AmeriCorps Advice by Topic
- Tips for Applicants (40)
- AmeriCorps in the News (14)
- Program Fit (7)
- AmeriCorpsNCCC (5)
- Program Overview (5)
- Stories of Service (3)
- Tips for Alum (20)
- Featured Alum (14)
- AmeriCorps State & National (6)
- AmeriCorpsVISTA (5)
- AmeriCorps (5)
- Featured Project (1)
- College Students
- Young Professionals
- Sector Switchers
- Grad Students*
- High School Students*
- Americorps
- Political & Advocacy Jobs
- Green Jobs*
- Government Jobs*
- Social Enterprise Jobs*
- Education Jobs*
- *coming soon
AmeriCorps State & National Articles for AmeriCorps
Demystifying the A: What exactly is AmeriCorps?
Published May 11, 2009 @ 09:57AM PT
So you want to join AmeriCorps? Excellent. I'm excited for you. Which of the 75,000 positions were you looking at?
A little overwhelmed? That's okay. Saying that you want to be in AmeriCorps--or that you served in AmeriCorps--is kinda of like saying that you want to get a job in Cleveland, Ohio... it doesn't really narrow it down. Which is what you need to do. Trying to understand exactly what AmeriCorps is is a good start.
AmeriCorps was started in 1993 by Former President Bill Clinton as a tool to engage people in service to their communities, while focuses on some of the biggest issues our country is facing. President Clinton placed AmeriCorps, along with Learn & Serve America and Senior Corps (another topic for another blog), under the umbrella of the Corporation for National and Community Service.
The term "AmeriCorps" actually refers to hundreds of federally funded volunteer programs across the country. Some programs are full-time, some part-time; some require a college degree, some don't; some programs are residential; some aren't; some AmeriCorps members wear uniforms; some wear dress pants. I'm not kidding you... AmeriCorps positions are about as diverse as jobs in Cleveland.
There are three main branches of AmeriCorps, which are going to be covered in more detail in articles to come: AmeriCorps*VISTA, AmeriCorps*NCCC, and AmeriCorps State & National.
- AmeriCorps*VISTA is the oldest of the three AmeriCorps branches. VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) was actually started in 1965, long before Clinton created the umbrella of AmeriCorps, as a part of the War on Poverty. AmeriCorps*VISTA positions focus specifically on poverty elimination and capacity-building, so while VISTA members work on important issues like education, food access, and housing, they are more likely to be doing the behind the scenes work than direct service. Also, the VISTA program strongly believes in AmeriCorps*VISTA members living at the level of other community member, so monthly living stipends are calculated to be just 5% above the poverty line.
- AmeriCorps*NCCC (National Civilian Community Corps) is the smallest of the programs. Of the 75,000 members serving in AmeriCorps, less than 1,000 are AmeriCorps*NCCC. NCCC members serve and live in teams and are based on five campuses across the country: Sacramento, CA, Denver, CO, Perry Point, MD, Vinton, IA, and Vicksburg, MS. Instead of serving in one place for a year, AmeriCorps*NCCC members travel around and do a variety of short-term projects in the areas of education, unmet human needs, disaster relief, environment, and public safety.
- AmeriCorps State & National is by far the biggest of the AmeriCorps programs. Through AmeriCorps State & National, umbrella organizations like City Year, Habitat for Humanity, and Teach for America are funded to host their own AmeriCorps members in projects that they manage across the country in a variety of issues areas. Also, through AmeriCorps State & National, individual states receive funding for their own state AmeriCorps programs like Colorado Conservation Corps and Scholars in Service to Pennsylvania.
Like I said, all three of the main branches of AmeriCorps programs will get more detailed attention in upcoming posts. For now, I hope that things are getting a little clearer.
Before we go, let's note that the thing that we are talking about is AmeriCorps. You saw it right... that's a capital "C" in the middle of a word. Weird, I know, but important to spell it right before you start an application. Also, the end of the word is pronounced "core" like an apple and not "corpse" like a dead person. Got it? Good... we are heading in the right direction.
A Man With A Plan: Obama & National Service
Published May 14, 2009 @ 08:59AM PT
Okay, so the economy is in the tank, and the outlook is bleak for people hoping to get into the nonprofit sector, right? Not exactly.
The upside of the downturned economy is that President Obama just signed the Serve America Act, which will include expanding the current National Service Programs—AmeriCorps State and National, AmeriCorps*VISTA, and AmeriCorps*NCCC from 75,000 to 250,000 members.
People who have served in AmeriCorps positions can tell you that they are great ways to develop your nonprofit resume and get a “foot-in” at an organization that works towards the same goals you do. In exchange for a living stipend, health insurance, and an education award, AmeriCorps members volunteer in organizations as diverse as the many issues our country is facing.
