A Day in the Life: AmeriCorps VISTA Volunteer

After my post Real World Lessons I Wish I’d Learned Sooner, I started thinking about things I could still tell my twentysomething self, even if it’s too late for my 18 year old self. While I chose to travel and delay the “real world” as much as possible, some of my friends have taken different paths.

I interviewed my friend Marina, who I interned with back in Charleston, and who is now a volunteer with AmeriCorps VISTA, a program I knew next to nothing about until the recruiters showed up on campus. AmeriCorps is the national version of the Peace Corps, with a one-year commitment and three different programs, including VISTA, NCCC and State and National.

It’s a great option if you want to live somewhere on the other side of the country and defer student loans for awhile. The NCCC program involves traveling around the country, doing many volunteer projects throughout the year.

• Name: Marina Fleming
• Location: Boulder, CO (2010-11) and Portland, OR (2011-12)
• Job Title: AmeriCorps Vista Development Coordinator at CareConnect and AmeriCorps VISTA Leader at Oregon Microenterprise Network

How did you decide that you wanted to join AmeriCorps? The first time around: Short story, I was one of the thousands of college graduates out there that didn’t yet know what I wanted to do with my life. Long story, I wasn’t yet ready to commit 27 months to Peace Corps but I wanted to do some type of service work following college graduation. AmeriCorps was the perfect option: 1 year commitment, the option to up and move to any other city in the country with relocation benefits, a chance to see and do something completely new while gaining work experience. The second time around: I was hooked on service work, I wanted the opportunity to move somewhere new and gain more experience as a VISTA Leader and I was eager for the chance to earn another ED Award to pay off more student loans.

How did you decide which program was right for you? Truthfully location had a LOT to do with it but then on a more serious level, I wanted something that would give me skills and experience that I could utilize in a career later on.

Why is AmeriCorps a good postgraduate option? So many reasons here…buys you time in jumping into the real world, gives you great work experience that you wouldn’t normally get in an entry level job, they offer to put federal loans in forbearance while you serve and upon completion you can earn an education award (up to $5,500 in 2011) or receive a cash stipend of $1,500. What was super beneficial to me is that I felt like I received a second education in real world knowledge and career world without having to commit to something for the long haul. Another plus is that because it is a government position, you get a letter of non-compete for all other government jobs you apply to within a year of your close of service. Furthermore, you get to go anywhere!

What is your daily routine like? There’s not so much a daily routine with AmeriCorps or nonprofits, they are chaotic and completely unpredictable. But, AmeriCorps VISTA members are geared more toward sustainability of programs so it is more closely linked with a 9-5 desk job.

Who is AmeriCorps NOT for? Folks who want to be a rollin’ in the dough. AmeriCorps members receive a very modest living stipend which is set at the local poverty level. The goal is to force you to live at the same level as people who you are serving.

What have you learned from being a AC volunteer? So they say that if you aren’t a Republican when you’re older that you’re an idiot, but if you weren’t a Democrat when you were younger that you didn’t truly live. I’m still not drawing party lines, and I really don’t know who came up with that saying, but I have learned that I’m not yet ready to be a Republican. Ha, on a more serious level I learned how to live on my own, really live and make decisions that actually matter in the world and to me.

What are the pros? An amazing amount of work and life experience, a fantastic way to interact with the community in a real way. My first year was one of the most humbling times I’ve ever gone through; I’ve never been so immersed with folks who are at the fringes of society. Lastly, you get to make a difference! When you hear these people laugh, see them smile and say “Thank you!” you know it’s coming from the heart. I’m not a very sensitive person but that kind of thing stays with you, it changes who you are. Oh, and VISTAs typically qualify for food stamps! That’s not typically a selling point for the rents though. But, full health coverage is! Note: health coverage and not health insurance. Yes, there’s a difference.

What are the cons? You’re dirt poor for a year.

Do you need any certifications or knowledge to be a volunteer? To be an AmeriCorps VISTA you have to have a college degree.

Any additional advice or information? Do it! It’s awesome and don’t tell anyone but I love AmeriCorps VISTA! :)

Many thanks to Marina. If you still have any questions about AmeriCorps send me an email and I will forward to her. Be on the lookout for future “navigating the real world” interviews.