Become an AmeriCorps Fellow

+ Deciding To Serve

It takes a special person to commit to one year of national service. AmeriCorps Fellows will be tackling one of our nation’s greatest challenges and working side by side with community members to meet the challenges that often limit college and career opportunities for marginalized students.

Each AmeriCorps Fellow has been carefully vetted for the following qualifications, skills, and experiences that we have found lead to success as an AmeriCorps member serving with youth from underserved communities.

• Knowledge of and commitment to the Citizen Schools’ mission to serve students in low-income communities
• Experience working or volunteering with youth
• Passion for impacting the lives of students
• Desire to work with students and families in underserved communities
• Comfort and experience working with computers, software applications and equipment such as printers and displays
• Passion for coaching and mentoring others to achieve their goals
• Ability to solicit, receive and internalize both positive and adjusting feedback
• Commitment to teamwork and collaboration with colleagues from diverse backgrounds
• Ability to build high-quality connections with students, colleagues, and community members
• Outstanding communication skills and ability to advocate for your point of view and to influence others
• Excellent time management skills and ability to prioritize competing priorities in ways that advance high-quality outcomes
• Experience with community advocacy and leadership
• Ability to demonstrate Citizen Schools’ values each day: Confidence, Curiosity, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Perseverance, Teamwork
• Hold one of the following citizenship or legal residency statuses: US citizen, US National, Lawful Permanent Resident (i.e. Green Card status), and persons legally residing within a state. Examples of persons legally residing within a state may include those holding the following classifications: refugee, asylee, temporary protected status throughout VISTA service, and holding Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status.

Please Note: AmeriCorps Fellows must meet these educational requirements in order to qualify for the role:

• Credit Hours: Successful completion of at least 60 credit hours or equivalent at an accredited post-secondary institution (community college, college or university). Credit hours are calculated based on the standard 1 credit hour per hour spent in class each week during a semester.
• GPA: Achievement of a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher.

+ COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

AmeriCorps VISTA members receive a modest living stipend, disbursed bi-weely. The living stipend is approximately 110% of the federal poverty level, adjusted for cost of living in the community served. Please refer to the VISTA Living Allowance Rate by County for more information. In addition to the living stipend for the county in which you are serving, Citizen Schools will be providing an additional $500 monthly in a housing stipend (paid directly to your landlord/mortgage lender or related housing vendor).

In addition to this stipend, AmeriCorps Fellows are eligible to receive these benefits while they are serving or upon successful completion of at least 1700 hours of service each year.

• Segal Education Award of $6,895 for each completed year of service (there are hundreds of schools that match the Education Award, $6,000+)
• Reduction of Educational costs like Student Loan Forbearance & Deferment, GRE Fee Reduction, Loan Forgiveness & Income-Based Repayment
• Medical, dental and vision insurance is provided to you free of charge for the duration of your service. AmeriCorps members serving with the VISTA program have two healthcare benefit options, one for members who already have health insurance coverage at the start of service and the other for those who do not, and Telehealth Benefits, varies by state, allows members to consult with board-certified physicians, psychologists, social workers, and professional counselors via phone or video chat, at no cost. For details about either benefit, visit americorpsvista.imglobal.com.
• Childcare Benefits to assist with the costs of childcare during your period of service. For details about childcare benefits, visit americorpschildcare.com.
• National Network of AmeriCorps Members who are available to support you during your service period and afterward
• Leadership Development and other professional learning opportunities
• Travel: AmeriCorps offers relocation travel assistance and a settling-in allowance if you are moving more than 50 miles from your home to serve as an AmeriCorps member with the VISTA program.
• Non-Competitive Eligibility (NCE) Status: Once you've successfully completed service in AmeriCorps VISTA, you will receive one year of non-competitive eligibility for employment in the federal government. This special hiring status enables you to apply for federal jobs with the advantage of not having to go through the standard public competitive selection process.

The following link can be used to access additional information about the compensation and benefits available to AmeriCorps members serving at Citizen Schools.

+ ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND NOTICES

Physical, Environmental and Health & Safety Requirements

Serving as an AmeriCorps Fellow with Citizen Schools requires members to be able to meet essential requirements of the position within the following categories:

• Physical Requirements: Frequent movement and physical abilities to perform writing, communication and visual responsibilities are key in this service role.
• Health and Safety: Ability to maintain safety and respond to safety situations that commonly occur in schools, on community college campuses and when delivering programming in the maker space.
• Environmental Conditions: Serving in urban community settings comes with exposure to many environmental factors.
• Technology/Equipment Use: Once AmeriCorps Fellows receive training, they should be able to demonstrate proficiency in makerspace equipment and technologies.

Use of Criminal Background Checks

AmeriCorps investigates for past sexual offenses, violent crimes, and crimes that would have a direct bearing on an individual’s service. This background check entails a search of the National Sex Offenders Website (NSOPW) and an FBI criminal history check.

In addition to the requirements set by AmeriCorps, Citizen Schools and its local partners have separate policies on the use of information collected from background checks. We will not ask AmeriCorps Fellows about any criminal convictions during the interview process. These policies are in place for the purpose of keeping the children we work with safe.

+ EQUAL OPPORTUNITY STATEMENT

Citizen Schools is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, cultural heritage, ancestry, political belief, age, marital status, pregnancy, physical or mental disability or veteran status. Citizen Schools is compliant with the American with Disabilities Act and we are committed to making special accommodations for our interviewing or work requirement as needed.