AmeriCorps?

[devilgrrl]

Okay, wise and mighty FList, does anyone know about AmeriCorps? There is a job I would like through them. Anyone served? Is this a bad idea? I know nothing about them at all.

Comments

[ecaterin.livejournal.com]

In the FWIW category, my sweetie was in AmeriCorps (this was 10 years ago, so things may have changed or may be regionally different) and it was a great experience for him. He really branched out his sense of who he was, what kind of work he could do and how much he could take on. And he was a bit older, so it wasn't a dewey eyed "oh the big wide world!" reaction :P

He's got great stuff on his resume from that 2 years and considers it to have been very valuable (and well worth the starvation wages ;P)

[littlestarletta.livejournal.com]

I know about CityYear a bit - One of my good friends from high school did it and her mom is the executive director of the Boston program.

[devilgrrl.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty much looking for a resume builder and some extra cash, since I need a part time job anyway. This would be nice/working with kids, as well.

So, pretty much, they're not Moonies who will slash my tires if I don't drink the Kool-Aid, yea?

[devilgrrl.livejournal.com]

So it's pretty much a good thing?

[littlestarletta.livejournal.com]

AmeriCorps is basically like the PeaceCorps except it's WITHIN the US. City Year partners with AmeriCorps, as does Teach for America I believe. AmeriCorps can connect you with a program but you're still in AmeriCorps - get it?

[littlestarletta.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty sure AmeriCorps positions are full time.

[ecaterin.livejournal.com]

ROFL! No no, they're a legit civil service :) And unlike CityYear and several other programs, it's not structured as if you're still a teenager or needing "life help" or anything like that. You are considered a professional adult college grad who is offering a year or 2 of service to your country.

I would love to see programs like AmeriCorps seriously expanded. I would not fight in a war (unless it were a much better war than currently *eyeroll*) but I would have really been committed to a different way to offer service in my 20s.

[devilgrrl.livejournal.com]

I know a little about Teach for America. I just wanted to make sure it wasn't something scary. I'm going to throw in my app and see where it goes, I think.

[devilgrrl.livejournal.com]

Poop. That would not be good with school.

[devilgrrl.livejournal.com]

It seems like a pretty good programme. What threw me was that there seemed to be some kind of living on campus thing and I am leery of things that want a year commitment (too much like the Army).

I am definitely interested though.

[littlestarletta.livejournal.com]

Yeah just like Peace Corps is a full time commitment, I believe AmeriCorps is as well. My friend worked like 60 hour work weeks when she did City Year. I know that's required for City Year.

[devilgrrl.livejournal.com]

Yea, that would definitely not work with a full-time class load. Boo.

[littlestarletta.livejournal.com]

nope - maybe volunteer somewhere? AmeriCorps pays crappy anyways.

[devilgrrl.livejournal.com]

I think I may be able to get a similar position through work-study at school, hopefully.

I pretty much need to pay for my books and bus pass, so I don't need a tonne of extra money.

[mamarose.livejournal.com]

The folks I know who have done AmeriCorps have really loved the experience. In more recent years though, you have less control over where you go. It used to be that they have a list of places that need your skills, and you pick. Now they just send you. If you are okay with that kind of unknowing.

Teach for America can be done by it's own right. Again, you have limited ability to request where you go, but people I know who have done it, have loved it. I have seriously considered applying with them when I graduate in May.

[postscrypt.livejournal.com]

i was actually recently looking at positions within americorp as well, so i'm glad you posted this.

i've heard some good feedback about the program. one of my high school teachers did a program where he taught in a prison for a couple of years. he still talks about it to this day. i would say give it a shot.

[devilgrrl.livejournal.com]

See, I'd need to be able to be guaranteed to know where I was going, with the whole house/husband/grandfather thing. Much like the teaching overseas thing, I can't really pack up and go anywhere anymore.

I think I may end up emailing the woman for more information or the Americorps site itself.

[devilgrrl.livejournal.com]

I'm definitely glad my lack of job is benefiting other people as well :)

I think I need to find out more information, such as could I stay in Providence and how many hours a week I could works, especially since I will have a full class load.

[postscrypt.livejournal.com]

which job were you considering? i was scouring the providence list earlier in the week and i'd find it funny if we were looking at the same one.

[devilgrrl.livejournal.com]

It was the one at the Children's Museum. That would be really funny if we were looking at the same job!

[postscrypt.livejournal.com]

a girl who graduated from my school held that position for a while! that's actually how i heard about americorps. i applied for the cityarts one, so not the same job. but it would have been quite a coincidence.