Now hiring for SCORE AmeriCorps!
AmeriCorps members sort toiletries for a local shelter.
We have been incredibly lucky this year to have an overwhelming number of applicants for the Northwest Washington Reading Corps. So many, in fact, that we are now having to wait list new applications. But that is not the end of your chances of getting a position with us!
If tutoring kids isn’t your thing, and you’d like to give back to the community by serving in AmeriCorps, then you should consider applying to SCORE AmeriCorps.
SCORE stands for Skagit County Opportunities, Resources, and Energy. The mission of SCORE AmeriCorps is to provide economic opportunity for disadvantaged individuals including financial literacy, housing assistance, job training, and nutritional assistance, and to address unmet energy-efficiency and environmental needs of low-income individuals in Skagit County.
This is a brand new program made possible by the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act of 2009. We have 12 positions available at various non-profit agencies in Skagit County. Here are a few of the places where our AmeriCorps State members will work:
- Habitat for Humanity
- Skagit Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services
- Skagit Housing Authority
- Northwest Agriculture Business Center
- Community Action Housing Program
- Community Action Food Program
A few quick facts about this program:
- 12 AmeriCorps State positions on a team-based project
- All positions start September 1st and end July 15th
- Benefits: professional development, health benefits, travel reimbursement, student loan forbearance, $1050/monthly stipend, childcare, $5350 education award upon successful completion of service
For more information on SCORE AmeriCorps, contact Jennifer Rice at jen@servenorthwestwa.org or (360) 588-5720. To find positions on the AmeriCorps website, type “SCORE” in the advance search toolbar.
AmeriCorps: not just for youngsters
“Isn’t AmeriCorps only for young people?”
As an AmeriCorps supervisor, a big part of my job is clearing up myths about AmeriCorps. Over the years, I’ve discovered that there are rumors out there, like this one, which prevent people from applying. My hope, along with the rest of the staff in my office, is to debunk the myths of AmeriCorps service. We affectionally call these AmeriLore.
The biggest misconception about AmeriCorps is that only people between the ages of 18-25 can serve. Although programs exist which only hire 18-25 year olds (City Year, Earth Corps, Individual Placement) the majority of AmeriCorps positions welcomes people of all ages.
In my office, none of our AmeriCorps programs have upper age limits. For this I am thankful because we get a richness of education, skills, experience, and histories among our members.
Consider the team of 81 members we have at Serve Northwst WA: 36% of our members are over the age of 25. On the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act team (ARRA), 50% of the members are over the age of 30. True, the majority of members on our teams are in the 18-25 year old bracket, but our agency represents a wide range of ages. Our youngest member is 18 and our oldest is 66.
Although some of you more mature folks might cringe at the idea of working with someone fresh out of high school, and some of you folks fresh out of high school might think working with someone outside of your age range would be, like, totally horrible; but I’ve seen success in intergenerational working relationships. It is amazing what we can learn from each other. AmeriCorps is a great opportunity for people of all backgrounds and ages to share their skills.
I wish more folks over the age of 30 would apply for AmeriCorps positions. Serving in AmeriCorps is a great way to start fresh, try a new career path, move somewhere different, or do something meaningful during your retirement. A retired human services exec served as a VISTA for four years in one of our school based programs. He made such an impact on his community that a group of students raised money to build a bench in his honor on the school grounds.
Even better is that with the new Serve America Act, there is legislation which makes AmeriCorps education awards transferable. That means that if you aren’t going to use your education award, your child or grandchild can. How cool is that?
Please help us all spread the word that AmeriCorps is for all ages. We want all of you!
AmeriCorps*State & National: The Pirates
“VISTA? AmeriCorps*State & National? What is NCCC? Who are Leaders? What is with all of these acronyms? What kind of job title has a star in the name????”
If you’ve ever searched for service opportunities on the AmeriCorps website, you’ve probably had this experience. Take a deep breath and realize that you are not alone. The AmeriCorps world can be confusing and riddled with AmeriSpeak. Thousands of AmeriCorps service opportunities exist nationwide, but all of them are one of three different streams of service: AmeriCorps*VISTA, AmeriCorps*State & National, or AmeriCorps*NCCC.
This week we will focus on the different streams of service, and today I’m going to talk about AmeriCorps*State & National, the pirates of the national service world.
AmeriCorps*State & National is the largest of all the AmeriCorps streams of service. Started in 1993 as part of President Clinton’s National and Community Service Trust Act, AmeriCorps*State & National was designed to meet the direct needs of communities, unlike AmeriCorps*VISTA which specifically focuses on programs which eradicate poverty (stay tuned for Meghann’s VISTA post on Thursday). Full time AmeriCorps*State & National members are required to complete 1700 hours of service during a 9-10 month term of service. They receive a modest living stipend, health insurance, childcare benefits, student loan forbearance, and, upon successful completion of their service, an education award of $5,350.
Blah, blah, blah. You’re probably like, “Yeah, but, what do they DO?” Good question. And here is my bad answer: AmeriCorps*State & National members do pretty much everything to support non-profits, schools, community organizations, etc. Oh, and they are also like pirates.
Think of something in your community that needs a little attention. Is there an old littered lot that has the potential to be a community garden? Do you see kiddos hanging out on the street with nothing positive to do after school? Chances are, somewhere an AmeriCorps*State & National member is working toward meeting that need.
Now I finally get to talk about why AmeriCorps*State & National members are the pirates of the national service world. It’s not because they pillage and plunder, but because they provide organziations with completing hands-on tasks like environmental cleanup (swabbing the deck), food drives (collecting treasure), and tutoring (walking the plank?).
Also, in case you are wondering, VISTAs are the ninjas, NCCC teams are the knights, and VISTA & AmeriCorps Leaders are the cowboys/girls of the national service world. Check back this week as we further explain the streams of service.
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