NHC Member Position Description 2020-2021 - Public Health ...
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NHC Member Position Description 2020-2021 MEMBER POSITION/TITLE HEALTH EDUCATOR AMERICORPS PROGRAM Program: National Health Corps NHC City: Chicago HOST SITE NAME & LOCATION Common Threads VIRTUAL UNTIL SAFE TO RETURN 222 W. Merchandise Mart Plza, Suite 1212 Chicago, IL 60654 ORGANIZATION DESCRIPTION & MISSION Common Threads is a national nonprofit that provides children and families cooking and nutrition education to encourage healthy habits that contribute to wellness. We equip under-resourced communities with information to make affordable, nutritious and appealing food choices wherever they live, work, learn, and play. We know that food is rooted in culture and tradition so we promote diversity in our lessons and recipes, encouraging our participants to celebrate the world around them. About Common Threads
NHC Member Position Description 2020-2021
Founded in 2003 in Chicago, Common Threads was created to bring health and wellness to children, families and communities through
cooking and nutrition education. By integrating preventative health programs into school districts and community organizations, Common
Threads not only helps combat the rising number of diet-related diseases, but also cultivates a culture that embraces a healthier lifestyle and
celebrates diversity through food. We envision a community of learners that embraces healthy cooking, healthy eating and healthy living as
both a life choice and a human right.
Common Threads currently operates in 13 major markets including Austin, TX; Chicago, IL; Los Angeles, CA; Miami, FL; New York City, NY;
Pittsburgh, PA and Washington D.C. and over the past two years through the USDA FNS SNAP-Ed program: Erie, PA; Dallas, El Paso, Fort
Worth, Houston and San Antonio, TX. During the 2018-2019 school year and summer, we provided hands-on cooking skills and nutrition
education to over 106,000 children and adults, worked with 898 schools and partner sites and served 747,189 healthy meals and snacks. This
year, we have capacity to scale programming to more than 120,000 individuals.
Evaluations consistently demonstrate that our programs significantly improve student vegetable consumption and preference, nutrition
knowledge, communication to the family about healthy eating, and cooking skills. Common Threads is contributing to the fight against
childhood hunger not only by providing fresh healthy food in all our programs, supplementing children’s diets and complementing school
food in all of our programs, but also by offering the nutrition education that studies show is essential to addressing food insecurity over the
long term. Common Thread’s integration with our partner organizations additionally builds the case for widespread adoption of nutrition
education programs.
MEMBER POSITION PURPOSE
Common Threads will utilize the NHC Chicago member to lead virtual nutrition and healthy cooking classes for student, adult, and families
living in underserved communities in Chicago, with potential to implement classes for families located outside of Chicago as well. In addition
to teaching lessons, the member will be expected to build relationships at the district, school, and community level to schedule classes and
ensure they are meeting local needs and interests as well. The member will be responsible for maintaining a high quality of implementation,
scheduling, auditing and communication with school administrators and staff, community partners, and the Common Threads team.
Page 2 of 11NHC Member Position Description 2020-2021
This position will reside on the Program Team of the organization which is responsible for implementing and designing all programming.
MEMBER TERM OF SERVICE
This is a full-time AmeriCorps national direct service position. To fulfill this position, the member will:
● complete 46 weeks of service;
● complete a minimum of 1,700 hours of service during their service term between hours served at their host site, hours served
with NHC Program, and optional pre-approved hours served in the community.
o A maximum of 20% of the aggregate 1,700 total hours may be designated as training.
o A maximum of 10% of the aggregate 1,700 total hours may be designated for pre-approved fundraising activities.
o Member must satisfactorily complete Pre-Service Orientation (PSO) and service assignments as defined in their position
description and determined by NHC Program Staff.
SITE CONSIDERATIONS
Is your site accessible via public transportation (if yes, what line/route)? VIRTUAL -in person, yes via brown line, blue line, red line and
several busses
Does this position require the use of a personal vehicle? Yes, if/when it is safe to visit schools again (in unavailable CT can work to place
member at school sites near convenient public transportation)
Note: Host Sites are responsible for the reimbursement of site-related travel. This may be either bus fare or mileage reimbursement as
well as parking and/or tolls.
Organization dress code: Insert dress code expectations for member dependent on your organization’s dress code policy. Please be as
specific as possible.
Business casual is required for external meeting, but professional casual dress is acceptable if there are not external meetings planned. Any
time the member will be in a kitchen for class they are required to be in closed toes shoes, pants, and with hair pulled back – per health
code.
