Community Resource Guide For Helena VISTAS Volume 1. July. 2014 | Page 12

Phase 2 Learning the Ropes: 2-3 months in
The second phase of your service year occurs quickly after the first. At work you
may experience frustration and disillusionment when you realize how much
independent learning, research and decision making you will need to do to complete
your VAD. In your personal life you may begin to feel confined socially by the
barrier of what you can do with your living stipend. To some extent operating
largely on your own initiative at work and structuring your free time based on what
you can realistically afford are defining characteristics of your VISTA year that will
not change.
Professional Development Areas
Address any concerns with your Supervisor after getting acquainted with the
project:
At this point in your service term you have a better sense of what your project is and
have developed a routine for your day. This is also the time that issues may start to
crop up (if not before now) with your supervisor. (Communication style, lack of
response, etc.) If you haven’t already done so, address these with your supervisor, as
it will only have a snowball effect from there.
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