[Federal Register: July 29, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 145)]
[Notices]               
[Page 45308]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr29jy04-44]                         


[[Page 45308]]

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CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE

 
Proposed Information Collection; Submission for OMB Review; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Corporation for National and Community Service.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Corporation for National and Community Service 
(hereinafter the ``orporation''), as part of its continuing effort to 
reduce paperwork and respondent burden, will submit the following 
public information collection request (ICR) to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Public Law 104-13, (44 U.S.C. Chapter 
35)). The Corporation is soliciting from members of the public and 
affected agencies comments concerning the proposed collection of 
information.
    Currently, the Corporation is soliciting comments concerning a new 
information collection for the Volunteers in Service to America program 
(VISTA). The Corporation proposes to conduct a series of surveys and 
interviews to study the impact of Volunteers in Service to America 
(VISTA) service on participants enrolling from 1965 to 1994. The object 
of this study is to explore the long-term impacts of participation on 
the lives of VISTA participants to a comparison group who (1) Enrolled 
in VISTA during the same time period,; and (2) completed the VISTA 
orientation but who did not actually serve in the program (or served 
for less than one month). Specific life course outcomes of interest 
include education and employment history, civic engagement and 
behavior, family life, and intergenerational transfer of values.
    Copies of the information collection request can be obtained by 
contacting the office listed below in the ADDRESSES section of this 
notice.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the 
ADDRESSES section by September 27, 2004.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by the title of the 
information collection activity, by any of the following methods:
    (1) By mail sent to: Corporation for National and Community 
Service, Attn: Kelly Arey, Department of Research and Policy 
Development, Rm 8109, 1201 New York Avenue, NW., Washington, DC, 20525.
    (2) By hand delivery or by courier to the Corporation's mailroom, 
Room 6010, at the mail address given in paragraph (1) above, between 9 
a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    (3) By fax to: 202-565-2785, Attn: Kelly Arey.
    (4) Electronically through the Corporation's e-mail address system: 
karey@cns.gov.
    (5) Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf 
(TTY-TDD) may call (202) 565-2799 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern 
time, Monday through Friday.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Corporation is particularly interested 
in comments which:
     Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the 
Corporation, including whether the information will have practical 
utility;
     Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the 
burden of the proposed collection of information, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
     Enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
     Minimize the burden of the collection of information to 
those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g. permitting 
electronic submissions of responses.
    Background: The Corporation for National and Community Service is 
strongly committed to evaluating the effectiveness of its programs. 
VISTA is our country's longest continually operating domestic service 
program, with over 130,000 participants enrolling since its inception 
in 1965. Since 1994 the program has been administered by the 
Corporation as part of AmeriCorps. VISTA participants work in 
communities to build local capacity to advance economic development in 
low-income neighborhoods across the United States. The study will 
examine the long-term impacts VISTA service has on participants' civic 
attitudes, life decisions, goals, values, and enduring habits of civic 
engagement.
    The object of this study is to explore the long-term impacts of 
VISTA participation from 1965-1994 on the lives of participants to a 
comparison group who enrolled in VISTA during the same time period and 
completed the VISTA orientation but who did not actually serve in the 
program (or served less than one month). To meet these objectives, a 
sample of VISTA participants and near-participants will be drawn from 
the roster of individuals enrolling in VISTA from 1965 to 1994. In 
addition to collecting information on the outcomes specified above, 
data on respondent demographics and pre-VISTA experiences will be 
collected. The inclusion of a comparison group of near-participants 
will provide insight into the outcomes realized by VISTA participants 
who completed their term of service.
    This study will gather data using phone surveys and in-person 
interviews. The phone surveys will provide largely quantitative 
information, while the in-person interviews will allow for the 
collection of highly detailed and more qualitative descriptions of the 
life courses charted by VISTA participants and near-participants.
    Type of Review: New collection.
    Agency: Corporation for National and Community Service.
    Title: Study of 40 Years of VISTA's Impact on Volunteers.
    OMB Number: None.
    Agency Number: None.
    Affected Public: Individuals and households
    Total Respondents: 1500.
    Frequency: One-Time.
    Average Time Per Response: 43 minutes (telephone survey: average of 
35 minutes per respondent; the in-person interview: average 3.5 hours 
per respondent).
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 1075 hours.
    Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): None.
    Total Burden Cost (operating/maintenance): None
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for Office of Management and Budget 
approval of the information collection request; they will also become a 
matter of public record.

    Dated: July 22, 2004.
Robert Grimm,
Acting Director, Department of Research and Policy Development.
[FR Doc. 04-17226 Filed 7-28-04; 8:45 am]