Holy Cow

Well, I officially became an Americorps VISTA a little over three weeks ago, and what an adventure it has been!  PSO (Pre-Service Orientation) was truly amazing!  It was a bit like a model UN, but with a much broader age range.  From throughout the Southeast, and a few other notable parts of our glorious country, 260 or so of us convened at the Emory Conference Center in Atlanta - Kudos to both the conference center for being so amazing, and to all the parties involved in getting us booked there (CNCS, VISTA, Americorps, and all the other agencies who have become too taxing to remember - but thank you all, nonetheless)!  It does seem a little like a "shock and awe" approach, though, given the circumstances into which we all fell once that exquisite training/vacation experience was over.  Perhaps they should give some thought to something more Outward-Bound-Ish - Ha!

My first few weeks on the job with Piedmont Community Actions (PCA) have been exhilarating, confusing, frustrating, and inspiring.  According to what I've heard so far from my fellow VISTAs, many of us are sharing this befuddling experience.  On the upside, misery loves company, but by the same token, feeling like a cork bobbing in the ocean during a massive hurricane is an humbling and infuriating experience.  We were trained on most aspects of poverty, right?  We have grown sensitive to the challenges, causes, and day-to-day struggles faced by those living in poverty, wouldn't you agree?  We've learned to cross barriers and have the difficult conversations in which many people refuse to engage - yes?  So why is it so difficult to become acclimated to an agency whose entire objective is to fight poverty in general, and more specifically to help those who struggle through it daily?

My personal response: the agency in which I'm serving has never had a VISTA.  They run the Head Start (and now the Early Head Start) programs for two counties, with 13 locations spread over a 60-mile radius.  The Director of Head Start didn't even know that Head Start was initially a VISTA project.  In her defense though, I didn't know that Head Start began through a VISTA initiative either, before researching it a bit further.

That being said, though, they knew they were assigned a VISTA (specifically me, in fact) in early July, as you all know that the process takes a long, and I mean LONG time.  I had a site training at the sponsoring agency (United Way of the Piedmont) on Monday, and upon coming into the PCA office the first Tuesday following PSO, it took 15 minutes for someone to lead me to the upstairs sanctum which houses the offices of the agency directors.

I finally met with the Head Start Director, was given a vague outline of what all needed to be done (it took her over an hour to describe, and everything they need would most likely take ten years, so I suggested that we break it down into smaller chunks, revise my VAD, and come up with a workable plan, based on the priorities of the agency).  She then suggested that I meet with the HR gal to get a badge and whatever else I needed, and said she needed to deal with some other things, so I was on my own.  This was after waiting an hour and a half sitting in the space between offices upstairs, as she had asked me to meet her at 8am and did not arrive herself until 9:30.

I went downstairs, knocked on the HR Director's door, and was welcomed with open arms, though she had to continue a phone conversation already in progress for another 20 minutes, while I read over the brochures I had picked up while waiting for the Head Start Director earlier.  Once she got off the phone, though, I told her her what the HS director had said I needed to do, and asked for a badge, as this was on the top of the priority list for my direct supervisor, the HS director.  That was Tuesday.  I was shown how to make my own badge, in the hopes that I could help make future employees' badges (as apparently no one else there knew how to use the computer and utility-specific printer), and was finally deemed official on that Friday - the day I fixed the camera, entered my own information, and made my own badge.

All that being said, they so obviously need a VISTA, and I'm glad to be in a position working with an agency that serves so many people in our area.  It's clear that part of the reason that nothing was in place once I arrived is that everyone there is wearing about 20 hats each!  However, it's now the end of my third week of service and I have no phone extension, no e-mail address, no set schedule, no specific goals or objectives, no prep time for meetings, as they're typically announced less that 24 hours prior.  I do not have an access code to the intranet, do not have web access, do not have a code for the copier, do not have paper for the copier (as understandably, each department has to account for its own expenses), have been refused the federal mileage reimbursement rate for travel, and have had no acknowledgement for my efforts outside of the office - (I'm putting in about 50 hrs/week - more to come on that later), as I was just told today that e-mail is not their preferred method of communication.  What the heck am I supposed to do then, when no one is in the office when I call, I have no office set-up (I'm willing to use my own outfit, and actually prefer it, but how else am I supposed to communicate what I'm working on?)  Meetings are almost never held on time, many of them are after 5pm, which I said I could not do before even applying for the position (I'm a single mom, and even with after-care for my 7-yr-old, pick up is at 6pm, at the latest), they're not announced more than 24 hours prior to the mtg. time, and half of the meeting notices I've received have not even included a time. 

Ok, so I'm venting.  There's so much more to say, but I'm exhausted and am going to try to relax for a bit.  Hopefully a meeting with my sponsoring agency (United Way of the Piedmont), and my site supervisors will help to iron out the wrinkles.  Both the United Way representatives and I have requested a meeting time on Monday or Tuesday, but PCA says they will get back to us when they can, with a reiteration that e-mail is not their preferred method of communication.  I'll send smoke signals and a carrier pigeon if it will help!!!!!

Working on my frustration level and trying to remain positive towards the ultimate objective - helping the kids and families involved in Head Start to have a better, more productive, and more efficient experience, so that they may better appreciate base-level education and its role in creating opportunities they would not have without it.

Amy, out!