IMPACT captures well the challenge for youth to continue the learning and growth in connection with the Viata program held during the summer. The name IMPACT was chosen because it recognizes that development and progress need constant reworking. The program encourages students to continually use critical reasoning in rethinking how things are done in their community and in their own daily actions and thoughts. It recognizes that for sustainable development, a society and its members need to be constantly active and aware of the issues a community faces and the solutions used to solve them.

from Empowering the Poor, Robert Linthicum

IMPACT is a program designed specifically to help Romania and post-communist youth develop the competencies necessary for living in a democratic society and within a competitive marketplace. Imparting positive values is fundamental. The idea is that we cannot encourage youth to live virtuous lives in our community if we are not doing the same. These values include trust within a safe group environment and the development of marketable skills that are important to the area. Youth in the IMPACT program are taught to use long and short term goal-setting strategies in specific areas of life.

Based on the idea that personal development is a complex phenomenon and requires a support group, feedback, and growth in multiple areas simultaneously, IMPACT strives to meet these requirements through monthly service projects, weekly group meetings, and continuous development of individual skills. The focus is on developing physical heath, moral and spiritual awareness, necessary life skills and intelligence, and relational learning - focusing on honesty and openness.

As each group is a small community, the members are required to develop a contract they agreed to follow involving respect and trust within their group. Members also agree to follow the Value Contract designed specifically for the IMPACT Program and based on the values presented during Viata.

• IMPACT Service Project Checklist
• Does project develops/incorporates “bridging” Social Capital element?
• i.e. can the project be done in partnership with another organization or group, especially marginalized?
• Does the Service Project push deeper into community awareness and understanding?
• Facilitates active reflection on upstream causal issues?
• Helps develop a sense of caring for others, especially neglected others or those that are unlike oneself?
• Does project advance learning objectives, especially as it relates to vocational development?
• Is it the appropriate level of challenge? Not to easy, not too hard?
• Does project incorporate fun?
• Does Service Learning Project fully utilize media involvement and or other forms of Public Education?
• Is project “Strategic” for advancement of service learning in Romania?
• High visibility and high IMPACT (if possible, large number of beneficiaries) especially in the beginning
• Helps fill needs such as for an advocacy/policy component, so a leader facilitates a project of this nature.
• Project transparently meets real community needs (i.e. is not partisan to an insider interest).
• Project objectively improves the quality of life (by promoting a good, or removing a bad/danger) for the persons served. Alleviates suffering?
• How will community interpret project? How might one strategize to guard against misunderstanding?
• Does project have full consensus of the IMPACT group?
• Does the project have measurable outcomes?
• (Advanced) Does project incorporate local policy change or implementation?