Community Engagement Careers

AmeriCorps offers paid volunteer opportunities through its State & National, VISTA, and NCCC programs:

  • AmeriCorps*State and National members work with different local and national non-profits throughout the United States to complete direct service.
  • AmeriCorps*VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America)members work with different local and national non-profits throughout the United States to complete indirect service.
  • AmeriCorps*NCCC (National Civilian Community Corps) members address the pressing needs of the communities in which they serve.

Benefits of AmeriCorps membership include:

  • Modest living allowance
  • Potential to choose either a stipend or an education award
  • Ability to put your student loans in forbearance or deferment
  • Free health coverage plan
  • Some opportunities provide you with housing
  • Work and life skills are learned, gained, and used

For more information, visit http://www.americorps.gov/.

Other Opportunities

Washington Campus Compact Campus Compact is a coalition of colleges and universities collaborating to increase campus-wide participation in community and public service. For more information, visit www.wacampuscompact.org.

AmeriSpan Study Abroad Offers volunteer placements and language immersion opportunities throughout the world. For more information, visit www.amerispan.com.

City Year A corps of diverse young adults, who dedicate at least a year to civic engagement and transformative service in communities across America. For more information, visit www.cityyear.org/.

Fund for Public Interest Research Helps progressive groups wage campaigns that help preserve our environment, protect human rights, clean up politics, and challenge corporate power. Offers a number of full-time positions across the country as well as summer jobs.

Green Corps Yearlong, full-time, paid Environmental Leadership Training Program. For more information, visit www.greencorps.org.

Jesuit Volunteer Corps Offers women and men an opportunity to work full-time for justice and peace. For more information, visit www.JesuitVolunteers.org.

Lutheran Volunteer Corps Provides essential services in the areas of education, public safety, human needs, and the environment. Many programs offer the opportunity for hands-on direct service while others involve coordination, development and management of projects. For more information, visit www.lutheranvolunteercorps.org/.

Peace Corps Volunteers work in the following areas: education, youth outreach, and community development; health and HIV/AIDS; agriculture and environment; business development; and information technology For more information, visit www.peacecorps.gov/.

Public Allies Allies work four days each week for ten months at a local nonprofit organization where they strengthen their community by working in areas such as youth development, community development, public health, and economic development. For more information, visit www.publicallies.org/.

Student Conservation Corps Offers college students, as well as other adults, extraordinary opportunities to serve our nation’s most prized public treasures: its natural and cultural resources. For more information, visit www.thesca.org/.

Teach for America Recruits the most outstanding graduating college seniors and recent college graduates to teach in low-income communities across the country. Teach for America participants will be the future leaders in fields such as business, medicine, politics, law, journalism, education, and social policy. For more information, visit www.teachforamerica.org.

Certificate Program in Nonprofit Management Continuing Studies program at Duke University. Duke University believes that nonprofit organizations provide vital services that markedly contribute to the health of our communities. For more information, visit www.learnmore.duke.edu/nonprofit/.

Corporation for National and Community Service The Corporation is the nation’s largest grantmaker supporting service and volunteering. Through our Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve America programs, we provide opportunities for Americans of all ages and backgrounds to express their patriotism while addressing critical community needs. For more information, visit http://www.nationalservice.gov/.

Idealist Idealist is a project of Action Without Borders, a nonprofit organization founded in 1995 with offices in the United States and Argentina. Idealist is an interactive site where people and organizations can exchange resources and ideas, locate opportunities and supporters, and take steps toward building a world where all people can lead free and dignified lives. For more information, visit www.idealist.org.

National Campus Compact Campus Compact is a national coalition of nearly 1,200 college and university presidents – representing some 6 million students – dedicated to promoting community service, civic engagement, and service-learning in higher education. For more information, visit www.compact.org.

National Service-Learning Clearinghouse Learn and Serve America’s National Service-Learning Clearinghouse (NSLC) supports the service-learning community in higher education, kindergarten through grade twelve, community-based initiatives and tribal programs, as well as all others interested in strengthening schools and communities using service-learning techniques and methodologies. For more information, visit http://www.servicelearning.org/.

United We Serve Americans can enter geographic information about where they want to get involved, such as state or zip code, and areas of interest ranging from education to the environment, to access volunteer opportunities offered by a range of partner organizations across the country or around the world. Formerly the website for the USA Freedom Corps office at the White House (under President Bush), Serve.gov is managed by the Corporation for National and Community Service on behalf of the White House. For more information, visit http://www.serve.gov/.

Teacher.org is a teacher advocacy site for new and current teachers/educators. Here are examples of what Teacher.org provides:

  • State by state certification/licensing information
  • State by state teacher shortage information
  • Career information and profiles for jobs within the field of education- including salary and job outlook
  • Expert advice via interviews