Guide Profile Anna Swearingen, AmeriCorps VISTA

Profile Pic 1-1Name: Anna B. Swearingen

Profession: Research Contractor (on the way to becoming an I/O Psychologist) / Student

College: MIZZOU (undergrad) / UNC Charlotte (grad school)

Service Type: AmeriCorps VISTA

Service Dates: August 2012 – August 2013

Service Location: Metro St. Louis, Missouri

Tell us about the nonprofit / social business you worked for during your term of service:

I worked for a small nonprofit in Downtown St. Louis called SGSM (South Grand Senior Ministry) Network. The organization’s mission was to help low-income older adults live safely, healthily, happily, in their homes for as long as possible, as opposed to having to live in a senior care facility. We assisted older adults through partnering with local church’s Senior Ministries. We provided a variety of programs including transportation to doctor appointments and other necessities, minor home repair and seasonal yard work, social events like trips to other cities, health-promotional events called “Lunch & Learns,” and communications in the form of a bi-monthly newsletter. Like any nonprofit, we also held fundraisers including flower sales and dinner-and-dancing events. This organization has since merged with another St. Louis nonprofit and now offers these services with them, under the name Mission St. Louis.

How did you find your position with AmeriCorps?

I decided I wanted to volunteer for AmeriCorps during my senior year of college. I had applied for several positions through the My AmeriCorps portal (https://my.americorps.gov/mp/login.do) and was actually offered another position to work with kids in California before the position I took was even on my radar. What happened was I got an email one day directly from SGSM Network, and it sounded interesting to me. (Organizations do that sometimes when they are recruiting for new positions—they may just randomly email people they see looking for positions on My AmeriCorps). The bonus was that the organization was located in my hometown. After interviewing with them a few days later, I felt comfortable and excited and decided to take the job!

What inspired you to do this kind of work? If you were taking a gap year, what influenced you to do so?

Like many (perhaps most) college grads, I had no idea what I wanted to do with the rest of my life yet. I had graduated with a degree in Psychology and a minor in Business, and was leaning strongly toward going into Social Work, but wasn’t positive at that point. I wanted to do something constructive and semi-related to social work while I figured it all out, so I looked into service. I had heard about AmeriCorps from a friend (who ended up doing two terms with AmeriCorps NCCC after graduation) and started applying.

After getting the email from SGSM Network, I realized that working with older adults might be perfect for me. From the job description, the position sounded very much related to social work, so I thought it might give me good experience.

What was your typical day like?

Busy! Every day was different, but for the most part they would start the same way: Checking my email (like any job) and the office messages on the answering machine. Some days there would be no messages, and some days there would be lots! The messages were always older adults needing assistance in a myriad of ways: A ride to the doctor, their yard cleaned up, a referral for someone to help sign them up for Medicare, etc. The first few hours of my day, I would either relay the messages to the appropriate people or respond to these messages to the best of my ability.

Some days, depending on the demand, I would spend most of my time finding seniors rides to doctor appointments from our pool of volunteer drivers. Some days, I would set up volunteer groups to do a day or two of yard work for several seniors. Some days, I would coordinate or attend a Lunch & Learn at one of our partner churches. Some days, I would plan a day trip for a group of 30-55 seniors. It truly depended on what events were near, but it was never boring.

What were your living accommodations?

I was lucky to volunteer so close to my home, because my wonderful parents let me kick it at their house for the year. This worked out great because, even though we were paid so little as volunteers, I actually managed to save (a very small sum) over the course of the year. I also had the best time living at home one last time before moving out…probably for the rest of my life (if all goes the way I hope, that is!). It was just my mom, dad, little sister and me, before my sister and I both left home around the same time the summer of 2013, suddenly making my parents empty-nesters:(

Share a favorite memory or story from your experience.