Page 3 of 11NHC Member Position Description 2020-2021
EXPECTED SERVICE TIME REQUIREMENTS/SCHEDULE
Typical hours will be Monday-Friday from 9a-5pm CST, this can fluctuate based on member and partner needs and will be mutually agreed
upon.
We anticipate that the member will be teaching 2-3 lessons per day which will equate to approximately 40 per week when factoring the
planning, teaching and administration required for the classes.
Common Threads is flexible with scheduling, members could teach in the evening or weekends to make up missed time as needed. Alternate
options can also be explored based on member needs.
MEMBER ROLE/DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES:
In partnership with schools and community-based organizations, Common Threads delivers hands-on cooking and parent engagement
programs, and train teachers and partner organization staff to incorporate nutrition education into their classrooms and out-of-school time
settings, building a culture of wellness within our schools, and improving students’ food choices. The member will serve with the program
team delivering these programs. During COVID, all programs have been adapted for the virtual environment.
Responsibilities:
• Responsible for teaching programming and supporting youth programs
o Teach nutrition lessons to adults and Parent Workshops
o Teach digital Small Bites classes for students (nutrition lesson + snack making demo)
o Coordinate and conduct teacher professional development
• Provide support for Common Bytes (online web application) and set-up
• Use passion for instructing children to inspire and serve as role model
Page 4 of 11NHC Member Position Description 2020-2021
• Administer pre- and post-surveys to students and families and manage paperwork
• Utilize CRM to help track all program data
• Purchase necessary groceries for the cooking portion of each lesson and track receipts (Common Threads will reimburse)
The Institute of Medicine recommends fighting childhood obesity in part by making schools "the heart of health," and the Academy of
Nutrition and Dietetics recommends up to 50 hours per year per child of nutrition education. Thus, Common Threads partners with schools
and local organizations where at least 80% of students qualify for free/reduced priced lunch to incorporate our cooking and nutrition
education programs into their schedules, thereby increasing teachers’ abilities to incorporate nutrition education into their classrooms as
well as individual students' exposure to nutrition education. Because research shows that family cooking and meals are associated with
reduced risk of obesity, we also engage parents by teaching them the importance of and how to cook easy, time-efficient, economical, and
nutritious meals for their family. This aligns to NHC focus on, “providing health access and education to underserved communities”.
● Clearly describe this position’s recurring access to vulnerable populations as outlined in 45 CFR §2510.20
https://www.nationalservice.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fy13_12_1005_48.pdf
Common Threads partners with schools and community organizations where at least 80% of students qualify for free/reduced priced lunch.
The lessons are delivered in a series fashion, so members would be interacting through Zoom (or similar platform) with the same students
and families 3-8 times depending on the program they are teaching.
PROGRAM, PROJECT, OR MEMBER ACTIVITIES AND PURPOSE OF MEMBER OUTPUTS NHC PERFORMANCE
INITIATIVE NAME SERVICE MEASURES (PMS) THIS
ACTIVITY FALLS UNDER (if
any).
Page 5 of 11NHC Member Position Description 2020-2021
Nutrition Education Program ● Member will recruit students and Member will teach 40+ • Health Education
(90%) families for classes on basic nutrition classes reaching 180 youth
and healthy cooking. and caregivers
● Member will be trained on an existing
nutrition curriculum to teach to
students and families. Improve:
● Member will handle all logistics for • student nutrition
nutrition and cooking classes. knowledge,
● Member will teach the nutrition and vegetable liking
cooking class. and consumption,
● Member will enter relevant data • communication to
points (Eg. attendance, time, etc.) the family about
into internal database. healthy eating,
• cooking skills, and
preference for home-
cooked foods
Family Veggie Rx (10%) • Member will familiarize themselves Member will create 6 • Health Education
with locally grown produced included cooking lessons featuring
in Windy City Harvests Veggie Rx local ingredients and
Program. simple preparation
• Member will create lessons that can
be implemented for the Family Member will teach 2
Veggie Rx Program. classes (if COVID permits)
• Member will implement lessons (if
COVID permits). Launch pilot of Family
Veggie Rx program for
Common Threads
Finalize curriculum for use
post COVID.
SITE ORIENTATION AND TRAINING
Page 6 of 11NHC Member Position Description 2020-2021
The member will participate in a modified on-boarding process that is used for full-time staff. Portions of the orientation on health benefits
and other benefits for full-time staff will be omitted. Each module in the orientation includes a self-paced lesson and a debrief with a “buddy”
(another staff member) who will answer any questions the member hands. This also serves as an opportunity for the member to meet and
greet with other team members. This on-boarding process lasts about two weeks and is overseen by the direct supervisor.
