Corporation for National Service
National Skills Center: Home-Based Care and Independent Living
AmeriCorps
Sponsoring Partners: Visiting Nurse Associations of America (VNAA), University of Maryland National Eldercare Institute on Employment and Volunteerism, World Institute on Disability
The purpose of the National Skills Center is to work with the Corporation for National Service, the states, and the AmeriCorps program to increase effectiveness and provide availability or resources to support high quality work through a resource database, access to experts, teleconferencing, a resource network of home care and independent living experts and on-site technical assistance.
TRAINING/TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE
Training and technical assistance (T/TA) is available and will be aimed at trainers, members, project directors and state commissions. T/TA may cover such issues as:- Home care and independent living
- Resource development and grantsmanship
- Coordination of community support: Formal and Informal
- Member skill building, problem solving, practical and creative thinking skills
- Motivation
- AmeriCorps member recruitment
- Evaluation
- Building partnerships, coalitions and alliances
- Program design and development
- Developing and managing Boards and Advisory Councils
- Strategic constituency development
Training and technical assistance may be requested by filling out and returning the enclosed insert. T/TA will be provided through the use of:
- Written materials
- Videos
- Resource assistance
- On-site technical assistance visits based on need and nature of request
AmeriCorps members have a variety of resources available through the National Skills Center, as they are introduced to the field of home health care and independent living. These resources may include access to the following through the skills center:
- A resource guide of home care and independent living reference sources will be made available to all sites. This guide will include names and numbers of agencies across the country that specialize in certain types of diseases, elderly issues, caregiving issues, etc.
- A catalog of printed reference materials, from which AmeriCorps members may request a limited amount of articles, reports, training materials, etc. Fact Sheets focusing on issues such as recognizing abuse, what to do in cases of emergency, how to gain the trust of the person you are visiting, liability issues, etc, are also available.
- Access to training manuals and trainers.
- Videos.
REQUEST FOR TRAINING/TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
SPONSORING PARTNERS
Visiting Nurse Associations of America (VNAA)
VNAA is a nationwide coalition of nonprofit community-based and community supported Visiting Nurse organizations whose purpose is to provide home health services developed in response to community needs. Services include home health care, respite care, hospice services, health education, therapy programs, etc. The VNAA is the largest nonprofit comprehensive national network for home health care. VNAA operates an Information Clearinghouse which offers reference materials on home health care related topics.
The University of Maryland National Eldercare Institute on Employment and Volunteerism (UM/NEIV)
NEIEV, a part of the Center on Aging at the University of Maryland at College Park, serves as a national technical assistance, training, and evaluation resource for national, state, and local organizations involved in aging, health and senior volunteerism. The Center on Aging was established in 1974 as a multidisciplinary research, training and service center and offers a Graduate Certificate in gerontology.
The World Institute on Disability (WID)
WID is a national training, public policy and research center dedicated to independence for all people with disabilities. Its mission is to educate society about people with disabilities and Independent Living. WID has a Personal Assistance Services Center focusing on designing service systems to promote independent living among diverse populations.
