The AmeriCorps VISTA Community Action Project (CAP) is a partnership between PRAB and the United Way of Central Jersey (UWCJ).
AmeriCorps VISTA COMMUNITY ACTION PROJECT (CAP)
Partners For A Better Tomorrow
Partners For A Better Tomorrow
The AmeriCorps VISTA Community Action Project (CAP) is a partnership between PRAB and the United Way of Central Jersey (UWCJ).
It is a capacity building initiative that aims to strengthen low-income individuals, families, and communities in Middlesex County and Central New Jersey around healthy futures, early learning, youth and family development, economic opportunity, citizenship attainment, stable and affordable housing, and energy conservation. Toward this end, it will increase PRAB’s institutional capacity around community partnerships and volunteer development, communications and special events, resource development, and institutional development, and UWCJ’s institutional capacity around early learning.
- Early Learning
- Community Partnerships & Volunteers
- Communications & Special Events
- Resource Development
- Institutional Development
Early Learning
UWCJ will improve the capacity of the Middlesex County early learning provider community to deliver high-quality and affordable early childhood education (ages 0-5).
UWCJ seeks to build on emerging efforts that respond to the needs of Middlesex County low-income residents, who could benefit from free or reduced early childhood and preschool services. It will establish and strengthen a consortium of new and existing early education providers, especially from municipalities with high numbers of low-income and middle-income children and families.
VISTA CAP WILL:
- Partner with institutions to increase early childhood/preschool/kindergarten readiness programs;
- Promote family engagement in literacy and math and early learning programs and services;
- Create a clearinghouse of high-quality early education, readiness programs, and a database of key contacts at schools and childcare facilities; and
- Develop tools and materials for program planning, curriculum development, family engagement, activities and resources for childcare centers and preschools, and information sharing.
Community Partnerships & Volunteers
PRAB will form and strengthen anti-poverty partnerships and collaborations
PRAB seeks to build on long-standing collaborative relationships with individuals, families, businesses, community-serving organizations, and public and elected officials. It also seeks to generate and engage volunteers in its multiple programs. In turn, these relationships would help open doors to resources, supports, and opportunities that facilitate socio-economic stability and development.
VISTA CAP WILL:
- Develop and strengthen institutional and program community engagement efforts;
- Develop relationships with other community stakeholders and anti-poverty providers, and participate in existing community partnerships and collaborations;
- Engage individuals and institutions in new and existing programs and services; and
- Develop tools for community engagement and participation.
Communications & Special Events
PRAB will improve its messaging & support for its anti-poverty work
PRAB seeks to re-position community perception from being a human social services agency to a holistic community partner that provides life-long support for people’s success. In turn, individuals and institutions will join partnerships and collaborations, and will invest and volunteer in its anti-poverty programs and services.
VISTA CAP WILL:
- Inform others about PRAB’s institutional and collaborative efforts, and increase awareness of the needs of low and moderate-income populations;
- Coordinate efforts of social ambassadors, who share PRAB’s progress, success stories, and impact;
- Establish and maintain effective communications tools that connect others to its work, and
- Organize special events and secure active involvement in these efforts.
Resource Development
PRAB will increase financial, human, and physical/material resources for its anti-poverty work
PRAB seeks to build on efforts that secure ample public, private, and individual resources (financial, human, and physical/material) for its institutional and collaborative efforts. It seeks to engage board, staff, and participants in resource identification, solicitation, and stewardship. It also seeks to deepen relationships with donors and involve them in institutional and program anti-poverty work.
VISTA CAP WILL:
- Develop systems to identify, solicit, and steward financial, human, and physical/materials resources from private and individual donors;
- Contribute to institutional and program planning, monitoring, and evaluation; and
- Develop institutional and program tools to secure and maintain resources, including needs assessments and program designs, implementation strategies, and evaluations.
Institutional Development
PRAB will strengthen its institutional and program systems and structures toward implementing its anti-poverty work
PRAB seeks to build on efforts that ensure greater effectiveness and efficiency in institutional operations and program service delivery. This includes institutional operations (facilities, finance, human resources) and program operations (design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation). It also seeks to produce and advance best practices for internal and external anti-poverty work.
VISTA CAP WILL:
- Develop institutional and program-related systems and structures, including budgets, guides, manuals, and quality assurance tools to ensure institutional compliance;
- Develop and maintain business systems, including institutional and program calendars, technology, contractors/consultants, inventory, licenses and certifications, etc.;
- Develop institutional and program strategic and annual action plans; and
- Produce and share best practices for anti-poverty work, both internally and externally.strategies, and evaluations.
United Way Of Central Jersey (UWCJ)
UWCJ has been addressing the human service needs of residents of Middlesex County since 1930. Its mission is to provide leadership to create opportunities for a better life for people living or working in our community who are needy, at-risk and vulnerable. UWCJ mobilizes people, organizations, and financial resources to create and sustain programs that achieve targeted outcomes and lasting change through volunteerism, partnerships, services and advocacy.
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