Christian Appalachian Project Volunteers Since Christian Appalachian Project s founding, volunteers have been invaluable and indispensable contributors to our mission. We are pleased that you are applying to serve with us, and we thank you for your interest. The service, enthusiasm and love shared by CAP Volunteers has a profound effect on the lives of the people we serve, and we continue to need the support of outstanding volunteers. Our application and admissions process is thorough, and is intended to help you discern if God is calling you to Appalachia and to our core values of service, community and spirituality. We encourage you to answer application questions thoughtfully and completely. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or concerns. We look forward to receiving your application and exploring opportunities for you to serve with us. o I am open to serving at Christian Appalachian Project, where people are committed to service, community, spirituality and personal reflection. Recommended Terms of Service o Long-Term Volunteers: I am committed to 12 months of service and am at least 18 years old. I understand I must have a personal interview prior to receiving a service placement. OR o Short-Term Volunteers: I am committed to 3 weeks to 11 months of service and am at least 18 years old. OR o Summer Camp Volunteers: I am committed to 3-9 weeks (9 weeks preferred) of service and am at least 18 years old. Christian Appalachian Project s Guiding Principles To promote the dignity and self-worth of individuals by promoting self-help To practice and encourage good stewardship of, and accountability for, all of the resources entrusted to us To foster individual growth among staff, volunteers, donors and program participants To live out and promote the Gospel of Jesus Christ through all of our actions To foster open, honest and effective communication, both inside and outside the organization To involve the Appalachian people at all social and economic levels in developing solutions to poverty *Shorter time commitments may be available for certain programs during certain times of the year. Please call for details. CVN AmeriCorps Catholic Volunteer Network Subject to funding availability each year, Christian Appalachian Project participates in the Catholic Volunteer Network (CVN) AmeriCorps program. CVN AmeriCorps Members serving with CAP fulfill unique roles that add value to our programs and the communities we serve. Members who fulfill their service commitments can earn Education Awards to pay education costs at qualified institutions of higher education, pay for education training and/or repay qualified students loans. Most volunteer positions at CAP are eligible to be filled by AmeriCorps Members (See Program Descriptions insert). AmeriCorps Members with CAP will have responsibilities and expectations beyond other CAP Volunteers, including reporting and training requirements. This application is for prospective CAP Volunteers and also for individuals who are interested in applying for a CVN AmeriCorps position with CAP. Are you applying for an AmeriCorps position? o Yes o No o Need more information Christian Appalachian Project 3
APPLICATION FOR VOLUNTEER SERVICE Application for Volunteer Service Instructions: Please fill out this application as carefully and as completely as possible. This application, with its supporting materials, will also be reviewed by the program manager of the program for which you are being considered. Type or print in blue or black ink. Name (Last) (First) (Middle) Name you prefer to be called o Male o Female Date available to begin volunteer service / / Length of commitment weeks months Permanent address Street City State Zip Telephone ( ) ( ) Day Cell E-mail address Current address (if different from above) until / / Street City State Zip Telephone ( ) ( ) ( ) Day Evening Cell Emergency Contact Name Relationship Street City State Zip Telephone ( ) ( ) ( ) Day Evening Cell Have you been a Christian Appalachian Project Volunteer before? o Yes o No Year(s) Program(s) Has anyone in your family been a Christian Appalachian Project Volunteer? o Yes o No Year(s) Program(s) How and when did you find out about Christian Appalachian Project? Please be as specific as possible Are you 18 years of age or older? o Yes o No If not, when will you be 18? / / 4 Christian Appalachian Project
EDUCATION Education and Training AND TRAINING Beginning with the most recent, please list all schools attended, including vocational/trade schools, etc. Name of School Address Years Attended (mm/yy - mm/yy) Date Graduated Degree, Diploma Or Certificate Programs of special study EMPLOYMENT Employment List your prior employers, starting with the most recent. (Attach an additional page if necessary.) Dates Employed (mm/yy - mm/yy) Name, Address and Telephone Number of Employer Duties and Responsibilities Reason for Leaving Are you presently unemployed? o Yes o No If yes, for what reason? Please explain any period of time greater than six months not accounted for by work, school or military service Christian Appalachian Project 5
