the northwest corner of New Mexico, the Boys & Girls Club of Farmington benefits from services offered through two of the Corporation for National and Community Service’s AmeriCorps programs. They are currently hosting two AmeriCorps VISTA members and a National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) team.

The two programs serve different purposes, both providing valuable resources to the Club. VISTA members focus on alleviating poverty through indirect, capacity building service. Members often work behind the scenes in a leadership role to empower their agencies with new programs, increased ability to aid clients and greater reach to improve the causes and conditions of poverty. Conversely, NCCC teams strengthen communities through direct, team-based national and community service. In partnership with non-profits, local municipalities, state governments, federal government, national or state parks, Indian Tribes and schools,members complete serviceprojects throughout the multi-state region where they are assigned.

The Club, established in 1960, operates two units and serves nearly 300 youth each day. Benedikte Whitman, the Club’s Chief Professional Officer chose to have the VISTA members assist with strategic planning, grants management, and sustainability while the NCCC team is working directly with youth to provide afterschool programming. In the mornings, the team divides into groups of two. They serve other non-profits in the community, including the United Way, homeless shelter, family crisis center, food bank, child protective services, and a senior center.

Opening New Avenues
After serving on a NCCC team for one year, Michelle Warren chose to sign up for a second year of service and took on the role of team leader. The team is based in the Southwest region and began working together in October 2010. It consists of 10 members from diverse backgrounds. The team is assigned to a new project every eight weeks. “Our motto is, Be flexible from the F to the E,” said Michelle.

The Boys & Girls Club of Farmington is the group’s second assignment. “This project is unique in that we are able to work with so many different non-profits in the community. As opposed to most other projects where we work with only one agency, this project gives our team a fuller view of the community we are serving,” explained Michelle. Each afternoon, team members draw upon their own skills to mentor and tutor the youth. The volunteers have taught Club members poetry, art, technology, and photography, among other things. “The NCCC team has been able to provide more individual attention to Club members and teach unique skills to the youth. This is opening many new avenues for the children to explore,” said Benedikte.

Direction for the Future
Nick Gazett, one of the Club’s VISTA members, moved to Farmington in July. “Moving to a new community was difficult at first,” he said. Originally from St. Cloud, Minnesota, Nick not only had to learn the ins and outs of getting around a new community, he had to adjust to the new geography, weather, and even the altitude. “Biking to work is much different here in New Mexico than it is in St. Cloud, where we live pretty much right at sea level,” he quipped. Nick said that once he began working with the program, and getting to know the Boys & Girls Club staff and other service leaders in the community, he began to feel more comfortable in his new home. “I am grateful for the challenges and all the things I have learned about operating a non-profit. The dedication of staff members is inspiring,” stated Nick.

Nick is one of 11 VISTA members currently participating in the Boys & Girls Clubs in Indian Country’s VISTA pilot project. Upon graduating from college in May 2010, he decided to look into VISTA volunteer opportunities after learning about the program from a friend. When he found a posting for the Boys & Girls Clubs in Indian Country, he knew he found a good fit. “I had previously volunteered with my local Boys & Girls Club, and after reading the position description, I was excited about the opportunity,” he noted.

One of Nick’s main projects is working with the Be Great: Graduate program. He helps to recruit participants and obtain grades from the schools, among other tasks. He is also involved in establishing a Young Citizen’s organization for teens. Working on this project has helped provide a direction for Nick’s future goals. “Learning about the scale of the drop out problem, not only in Farmington, but across the nation, has been very eye-opening for me,” said Nick. “I have also learned about achievement gaps in students of different populations. This is something that I have a passion for now. I am considering using my VISTA education award to go back to school. In the future I hope to develop policy solutions for drop out prevention and closing the achievement gap.”

Dedication to Community Service
Working with Native American communities, has been an eye-opening experience for the volunteers. Both Nick and Michelle noted the differences between their expectations and reality. They learned that all people share commonalities, even if they come from different backgrounds. Nick discussed a trip he took to Shiprock, NM in the fall. He saw the reality of all the negative statistics he had learned about tribal communities, including poverty and health issues. “But I also saw strong, professional people who were dedicated to community service,” he observed. “Working with Native American people has enriched my volunteer experience.”

Tremendous Impact
Both programs are provided at minimal cost to the Club, as the organization must secure certain resources to be eligible to accept volunteers. In order to host the VISTA members, the Club provides resources such as office space and supplies, as well as a supervisor who attended a week-long training. The NCCC team lives at the Club for eight weeks, so the organization provides living space, a kitchen, and transportation to project activities.
When asked what advice she would give to another Boys & Girls Club interested in accessing AmeriCorps resources, Benedikte said, “Have a good idea of what you want the volunteers to do, but be flexible. The positions we are hosting are continually evolving, but it was helpful to have a strong vision of what we wanted from the beginning.”

The impact on the Club has been tremendous. Benedikte stated that it has expanded the capacity of staff members to focus on other important tasks such as searching for and applying for grant funding. “Without our VISTA, we would not have been able to manage our mentoring program in as great a depth or with the quality that we are operating right now,” said Benedikte. The Club recently renewed their agreement with the AmeriCorps NCCC program and expects a new team to arrive shortly after the current team departs in March.

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