Unified Government AmeriCorps Programs

UG VISTA co-brand 2020

Why Serve with AmeriCorps?

AmeriCorps is an opportunity for individuals of all ages and backgrounds to give their time and talent to strengthen communities.

Who can serve?

AmeriCorps is open to individuals ages 17 and older.

How can I serve?

The Unified Government is committed to civic innovation, job creation, economic development, and the health of Wyandotte County residents and the Unified Government AmeriCorps Program is contributing in big ways!

The Unified Government and AmeriCorps partnership encompasses two community focused programs: The AmeriCorps VISTA Program and the Public Health AmeriCorps Program

Key Principles and Focus Areas

Key Principles
  1. Anti-Poverty Focus
  2. Sustainable Solutions 
  3. Community Engagement
  4. Capacity Building


Focus Areas

  • Economic Opportunity  
  • Healthy Futures  

 


AmeriCorps VISTA Program 

Fight poverty by helping an organization to expand its capacity to make change. Apply your skills to help non-profits, faith-based and community organizations fundraise, write grants, recruit volunteers, and so much more.

As a member in the VISTA program, you serve full time for one-year (365 Days). You will build capacity in nonprofit organizations and public agencies to help them more effectively generate the commitment of private sector resources, encourage volunteer service at the local level, and empower individuals and communities.

Be a part of the amazing work in the Wyandotte County and Kansas City, KS community. Becoming an AmeriCorps VISTA member is a great opportunity for someone looking to gain experience in local government or nonprofit organizations.

 

Benefits of Service

AmeriCorps VISTA offers many benefits to its members: 
  • Bi-weekly living stipend of $877.66 pre-tax (approximately $16,200 for 365 days of service)
  • Choice of Segal Education Award ($6,895) or End-of-Term Cash Stipend ($1,800) 

Please Note: Some benefits are contingent on eligibility. 

The VISTA program offers the following additional benefits: 

  • Noncompetitive Eligibility (NCE) status for federal employment 
  • $100 monthly housing stipend payable to a landlord or other third party
  • Service-related mileage reimbursement
  • Access to professional development trainings
  • Access to Healthcare Benefits Plans
  • 10 days of personal leave as well as 10 days of sick leave
  • Relocation assistance if moving more than 50 miles to a new community to serve

 

Eligibility Requirements
  • Be 18 years or older (no upper age limit)
  • Hold one of the following citizenship or legal residency statuses: US citizen, US National, Lawful Permanent Resident (i.e. Green Card status), and persons legally residing within a state. Examples of persons legally residing within a state may include those holding the following classifications: refugee, asylee, temporary protected status throughout VISTA service, and holding Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status.

Learn more about benefits and AmeriCorps VISTA here: VISTA Program | AmeriCorps

 

 

 

Open Positions

The Wyandotte County AmeriCorps VISTA Program is always looking for motivated, passionate and community focused individuals that are eager to share their knowledge and skill-set to help positively impact Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas. 

Looking to become an AmeriCorps member email us at americorps@wycokck.org. 

 

KCK: KC DIGITAL DRIVE PROJECT COORDINATOR

This AmeriCorps VISTA Member will help share the impact to enable us to grow and expand our work as a backbone organization supporting regional digital equity, and to ensure emerging civic technologies are deployed with sensitivity to the needs of the people in the community. Serve the organization through task management and deliverable-based project coordination to support our Digital Inclusion and Innovation work teams across the more active and capacity-intensive projects in our portfolio. All KCDD projects have a cadre of community partners, specific outcomes, benefactors, and variables, and the Member will support a number of projects based on their stage and status, including planning and exploration, implementation, milestone progression, evaluation/assessment and close-out through project/task management, scheduling, documentation, and reporting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How to Apply

Applying to become a AmeriCorps VISTA is a rather simple process that takes a few simple steps in the application and interview process. 