During the last week of my term, I was attending all of the social and health promotional events going on so I could say goodbye to as many people as possible in-person. At a Lunch & Learn, I was very happy to run into one of my favorite clients, Helen. I had talked to her over the phone dozens of times, because she utilized our transportation and yard work services frequently. She was very involved in the programs in general and I saw her at many events. I even drove her to a doctor appointment or two over the course of my term. At the Lunch & Learn, I was taken aback that she had a gift for me (she knew it was the last time she would be seeing me). She had written me a sweet card and knitted me a beautiful oven mitt. It touched me so much that she felt so fondly about our relationship, and it made me really sad that I was soon leaving! I’ll always remember that moment, and I’ll always remember Helen.

What have you learned about the nonprofit and social business world in your experience?

I learned that working for a nonprofit is hard work. It is difficult to work for something you care so deeply about, but have so little to give besides physical labor. It is frustrating when you know a particular service or event would be so beneficial to the client, but your funds are not adequate to provide it. This established paradigm made me really admire the long-term employees of the organization. The fact that they care so much about the clients and the cause that they are willing to give so much more than can be given back is honorable.

I learned that nonprofits are important. I don’t know what many of the older adults we assisted would have done without our services. It makes me sad and frustrated to even think about that, because not many people are looking out for low-income older adults. Organizations need to exist to help these people, along with many other groups that do not get nearly as much attention and assistance as they should. That’s why nonprofits are so important.

Finally, learned that nonprofits will forever be near and dear to my heart. As the long-term employees that I mentioned are passionate about the causes they work for, I remain passionate about those long-term employees. This is what has led me to the career I am working toward (hint: it isn’t Social Work).

Do you think you made a unique contribution to your organization as a young person? Is your perspective or approach different from others?

It was interesting working, as a young person, for an organization focused on older adults. I definitely think that all of the AmeriCorps VISTAs, being similar in age, made a unique contribution to the organization because we could offer a fresh take on our existing programs, and were able to update some of the service already in place (such as our bi-monthly newsletters).

I think young people these days are much more technology-savvy and collaborative than generations prior to ours. This is only beneficial to organizations because we know how to get messages out there for all to see! We know how to connect and work with others for the greater good of all! These are aspects that all nonprofits could use a little more of.

What is one thing you wish you knew before you came to your position?

I didn’t really come in with any expectations, which I recommend to anyone soon to start a year of service. However, if I had to choose something, I wish I had known how tired I would be every day after work! To this day, including college, I have never consistently come home from work, eaten food, and fallen asleep at, like, 9 every night than during my service year.

How has AmeriCorps VISTA influenced your life after service?

AmeriCorps influenced my life 100%. If I hadn’t been involved in AmeriCorps, I would be doing something completely different with my life at this moment (see the next question for more on this).

AmeriCorps also sparked my service-oriented self, so now I still enjoy volunteering in my free time! After AmeriCorps, I volunteered for a year for the nonprofit organization Girls on the Run as a Coach. Now, I’m volunteering as an NGS Guide!

Maybe most importantly, AmeriCorps introduced me to some of my best friends in the entire world. One I met at the St. Louis airport on our way to VISTA training in Denver, CO (that was a fun trip!), and she is the kind of friend that will be my future bridesmaid and in my life forever. Another I worked with briefly during our service-year overlap and had such an instant connection that we remain in contact and even celebrated Easter together in Chicago this past year. Another, still, is the volunteer I replaced following his year of service, and who now is practically my neighbor in Charlotte, NC.

Has your experience fit into your long-term goals?

My experience led me to my long-term goals. Like I said, I went into my year of service thinking I was going to become a Social Worker. In fact, during my AmeriCorps, term, I took the GRE, applied to Social Work programs, and even got into a few. It wasn’t until toward the end of my service that I was honest with myself about not being passionate about Social Work. I realized I felt much more strongly about the organization as a whole and all of the intricacies that went into making an organization run successfully. That led me to Industrial/Organizational Psychology. After my service year, I moved to North Carolina, got an internship in the field, and am now working toward my Master’s degree in I/O Psychology. I would love to use what I learn in my program to help nonprofits across the country.