COMMUNITY Community Involvement INVOLVEMENT List any previous volunteer experience and community service involvement. (Attach an additional page if necessary.) Dates Involved (mm/yy - mm/yy) Organization/Activity Description Location Your Role BRIEF Brief Response RESPONSE Please answer the following questions as completely as possible. (Attach additional pages if necessary.) What interaction have you had with people of nationalities and cultures other than your own? Please explain. (Include travel or life overseas, working and/or living in inner city or rural areas.) List your skills or experiences that might be useful and valuable for Christian Appalachian Project activities. List some of your leisure activities and hobbies. If applicable, what other possibilities are you considering besides CAP (e.g., other volunteer agencies, graduate schools, employment options)? What is the present status of each application? Do you have a valid U.S. driver s license? o Yes o No If accepted, will you be bringing your personal vehicle? o Yes o No 6 Christian Appalachian Project
SELF-REFERENCE Self-Reference Form FORM To the applicant: Christian Appalachian Project seeks mature men and women motivated by our mission to provide service through our programs. We would like you to help us get to know you better as we look for a match with the service opportunities and community placements we have to offer. A candid and honest evaluation is a vital part of our placement process. Attach additional pages if needed. Please type or print clearly with black or blue ink on this form or on a separate sheet of paper. 1. Describe your strengths in relationships with others, maturity and general personality. 2. No person is without growth areas. In what areas (professionally and personally) are you seeking improvement? 3. Describe a specific challenge you have faced at work, in school, etc. and how you responded to it. 4. Please provide an example of a recent important decision you had to make and describe how you went about it. Christian Appalachian Project 7
SELF-REFERENCE Self-Reference Form (cont d) FORM 5. Christian Appalachian Project Volunteers live in intentional community with other volunteers of various ages, backgrounds and faith experiences. Describe a time when you lived with others (outside of your family). What did you contribute to the group? What challenges did you face? How has that experience prepared you for volunteer community? 6. How do you respond to conflict? What skills will you use in addressing conflict in your service position and community? 7. Give an example of a time when you experienced a difficult change. How did you respond? 8. What has led you to apply to Christian Appalachian Project? What makes this organization attractive to you? 9. Are there any personal obligations or situations that might interfere with completing your service commitment to Christian Appalachian Project? o Yes o No If yes, please explain. 8 Christian Appalachian Project
Self-Reference Form (cont d) On a scale of 1-5 (1 being low and 5 being high), check the box you feel best describes you. Characteristics 1 2 3 4 5 Comments Dependability Tact with others Initiative Flexibility Creativity Ability to accomplish tasks alone Ability to cooperate with others Effective use of time Ability to accept direction Resourcefulness Organization Knowledge of one s own limits/care for own needs List three adjectives that best describe you: Christian Appalachian Project 9
VOLUNTEER Volunteer Program Reference PROGRAM Forms REFERENCE FORMS Directions: List below the names and addresses of the three people (other than relatives) to whom you will give the enclosed recommendation forms to mail directly to us. Think carefully about the people you wish to recommend you. They should know you well and be in a position to assess your general character, motivation and qualifications for Christian Appalachian Project. 1. Someone who knows you on a personal level (peer, friend). Name Relationship How long have you known this person? Address City State Zip Telephone ( ) 2. Someone who knows you in a professional capacity (teacher, employer, supervisor, etc.). Name Relationship How long have you known this person? Address City State Zip Telephone ( ) 3. Someone who is familiar with your suitability for service as related to Christian Appalachian Project s mission statement and guiding principles (i.e. friend, priest, minister, teacher, counselor, etc.). Name Relationship How long have you known this person? Address City State Zip Telephone ( ) 10 Christian Appalachian Project
