Updates from AmeriCorps VISTA Members at US Together
Blog
Opportunities for VISTA Members
Each year in March, US Together lists open VISTA positions at the AmeriCorps VISTA offical job listing portal. The simplest advanced search involves three steps: selecting the issue area (or areas) of interest to you; selecting one or more geographic area where you would be interested in serving; and clicking the "Search" button.
Current open positions: Applications are due on August 15th. We have 10 open positions including Refugee Integration Specialist, Economic Integration Specialist, Community Engagement and Development Specialist, Welcoming Community Specialist, and Health and Wellness Manager.
To learn more about AmeriCorps VISTA service at US Together, please reach out to Victor Kuluris at vkuluris@ustogether.us.
Benefits for AmeriCorps VISTA members:
Gain immersive, hands-on experience in a nonprofit environment.
Develop strong networking and capacity-building skills by working with community partners and organization.
Serve the refugee and immigrant population through strategic organizational support.
A more detailed AmeriCorps VISTA benefits guide is available here.
To learn more about AmeriCorps, visit their website here.
An Overview
Each year, US Together sponsors several VISTA members to work on local initiatives in Columbus, Cleveland, and Toledo. VISTA members build capacity to help us generate funds, encourage volunteer services at the local level, and assist with strategic planning.
AmeriCorps VISTA Program’s Core Principles:
Anti-poverty: strengthen and support efforts to eliminate and alleviate poverty and to address poverty-related problems in the United States.
Community Empowerment: engage people of the communities served in planning, developing, implementing, and evaluating the project.
Sustainable Solutions: long-term sustainability of anti-poverty programs.
Capacity Building: VISTA members create systems that remain long after their term of service ends. They strengthen agencies’ efforts by expanding community partnerships, securing long-term resources, and addressing specific local needs, with all activities focused on creating pathways out of poverty for low-income communities.
US Together’s AmeriCorps VISTA Project
Our VISTA project aligns with three focus areas: economic opportunities, healthy futures and education. AmeriCorps VISTA members help us improve communications and development activities to increase our impact and reach. This includes efforts to fasten economic integration of refugees, immigrants, and other Limited English Proficiency (LEP) populations; help LEP youth succeed in academics and prepare to enter the world of work through mentoring; help LEP elderly stay safe in their homes and socialize; and ensure LEP individuals’ access to healthcare and wellness.
AmeriCorps VISTA members contribute to the goals of these poverty fighting strategies by performing various activities: explore best practices and develop new programs and curricula; implement social media plans; revise communication strategies; evaluate programs’ outcomes; organize events and event manuals; build community partnerships; and assist with fundraising efforts.