AmeriCorps

AmeriCorps logo

AmeriCorps is a US civil society umbrella program supported by the government , foundations , corporations and other donors to promote civic engagement and professional development.

The members, who are sworn in like civil servants, undertake on a full-time or part-time basis, in non-profit organizations and authorities, tasks in the fields of education , health care , public safety and environmental protection , i. H. in various programs. Domestically, the AmeriCorps is viewed as a peace corps. It employs more than 75,000 Americans in intensive service each year.

AmeriCorps is an initiative of the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), which also oversees the Senior Corps or the previously funded Learn and Serve America .

AmeriCorps was created under President Bill Clinton through the 1993 National and Community Service Trust Act , involving VISTA ( Volunteers in Service to America ) and the National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC). The AmeriCorps State and National grants hundreds of local organizations in the United States grants .

The program first started operating in 1994 and has expanded over time. As of 2012, over 80,000 volunteers participated annually. Members receive financial compensation in the form of allowances for living expenses , deferment of student loans and public loans . Among the less tangible benefits are those. An internal study found that attending AmeriCorps increased citizen activism and community affiliation, and made members more likely to pursue civil service careers.

AmeriCorps programs

AmeriCorps VISTA

The AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) was founded in 1965 as the domestic version of the Peace Corps . The program was integrated into AmeriCorps and renamed AmeriCorps VISTA.

VISTA places trained full-time members with non-profit organizations and public institutions to implement the goals of the AmericaCorps locally.

AmeriCorps NCCC

The National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) of AmeriCorps is a full-time team program for men and women aged 18 to 24 years. The members work at one of the five regional locations in the USA ( Baltimore ; Vicksburg , Vinton , Denver and Sacramento ). Each campus focuses on its region, but members are allowed to travel to other areas in the event of a national crisis. Former locations were in Washington, DC ; Charleston , San Diego and Perry Point, Maryland .

AmeriCorps State and National

AmeriCorps volunteers in Mississippi

AmeriCorps State and National is the largest of the AmeriCorps programs, providing grants to local communities, religious organizations, colleges, and public institutions . Grants assist these groups in the recruitment, training, and placement of AmeriCorps members to meet the education, public safety, health, and environmental needs of the population. AmeriCorps State operates through service commissions in each state, such as B. Volunteer Florida and the Mississippi Commission for Volunteer Service . South Dakota is the only state without a service commission . Each state's Service Commission awards funding from the corporation to organizations in their states for national and charitable causes through annual scholarship competitions. Thousands of organizations across the country have received grants from AmeriCorps State and National since the program began .

AmeriCorps State and National members provide direct service to the organizations they serve; B. with tutoring or house building, and when recruiting new potential members. Upon successful completion of their tenure, AmeriCorps State and National members may receive an education award of up to $ 5,750. The Education Award can be used for additional college or graduate courses, or for existing student loans. Full-time members typically complete 1,700 hours over the course of 11 months. These members also receive an allowance for livelihood, health and childcare during their tenure.

Participating organizations

According to the AmeriCorps website, more than 250,000 people have served in each state since AmeriCorps was founded in 1993 . Some of the programs, organizations, and institutions working with AmeriCorps include Communities In Schools , Jumpstart for Young Children , Student Conservation Association , College Forward. Public Allies, YMCA , International Rescue Committee , Boy Scouts of America , Big Brothers Big Sisters , Habitat for Humanity , American Red Cross , Teach For America , FoodCorps and Minnesota Reading Corps, Notre Dame Mission Volunteers and Girl Scouts of the USA .

According to a 2007 study published by the Corporation for National and Community Service, a majority of AmeriCorps alumni reported having acquired life and professional skills such as leadership, teamwork, time management, and hands-on experience.