Full-Time Community Engagement Specialist- AmeriCorps Member (AL, SC)

 Many young adults graduate college with a drive to change their world and learn the best ways to support under-resourced communities. Impact America provides an opportunity for recent graduates to engage with their communities in a meaningful way, broadening their perspectives and making a real impact. Individuals who serve as AmeriCorps members (Specialists and Coordinators) with Impact America spend a year of service after graduation at a nationally recognized organization working to mitigate the effects of poverty, while also gaining professional experience and a broadened perspective.

Location:

 Positions are currently available in Birmingham, AL; Memphis, TN; and Greenville, SC

Position Description: 

Community Engagement Specialists serving with Impact America engage with communities through Impact’s two initiatives: FocusFirst and SaveFirst. FocusFirst ensures that children in urban and rural communities receive comprehensive vision care during their crucial formative years. SaveFirst provides opportunities for financial skill development to low-to-moderate-income individuals and families. 

Community Engagement Specialists execute all initiatives that operate in their state of service, as well as recruit and manage the service of college students and other volunteers as they participate in those initiatives. Community Engagement Specialists are in the community nearly every day, collaborating with community partners and interacting with a diverse group of people, ranging from preschoolers to college students to working parents. 

Position Responsibilities 

FocusFirst (AL, TN, SC): 

● Attend training on FocusFirst screening equipment/procedures.

 ● Conduct vision screenings at Head Starts and daycare centers throughout your state of service. 

● Process results from vision screenings to ensure that follow-up care is provided for all children who need it. 

● Recruit and lead volunteers to assist with screenings, as needed. 

SaveFirst (AL, TN, SC): 

● Obtain certification as an Advanced Volunteer Tax Preparer through the SaveFirst training program

 ● Recruit and train college students and community volunteers on tax law. 

● Manage volunteers service at community-based sites.

 ● Implement marketing strategies to encourage families to utilize free tax preparation. 

● Operate tax preparation sites in local communities.

 ● Provide opportunities for financial skill development to low-to-moderate-income individuals and families

Supervisor: Program Manager

Time Commitment: August 2024- May 2025 

Service Conditions and Time Requirement:  

AmeriCorps members will serve an average of 40 hours per week. Applicants must have reliable transportation. This position may include an irregular schedule and seasonal shifts in workload. It sometimes requires weekends, evenings, early mornings, and off-peak hours. Work will involve conducting direct service in communities of need, outside of an office setting as well as sedentary physical activity requiring sitting for periods 50% or more time is spent looking directly at a computer

Travel: AmeriCorps members serving with Impact America should expect frequent travel across their state, including overnight travel. AmeriCorps members should expect approximately 50% of their time will be spent traveling to provide service.

Skills Required: Successful candidates will have a record of community service and/or civic engagement, leadership skills, the ability to work well with a diverse group of individuals (e.g., college students, children, community partners), demonstrate flexibility and have a positive attitude.

Academic Qualifications: Members must have completed a college degree or have plans to complete the degree within the first six months of the term of service (this exception may be made on a case-by-case basis with prior approval). 

Bi-weekly Living Stipend for AmeriCorps Members

 First Term: $1,085 biweekly

 Second Term: $1,130 biweekly 

Third Term: $1,175 biweekly 

Fourth Term: $1,220 biweekly

Personal Time Off 

First Term: 14 days 

Second Term: 16 days 

Third & Fourth Term: 18 days 

PTO includes vacation, personal sickness, family sickness, medical or dental appointments exceeding two hours, religious holidays not included in the regular holiday calendar, family activities, grad school application tasks (exams, interviews, school visits, etc), and any activity which prevents the member from participating in service as scheduled. 

Holidays Impact America is closed for the following holidays: 

Labor Day - 1 day 

Indigenous People's Day - 1 day

 Thanksgiving - 3 days 

Winter Break- 6 days 

Spring Break- 2 days 

Additional Information:

 Impact America is an AmeriCorps Program®. Benefits include the following: ·

Meals when providing service outside of your home county · 

Mileage reimbursement when driving your personal car for service ·

 All travel costs during overnight trips (hotel, rental car, meals)

 · Ongoing professional development and training 

Health Insurance

 A health benefits policy is administered by The Corps Network/CIGNA and is available to members upon request. If the member currently has other coverage (through a spouse, parent, or individual plan), they must sign a waiver of health insurance coverage which indicates that they have been made aware of the availability of health benefits and have chosen not to enroll.

Childcare Allowance 

The allowance will be provided directly to a child care provider determined by AmeriCorps, if the member qualifies for the allowance. The child care allowance will distribute this allowance evenly over the term of service on a bi-weekly basis.

Education Award For successful completion of a full-time 1,200-hour term, the member will receive an education award in the amount of $4,826.50. The member understands that their failure to disclose to the Program any history of having been released for cause from another AmeriCorps Program will render them ineligible to receive the education award. The member is entitled to two (2) full time education awards in the course of their life, even if they serve for more than two terms of service. 

Student Loan Forbearance If the member has received forbearance on a qualified student loan during the term of service, the National Service Trust will repay a portion or all of the interest that accrued on the loan during the term of service. Note: The term of service may differ from your time commitment with the program.

Eligibility Requirements: 

· Documentation of status as a U.S. Citizen, U.S. National, or lawful permanent resident alien (AmeriCorps eligibility requirement)

 · Completion of a college degree (exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis with prior approval) 

· Submit to a criminal background check, including an FBI check, NSOPW check, a statewide check in the applicant’s state of residence at the time of application, a statewide check in the applicant’s state of service (if different than the state of residence) 

· At least 18 years of age Impact America welcomes applications from individuals with disabilities. 

We have sought to identify the essential functions and physical requirements of all service positions and will make reasonable accommodations through scheduling, task reassignment, and other methods to accommodate applicants and AmeriCorps members. Please contact us should you need accommodations to apply. 

About Impact America Impact America is committed to improving lives by engaging, empowering, and supporting access to critical resources needed by individuals, families, and local communities through its health, education, and financial initiatives.

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