What do you do in your free time?

Besides volunteering, I enjoy watching (way too many) movies and TV shows, I love to read and write (I write for a local blog in Charlotte, NC), and I am a healthy-lifestyle enthusiast (running, hiking, dancing, eating healthily…).

Do you have any advice for prospective gap-givers?

If you’re on the fence about giving a year of your life to service, just do it (credit to Nike). I promise, you will not regret it. Quite the opposite actually: You will look back on your experience and smile.

I already mentioned this, but try to go into your service year with no expectations. Just let it take you where it will!

Would you be willing to take questions from potential gap-givers?

Absolutely, ask away!

How can we connect with you?

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=228105168&trk=nav_responsive_tab_profile_pic

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anna.swearingen.3

Twitter: @AnnaSwear

in Guides / Stories  by 03 Sep 2014 0 comments

Before AmeriCorps NCCC by Stephen Azuogu

StephenBefore AmeriCorps NCCC, I was a part-time YMCA youth mentor finishing up my last year of college. I went to California State University-Fullerton pursuing my B.A. in Ethnic Studies with an Emphasis in African-American Studies. This major was an interdisciplinary degree that involved philosophy, history, and creative writing but in the simplest form, it was “the study of different cultures.” Whenever I tell people about my major, they give this misconstrued face and most of the times say, “What are you going to do with that? Do you want to be a teacher?” I was truly grateful of my major and knew the value of my education, but the reality set in that there were no concrete working skills or high job demand that I can get from my studies at that time.

I was going in to my last semester of college and I started to brainstorm on what to do for job experience and/or career exploration. My experience with the YMCA was great and I loved working there, but I wanted to explore other options. Typical things you should do as a college junior and senior is utilize your Resource Centers as much as possible for job postings and internships. My counselor told me to look into internship opportunities because this is a great way to network and gain relevant work experience. Throughout the school year, I attended various career expos, resume workshops and business affiliations, but it was only when I went online and applied for AmeriCorps NCCC-FEMA Corps, that things were starting to change for the better.

After November 21th 2014, I will have committed my time in AmeriCorps NCCC-FEMA Corps for 2 service terms. FEMA Corps is a partnership with the AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, bringing in young people aged 18-24 to commit 10 months or 1700 hours of national volunteering service. The program is team-based and members were given benefits like free travel, room and board, and real-world experiences. I was part of the first class of FEMA Corps Class 19 in Vicksburg, Mississippi. During that service year, I responded to Hurricane Sandy doing FEMA related work in New Jersey and New York. The highlight of that year was living on a Coast Guard training ship (Empire State 5) for a month in Bronx, New York.

As I write this piece, I will be finishing up my last months as a FEMA Corps Team Leader. The AmeriCorps program as a whole has been one of the greatest experiences ever in my life. I have done rewarding work for my country, traveled in beautiful US states, and met with remarkable people that I call friends this day and beyond. After AmeriCorps NCCC, I am given much more options to explore and a clearer sense of what my goals are personally and professionally.

