“AmeriCorps—what’s that?” “Do you mean the Peace Corps?” “I hear it’s a bad deal because you don’t make any money.”
These are just a few of the questions and comments I received from well-intentioned friends and family members when I decided to complete an 11-month term of service with AmeriCorps. After spending just a few months working for an education non-profit through the AmeriCorps State program, I began to wonder how AmeriCorps was so unheard of when its Corps members are involved in so many important projects throughout the country. I had to remind myself, however, that I didn’t really understand what AmeriCorps was until I talked to a career counselor during my senior year of college—and that was after I’d interned at a non-profit and worked alongside an AmeriCorps member.
Because AmeriCorps so often flies under the radar, I’d like to take some time to talk about a few of the things most people don’t know about this government program.
AmeriCorps is funded by the federal government. A lot of people who meet AmeriCorps members are unsure who is actually paying for things. AmeriCorps is part of the Corporation for National and Community Service and was created by President Clinton in 1993. The idea is that the federal government will give stipends to young workers (often recent college grads) in order to provide non-profits, schools, public agencies, and community groups with the support they need to continue and develop their programs. Some people refer to it as the domestic Peace Corps.
AmeriCorps members receive an education award. One major myth about AmeriCorps is that its members are not paid and that it is not a practical choice for most people. While it’s true that AmeriCorps members are considered volunteers and do not receive a salary, they do receive a monthly living stipend to help cover rent, groceries, gas, and other expenses. At the end of their term of service, they also receive an education award—currently valued at about $5,550—to either put towards existing student loans or to use in continuing their education.
There are a wide range of AmeriCorps programs in which volunteers can participate. Your options certainly aren’t limited if you decide to participate in AmeriCorps. There are three different branches of the program—State and National, VISTA, and NCCC.
State and National is the largest branch and has members that provide assistance to organizations in a broad range of fields, including health services, education, disaster preparedness, and community-building. Members are stationed in one location and work with one organization for their entire 11-month term of service. VISTA members also serve 11 months and spend their term of service completing a specific project to help an organization fight poverty. NCCC members have a 10-month term of service and may travel to different regions around the country to aid different organizations that request their direct assistance. If you’re interested in joining AmeriCorps, you can apply to a branch and program that is most in line with your career goals.
AmeriCorps is a great stepping stone for a future career. Another myth about AmeriCorps that I’ve frequently heard is that it’s a program for recent college graduates who don’t know what they want to do with their lives. While it may be true that some Corps members don’t have a specific idea of what they want to do after they complete the program, there are plenty of members who consider AmeriCorps an important step in their career plan. For those members who begin the program not knowing what they want to do, many get a better sense of their career goals after completing their term of service. Because AmeriCorps members typically work at non-profit organizations, the program provides a great way to network with people in the non-profit world, many of whom started out as AmeriCorps members themselves. It’s also a great stepping stone for a government career because it demonstrates a passion for and a commitment to public service.
My name is Yvonne. My son wanted to be a policeman until yesterday. He now wants to graduate high school and volunteer with Americorp. His dad is a volunteer coordinator for Habitat for Humanity. My son would like to do something like this to help people. He has also thought about ministry jobs. All he keeps saying is I want to help people. He has not talked about college. Can you give me any insight into what he may be able to do after volunteeri g with Anericorp. Can he get a service job after that or will he need college?
That is great news about your son! We are pleased to see young people commit to volunteering and helping those in need. Check out this link: https://www.nationalservice.gov/programs/americorps/alumni/alumni-job-resources
Any position in life is “helping others” even if it is a job at corporate America typing. One can do both, college or part time college or public college and volunteer. Americore does pay a stipend (I did something many years ago though Americore when I lived in NYC and had low income at the time so it didn’t really matter – and rents were low as well). It was a time when there were many areas of NYC that were “don’t go there zones” now for the very wealthy. I guess in the end life is for exploring and one can do many things, at the same time or later on. Just takes some “hustle” sometimes. And depending on the “further education” it can be expensive – I think Americore helps in this but double check.
That said, while in collage I worked through a program through City Government that greatly asisted others – AIDS Education and Research and paid a nice stipend ($5,000 a year which was a lot at the time) with 16 credits towards a minor. There was lots of meetings and blah blah blah while people were dying and the hot line went NO where – dead! So I gathered information and gave it to various groups.
College connects one with others and ideas and classes that expose one to possibilities one might NOT have thought of prior. I learned to *write professional papers and won an award based on a paper (ironically the paper was about assisting others, I even rescued aquarium fish and worked with City Government to have certain things banned). I learned to do research and later worked for lawfirms doing their legal and medical research.
I might say at this point – that since I temped for years it was very difficult to obtain a full time job with many companies – they looked DOWN on those who temped (most were college graduates like myself who just were not sure about “what they wanted to do”) I was working 80 hours a week (temping at corporations where I learned a lot) weekends and nights while in night college – and I had college elsewhere. Yet it did not “fit” their model of ??? So I am not sure about a resume with Americore but again things have changed greatly. And again, just takes some “hustle”.
