What I liked
The North Country AmeriCorps VISTA Project aims to address the educational, residential, and behavioral health needs of our low-income community in Upstate New York. It is a collaboration of nine organizations that cover education, employment, behavioral health care, and agriculture. As an AmeriCorps VISTA, I use my background in health care and health policy to support Behavioral Health Services North (BHSN): a regional leader in behavioral health services with twenty-four programs that span from newborn parenting education to elderly caregiver respite.
In the past four months of service, I have researched and co-written three grant proposals, supported two company-wide evaluation committees, implemented a new grant-funded program that I applied for, and designed several marketing and training tools for the company.
What I like about being an AmeriCorps VISTA:
1. Independence: In the regular AmeriCorps program, program supervisors are mentors and AmeriCorps members complete the work done within a program (direct service). In AmeriCorps VISTA, VISTAs develop large scale projects that support a program’s capacity (indirect service). VISTAs are relied on as professionals in their field. You are responsible for programs you design, materials you create, and initiatives you recommend.
2. Challenging nature of the position: I do not have formal research and business experience. Four months ago, Six Sigma, rapid-cycle change, and marketing strategies were foreign concepts. However, I have been able to use skills gained in previous professional and educational experiences to figure out ways to support BHSN.
3. VISTA support and broad scope of skills gained: AmeriCorps VISTA offers free online courses, webinars, and trainings to help VISTAs develop skills that will ultimately support their sites.
4. Meaningful work: This is the second year of the North Country AmeriCorps VISTA Project and I am the first VISTA at BHSN. It is exciting to be trailblazing rural health policy research. Last year three VISTAs brought in 9.5 million dollars in grants to the project. The grants were used to support kindergarten readiness assessments and other community-based initiatives.
5. Gap year experience: Great launching point to go into school or your desired career. I’m going to medical school next year, and last year’s Project Manager got her dream job at PBS after service.
6. AmeriCorps Benefits: There are many that you can look up online. Two in particular that I like are the end-of-service education award (scholarship) and the year of service counting towards federal government work, which can eventually mean federal loan forgiveness if I work for the government for a total of 10 years.
7. Working with people who are passionate about their communities.