in Guides / Stories  by 02 Sep 2014 0 comments

Strong Women, Strong Girls by Makissa Lewis

MakissaWhen I was an undergraduate student I wrote a paper titled, Female Delinquents: A Study in Neglect. The paper expressed my notion, which states that, Florida female juvenile delinquents were not trying to be like their male counterparts but rather they were delinquent in their own right. At the time when that paper was written, only few authors had that stance. It was from writing that paper I realized I wanted to further my education and later pursue a profession that dealt with gender issues focusing especially on juvenile justice. To prepare me for that path, I volunteered with the Florida Juvenile Justice, the Non Violence Project, the Community Health Clinic of South Florida and other agencies that work with youth in my community during my undergraduate years. By the time, I did my graduate work I realized one of the best preventive measures against juvenile violence is education. Therefore I decided to work with the organization Strong Women, Strong Girls (SWSG). Through AmeriCorps, mentors of SWSG, like myself, were able to mentor school-aged girls 6 to 10 using a curriculum that promotes strong female role models and relationships. I remember one day in class the girls were assigning themselves roles in a play. The part of judge came up. One girl said that they need a boy to play that part. For me it was a teachable moment. I explained to that a girl that playing a judge could be a girl since a woman can be a judge. I always remember that incident because I feel that girl would less likely turn to violence because she knows she can be anything she wants to be when she grows up even a judge. That is not the only time I worked with youth. I worked with young adults as a graduate assistant for Educational Talent Search. As a graduate student of Educational Talent Search, I provided middle school and high school students help on the college process to include, but not, limited to filling out FASFA forms, requesting recommendation letters from teachers, SMART goals, and so on. From the paper I wrote as an undergraduate to now, my mission has been to help young people find alternatives to delinquency. I feel through service learning, education, and other activities I can help empower youth. They in turn will be able to do the same for the next generation.

in Guides / Stories  by 02 Sep 2014 0 comments

Making Philanthropy Cool #ALSIceBucketChallenge

The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has stirred up supporters and naysayers of nonprofit marketing tactics through countless Facebook posts, news pieces and celebrity endorsements. Are we perpetuating “slacktivism” where participants are no more knowledgeable of or actionable to a campaign’s true message? Is ALS a critical illness worth all of the fuss, or are we just wasting water?

 

Regardless of where you stand, this one hashtag has contributed to a rise in philanthropic giving, especially among the millennial generation [1]. In fact, the ALS has raised over $12 million for ALS over the past 6 weeks [2]. (I think we can all agree this is positive)

 

How do we sustain this level of philanthropic giving among young people? I foresee several more social media hashtag campaigns that will grow and further the mission of amazing organizations across the country. But we need to do more to sustain interest and involvement in our causes for the long run. What if some of the young people who dumped water on their head and/or donated a few dollars to ALS decided to donated their time to volunteer (through AmeriCorps or self-stipend)?

 

Of course, there are many ways to show your support for a cause. However, think about how a year of service with ALS could make a difference for both the individual and the organization:

  • ALS would gain organizational support that allows them to grow sustainably and organize more viral fundraisers.
  • The volunteer would learn more about ALS and about themselves and their skillset as a young professional.
  • The volunteer would donate more money to ALS, their alma mater, and other organizations and causes they care about… for the rest of their lives.
  • The volunteer will go on to be a leader in industry, politics or activism that carries a true understanding of one specific social issue (ALS) and all the systemic issues surrounding it (health insurance, access to research dollars, etc)– when leaders understand a problem they can solve the problem.

Just something to think about…#DumpAndDonate

  1. http://www.alsa.org/news/media/press-releases/ice-bucket-challenge-081914.html
  2. http://www.forbes.com/sites/anthonynitti/2014/08/20/could-the-irs-disallow-ice-bucket-challenge-charitable-contributions/
  3. http://www.forbes.com/sites/matthewherper/2014/08/19/think-the-ice-bucket-challenge-is-stupid-youre-wrong/
in Ideas  by 20 Aug 2014 0 comments

Brother Erik on Service Through the Franciscan Lens

“You have one life, how are you going to spend the time you got? What kingdom are you going to serve?”

Br. Erik Lenhart has followed a vocation to dedicate his life to serving the poor as a a Capuchin Franciscan friar.  His journey includes 2 years at West Point Military Academy and a year as an AmeriCorps volunteer (CapCorps volunteer) with Capuchin Youth and Family Ministries (CYFM). In this interview we touch on what it means to serve as a way to selflessness and the importance of service in discerning ones calling.

Quick disclaimer: the Next Generation of Service is not affiliated with a specific religion however we recognize the role spirituality and worldview play in ones journey toward purpose and orientation to service.



in Podcasts  by 11 Aug 2014 0 comments

Doing it for the Love in San Antonio

Hassan Barzani shares experience as a college student serving as an AmeriCorps at San Antonio Youth.  Listen Here.

