Abstract

This effective practice offers ideas on ways to keep AmeriCorps team leaders motivated, engaged, and feeling appreciated. Grace DePass, former Program Director, AmeriCorps Community Service Program, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, submitted this effective practice in 2000.

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Issue

Site supervisors need to support AmeriCorps team leaders who have been assigned to their programs.

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Action

Effective practices for site supervisors include:

• Have AmeriCorps members send welcome notes to the new team leader.
• Decorate bulletin boards celebrating the life of the team leader.
• Place a newspaper article about the team leader in a local newspaper.
• Balloons, balloons, balloons — for no reason, just because!
• Print up "certificates of celebration" which could include, "Way to go!" "Best Idea of the Day Award!" "Best Stress Buster of the Week!"
• Give team leaders recognition in the form of a brief note on a job well done or a task completed.
• Arrange for a florist to donate a plant for the office of the team leader.
• Obtain a donation to take your team leader to lunch.
• Leave encouraging quotes on voice mail for the team leader.
• Introduce your team leader to as many people as possible in your network of service.
• Invite the team leader to attend meetings and motivational seminars.
• Help your team leader find a mentor outside your program for guidance, support, and celebration.
• Take your team leader to a movie that is life inspiring, especially movies that show people overcoming obstacles to obtaining goals. Use the movie as a reflection to promote personal growth.
• Surprise your team leader by placing footsteps in the hall leading up to the team leader's office. Place one word on each footstep that says, "We are not worthy to walk in the footsteps of our leader!" This is guaranteed to be met with a smile every time.
• Seek a donation from the local bookstore and give your team leader an inspirational book, such as poetry, quotes, a biography, etc.
• Give your team leader a toy! "Tickle me Elmo" makes everyone laugh. Or try sand art to help your team leader slow down.
• Make a small basket for your team leader containing tea, coffee, biscuits, bubble bath, and other "comfort" items.
• Solicit a phone company to donate a phone card — it helps team leaders stay in touch with family and friends who are away. Consider a book of stamps and pretty paper, too.
• Buy some "silly string" to keep around the office and catch your team leader off guard.

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Context

Team leaders provide an additional layer of leadership and support for members under certain conditions. Team leaders must not be responsible for supervising staff members, or program development and coordination, however, they may assist by providing information and resources on best practices or by helping to develop portions of the program such as the training curriculum.

Examples of team leader activities include:

• Working alongside members performing direct service, to serve as a model and to provide on the spot assistance
• Training members
• Providing guidance and support to members, including reflection exercises, conflict resolution, and advice for transitioning out of AmeriCorps
• Arranging member development activities
• Building a sense of esprit de corps and general team cohesion among members
• Leading monthly/weekly meeting of members
• Facilitating team service projects
• Working with the community to develop partnerships, including community volunteers, that will support the members' projects
• Communicating with program staff, site supervisors, and other members to ensure the execution of a quality program that is consistent with the AmeriCorps provisions

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