Ongoing training and development will include invites to Common Threads on-going Professional Development series called, “Know and
Grow”, which feature a mix on internal and external speakers on various related topics. Additionally, the team will share relevant webinars
and trainings offered by our partners that may be of interest and Common Threads is supporting of the member using their service hours to
participate in these trainings. Other team members will also observe the members lessons and provide feedback and coaching as needed
around content matter and student engagement.
SITE MEMBER QUALIFICATIONS
● Reliable and dependable
● Experience teaching or working with kids; excellent classroom management
● Basic knowledge of nutrition and/or experience cooking
● Excellent communication skills with the ability to communicate with Common Threads staff, students, and families
● Possess an energetic, upbeat demeanor
● Ability to be flexible and troubleshoot as needed
● Strong skills in written & verbal communication, organization and collaboration
● Computer skills, including Microsoft Word and Excel, Outlook and Google Drive documents and Zoom. Experience with other software,
including Salesforce, Slack and Asana a plus.
● Experience working with culturally diverse audiences
● Experience and/or high comfort level working virtually with internal and external team members (i.e., videoconferencing)
● A commitment to the mission and values of Common Threads
● Reliable access to internet
● Personal computer for use during camp (must support audio and video streaming through Zoom)
MEMBER BENEFITS
The member in this position will receive from the NHC program the following benefits:
1. Living Allowance in the amount of $14,279.00.
a. The living allowance is taxable, and taxes will be deducted directly from the living allowance.
Page 7 of 11NHC Member Position Description 2020-2021
b. The living allowance is not a wage. It is intended to provide for expenses a member incurs while actively serving and is not
linked to the number of hours a member serves. A member who exits their term of service early will receive the portion of
the living allowance that would be provided for that period of participation under the program’s living allowance
distribution policy (a member who exits early in the first week (or first ½) of a pay period receives ½ a stipend; a member
who exits early in the second week (or second ½) of a pay period receives a full stipend). Members who end their service
early (i.e. not completing 46-weeks of service AND a minimum of 1,700 hours) will not be eligible for the remaining amount
of their living allowance, either in “lump sum” or incremental payments. A member may not receive a living allowance if
they are suspended by the program.
2. Health Insurance. If a full-time member is not currently covered by a health insurance program or loses coverage due to
participation in the Program, they are eligible to receive limited health insurance through the program where they serve.
Insurance coverage for full-time members begins after mandatory documentation is received and processed. Member insurance
coverage does not cover family members and dependents.
3. Child Care. A child-care subsidy paid directly to the child-care provider by a CNCS benefits administrator, GAP Solutions, is
available to members who qualify. GAP Solutions distributes this allowance evenly over the term of service on a monthly basis.
Members are responsible for locating their own child-care providers. The amount of the child-care subsidy that the member may
be eligible for varies by state and may not cover the full cost of child-care.
4. Education Award. Upon successful completion of the member’s term of service, the member may be eligible to receive an
education award from the National Service Trust. For successful completion of a full-time term (46 weeks and a minimum of
1,700 hours), the member will receive an Education Award. The member understands that they may not receive more than the
amount equal to the total value of two education awards for full-time service from the National Service Trust, regardless of the
stream of service in which the member serves.
5. Loan Forbearance Interest. If the member has received forbearance on a qualified student loan during the term of service, and
the member successfully completes the term of service, the National Service Trust will repay a portion or all of the interest that
accrued on the loan during the term of service. After a member is enrolled in e-grants by the Program Director, they may use the
CNCS web-based system to apply for loan forbearance. The NHC is not responsible for following through with private lenders.
MINIMUM NHC MEMBER QUALIFICATIONS
In order to be eligible to serve in this position and in the NHC Program, a person must meet the following requirements:
1. Must be at least 18 years of age by the time training begins;
2. Must be a United States citizen or National or have a permanent resident visa;
Page 8 of 11NHC Member Position Description 2020-2021
3. Must have a high school diploma or an equivalency certificate (or agree to obtain a high school diploma or its equivalent before
using an education award) and must not have dropped out of elementary or secondary school in order to enroll as an AmeriCorps
member (unless enrolled in an institution of higher education on an ability to benefit basis and is considered eligible for funds under
section 484 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, 20 U.S.C. 1091), or who has been determined through an independent assessment
conducted by the Program to be incapable of obtaining a high school diploma or its equivalent;
4. Must have complied with all CNCS required criminal history checks including 1) a State Criminal Registry Check of the CNCS
designated repository in both the state in which the program operates and the state in which the member resided at the time they
applied to the program; 2) a nationwide fingerprint based FBI background check; and 3) a Department of Justice National Sex
Offender Registry Check. The member understands that if the results of the required criminal history checks reveal that they are
subject to a state sex offender registration requirement and/or have been convicted of homicide (1st, 2nd or 3rd degree) they will be
ineligible to serve in the Program. The member also understands they will have the opportunity to review and dispute the findings
from the criminal history check.