 

Excerpts from Hassan’s written story:

“My story begins less than an year before I was born on September 10, 1987. My parents got married on November 9, 1986. Then a month later my parents came to Houston, Texas, from Erbil “Hawler” Iraq-Kurdistan. My parents came from Kurdistan to Texas avoiding Saddam Hussein’s regime, a regime that resulted in the assignation my aunt, uncle and cousins on both side. Saddam’s use of chemical warfare against the Kurds and Iraq’s efforts to develop nuclear weapons, had not only harmed my family’s life but many others. In addition, they came to America with a dream that when I came onto this earth, I would succeed. I am Kurdish-American and born as a United States Citizen. At 5 years of age my parents became US citizens and we settled into my hometown of Richardson, Texas…

Doing the AmeriCorps program this past year, I was privileged to prevent the students to drop-out from school and keep youth focused on getting an education and preparing for the world of work, and keeps low-income children from across the San Antonio huge Hispanic population highly distressed neighborhoods achieve life success through hard work, determination and opportunities to excel made me proud coming from a Kurdish America background and making this children having wonderful dreams later in life after high school and college.”

in Podcasts  by 05 Jul 2014 0 comments

ETA4: Founder Victor Wilson’s Thoughts on Starting an NGO

The following blog article is written by Victor Wilson, a young social entrepreneur who founded his very own non-profit organization dedicated to the development and implementation of innovative English summer camps in Southeast Asia. You can find out more about ETA4 by visiting their website. The opinions expressed are solely those of the author.

The world has never been closer together than it is today. Humans have the ability to, with a single mouse click, connect with people and places that would have been nearly impossible just 50 years ago. Our interconnectivity, interdependence, and interaction have never been more prevalent.

Because there is such a desire to connect across borders and boundaries, the value of being able to speak the current “global” language has never been higher. Both academically and professionally, being able to speak English has a multitude of advantages, and in some instances is a prerequisite to development of an education or a career. Governments across the world recognize the advantages an English education gives their populace, and so have either made English a compulsory subject in school, or at the very least offered it to students eager to learn.

But there is a problem with this method. If you treat English (or any language) like any other subject, many barriers to learning that language arise. Languages are meant to be used in a way that the traditional classroom environment doesn’t reach. They are meant to be spoken loudly, with conviction, not hidden in a thick coursebook; they are meant to be sung, not only written down on a piece of paper; and they are meant to elicit a response, spark a discussion, and foster greater understanding, and not just be a repetition of words or phrases.

One of the things I am most proud of was that the ETA4 team recognized this right away. The most effective way to teach English, we determined, was to interject it into the daily life of the student – a life that undoubtedly includes songs, movies, sports, games, art, poetry, books, and actions. While our curriculum doesn’t ignore the benefits of a traditional academic approach to teaching and learning, it also cultivates a holistic view of the language – and, as it turns out, makes it a lot more fun for the student.

Since 2009, ETA4 English programs have been held each summer, often in multiple locations. What started as one small program in Hue, Vietnam with only 350 students has blossomed into 8 total programs in 2 different countries (Vietnam and Taiwan) over 3 years, with our last program teaching over 950 students. This past summer, we taught our 4000th student, a milestone of which I am immensely proud!

Although the program is only 5 weeks in length, one of the benefits of the approach that we take is that it inspires students to continue the learning process far after the volunteers have left: by showing them that English can be fun, they take it upon themselves to incorporate it into their daily activities. Our goal is not to teach the entire language from A to Z, but rather to give the student a starting point and an inspiration to continue studying a subject that will be of immense value to him/her in their future.

