AmeriCorps
AmeriCorps Advice by Topic
- Tips for Applicants (41)
- AmeriCorps in the News (14)
- Program Fit (7)
- AmeriCorps (6)
- AmeriCorpsVISTA (5)
- Stories of Service (3)
- Tips for Alum (21)
- Featured Alum (14)
- AmeriCorps State & National (6)
- AmeriCorpsNCCC (5)
- Program Overview (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
Most Recent
Articles for AmeriCorps
How AmeriCorps Is a Foot-in the Door of Public Service
Published July 07, 2009 @ 05:00AM PT
This is the third in a series of weekly blog posts on the AmeriCorps Longitudinal Study, which came out in May 2008 and illustrates the impact of AmeriCorps on the lives of those who serve.
Interested in a career in public service, but don’t think that you have the experience? There seems to be a correlation between joining AmeriCorps and going into the public service sector. The correlation is so strong that some people have coined the term “pipeline to public service” to refer to AmeriCorps.
Where’s the proof? 60% of AmeriCorps alums work in the public sector, with is about 27% higher than their non-AmeriCorps peers.
So what exactly is the public sector? I used to think that it meant running for public office or becoming a firefighter. But really the public sector includes positions as teachers, non-profit professionals, social workers, community organizers, and other people working for social change both inside and outside the government realm.
Think one of these professions is for you? Consider AmeriCorps as your foot-in to your job in the public sector.
Picture from: http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=public%20service&w=all
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.
Summer Celebrations: Fireworks of Service
Published July 03, 2009 @ 05:08AM PT
Happy Independence Day! Today marks the anniversary of Congress approving the statement outlining the decision of the United States to separate from Great Britain. Americans will celebrate the day with BBQs, parades, fireworks, picnics and concerts. We'll also celebrate through political speeches and other events that celebrate the history, government and traditions of the United States. That had me thinking, is service one of our traditions? And if so, what are we doing this summer to celebrate that tradition? 
As winter draws it's chill to our bones, we hear a lot about service and volunteering-it's easy to link volunteering to Thanksgiving and Christmas. But these summer days, I don't hear much about volunteering. There's a lot of talk about the beach, camping, getting away, etc. Good news! On June 22, 2009 First Lady Michelle Obama called on each of us to serve. Check out the short video of the First Lady making the call to serve at Serve.gov. You can also find resources for planning service projects in the areas of community renewal, energy and environment, health and education.
This call to a Summer of Service is important because it brings attention to the work we are doing and has the potential to inspire others to action. Enjoy the celebration of our independence--it's also a recognition of the service of our founders. Let's create some "oohs" and aahhs" about service this summer. Happy 4th of July!
Photo from http://www.morguefile.com/archive/display/223482
AmeriCorps Alum Feature: Meet Heather
Published July 02, 2009 @ 05:00AM PT
Name: Heather Cronk
Program Served In: AmeriCorps*VISTA
Years Served: August 2003-August 2004
Location Served: Middlebury College, Vermont
What made you want to join AmeriCorps? I had just finished up with a Master of Divinity degree program and had no idea what to do with my life. Most of my friends/classmates were going into ministry, chaplaincy, or doctoral programs -- none of which were my cup of tea. After blindly applying to countless jobs and having no personal connections anywhere, I stumbled on AmeriCorps. Thinking that I was already too late in the application process to be able to find open positions, I half-heartedly applied -- expecting very little to turn up. I was surprised to find some awesome campus positions through the Campus Compact VISTA program -- and immediately got three interviews (and job offers). I ended up at Middlebury, which really started my organizing career.
What your experience serving like? Honestly, it was a mixed experience. Any time you're working in a federally-funded program, there are hoops to jump through, paperwork to fill out, and bureaucracy to deal with -- which is tiring. However, the trade-off of working with students who were burgeoning activists and trying to figure out their lives was really rewarding. I certainly felt like I was making a difference, and the opportunity to do so through indirect service was a great fit. I'm a good systems thinker -- and it was great to take a year to really solidify some systems on campus that made it easier for students to make an impact locally, nationally, and globally.
How did your experience in AmeriCorps relate to your career path? I'm working at a progressive organization now that supports and trains other nonprofits on online organizing and new media (the New Organizing Institute). The work that I'm doing -- training, relationship-building, visioning -- comes directly out of my AmeriCorps experience. The foundation I gained through AmeriCorps*VISTA certainly gave me an automatic "in" with a completely new and really exciting network. It taught me the importance of developing relationships in a community and the power of community-identified assets and problems. And it gave me mentors for life!
