It’s Easy!!
In
order to become an AmeriCorps member, you must be 17 years
of age or older and a citizen or legal resident of the United
States. You must also have a high school diploma, G.E.D.
or agree to complete your G.E.D. over the course of the year
you are serving. Simply fill out the Application and
send it to the program you are most interested in.
For a program list click
here.
Other Opportunities
within AmeriCorps:
Promise
Fellows:
AmeriCorps Promise Fellows
dedicate a year of their lives to building a better future
for children and youth. As a part of a partnership between
AmeriCorps and America’s Promise The Alliance for Youth,
more than 500 AmeriCorps Promise Fellows are spearheading
community efforts to provide young people with five fundamental
resources identified at the Presidents' Summit for America’s
Future:
- Caring
adults in their lives as parents, mentors, tutors, and
coaches;
- Safe places with structured
activities in which to learn and grow;
- A healthy start and
a healthy future;
- An effective education that equips them
with marketable skills; and
- An opportunity
to give back to communities through their own service.
AmeriCorps Promise Fellows
serve with national, state, and local nonprofit organizations
developing and coordinating large-scale activities intended
to support children and youth. As an example, AmeriCorps
Promise Fellows may do:
- Lead
efforts to recruit and mobilize volunteers as part of a
regional after-school tutoring program;
- Coordinate city
wide or statewide youth leadership initiatives;
- Develop
partnerships between private sector organizations and projects
supporting children and youth; or
- Design
and develop long-term community service projects.
In exchange for their
year of service, AmeriCorps Promise Fellows receive extensive
professional development training, a living allowance of
$13,000, and an education award of $4,725 that can be used
to finance higher education or help pay off student loans.
NCCC
(National Civilian Community Corps): The
NCCC is a 10-month residential national service program
for people of all backgrounds. The program takes its inspiration
from the Depression-era Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC),
which put thousands of young people to work restoring our
natural environment. AmeriCorps NCCC members encourage
the citizens of the community to work alongside them to
better their community and country.
VISTA
(Volunteers in Service to America): AmeriCorps
VISTA is an AmeriCorps program for individual’s
age 18 and older. AmeriCorps Vista members assist communities
in developing capacity to address local issues. They
increase housing opportunities, develop literacy programs,
establish credit unions, and improve health care in under-served
communities. Since 1965, more than 100,000 VISTAs have
joined forces with 12,000 public agencies and nonprofit
groups to help communities across the country.Members
must be at least 18, there is no upper age limit. Different
AmeriCorps VISTA sponsors request different kinds of
members. Some projects require people with college study
or a bachelor’s
degree. Other projects may emphasize experience skills
rather than formal education. The ability to speak Spanish
is especially helpful in certain areas.
For more information contact
New Jersey’s AmeriCorps VISTA at:
AmeriCorps
VISTA
Corporation for National Service—New Jersey
44 S. Clinton
Suite 702
Trenton, NJ 08609
(609)
989-2243
National
Senior Service Corps: Seniors
are one of America's most vital resources, offering a wealth of experience
and energy. Through the National Senior Service Corps, nearly half a million
Americans age fifty-five and older share their time and talents to help
solve local problems as Foster Grandparents serving one-on-one with young
people with special needs, Senior Companions helping other seniors live
independently in their homes, etc.
Other
Ways to Volunteer: For other ways to volunteer without
joining AmeriCorps find a volunteer center near you. New
Jersey Volunteer Centers
