Stephanie Bruns POLS 30595: International Development in Practice 13 November 2013 Jesuit Volunteer Corps Having identified the

market niche, recruitment, and volunteer assessment for North American volunteers, America Solidaria (AS) is now looking to change their application process and content in order to serve as a means of attracting such volunteers. North American concepts of what it means to do service and expectations applying for such an opportunity differ from South American ones. This paper will examine and evaluate the current application materials and process of America Solidaria in a comparative study with that of the Jesuit Volunteer Corp (JVC). Relevance of JVC JVC is both a domestic and international service program with a minimum requirement of 1 year for domestic sites and 2 years for international sites. They have over 340 volunteers placed in 39 different locations, including 6 countries, fulfilling the JVC mission to directly serve the poor and marginalized and foster conscious[ness] of the poor and causes of social injustice. Like America Solidaria, JVC sends a large number of volunteers to many different sites across the country and the globe. The also emphasize the professional nature of the service volunteers will be providing. They are considered employees of the partner organizations where they work and are held to similar standards one would expect from a professional. As an organization, JVC is respected as a reputable and valuable service experience. By looking at their application process and content as the prototype, this paper hopes to illuminate what North American volunteers would expect from the application process of a service organization. The Current Process for America Solidaria The AS application functions similarly to most North American volunteer organizations it its utilization of both written application materials as well as interviews and letters of recommendation as tools for selecting and evaluation possible volunteers. This blended process is useful in that it gives the applicant a chance to fully express themselves, who they are, their motivations, and their skills, while

Bruns 2 also giving the organization to get a sense of candidates and how they would or would not fit in the organization, its needs, and its goals. The current written application is submitted online and very short. Each of the three essays is less than 300 words, leaving a candidate with limited space to truly express themselves. The majority of the application comes in the form of interviews. AS currently evaluates volunteers through a series of 3 separate interviews, none of which are directly associated with placement. The interviews are incredibly comprehensive, but could be somewhat overwhelming for a US volunteer who is more accustomed to written personal statements rather than dialogue as an initial getting-to-know-you. Letters of recommendation are solicited, but only after the applicant has been passed the evaluation of the materials above. Using JVC as a Model The JVC application offers the candidates a much greater opportunity to express themselves and convey their motivations and qualifications in written form, while still utilizing person-to-person interaction through interviews. The application is longer, composed of 2 essays, each of which ranges from 2-5 pages as well as 10 shorter questions, with an additional long essay if the candidate is seeking to devote their time to one of the international sites. Longer essays are important for the applicant to feel as if they are being evaluated as a complete person, especially based on the type of questions asked. One of the essays is biographical in nature, although it lends itself to interpretation and individual agency to determine what information to include and how to represent it. It is more individualistic; it asks about how you handle and respond to challenges as well as whom or what has shaped you. The other essay ensures understanding of the JVC mission statement and asks the applicant how their personal mission is complimented by the greater organization. It also includes ten, rather than 3, short answer questions (about a paragraph) that refer more specifically to possible challenges a volunteer might be forced to confront at some point in their service year, should they be selected, and how they relate and desire to be a part of the overall mission of the organization.

Bruns 3 JVC also has an interview process, although not quite as extensive as the model currently in place at AS. The website contains a great deal of information on this subject. It clearly explains the goals of the interview, how long the interview will be, and how the interview plays a role in the application process overall. Specifically, the interview examines the skills an applicant possesses that could benefit the partner organizations, motivations for participating in the program, and gives the applicant information about the program and the opportunity to ask questions. The interview seems to be just as informative as evaluative and a positive step in both the discernment process of the applicant and the decision-making process of JVC. A second interview takes place only after the applicant has been accepted into the JVC program as a whole. The purpose of this second interview is to determine best fit between applicant and partner organization with the interviewer serving more of a guiding resource than an interviewer. The applicant receives information about the various sites available to him/her and then forms a ranking list. JVC then organizes interviews between the applicant and at least three of their listed organizations. After the interviews, a match is hopefully made and the offer accepted. Lastly, in addition to the written essays and the interviews, the JVC application requires four letters of recommendation in addition to the submission of a college transcript. While four recommenders is a high number, JVC specifically states the role of each of these recommenders. One is to be a peer to comment on the ability to live in community; another should be from a supervisor who knows you in a professional sense, with the last two letters being from a spiritual or personal mentor and a person of the applicants choice. Recommendations for America Solidaria Based on the similar size of JVC and its ability to place volunteers in a multitude of locations in a variety of professional roles, it can serve as a model for the application proess of AS. 1. Reduce the number of interviews . It is rare that any organization requires more than one interview of its applicants. Even those that do, like JVC, have the second interview serve a

Bruns 4 very different function and take place after acceptance into the program but before the volunteer commits. The JVC model provides a very interesting and helpful perspective in this regard since there are so many sites and opportunities available to applicants. Additionally, many of the questions from interviews can be converted into written essays or short responses on the initial written application. 2. Modify the personal nature of several of the Personal Interview questions. This is an observed cultural difference, but it is highly unusual, and even inappropriate, for an interviewer to ask about family and friends outside the scope of how they would describe you or how they have influenced you. Romantic relationships are never brought up, although there is relevance for AS to know the marital status of their applicants. This could be solved with a simple multiple choice question on the initial online application. 3. Use transcripts and letters of recommendation to gain a better understanding of technical skills. The lack of a transcript request is likely another cultural difference between Latin America and the United States. In most disciplines, course options are very flexible and looking at the course an applicant chose to take could be enlightening to their skills and interests. Also, grades matter in the United States. Passing classes and graduating is not the same as earning straight As. Applicants work hard for their grades and that effort should be recognized. Letters of recommendation could also be incredibly useful in terms of identifying an applicants professional abilities, especially if specified that a letter should come from a previous or current employer. 4. General improvement of aesthetic appeal, navigability, and information of the application. The impression an organization makes through their presentation in websites and application plays a large part in recruitment and interest maintenance. Because ASs presence in the US is fairly recent, a strong reputation has not yet been built. Little details like the ability to save work and revisit the application later, drop down menus instead of

Bruns 5 multiple choice bubbles, and reorganizing of questions could greatly improve the appeal of the application as well as the organization. JVC has a great deal of transparency in terms of what the process entails and what the purpose of each step is. This creates a greater sense of confidence in the applicant and allows them to ask deeper questions rather than technical ones. Conclusion Applications and their process themselves should not be underestimated in their ability to be used as methods of recruitment as well as evaluation. In a world with so many opportunities, people have the option of giving up on certain organizations because the application was too long, too confusing, or simply unappealing. Presentation is especially important for America Solidaria because of their recent presence and goal of name recognition and reputation building. America Solidaria is a great organization that serves a unique niche in catering to young professionals across national borders without an overt spiritual component. With the right tools, it could definitely create a name for itself in the United States.

Resources http://www.americasolidaria.org/2011/10/america-solidaria-u-s/ http://www.jesuitvolunteers.org/potential-jvs