• Accept your placement
• Find Housing
• Build a budget
• Determine your transportation needs based on your housing and host site location/format
• If applicable, speak with your student loan provider about your repayment options
• If applicable, determine your child or pet care needs
• Apply for any public assistance (e.g. SNAP)
• Determine the best health care coverage plan 
• Accept your invitation to the Eco3 VISTA cohort slack and introduce yourself
• Attend the introductory cohort zoom meeting
• Review AmeriCorps VISTA Handbook
• Explore Eco3 VISTA Guide
• Check out the Eco3 AmeriCorps VISTA webpage
• Check out VISTA campus
• Confirm who your Host Site supervisor is, get their contact information (e.g. phone and email), and connect with them regarding your first day (e.g. where do you go, do you need to bring anything, etc.)
• Confirm who your VISTA Leader is and connect with them
• Confirm your orientation time, location, and date with the Eco3 VISTA Program
• Complete all AmeriCorps National forms and pre-service course work on AmeriCorps portal
• Attend kick off meeting with AmeriCorps National
• Complete your basic information sheet for the Eco3 VISTA program
• Communicate any assistance needs or accommodations with your Host Site supervisor and the Eco3 VISTA program 
• Reach out to your VISTA Leader, Host Site Supervisor, or AmeriCorps National if you have any question

• Submit forms (teleservice, media release, outside employment)
• Review your VAD
• Write down your “Why?”
• Complete background check
• Choose your end of service benefit: Education Award or Living Stipend (NOTE: If you choose the living stipend you cannot go back and choose the education award)
• Update the Eco3 VISTA Program with  your local emergency contact information and work email 
• Accept your oath

Adjust…

• Get immediate needs met (e.g. where do you get food, how do you get around, how do you access medical care, where will you fill any prescriptions, etc.)
• Settle into basic living matters (e.g.  how do you pay bills?, is your internet set up?, where do you drop off trash/compost?, how will you manage snow and yard care? etc.)
• Identify your coping mechanisms, make a wellbeing plan, and practice resilience
• Review your VAD and position description with your Host Site Supervisor
• Figure out your Host Site technological needs (e.g. hardware, software, account access, work email, etc.)
• Learn about expectations and work culture at your host site (e.g. What are the hours of the office? What vacation days does the office observe? Are people working at the office, from home, or a combination? What is the culture of the workplace? etc.)
•  

Connect…

• Schedule a time to meet with your Host Site Supervisor
• Meet your Host Site coworkers
• Schedule a time to connect with your VISTA Leader
• Get to know your fellow Eco3 VISTA members (e.g. attend an Eco3 VISTA social squad event) 
• Follow AmeriCorps on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook if you use social media
• Follow Ecolibrium3 on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook if you use social media 

Explore…

• Walk around your neighborhood
• Learn about and use one community integration tool (e.g.  PACA tool)
• Explore at least 1 new area in the community (Visit Duluth)
• Attend at least 2 community based meetings, events, or activities (City of Duluth event calendar, Perfect Day Duluth, Visit Duluth, etc.)
• Look at public art (e.g. LNPK art walk, AICHO mural, sister cities park, etc.)
• Try something new (e.g. take the bus, sail, climb, dance, etc.)
• Meet someone new
• Eat a local meal (e.g. wild rice, Damiano, etc.)

Learn…

• Complete your early service AmeriCorps VISTA coursework
• Listen to local radio watch local TV channels, or subscribe to a local news source
• Go to your local library and read some literature about your local community (you can also get a library card!)
• Research your community online (See the Eco3 VISTA Guide for references)
• Learn about the indigenous populations who have historically and presently call your community of service home (Duluth is the historical and present lands of the Assiniboine, Cree, Cheyenne, Dakota, and Ojibwe)
• Increase your awareness with a Harvard Implicit Bias Test
• Explore more about yourself by completing a personality test (e.g. DISC Personality Assessment, Myers Briggs Personality Test,Enneagram Personality Test, or one of your own choosing)

Additional….

• Write a short message about starting service and if you are comfortable, post it on social media using the following tags: #Eco3VISTA #GetThingsDone #AmeriCorps #AmeriCorpsVISTA #IamVISTA  @NationalService @Ecolibrium3 @NorthlandAmeriCorps @AmeriCorpsVISTA [if you do not use social media, feel free journal or at least write down some initial thoughts]
• Practice your elevator pitch (Sample template: Hi, my name is _______, I am a __________ AmeriCorps VISTA with ________ working on _____________ in _______________.) 
• Identify important dates at your host site and the Eco3 VISTA program (e.g. 9/11 Day of Service, MLK Day of Service, AVMs, AmeriCorps week, etc.)
• Have fun!

• Reflect on the following questions about your AmeriCorps service year: 

• Why did you choose to join AmeriCorps?
• What do you want to accomplish or learn over the course of your service?
• What challenges do you anticipate facing?
• How will you practice self-care and use healthy coping mechanisms?
• What do I expect from my host site? From my coworkers? From my VISTA cohort? From my VISTA Leaders? From the Eco3 VISTA program? From myself?
• What kind of cohort activities would I like to participate in and contribute to over the course of my service?
• What kind of professional development opportunities would I like to have this year?
• What skills do I want to add to my resume during this year of service? 
•  

• Continue to integrate into your community
• Listen and learn
• Start working on VISTA projects
• Identify training and professional development opportunities 
• Set up a system for tracking performance measures and learn how to report on them
• Participate in a Eco3 VISTA Program Site Visit

This is often the most difficult time in a member’s service. Take care of your wellbeing (take a vacation, breathe, etc.!)

• Confirm your end of service benefit selection (e.g. Educational Award or Living Stipend) 
• Ensure to use your $150 professional development stipend 
• Start thinking about what you would like to do after service (e.g. re-enroll for a year of service with your current position and Host Site, become an Eco3 VISTA Leader, attend school, apply for jobs, etc.)
• Use your vacation days

• Complete Future Plans Form
• Finalize your close of service plans
• Update your resume and linkedin profile
• Reflect on your service 
• Determine if you need any references and if so ask them if they are willing

• Plan for using your educational award (disbursements are made from your AmeriCorps portal)
• Plan for taxes, a W2 will be available on your AmeriCorps Portal (note the ed award and living stipend are considered taxable sources of income!)
• Certifying your service (letter on your AmeriCorps portal)
• Take advantage of any AmeriCorps VISTA after service benefits (e.g. NCE – letter certifying NCE on your AmeriCorps portal)
• Stay in touch with the Eco3 VISTA Program
• Connect with AmeriCorps VISTA alumni