As great as the impact on our students has been, I believe the summer programs have had as equal an impact on our volunteers. Everything that we do is driven by the desire for “cross-cultural connection”, because being able to understand and learn from each other is truly what will continue to drive the world forward. Some of our volunteers have never been out of the country; some are seasoned travelers looking for their next adventure; and some are returning to their parents homeland for the first, fifth, or tenth time. By the time the program is over, though, they share a common trait: after embedding themselves in the culture and traditions of their students, they leave with an enhanced understanding and connection with hundreds of people they spent their summer interacting with. I won’t speculate why many of the volunteers re-apply for second and third years in the program, but I’m confident this is one of the (many, I’m sure) reasons.

Our goal is pretty straightforward – to provide students with a life-changing ability while giving volunteers a life-changing experience. I believe that so far, we’ve accomplished this, and am looking forward to many more years of growth that even 5 years ago I never could have imagined. The world gets a little bit smaller every single day – our goal is to just bring it a little closer together.gyg-logo-teal-transparent1

in Give Your Gap / Ideas  by 01 Jul 2014 0 comments

Guest Blog: Andres Pena, TeachSummit International

gyg-logo-teal-transparent1Andres Pena was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA and is currently a senior at Pitzer College, where he is majoring in International Political Economy and pursuing a minor in Italian Studies. He is involved in various community organizations, enjoys advocating for youth participation and leadership across the world, and plans to become an international lawyer one day. He currently serves as the Linguistic and Cultural Advisor for TeachSummit International. He can be reached by email.

Andres at the conference

Youth 21 Conference on Inclusive Governance

Nairobi, Kenya: The Youth 21 Conference that I attended brought together many youth representatives (delegates) from all UN Member-States, where we provided specific recommendations to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon on his appointment for a Special Advisor on Youth. I would have never imagined myself being part of an enormous organization that supports the ideas of youth inclusiveness in governance, NGO’s international support, sustainable development, education, poverty eradication, and environmental justice. This event also served as a networking opportunity for me, and thus I got connected with other NGO’s that were represented by wonderful youth who shared similar interests as me.

As an executive member of TeachSummit International, I was able to share our project’s purpose in order to connect ideas and share information on how the project can benefit a wider-range community, the world. I was mostly excited when I joined various committees and parallel sessions during the conference, which were based around the idea of Youth Leadership and Challenges in Entrepreneurship, Employment and Community Development. After sitting-in numerous sessions, I was able to conclude that both governments and societies must increase the level of awareness and knowledge about the situation of marginalized youth and their contributions to society, especially by integrating human rights principles in the process and standards of policy content. TeachSummit’s mission goes hand-in-hand with these factors, as youth will be playing an enormous role in the decision-making process, in the collaboration with other programs, and in the process of creating a curriculum for the schools that we will be working with.

Overall, I came to realize that today’s youth are volunteering their time and skills not only to assist their local communities but also to build social networks, develop confidence and relevant experience which could potentially enhance their career opportunities.

in Give Your Gap / Ideas  by 01 Jul 2014 0 comments

Rebecca’s AmeriCorps VISTA Year of Service [Part 2/2]

gyg-logo-teal-transparent1Today’s post is part of a two-part series on AmeriCorps. Rebecca is currently working at the Center for Investigative Reporting as the Business Marketing Coordinator. She found out about GYG through a fellow Model United Nations member, Harrison Gill. You can contact her HERE.

So you’re thinking about AmeriCorps? Let me win you over!

If you’re thinking about doing AmeriCorps, stop thinking and do it.

 

Positives:

Transferable skills: Each project will undoubtedly give you different skills and experiences. Depending on what skills you want, you can most likely find a program that will contribute to the strengthening of those. I enhanced my marketing skills, organizational skills, and customer service skills. I also grew more confident in voicing my opinions and sharing ideas, and lastly, learned how to analyze programs, find the inefficiencies, come up with solutions and implement them. A word of advice: talk to your supervisor about your aspirations and goals, they are there to mentor and guide you so you can accomplish them.

New friends & mentors: Since we were a pretty small team I definitely bonded with my co-workers as we all embarked on our own financial planning, while developing a program from ground zero that would benefit the larger public. I also made friends with AmeriCorps people stationed in different organizations around my area. The great thing was, we could all go out and be cheap together, because none of us could afford anything too fancy! They also became a great support system outside of service.

