Year of Service Programs: What’s right for you (and the world)?

1. Year of Service Programs:What’s right for you (and the world)? Jeff Stocco, Career Center Erica Koos, Teach for America October 16, 2008

2. “I want to take a year off” • Transition year • Gap year • Temporary work • Year of travel • Teach English abroad

3. What are “year of service” programs? • 1 or 2 year commitment • Direct service or program administration • Non-profit organizations • Broad range of opportunities, even within the same program • National, state and local (and international)

4. Taking a “year off”: Pros • Valuable work experience • An opportunity to “give back” • Establishing residency in another state, study for the GRE, take graduate courses • Pay off loans or earn educational stipend • Travel to and work in another city, state, or country • A new and exciting experience!

5. Taking a “year off”: Cons • Poor reception by family and friends • (“You’ll never go back to grad school!”) • More limited access to job and grad school search support • Pay is low (or non-existent) • Health insurance may not be provided

6. What is the class of 2008 doing? (surveyed in May 2008) • Teaching English abroad (11) • Americorps (4) • Lutheran Volunteer Corps (2) • ELCA Global Mission (3) • Teach for America (6) • Peace Corps (6) • Others • Honduras Mayaton School • Costa Rica School • Colegio Jorge Washington • Nature Conservancy

7. Year of Service examples • Domestic • AmeriCorps • Public Allies • Teach for America • City Year • International • Peace Corps • United Nations Volunteers • Faith-based • Jewish Service Corps • Lutheran Volunteer Corps • Catholic Network of Volunteer Service • Jesuit Volunteer Corps

8. Volunteer programs(typically self-funded and short term) • Global Volunteer Network • www.volunteer.org.nz • Global Service Corps • www.globalservicecorps.org • United Planet • www.unitedplanet.org

9. International jobs(typically short-term, placement fee charged) • BUNAC • www.bunac.org • Council on International Exchange • www.ciee.org • AIESEC • www.aiesec.org

10. AmeriCorps programs • AmeriCorps*State and *National • Direct service in a community-based organization • AmeriCorps*VISTA • Indirect, capacity building with an anti-poverty focus • Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) • AmeriCorps*NCCC • Team-based, direct service, communal living • National Civilian Community Corps • About 1000 volunteers in MN each year • Search for programs: https://my.americorps.gov/mp/login.do • Example: Habitat for Humanity, MN

11. Teach for America • Recent college graduates who commit two years to teach in urban and rural public schools • 3500 members in 1000 schools across the country • Erica Koos, campus representative

12. Lutheran Volunteer Corps • One year of full-time service in urban social justice organizations in ten cities across the United States • Examples of placements: • Women’s Funding Network • Pesticide Action Network • Alternative high schools • Lutheran World Relief • Elder health facilities • Housing action organizations • www.lutheranvolunteercorps.org

13. LVC – examples of agencies • Twin Cities, Minnesota: • Aeon, Volunteer Program Associate • Corcoran Neighborhood Org. (w/ Midtown Public Market), Market Assistant • Kaleidoscope Place, Volunteer Coordinator • Lutheran Social Service of MN, Refugee Services, Case Manager/Immigrant Assistant • Lutherans Concerned/North America , Special Project Coordinator for Youth • Midtown Greenway Coalition, Community Organizer • Neighborhood House, Basic Needs Specialist • Open Arms of Minnesota, Client Services Assistant • Our Saviour's Housing,Case Manager, Emergency Shelter • Redeemer Center for Life, Youth Worker/Social Worker • Simpson Housing Services, Inc., Family Advocate • Sojourner Truth Academy, Educational Assistant • Southeast Asian Ministry and Daily Work, Associate Program • TakeAction Minnesota, Community Organizer • The Advocates for Human Rights, Program Assistant, Client Intake and Outreach • Trinity Lutheran Congregation, Coordinator of Community Outreach

14. ELCA Global Mission • social ministry opportunities for 1 year in 8 different countries in leadership development, service, spiritual growth, global awareness and understanding. As many as 50 positions available. Service begins mid-August. • teach for 1, 2 or 3 years within the teaching programs in China, Japan and Slovakia • http://archive.elca.org/globalserve/

15. Questions to ask yourself • What is my motivation for serving? • What do I have to offer? • How will I handle the change and stress that will come with the position?

16. Questions to ask of the program • What is your program’s focus? • What types of placements are offered? • What is involved in the application process? • What benefits can I expect from the program? • May I contact some of your former volunteers?

17. Practical considerations for the “Gap Year” • Keep in touch with professors • Bring your resume up to date • Consider taking standardized tests for graduate school (LSAT, GRE, MCAT) • Health insurance • Consider graduate courses during the year

18. Upcoming Career Center events related to Service • Gov Job and Internship Fair, U of MN, Oct 24 • ELCA Camp Fair, February 11 • MN Private Colleges Job and Internship Fair, Mpls, Feb 17 & 18 • Idealist.org Non-Profit Fair / Working for Change Conference, April 14 • Gustavus Internship Fair, March 11

19. General Resources • Idealist www.idealist.org • The single best resource for non-profit info, including jobs, internships, and volunteerism, domestic and abroad, short-term and long-term • One Small Planet www.onesmallplanet.com • Comprehensive information about teaching and working abroad • International Business Jobs Overseas • Teaching Abroad With a Certificate • Temporary (1 year or less) or Low-Skill Employment • Government Jobs • Internships • The Gap Year www.gapyear.com • Interesting web site on a wide range of activities (not all of which are service-oriented)