JV Orientation starts in...
Orientation 2022
What is Orientation?
Orientation 2024 Theme: Turning the Tides
The moon is a greater power that calls the waters to move. The moon waxes and wanes, just as the tides come and go, just as water must always flow.
The moon calls and the ocean follows, round and round the earth. The song of the moon and the dance of the earth are locked together in a perpetual sweep, and as they dance, they concentrate riches, abundance, and change. As surely as the tide comes, the tide departs, leaving behind gifts in wrack lines.
The animate forces of water have much to teach us about interconnectivity, justice, and change. Abundance and flourishing are often just under the surface. This is true of our own selves and of our communities. We must learn to be patient with that process and the timing, discerning when we are called to act to bring that flourishing to the surface.
The tides beckon us to pause and witness their coming and going, their subtle variation, their reciprocity with larger systems, and the essential role their protean nature plays. When we attune ourselves to the wisdom of water, we notice the overlapping and interacting cycles. We can start to see that often what appears to be random is just an act of a much larger process that we formerly lacked the perspective to see in totality. When we attune ourselves to see life as a series of concurrent revolutions , rather than reducing progress to a linear track, we access the wisdom of the turning and avoid falling victim to repeating the mistakes of the past.
We cannot turn the tides by the sheer force of our will. And yet, if we are ready for the moment that the tide turns, an abundance is available to us – the rich ecosystems left in the tide pools, creatures and shells stirred up and deposited on the shore after the storm. We must be attentive to the rhythms around us to connect deeply. When we let go, we are buoyed by the comings and goings of the tide, the power of the water and the pull of the moon. When we join that which is greater than our individual selves, we find the flow that allows us the internal freedom to join the movement with everything we have to give.
How, in the coming year, will you join the tides that are turning?
Preparing for Orientation
Onboarding Forms
Below is a list of everything that is due before you arrive at Orientation. Please note: all forms must be submitted prior to your arrival on August 5; we cannot accept forms at Orientation. All forms can be accessed online unless otherwise noted.
- Criminal History Check Authorization
- Government Issued ID
- Health Insurance Acceptance/Waiver Form
- Health Insurance ID (upload a copy if you decline JVC Northwest Insurance)
- JV Information Form (with emergency contact info, cabin preference, bio, picture, etc.)
- Medical Form and COVID-19 Vaccination Information
- Policy Acknowledgement:
- Code of Conduct
- Covenant
- Drug & Alcohol Policy
- Whistleblower Policy & Addendum
- Orientation Travel Form (now available!)
- I-9 and W-4 forms (emailed to you directly)
Please keep a copy of the full version of the Code of Conduct for your records. Please note that there will be time for questions regarding the Code of Conduct and Whistle Blower Policy at Orientation.
In July, you will receive an email invitation from the “MyAmeriCorps” Portal. It is essential that you provide an accurate and timely response prior to Orientation.
Travel and Arrival Info
Orientation takes place at Camp Arrah Wanna in Welches, OR, a camp tucked into the woods at the base of Mt. Hood with simple cabins and lodge facilities, located 1 hour southeast of Portland.
If you are driving, consider downloading offline maps to your phone as service is spotty the further up the mountain you go.
At the end of Orientation, all JVs are either flying, driving, or taking the train to their locales. You are permitted to bring two pieces of luggage to Orientation. Please limit yourself to these two bags because space in our transportation shuttles will be very tight. Be sure your full name and contact information are clearly labeled on all bags!
Bag 1: 50 lb. or less: we will store this bag for you during Orientation week. JVC Northwest will pay the cost of checking this one bag when you travel to your locale at the end of Orientation.
Bag 2: The bag you’ll have with you during Orientation, which should include a sleeping bag, pillow, clothes, etc. for that week. This should be standard airplane carry-on luggage size, regardless of your mode of transportation to your locale. If this second bag is too large to be carried on for free, please note that you will be in charge of covering the cost for this on your way to your service locale. Thank you for your understanding of the limited space and finances for luggage! See below for more about what to pack.
Please schedule your arrival in Portland for Monday, August 5. More information about arrival is listed below. If you are arriving before August 5, please plan to book your own lodging.
JVC Northwest arranges transportation from Portland International Airport and Union Station Train & Bus Depot on August 5th. JV AmeriCorps members arriving by car should drive directly to camp. Please consult the transportation arrival times below based on your transportation mode.
