An AmeriCorps program connecting service members and under-resourced communities throughout Washington state
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An AmeriCorps program connecting service members and under-resourced communities throughout Washington state
Many people join AmeriCorps solely to help those in need, while some join to gain professional development skills or “try out” a position similar to one they’re thinking of making a career in – such as teaching or environmental habitat restoration.
Whatever the initial reason, by the end of their service term, AmeriCorps members realize the impact that the service itself has had on them; forever changing the way they view and interact with the world around them.
The Washington Service Corps is one of the few AmeriCorps programs in the nation that offers so many different fields to serve in.
Most positions serve 40 hours per week for 10.5 months unless otherwise indicated, and fall within one of seven focus areas. Read more about each focus area below, then get an insider’s perspective by reading our members’ stories of service.
Through local emergency management and disaster response agencies, members provide support to projects that deliver education and training about disaster preparedness to citizens. They also train and coordinate volunteers in disaster response. Through their service, members help improve the community’s resiliency to disasters.
Examples of service activities include:
-Serving as the volunteer coordinator for a Medical Reserve Corps of 1000+ members, who train for disaster response and keep their skills fresh by donating health-related services to under-served segments of the community.
-Organizing, testing, and recruiting participants for, and instructing Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) classes, drills and ongoing CERT member training.
-Conducting research to support disaster preparedness planning.
-Coordinating events and activities between multiple community organizations working toward the reduction of disaster risk.
Members help low-income adults, immigrants, refugees, and the long-term unemployed find self-sufficiency and a more stable future for themselves by providing training, tutoring or assistance in adult basic education, English-language tutoring, GED preparation, computer skills, and financial literacy.
Examples of service activities include:
-Facilitating classes in English as a second language, financial literacy, and gardening for recently arrived refugees.
-Assisting clients to enhance their computer skills, knowledge of civics, and job readiness.
-Maintain and augment a list of landlords interested in accepting tenants who receive housing assistance or are of a certain background not protected under fair housing law.
-Researching and recommending community resources and social services to clients experiencing housing insecurity.
Positions focus on conservation, restoration, and community engagement. Members serve at small non-profit agencies, city and county offices, and national wildlife refuges. They educate the public about our state’s ecosystems and human impact upon the environment; they recruit and manage volunteers in habitat restoration projects; and perform field and lab work to help with monitoring and data collection.
Examples of service activities include:
-Assisting with experimental research of site restoration practices.
-Identifying collected specimens and monitoring species in the field.
-Implementing environmental education events and volunteer restoration events.
-Collaborating with local school groups, community based organizations, and land owners to enhance public access to natural areas.
Programs aim to reduce childhood obesity, provide nutritious meals to homeless or low-income individuals, and help the elderly and disabled live independently. Members provide nutrition education through school-based gardens and community outreach events; coordinate programs that provide breakfast and after-school meals to low-income students; and support projects that provide food, transportation, or other services to seniors or disabled adults that allow them to stay healthy, active and engaged.
Examples of service activities include:
-Leading and supporting nutrition classes, events and workshops focused on healthy choices.
-Fostering community partnerships to expand programming.
-Collaborating with staff, parents, volunteers, and students to develop, maintain, and improve food education programs.
-Helping healthcare patients navigate the healthcare system and link them with health resources as needed.
Members help veterans increase their connection to the communities they live in by recruiting them into volunteer programs that in turn help others – reducing their isolation, increasing their commitment to civic engagement, and improving their physical, emotional, and mental health. Members also provide resources to vets in need of affordable housing, financial stability, and transitional education.
Examples of service activities include:
-Delivering services, programs, and educational presentations to better prepare service members and their families during times of emergencies and deployments.
-Assisting in volunteer recruitment, training, supervision, and recognition.
-Coordinating programming designed to support veteran reintegration, including PTSD therapy activities.
Wondering what it’s like to live in Washington?
If you don’t already live in the Evergreen State, you may not know just how diverse Washington is! From the rugged Pacific Coast to the plains of the Eastern WA high desert, from the bustling city of Seattle to the remote, rural communities like Chewelah – Washington has something for everyone.
Just as diverse as the state’s environs, so too are its economics – for instance, the availability of low-cost housing and the price of groceries can be very different from one region to the next.
To learn more about living in Washington on an AmeriCorps stipend, please review our planning guide and Service Resource Kit.
Service in the AmeriCorps program requires a commitment to 10-1/2 months and 1,700 hours of service unless otherwise noted. Most projects are based on a 40-hour week (8 hours in service daily, Monday through Friday).
Members typically begin serving in September, though there are opportunities to begin service throughout the year.
You can attend school or have a part-time job, as long as it doesn’t interfere with your service schedule.
Review our checklist to see if you’re ready!
To be eligible to serve as an AmeriCorps member, you
Once you’ve decided which program you think will be a good fit, check out the available positions you can apply for.
Found a position that interests you?
Our Service resource kit is filled with resources and ideas to help you plan for and complete your AmeriCorps service term.
Click the icon below to get started!