What advice would you give to people considering or going into AmeriCorps? A lot of people, I think, see AmeriCorps as a year of direct service or a "placeholder" until they find what they *really* want to do. I'd encourage folks to think of AmeriCorps -- any program of AmeriCorps -- as an opportunity for professional development and personal growth that is just as rigorous and rewarding as a graduate program.
Book Review: The Charismatic Organization
Published July 01, 2009 @ 07:17AM PT
The Charismatic Organization: 8 Ways to Grow a Nonprofit by Shirley Sagawa and Deborah Jospin (2009) is fabulous read for any person interested in a leading or managing role (paid or unpaid) in a nonprofit organization. And if you are reading this blog, that's probably you! The authors are actually strong advocates of AmeriCorps. According to the book jacket, Sagawa has been called a "founding mother of the modern service movement" and Jospin is a former director of AmeriCorps at the national level.
You have heard of social capital, right? Robert Putnam used the term in his book Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community to describe the connections that we have with one another as neighbors, colleagues, committee members, family, volunteers, etc. In many ways, this book applies the concept of social capital (not necessarily Putnam's model) to nonprofit organizations. With the focus on the organization and not the leader of said organization, Sagawa and and Jospin share a model for organizations to build upon the social capital within and around an organization. With plenty of examples from organizations like Citizen Schools, Honest Tea, City Year and Communities in Schools, the authors give compelling insight into topic areas like organizational mission, culture, decision-making, innovation, communication, outreach, engagement and management. The stories and challenges shared demonstrate a keen understanding of nonprofits and how to overcome barriers, engineer relationships and use opportunities to move forward.
Do you want to work for a nonprofit that builds buzz, delights donors and energizes employees? The authors hope that readers will be able to help build these organizations. Are you up for the challenge?
Find a colleague, mentor, friend or book club. Give the book a read. And get moving-we have organizations to build and strengthen!
Why AmeriCorps Improves Your Chances of Landing Your Dream Job
Published June 30, 2009 @ 05:00AM PT
This is the second in a series of weekly blog posts on the AmeriCorps Longitudinal Study, which came out in May 2008 and illustrates the impact of AmeriCorps on the lives of those who serve.
Join AmeriCorps. Land your dream job. It sounds simple, but it seems to be how it works. It could simply be that AmeriCorps positions give members more exposure to the field they work in than entry-level positions. Or maybe it is the time and money that AmeriCorps programs invest in training, orientation, and professional development for members.
Whatever it is, AmeriCorps alums report that being a part of AmeriCorps exposed them to new career opportunities. 83% of AmeriCorps*NCCC reported that AmeriCorps exposed them to new career opportunities, while 79% of State & National AmeriCorps members reported the same thing.
Not sure what you want to do with your life, or which path to take? AmeriCorps might be a step in the right direction.
Picture from: http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=all&q=dream+job&m=text
The Count is On: How many Saturdays does it take?
Published June 28, 2009 @ 09:45PM PT
I have a t-shirt that reads These are my plans for Saturday... and it has an image of a floor plan of a house on it. (To the right is the current version of that shirt.) It’s one of those t-shirts that I will not part with easily. The faded blue shirt is a remnant of my college days volunteering with Habitat for Humanity many Saturdays--getting up early to meet the college van, hanging siding, installing doors, framing, etc. For me and many other Habitat volunteers, this is the Saturday norm. I wondered…how many Saturdays would it take to make a year of full-time service?
900 hours-# of hours in a part-time AmeriCorps program
That’s approximately 112 Saturdays or every Saturday for just over two years.
1700 hours-# of hours in a full-time AmeriCorps program (VISTA, NCCC)
That’s approximately 212 Saturdays or every Saturday for four years.
So, why bother with all the number crunching? Here’s why:
1. A thank you. To all volunteers who do volunteer every Saturday or every Tuesday night or every day for one hour in their communities—it all adds up! And to those AmeriCorps volunteers who take a year or two to focus on service. The commitment and dedication to communities helps to get critical work done.
2. A challenge. President Obama signed the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act on April 21, 2009. As a part of this legislation, the AmeriCorps program will increase from 75,000 service spots to 250,000 in the next eight years. That’s 45.5 million more Saturdays! Imagine what we will accomplish in our communities as more Americans participate in the AmeriCorps program.
And if now is not the time to take a year to commit to national service, keep doing what you can, together we can improve our communities.
