Choosing what to do after college can be a daunting task. Whether it’s applying for entry-level jobs with less-than-stellar pay or racking up your debt in graduate school, the options for recent college grads seem to be nothing more than ways to thin out wallets. Fortunately, there are other options, and one of them includes the AmeriCorps VISTA program.
AmeriCorps VISTA is a program designed to help fight poverty in America. Each year, about 6,500 Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) are placed in more than 1,200 low-income communities to assist the local nonprofits and public agencies. According to the AmeriCorps website, VISTA members “focus their efforts on building the organizational, administrative, and financial capacity of organizations that fight illiteracy, improve health services, foster economic develop, and otherwise assist low-income communities.”
The program is a one year program. VISTA members receive healthcare benefits while in service, as well as childcare assistance if needed. Student loans can be deferred and there is a modest stipend to cover living expenses. Stipends are typically low, because part of the program is about understanding how to live at or around the poverty line.
Maeve Rafferty is a recent college graduate who chose the AmeriCorps VISTA program to get more experience in the non-profit sector. She is currently working at CitySeed in New Haven, a non-profit that works to improve local food access and sustainability. When asked about the small stipend, Maeve said, “It could be a drawback, but I think it’s neat because you learn to live simply and you learn financial responsibility.”
While the pay is low, VISTA members reap the benefits of their service at the end of their yearlong commitment. Members have access to the strong network of VISTA alumni and have a top-notch resume booster. Additionally, members have the option of choosing a scholarship ($5,500) or a post-service stipend ($1,500).
Rafferty says other benefits include choosing the state you live in (she attended James Madison University and is originally from Maryland) and the support you get along the way.
“You’re in this job but people are really looking out for you and making sure you have all you need because they know you’re not making much. They really want you to have this worthwhile experience and really cater a program toward what you’re hoping to gain, and what skills you’re hoping to get better at, improve, or learn.”
All VISTA members have goals that they set out to achieve. Rafferty’s main goal is to help ensure that low-income residents of New Haven have access to healthy food, and all the information they need to know about it. She is starting with a needs assessment and developing a survey to be given out to at least 200 residents. With the results of the survey, she hopes to produce an educational and outreach program.
In the VISTA program, Rafferty says, “it’s building capacity and sustainability, and that basically means creating programs that last and reach your goal. So, when you leave, the programs stay in place.”
AmeriCorps has many other programs, some of which include direct service, meaning participants will do something like building homes. To find out more about the VISTA program and AmeriCorps, visit AmeriCorps.gov. Remember, there is more to your post-grad life than a job or further schooling, so consider all of your options. Service may be something you’ve overlooked in the past, but it could make a real difference in your life, and the lives of others.