But one lawfirm hired me. The female interviewer had me “make a graphics chart” (I only knew a little bit about this at the time as I had crammed for it when the agency sent me out let me know this was a requirement) and she said “YOU CAN ask questions”… So I did. And then she said I was hired. I asked how could that be as I didn’t know exact things on her test. She said the TEST was to ask questions and to see how fast I could learn. (I later learned financial graphics which led to offers of $55 an hour and one could work weekends and nights and earn triple that!!! I had FOUND my niche (I was a horrific typer – fast but dyslectic and not a perfect spelling and grammar – thanks for spell check!)
In college:
I had to take Basic A programing (I know OLD) and Meteorology (Calculus ikes and I will never make fun of weathermen/women again!!!) which meant I had to really work hard with tutors to obtain an A. Later I was able to tutor others in these areas.
I learned to become highly organized (I worked 70 hours a week, at nights and weekends and went to night college – doulbe major double minor as I knew this was the last time I would be going).
(*I had been in college prior in another state and my paper was held up with a big FAT F!!! Mom put me in tutoring – turns out I was dyslexic).
And not sure what you mean by “service” job? Most basic jobs such as waiter, check out person so on are in the service arena. There are Government Public service jobs, Federal, State and local and private service jobs. And some are very specific that require special additional education. It is a broad term.
Again, at such a young age one need not know all the answers, but explore by doing many things MHO.
And types of jobs not available to many generations are well, the world is the oyster (my monthers time RN or teacher).
Is there any age bar to participate in American peacecrops
great question and here is the answer: https://work.chron.com/peace-corps-requirements-6885.html#:~:targetText=Age%20Requirements,maturity%20and%20age%20are%20valued.
What about a person who is 38 yrs old and only has a high school education?
While my Americorps experience was rewarding, one of the most hurtful and stinging experiences is not getting a federal job after applying and even after interviewing for few with CNCS and HUD few times with my NCE status. Also, the hurtful part is not hearing back at one point from people I used to work with while I usually keep in touch and sincere in addition to not hearing back from some ‘popular’ americoros alumni in the alum network after my giving my time and such.
Hi Samar, I’m sorry to hear this. You deserve better!! I’m a recent alum of a federal program that’s parallel to Americorps, and was also disappointed not to have found a federal position during my short time with non-competitive eligibility. Some of the seemingly genuine friends I had made who were part of our program also stopped responding when I’d reach out, after a while. “Stinging” is a great way to put it, I think. I hope you take these experiences in stride as I have — there are more opportunities ahead after all. And I suppose these harsher experiences are a type of ‘professional development’ too. 🙂
Thanks M.L for sharing your experience and sorry to hear this. We are in the same boat and I honestly wish at orientation and other alumni who are supposed to encourage us would also be pragmatic like you with encouragement for something good surely.
Hope all going well with you and thanks for the encouraging words and listening.
Hi
I am an Americorps alumni but when I finished my service, I didn’t find a job for years. But I continued volunteering until this day, 9 years as a Girl Scout leader and just recently started my non profit organization called, United Africa Relief. I need support to help uplift my community by applying the NCCC for my organization and also I want to apply for a part time federal jobs to help grow my organization.
Thanks
What about Senior Corp worked in Ameri Corp back several years.
I know of someone who did Americorps who found a job as a reading teacher, tutoring students after. She served her Americorps in a school.
I just turned 40 and want to switch to the non-profit field. Am I too old for Americorps?
I just signed up for americorps vista. Just turned 40. Switching careers and just became a US citizen. Btw lived in the US my whole life. Been a wild journey so far. Wish me luck. Hit me up if you want for updates.
I understand there is a stipend after completing seethe required service (usually a year) that states it either goes towards college loans or for future college education. What if one does not have any loans to pay back and they are finished with their education. Will you still receive
the money?
Being a senior, in my 70s. I get the feeling they really don’t wantpeople my age to apply. There is a senior companion program but they do not get paid. We tend to think of senior as volunteers that don’t need money to live. In today’s world that is far from the truth.
We lose income in many was, get laid off after 29 years and retirement goes down at least 25%, stop work to take care of a spouse and when my spouse died the income from her social security stop immediately. A large percentage of seniors need paying jobs. Need ideas, anything that will kickstart getting an apartment or rent a small house in Berkeley or Oakland CA.
I could write on and on but will stop. Anyone with ideas please let me know.
Thank you.
I have had members in my AmeriCorps program that are well over 70. Infact the majority of them are retired individuals.
Also, Senior Companions and Foster Grandparents both earn a $3.15 hr. stipend.
Check your area for opportunities online.
Today, I shockingly found out that a friend of mine who successfully completed two full Americorps terms before and was told by a site supervisor at a local site that her area Vista supervisor shockingly today unthinkably said that she(the Vista supervisor in area) has concerns preventing him(my friend) from being hired as a Vista candidate and that his application cannot continue? It is very unfair and not right for my friend to be told this a month after the site supervisor was impressed and went ahead and offered the Vista job last month with my friend applying since August beginning. As my friend tried accepting in August it said ‘Pending State Office Approval’.
Happy to hear any feedback or thoughts regarding my friend. Thanks!