If you are interested in more information regarding a position within the AmeriCorps VISTA program, as an initial application step, please email your resume to americorps@wycokck.org. In the body of the email please be sure to include which position(s) you are interested in applying for.  

To assist you in the application process, please click the link below to view the "The Apply to AmeriCorps VISTA Checklist"

AmeriCorps-VISTA-Applicant-Checklist.pdf(PDF, 257KB)

Click Here to begin creating your AmeriCorps profile

Summer Associates

Currently, our Summer Associate positions are closed. Please check back in April 2024 for more information. 

Looking for a summer opportunity? The AmeriCorps VISTA Summer Associate program offers you the opportunity to become engaged in a community through an existing AmeriCorps VISTA project for 8, 9, or 10 weeks during the summer starting in May and ending no later than early September.

  • Living Stipend is $2,877 pre-tax for 8-10 weeks of service.
  • Segal Education Award of $1,459.26 or a Cash Stipend of $311.00
  • Summer associates don’t qualify for other benefits such as healthcare or housing stipends. 


Contact mahuhn@wycokck.org, 
Subject: Summer Associate interest. Please include a copy of your resume. 

 

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
  • Be 18 years or older (no upper age limit)
  • Hold one of the following citizenship or legal residency statuses: US citizen, US National, Lawful Permanent Resident (i.e. Green Card status), and persons legally residing within a state. Examples of persons legally residing within a state may include those holding the following classifications: refugee, asylee, temporary protected status throughout VISTA service, and holding Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status.

Learn more about benefits and AmeriCorps VISTA here: VISTA Program | AmeriCorps

Summer Associate Benefits

AmeriCorps members serving as VISTA Summer Associates receive many of the same benefits as those who serve full-time for one year. Summer Associates are eligible to receive:

  • Living allowance
  • End-of-service summer award 
  • Reduction of education costs
  • Limited leave

Because Summer Associate service is a shorter term, there are important changes in AmeriCorps benefits available. These are noted below; you can find more details on the AmeriCorps VISTA benefits in the member handbook.

End-of-Service Benefit for VISTA Summer Associates

To see the current value of the education award, visit the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award fund page. The award is in the form of a voucher (not cash) and can be used to pay for future educational training and related expenses at Title IV schools, and/or to repay existing eligible federal student loans. Be sure to visit the Education Award site to learn which student loans are qualified.

Leave for VISTA Summer Associates

There are three categories of leave available to Summer Associates

  • Holidays: Summer Associates receive leave on federal holidays observed by their project site.
  • Emergency Leave: When an emergency or illness prevents a Summer Associate from serving, AmeriCorps staff may approve make-up time to help the Summer Associate meet the required number of service days.
  • Jury Duty: Summer Associates who are summoned for jury duty will continue to receive their living allowance.

Summer Associates do not receive personal or sick leave.

Resources

For more information on the Summer Associate program and member benefits, explore the following resource:

  • AmeriCorps VISTA Member Handbook, Chapter 11

 

 

 

 

  

 

Public Health AmeriCorps Program

The Unified Government is excited to announce a new AmeriCorps opportunity! AmeriCorps has partnered with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to create Public Health AmeriCorps, a groundbreaking new initiative made possible by an investment of the CDC’s American Rescue Plan Act funds.

Serving with an AmeriCorps State and National program puts you in an environment that propels your personal development, opens diverse career paths, and promotes lifelong civic engagement. Join the movement to address urgent public health needs. From the back office to the frontlines, there’s a place for you with Public Health AmeriCorps.

The AmeriCorps Public Health Program focuses on promoting healthy futures with service opportunities in a wide variety of public initiatives such as:

  • Maternal/ Child health
  • Public Works
  • Safe and Affordable Housing 
  • Community Safety
  • Tobacco Sensation

Benefits of Service

Public Health Americorps offers many benefits to its members: 
  • Members of the WYCO Public Health AmeriCorps program have the following benefits: the Segal Education Award, a living allowance, member assistance program, student loan deferment and forbearance, college and university match, and professional development training. Currently, the program is not offering any member slots greater than half-time; this includes full-time and three quarter-time; therefore, there are no benefits for health insurance and childcare benefits as stated in other Public Health AmeriCorps programs throughout the country.