 

Addressing your concerns:

“I won’t get paid enough to live comfortably.” The people at AmeriCorps are pretty smart people, and they make sure you get paid according to the cost of living of the place you’re stationed. You can make it work, but definitely take a good look at your own situation and see what you’ll need to survive.

“I’m not going to like the job and then will be stuck in it for a year.” Before you apply to a certain position, research the organization and read the description thoroughly. Also, know that you will have an extensive interview process, at which time you’ll learn more about the org and the position and will be able to talk to your future supervisor. Lastly, if you really don’t feel comfortable there after you’ve started, you can talk to the agency and AmeriCorps HR to discuss the possibility of transferring or leaving.

“I’ll be lonely and scared in a brand new place.” Make sure you do your research beforehand. You should get a good feeling about the area from finding it on Google maps. Try to be open-minded; brand new places can make you feel lonely, but they can also fill you with excitement and adventure and give you new opportunities to make friends and learn something new.

In conclusion, the most important step in applying for AmeriCorps is doing the research to find a program(s) that you’re really interested in. As you have seen from my previous blog post, interest can quickly turn into a passion and make your job feel more like a calling! Not only did I learn a lot about personal finance at SparkPoint Marin, but I also made great friends, learned how to live on my own for the first time, and came away equipped with great transferable skills and experience.

 

in Give Your Gap / Stories  by 01 Jul 2014 0 comments

Rebecca’s AmeriCorps VISTA Year of Service [Part 1/2]

gyg-logo-teal-transparent1Today’s post is part of a two-part series on AmeriCorps. Rebecca is currently working at the Center for Investigative Reporting as the Business Marketing Coordinator. She found out about GYG through a fellow Model United Nations member, Harrison Gill. You can contact her HERE.

After I graduated college and realized getting a permanent job was next to impossible (2010 was not a good year to be searching for a job), I signed up for AmeriCorps VISTA.

The whole team at a Giants game!

When I applied for AmeriCorps I had no idea what to expect. I checked out the project descriptions and the recruiting organizations and chose to apply to projects that both peeked my interest and were outside of my current knowledge base. I also kept location in mind; it can end up being a really important factor in your decision. Anyways, the AmeriCorps VISTA program, unlike other AmeriCorps programs, is designed to help nonprofits get started, to focus on sustainability and program development.

There were quite a few organizations that were looking for someone to help their programs expand their financial services. That sounded interesting, I thought, ‘don’t know too much about financial services!’ I ended up applying to three programs in my state that all were looking into fortifying and growing their VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) programs and focusing on partnering with fellow nonprofits to help clients get access to many different financial services. These concepts really interested me.

When I first heard about AmeriCorps I thought it was all about mentoring and tutoring children, which is great. But, I was looking for a stepping-stone to a career and I wasn’t looking to become a teacher. Realizing that AmeriCorps offered other projects that I wanted to learn more about and would help expand my knowledge in a specific area such as economic development was great! I knew I had found something I could commit to for the next year.

I accepted a position north of San Francisco 8 hours away from my family in a place I was a stranger to, ready to start something new. SparkPoint Marin’s mission was to help people take control of their own finances. Turns out to help other people, you need to be well versed in these areas yourself. Thus, I was trained in financial coaching and learned how to budget, to save, and to file taxes. Now I volunteer every year during tax season to help people file their taxes and file my own for free as well.

Here are some other resources I learned about that could be useful to you too:

In fact, all this immersion in finance lead me to start my own finance blog.

I finished my year empowered and ready to take on more challenges. I came away with marketing skills, organizational skills, enhanced customer service skills, confidence in voicing my opinions and sharing ideas, and lastly, the ability to analyze programs, find the inefficiencies, come up with solutions and implement them.

I definitely recommend it to anyone and everyone.

in Give Your Gap / Stories  by 01 Jul 2014 0 comments