5. Must submit valid forms of documentation to prove date of birth and citizenship/naturalization/resident alien status and must have
a valid government issued photo identification;
6. Must disclose any history of having been released from another AmeriCorps program; failure to do so will render one ineligible to
receive the education award;
7. Must submit evidence that they successfully completed any previous AmeriCorps terms, if applicable;
8. Must furnish all other documentation deemed appropriate by the program and host service site.
EVALUATION AND REPORTING
All NHC members are given a written performance review by their host site supervisor and NHC Program Director at the mid-term and end of
their term of service. Performance reviews are based on the member’s performance at their host site and their participation in National
Health Corps responsibilities such as member trainings, committees and group service projects.
If a member disagrees with any aspect of their performance review, they can appeal to their Program Director according to the grievance
procedure outlined in the Member Handbook.
NHC members will be evaluated according to the following criteria:
a. Whether the member has satisfactorily completed service assignments, tasks and/or projects;
Page 9 of 11NHC Member Position Description 2020-2021
b. Whether the member has met any other NHC expectations which have been clearly communicated orally and/or in writing throughout the
service term;
c. The member’s ability to establish and maintain positive interpersonal relationships;
d. Whether the member has completed or is on track to complete the required number of hours outlined in their member contract.
EMPLOYMENT STATUS OF AMERICORPS MEMBERS IN THIS POSITION
For guidance related to the employment status of AmeriCorps members, please refer to the below link:
http://www.nationalservice.gov/documents/main-menu/2015/frequently-referenced-resources-about-employment-status-americorps-
members
AMERICORPS BRANDING AND MESSAGING
For guidance on AmeriCorps branding and messaging, please refer to the below link:
https://www.nationalservice.gov/sites/default/files/documents/AmeriCorpsSeniorCorpsBrandingGuidance2017.pdf
NHC PROGRAM DIRECTOR AND SITE SUPERVISOR INFORMATION
Alisha Jani
Project Manager, National Health Corps Chicago
alisha.jani@phimc.org
(p): (312) 629-2988 ext. 113
(c): 224-766-1558
Kassie Hinrichsen,
Senior Program Manager
khinrichsen@commonthreads.org
Host Site Assurances
By signing below, the Host Site is confirming the following:
● The position description activities do not put member(s) at risk for exceeding the limitations on allowable fundraising activities as
outlined in requirements of 45 CFR §§ 2520.40-.45? https://www.nationalservice.gov/pdf/45CFR_chapterXXV.pdf
● The position description activities do not violate the AmeriCorps supplementation restrictions as outlined in requirements of
§2540.100 accessed via
Page 10 of 11NHC Member Position Description 2020-2021
http://www.ecfr.gov/cgibin/textidx?SID=62ef430e421c0b565f20975d1a1906e5&node=pt45.4.2540&rgn=div5%23sp45.4.2540.b#se4
5.4.2540_1100
● The member will receive no more than 20% of the aggregate total of service hours designated as training as outlined in requirements
of 45 CFR §2520.50? https://www.nationalservice.gov/pdf/45CFR_chapterXXV.pdf
● The member position activities follow the requirements related to supplementation, duplication or displacement of staff as outlined in
45 CFR §2540.100 (e) – (f). http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-
idx?SID=62ef430e421c0b565f20975d1a1906e5&node=pt45.4.2540&rgn=div5%23sp45.4.2540.b#se45.4.2540_1100
● The member will not engage in AmeriCorps prohibited activities as outlined in 45 CFR §2520.65?
https://www.nationalservice.gov/pdf/45CFR_chapterXXV.pdf
By signing below, you acknowledge that you have read and understand the contents of this position description
Please note: You do not have to sign the position description until you are accepted as a host site and we have created a finalized version.
Therefore, you may submit your proposed position description as part of your application without signing below.
Host Site Supervisor Full Name (Print):
Host Site Supervisor Signature: Date:
AmeriCorps NHC Member Full Name (Print as listed on formal documentation):
AmeriCorps NHC Member Signature: Date:
By signing below, you acknowledge that this position description was finalized/approved by the NHC Operating Site Director:
NHC Operating Site Director Full Name (Print): Alisha Jani Date:
NHC Operating Site Director Signature: Date:
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