     

    Public Health AmeriCorps members can serve 450, 675, or 900 hours of service. Member living stipend varies on number of hours being served and member start date. 

Half Time- 900 hours
Living Allowance:  $12,600 (this is pre-tax)
Education Award: $3,447.50

Reduce Half Time- 675 hours
Living Allowance: $9,450 (this is pre-tax)
Education Award: $2,626.27

Quarter Time- 450 hours
Living Allowance: $6,300 (this is pre-tax)
Education Award: $1,824.07

The Public Health AmeriCorps program offers the following additional benefits: 

  • Service-related mileage reimbursement
  • Access to professional development trainings

During service, you will receive:

  • A modest living allowance (available to most members)

  • Childcare and/or health benefits (available to some members)

  • Skills-based and professional development training

  • Forbearance for federally backed students loans; after you successfully complete your term of service, you are eligible to have the interest incurred during service paid in full.

After service, you will receive: 

  • Segal AmeriCorps Education Award to use on future educational expenses or to pay back qualified student loans. The value is dependent on length of service. Members 55+ are eligible to transfer their Education Award to a family member.

  • Competitive job edge in your job search, including access to a network of over 600 Employers of National Service 

Eligibility Requirements

To serve in AmeriCorps State and National, you must:

  • Be at least 17 years of age at the commencement of service. If an individual is under 18, parental consent is required to participate in an AmeriCorps Kansas Program.
  • Have a high school diploma, diploma completion certificate/GED, or agree to obtain such before using the education award.
  • Be a citizen, national, or lawful permanent resident requirement.
  • Satisfy the National Service Criminal History Check eligibility criteria.
  • Be available Monday through Friday between 8:30 am – 5:00 pm; some weekends and evenings required.

     

Open Positions

Hiring for Positions will open Fall 2023

The Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas Public Health Department will have 15 half-time AmeriCorps members who will serve in four teams focused on one of each of the following areas; tobacco cessation, Wyandotte County's community health improvement plan, COVID-19 education and outreach to unvaccinated residents including those a part of historically marginalized populations, and WyCo Connect.

KCK: Public Health AmeriCorps Wastewater Management Analyst - Kansas City, KS 66101 - Indeed.com

KCK: Public Health AmeriCorps Housing Education Associate - Kansas City, KS 66101 - Indeed.com

KCK: Public Health AmeriCorps Homeless Outreach Associate - Kansas City, KS 66101 - Indeed.com

 



 

 

 

 

How to Apply

Applying for an opportunity with the Public Health AmeriCorps Program takes a few simple steps in the application and interview process. 

If you are interested in more information regarding a position within the Public Health AmeriCorps program, as an initial application step, please email your resume to americorps@wycokck.org. In the body of the email please be sure to include which position(s) you are interested in applying for.  

Click Here to begin creating your AmeriCorps profile.

 

 

 

 

 

AmeriCorps Spotlights & News Articles

May 2022
"My Journey as a VISTA" - Blog Post by Melody Burns (UG Planning Urban Design VISTA) 

News Article - March 2022
"UG Celebrates AmeriCorps Partnership by Recognizing AmeriCorps Week" 

News Article - Feb. 2022
"UG AmeriCorps Grant Funding to Improve Community Health and Alleviate Poverty"

More AmeriCorps Information 

AmeriCorps is a federal agency that brings people together to tackle the county’s most pressing challenges through national service and volunteering. AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers serve with organizations dedicated to the improvement of communities. AmeriCorps helps make service to others a cornerstone of our national culture.

To learn more about AmeriCorps program, please visit AmeriCorps.gov.