Not only is AmeriCorps known for looking great on any resume, it is a chance for a new professional to get valuable experience and real responsibility, without the need for a Masters degree—or years of working your way up the ladder.
So, yes, there are fewer jobs out there this year than two years ago. There are, however, going to be roughly three to four times the number of AmeriCorps positions, and organizations will be hungry for people ready to work for social change. Is that you?
Do you like to play in the dirt?
Published May 21, 2009 @ 07:09AM PT
Believe it or not, this is a serious question. If you do, there are a ton of great AmeriCorps programs that you might want to consider. Almost every state in the country has its own Conservation Corps, funded through AmeriCorps*State & National. Many of these programs were modeled off of the Civilian Conservation Corps, developed by Roosevelt in the 1930s to ease unemployment.
The modern day Conservation Corps programs have some of the same characteristics of the original: AmeriCorps Members live and work in teams, doing projects like trail building, non-native invasive species removal, tree-planting, and other environmental conservation projects.
Not ready for an entire year in the great outdoors? Consider looking into AmeriCorps*NCCC (for 18-24-year-olds). About 40% of their projects are environmental, and project stints are much shorter... more like 6-10 weeks.
Picture from http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=playing+in+the+dirt
Demistifying the A: AmeriCorps State & National
Published May 22, 2009 @ 01:07PM PT
Okay... so this is the last in a series of articles about the three main branches of AmeriCorps: AmeriCorps*VISTA, AmeriCorps*NCCC, and AmeriCorps State & National. And I have definitely saved the biggest for last.
AmeriCorps State & National refers to all the programs--managed by national organizations or even small non-profits--that receive funding either a). directly from the national AmeriCorps program or b). through State Commissions. Since these programs are about as diverse as the country that they serve, I'm going to try to give you an idea of the general categories that these programs fit into:
AmeriCorps National Direct: These are programs funded directly from the national AmeriCorps program, and are sometimes referred to as "regular" AmeriCorps. Organizations that receive and implement National Direct grants include City Year, Public Allies, and Teach for America.
State Programs: Some AmeriCorps State & National funding is administered directly by states for state-specific programs like RurAL CAP in Alaska or the Florida State Parks AmeriCorps.
Education Award Only Programs: There are two main types of "Ed Award Only" programs. The first type is one in which AmeriCorps provides the Education Awardand the sponsoring organization pays for all the other benefits like the Youth Service Opportunities AmeriCorps Fellows Program. The second type of "Ed Award Only" programs is where you volunteer a certain number of hours, usually between 450 and 900, and receive a part-education award. This positions are part-time, and most commonly found on college campuses, like Scholars in Service to Pennsylvania.
Confused yet? I think that the easiest way to find the program for you is to use the advanced search function at www.americorps.org. It breaks it down by the three main branches of AmeriCorps and gives specifics on position responsibilities, benefits, and dates of service.
Tune In: National Conference on Volunteering and Service
Published June 25, 2009 @ 04:56PM PT
If you didn't make it out to this year's National Conference on Volunteering and Service in San Francisco, here's your chance to check it out from your own computer. This conference is the world's largest gathering of volunteer and service leaders from the nonprofit, government, and corporate sectors. AmeriCorps members and alums are abundant at this event.
The Conference has plugged into several web resources, so everyone can find out what's going on. Check it out:
Streaming of some conference proceedings and Blog are at [Business Boomer]
Videos from the opening session and located on YouTube
Recording from the conference session will be posted on the conference webpage
Stories of Service: Becoming Part of the Story
Published July 05, 2009 @ 09:01AM PT
As you've seen with the AmeriCorps alums stories and other posts here, participating in national service leads individuals in many directions. It can open doors, affirm passions, increases commitment to service, help you find your partner for life and more. Here's a story that starts differently--how one typical day on the job leads to national service.
The story is really a story for Gail Franklin, a current AmeriCorps member in central Pennsylvania. You see, Gail got the idea to try AmeriCorps while preparing a story as a freelance reporter. Her job led her to a story about an after-school program. And it is from this story that her AmeriCorps story at the Centre County Youth Services Bureau (PA) begins. Read her story.
I like Gail's story because it's not the typical path to AmeriCorps. It may be easier for a recent high school or college grad to delay a career to participate in AmeriCorps. It's not as easy for someone already on a career path to do the same. My point is, it may not be easy, but it can be done. Gail demonstrates this and communicates her story and its current outcomes aptly and in doing so, give us all the courage to take the path that we didn't expect to open for us. 
Become a part of your own story. That's the great thing about life, we each get to write our very own book.