After you arrive at Orientation and register on August 5th, you can relax until we have dinner. Optional activities will be going on throughout the day. This is a good time to call your loved ones to let them know you have arrived safely. After dinner on the first night, we ask you to turn off your cell phone and any other electronic devices for the rest of the week. We invite you to immerse yourself in the core values, community, and contemplative time. If you have extenuating circumstances around communication, please talk to your Program Coordinator.
Orientation weather is usually pleasantly warm, but the Northwest gets chilly at night and rain is always a possibility. The main meeting space we will be gathering most days is air conditioned. Camp Arrah Wanna provides lots of space for recreation, including a swimming pool. There’s also downtime for reflection, music, and just hanging out. Please pack:
- Passport or other ID documents. If you uploaded a copy of your passport some weeks ago so we could process your background checks, then please bring the passport with you to Orientation. If you did not upload a passport, then David (our Business Manager) will be in touch with you about what documents to bring. We must see the physical documents in order to complete your I-9, and we must complete the I-9 before you can officially begin as a JV. So, if you forget to bring the document(s) to Orientation, you will have to have someone send it to us by overnight mail.
- Comfortable, casual clothing for the week
- A nicer outfit for the Sending Forth Service (in your carry on)
- Jacket or sweater
- Rain gear (just in case!)
- Swim suit (if you want to swim in the swimming pool)
- Sleeping bag (or twin sheets and a blanket) and pillow
- Towel, soap, shampoo, toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, sunscreen, bug spray, and any other toiletries or hygiene products you need
- Flashlight/headlamp
- Musicians: bring musical instruments
- At least a month’s supply of medication, if needed; more if headed to a more rural locale
- A small amount of cash for purchasing JVC Northwest swag, if you would like
- A spare pair of glasses and/or contacts, and a copy of your eyeglasses/contacts prescription
- Clothing for service. Prepare to follow the dress code in your position description
- College gear or small banner for college photo day (optional)
If you are concerned you won’t be able to fit everything in two bags, you are welcome to mail additional items to your specific JV community. The address for your community will be included in an email from your Program Coordinator in July.
Arrival Times
In order to meet you upon arrival, we ask that you complete the Orientation Travel Form (part of your Onboarding forms). If your travel plans change after submitting the form, please resubmit the form with the new changes.
If your plans change or there’s an emergency during your travel day, call 503-335-8202, the JVC Northwest office in Portland. A staff member will be monitoring this phone for messages on Monday and throughout the week of Orientation.
Please note that only certain locales and placements require a car for the service year. We ask that all other JVs do not bring a car for the year, unless you have discussed it with your Program Coordinator.
Arrive before 12:30 p.m. A representative of our staff will meet you at Union Station, which is one block north of the bus station. We will confirm your pickup time and share more details with you by email as it gets closer.
Please arrive at Camp Arrah Wanna between 12 p.m. and 3 p.m. Please do not arrive at Orientation before Monday, August 5. Contact us if you want to connect about carpooling with JVs traveling from your area.
Arrive at the Portland International Airport (PDX) by 1 p.m. on August 5. JVC Northwest staff will have a table from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. near Baggage Claim; please meet us there.
COVID-19 Safety Planning
Please consider being COVID-cautious in these next weeks leading up to your departure for Orientation. Some suggestions are: limiting unmasked indoor contact with people outside your immediate household and avoiding large indoor gatherings in general.
Please take a COVID-19 self-test the day before your departure for Oregon.
If you test positive, please don’t travel, and contact JVC Northwest Staff at our main number 503-335-8202 and we will start to arrange a new plan for you to make it your locale. In the event of a positive test before you depart, we will devise ways for you to catch up on what you miss at O.
Please wear a mask during your transportation from your point of entry to Portland to Camp. Once you arrive, we will have everyone test again during registration at Camp Arrah Wanna.
We will only ask that you test again during the week of Orientation in the event that you start to feel ill. For those who feel sick and for those who test positive, we will have space in which you can isolate during Orientation to minimize the risk of it spreading within our group. We will have a nurse on-site to assist with both COVID and non-COVID health concerns. If your isolation needs to last past the final day at Camp we will arrange for a safe way for you to recover and make it to your locale eventually.
