SYS AmeriCorps VISTA Project: AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) site sponsored by the NM forum for Youth in Community since 2005; SYS has been awarded a bi-state AVISTA contract, beginning in 2009. Service projects focus on positive youth development, community development, with broad anti-poverty focus, granting young people one-year service contracts, including a monthly stipend, health insurance, and educational stipend. The SYS current three-year contract (2009 – 2011) will develop a 40 Member A*VISTA Project aligning SYS initiatives with A*VISTA Members placed in partnership with at least 21 Tribal communities by 2010, with an emphasis on supporting growth of Positive Youth Development rogramming. click here for flyer

How To Apply:

ØContact SYS about your interest to apply as an SYS VISTA member.

ØComplete SYS VISTA Application Materials and send to JoAnn Melchor.

          *PSO Registration form

          *Benefits Election form

          *Citizenship form1

          *Citizenship form2

ØCreate an AmeriCorps Profile Account @ www.americorps.gov

         -Click on “Login” (top right corner)

         -Click on “Appy to Serve”- Complete All 5 Steps.

ØPlease contact SYS once your AmeriCorps Profile is completed.

**Feel free to contact JoAnn Melchor: joannmelchor@yahoo.com 505.238.2058, or Shawna Douma: shawna@sysnm.org 505.917.3223, if you have questions, problems, or would like assistance with the application process.** 

The 2009 Native American Youth Advisory Group (YAG) Project: SYS facilitates a collaborative project with the NM Department of Health, Office of School and Adolescent Health (OSAH), the NM Alliance for School-Based Health Care (NMASBHC), and Native American communities in New Mexico that partner with SYS positive youth development programming. This unique collaboration is developing Native American Youth Advisory Groups (YAG) to facilitate peer trainings in youth resiliency, including prevention of violence, teen-suicide, teen-pregnancy, drug & alcohol abuse; the trainings include youth leadership and peer-to-peer mentoring. The YAG trainings are developed from the culturally-based Native H.O.P.E. (Helping Our People Endure) Curriculum developed by the Native Wellness Institute (Portland Oregon), and recognized as a “best practice” by the New Mexico Department of Health, Office of School & Adolescent Health.”

The 2009 Indigenous Soccer Cup: SYS will coordinate the 2009 3rd annual Indigenous Soccer Cup (ISC) in Las Cruces, NM, July 29-August 1, 2009, at New Mexico State University. More than 250 Native youth soccer players from New Mexico, the Southwest, & North America will join in a celebration of American Indian culture, wellness, youth leadership and sport. ISC participants will come from across New Mexico and North America -- from urban areas, reservations, the Four Corners region, and First Nations communities of Canada. The ISC serves Native youth, ages 10 to 19 years old.

The Native American Soccer Project (NASP): NASP includes the following initiatives, all three of which also provides leverage and community support for the Indigenous Soccer Cup.

• Native American Soccer Start (NASS): in-direct coaching education, equipment, and facilitate support provided by SYS for 600 children/youth, ages 5-13, in 20 tribal communities in 2007-2008.
• The Native American Soccer Coaches Committee (NASCC): a national committee sponsored by by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) to provide coaching education, networking, & community outreach support on a national level; certified over 100 members in 2008.
• SYS Summer Soccer Camps: youth soccer day-camps partnering with 14 communities and 800 children & youth, ages 5-19, in 2008.