AmeriCorps Reviews

Pros

Working with peers, traveling, opens minds and horizons

Cons

Pay, rules and write ups for random things, team leaders with no experience as corps members

Pros

The facilitators do a lot to make your experience worthwhile. There are so many trainings and small group exercises outside of the actual job, you have no idea! This in particular is something that is transferrable in a professional setting. Aside from that you develop actual friendships and build a network of people among peers and members of the community.

As for the the actual job, there are no surprises, you're trained for what your job is and there is tons of support from the facilitators and on-site staff.

Cons

There is a lot of paperwork, but it's necessary and good exposure to the reality of documentation and recording hours in the work place. The days are long, but rewarding in the end.

Advice to Senior Management

Be mindful of the activities during the weekly meetings to make sure they are always relevant.

Pros

Help People
Good work experience
Meet good piers

Cons

Not enough in stipend to live in Chicago
Chicago office not helpful at all in bad situations
Seem to take advantage of good-hearted people
Positions take the place of a potential employee
"National Service" was not an acceptable reason for student loan deferment

Advice to Senior Management

Have a more open atmosphere to help VISTAs
Return emails
Be more involved with what Vista's are doing
Allow transfers after the start of 6th month
Allow previous months to go toward other future service

Pros

Well known, highly regarded, good experience

Cons

Money, poor benefits, difficult to advance

Advice to Senior Management

Offer better job placement opportunities after the service year is over.

Pros

Americorps is a great place to work straight out of undergrad if you aren't sure what you want to do yet. The experience is highly rewarding as you are often in direct service of those in need of it. Furthermore, while you serve your loans are put in forbearance and accrued interest is paid off for you. Although the pay isn't high, since it is a full time volunteer position, you can receive an education award of about $5,500 (as of 2012) to go towards education related expenses.

Cons

You will put in many hours of work. At times you may feel burned out, underappreciated, underpaid, and taken advantage of. I've accepted it all as being part of the experience of service. The education award is also taxable income, so don't spend it all at once otherwise you will be paying roughly $500 in taxes for that year.

Advice to Senior Management

Make the education award tax exempt. Americorps members break their back putting in often about 60 hours a week, get paid almost nothing, and yet the award at the end is taxable? It is an outrage. I'm aware of the bill in congress to eliminate this tax, but I think more can be done to push it through.

Pros

Student loan forbearance (interest accrued during service is also paid for by AmeriCorps), receive up to $200 a month in food aid, many opportunities to complete service hours

Cons

Lack of professional development; low compensation; poor leadership, communication, and management (in regard to supervisors and upper management); disorganized

Advice to Senior Management

I feel that BAYAC Americorps, specifically, should take a serious look at those in leadership positions. I have heard that some others who have served in an AmeriCorps position had positive experiences, but I cannot agree due to the disorganized leadership and lack of professional development.

Pros

You are stretched out of your comfort zone, applying your skills and talents to come up with innovative ways to reach your goals. You get to be a part of something bigger and positive. You gain lots of actual job skills and experience. Great for coming right out of high school or graduating from college.

Cons

Takes up lots of time and you don't really make much (of course, you know that when you sign up). Learn to balance your personal and professional life here, as it will be very easy to take on too much and get overwhelmed/burned out.

Advice to Senior Management

Be clear about your program goals and always be supportive of your volunteers.

Pros

Network with people in an industry that interests you.
Possible job offers
Generous time off
Federal loans are deferred
Segal Education Award
Experience

Cons

Lack of respect
Low pay
Private loans are not deferred
May not have much to do

Advice to Senior Management

Don't fool people into thinking that their year as an AmeriCorps member will be awesome. Tell the truth; some people will have a challenging year.

Pros

The education award and it looks great on a resume. A lot of people are getting jobs through the people they work with here.

Cons

The pay is nothing. You do get food stamps but depending on where you live it may or may not be that great.

Pros

The people are nice. In my position, at least, you get to travel a bit. You learn job skills that will help you in the long run.

Cons

Organization is not the strong point in many Americorps programs. Working in nonprofits can also have political challenges within organizations, and funding is always tight, which can interfere with doing the best job you can.