The City of Burlington will soon select ten new organizations to take part in its We All Belong initiative. The program, which started in 2008, works with City departments, schools, and non-profit agencies to "create more inclusive workplaces and better serve Burlington’s diversifying community."
Participating agencies have included ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center, Burlington School District, Fletcher Free Library, Vermont Energy Investment Corporation, Visiting Nurse Association of Chittenden and Grand Isle Counties, Greater Burlington YMCA, Local Motion, Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission, United Way of Chittenden County, the City of Burlington Human Resources Department, and the City of Burlington Mayor’s Office.
Mayor Miro Weinberger announced Thursday the City has received $250,000 from the Corporation for National and Community Service to sustain We All Belong, and expand the program to serve ten additional agencies and organizations.
The City’s Community and Economic Development Office oversees the program, which provides cultural competency training to participating organizations and places AmeriCorps volunteers with those organizations.
Last year, the WAB AmeriCorps program placed 12 AmeriCorps members serving in participating agencies and trained 100 leaders from 15 participating agencies. This year, CEDO will select 10 new organizations to join the year-long training program, in an effort to create more inclusive workplaces and more effectively serve our community. CEDO partners with CQ Strategies, a Vermont based consulting team, to deliver the cultural competency training.
The City is currently taking applications for AmeriCorps members to fill 26 full- and part-time positions.
The selection process for participating agencies and organizations is also underway, and open until August 28. Application requests can be made to Community and Economic Development Office.
