NeighborLink is fortunate to continue their partnership with the Corporation for National and Community Service, and we have two new AmeriCorps VISTA positions that we are currently recruiting for. AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) members serve full-time for a year at nonprofit organizations or local government agencies to build the capacity of their organization. Projects can vary from developing outreach and marketing campaigns, building a social media presence, creating a program database, managing a program in its first year, and recruiting volunteers.
Click here to watch a brief video on the benefits on being part of AmeriCorps.
We are currently recruiting AmeriCorps VISTA members for a community relations and research coordinator and a volunteer mobilization coordinator position. This gives NeighborLink the ability to increase our capacity while we grow as an organization, provide some phenomenal benefits to post-graduate candidates who may need a bit of space to figure out what is right for their career trajectory, and to evaluate new program areas. The right candidates will be passionate about serving their community in a real and tangible way.
Below is more information on each of the positions we are looking to fill by May/June:
Community Relations & Research Coordinator:
Housing and community are vital attributes to an engaged and flourishing neighborhood, and there is a need in five Fort Wayne neighborhoods to tackle the community-identified housing stability issues through strategic research, planning, and convening. NeighborLink’s collective volunteer mobilization experience of tackling projects few want to do has shown us these systemic issues that aren’t being addressed through traditional economic initiatives. As a VISTA member you will build capacity within our community relations team as we dig deeper into our research project titled, “What Makes a Healthy Neighborhood, Healthy.” Our intent is to go into specific neighborhoods to engage with them and gain an accurate understanding of the neighborhood’s issues based on the neighbors’ needs, and develop a comprehensive plan to address those issues. By gathering this insight directly from neighbors, we hope to move the meter of what neighborhoods need to thrive and help bring stability. In addition to the research efforts, we will continue to focus volunteer mobilization in these areas to address their needs.
Volunteer Mobilization Coordinator:
Since 2003, NeighborLink volunteers have completed over 10,000 home repair projects for vulnerable, fixed and low-income neighbors in Allen County. Volunteers come to NeighborLink from churches, civic groups, businesses, neighborhoods, or family units. The primary goal of the VISTA member is to enhance outreach of volunteer mobilization by increasing the number of groups/communities that take on NeighborLink projects, coordinate volunteer experiences that includes project management, securing resources, and ensuring satisfaction, and build relationships along the way. We know there are many more businesses, organizations, churches, and small groups within our community looking for ways to serve, and we are hoping the VISTA member will be able to help NeighborLink grow in this capacity.
If this is something you might be interested in, click here to find out more information on how to apply through AmeriCorps. We also find this FAQ page to be really helpful.
To get more information on each specific opportunity listing on the AmeriCorps website check out the links below:
Community Relations & Research Coordinator
Volunteer Mobilization Coordinator
If you have any questions about the program, benefits, duties, please reach out to Megan at megan@nlfw.org.