SHORT Short- and Long-term AND Volunteer LONG-TERM Interests VOLUNTEER INTERESTS Christian Appalachian Project has a variety of programs. Our volunteers both short- and long-term are an important part of the service that we provide. The following information will give us a better idea of your skills and areas of interest to help facilitate the placement process. Please refer to the Program Descriptions insert for more details on specific Christian Appalachian Project programs. Please keep in mind that for those seeking a short-term experience, the primary responsibility of short-term volunteers is to serve with and assist the permanent staff. This helps the staff to devote more time to and concentrate more fully on areas of the program most needing their attention. Please check all areas in which you have interest (I) and/or experience (E). I E Activity Comments PRIMARY SERVICE ACTIVITIES. The activities below are essential to positions for which we have an ongoing need for full-time short-term and long-term volunteers. Early childhood development Tutoring/teaching Mentoring/Youth services Elderly support (transportation, in-home respite, visitation, advocacy, etc.) Emergency services/caseworker Home repair and construction Computer knowledge (Word, Excel, etc.) Office work (typing, filing, reception, etc.) Supporting domestic violence survivors and their children Staffing a food pantry Serving at a thrift store (clerk, sorting donations, steaming clothes, etc.) Human Resources (Risk Management, Training, Wellness programming) Volunteer group host (cooking, cleaning, etc.) ADDITIONAL SKILLS/INTERESTS. The activities and skills below may be valuable to our programs, but may or may not constitute a full-time placement. Mental health counseling (must be licensed in Kentucky) Nonprofit administration/management Grant Writing Photography Graphic Design Other For what type of service are you best suited (direct service with children, elderly, carpentry and home repair, youth services, administration, etc.)? Please be specific. Christian Appalachian Project 11
Summer Camp Volunteer InterestsVOLUNTEER INTERESTS SUMMER CAMP June and July, three to nine weeks. Nine weeks preferred. Please check the areas in which you have interest (I) and/or experience (E). I E Position Camp counselor Nurse Lifeguard Arts and crafts instructor/assistant Kitchen helper/cook Office assistant/floater Musician 12 Christian Appalachian Project Comments
Application Essay APPLICATION ESSAY For applicants considering a commitment of 12 months, we ask you to select one of the following topics and write an essay of 500 words or more, not to exceed two pages. Please type your essay and attach it to your application. 1. Expand on your response to question 8, found on page 8. Describe specific experiences and relationships in your life which have led you to apply to be a full-time volunteer. 2. What attracts you to a volunteer community? Describe your expectations and apprehensions about living in a Christian Appalachian Project volunteer community. 3. How do you express your relationship with God? How has your faith influenced your values and choices? Please give specific examples. Go to essay page CHECKLIST Checklist Christian Appalachian Project looks forward to reviewing your completed application. Before submitting your application, please be sure to have completed the following volunteer application materials: o Fair Credit Reporting Act o Fair Credit Disclosure and Authorization Form o Essay question (long-term service applicants only) o Have you made a copy of the application for your records? o Have you selected three references and given them a copy of the reference form? Is there anything else that you would like us to know about you in regard to your application? Christian Appalachian Project 13
Have you, AT ANY TIME: (A) Been convicted of, or pleaded guilty or no contest to, ANY crime, including, but not limited to, any sex crime, any violent offender crime, or any crime related to the molestation, exploitation, neglect or abuse of any adult or child? Or (B) Been found by the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services (or any other state, federal or local government cabinet, agency or entity) or ANY court of law to have abused or neglected an adult or child? o No o Yes Signature Date I hereby certify that all responses set forth on the Application for Volunteer Service and Self-Reference Form are true and complete. I understand and agree that any falsification, misrepresentation or omission either on the Application for Volunteer Service and Self-Reference Form, and/or my responses to questions asked during the interviewing or examination process may disqualify me from further consideration for volunteer services with the Christian Appalachian Project Volunteer Program, whenever the falsification or omission is discovered. In this regard, where an item is left blank on the application, it is because there is no information within its scope. I understand that this application places no obligation on me or the Christian Appalachian Project; however, it does indicate a serious intention to volunteer my services to the Christian Appalachian Project Volunteer Program. Should I decide to withdraw my application for volunteer service, I will notify Christian Appalachian Project as soon as possible. Printed Name Signature Date 14 Christian Appalachian Project