AmeriCorps VISTA Program

What is AmeriCorps?

Across the country, people are asking what they can do to make a difference. And AmeriCorps is answering the call, responding to the growing demand to address challenges in education, public health, food insecurity, and economic uncertainty.

AmeriCorps, a federal agency, brings people together to tackle our country’s most pressing challenges, through national service and volunteering. AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers serve with organizations, like Nebraska Extension, that are dedicated to the improvement of communities. AmeriCorps helps make service to others a cornerstone of our national culture.

Learn more at AmeriCorps.gov.

Photo by AmeriCorps VISTA

Nebraska Extension Disaster Education

Nebraska Extension reaches learners of all ages through direct and indirect education. We share science-based information to improve quality of life in the areas of child and youth development; food, nutrition, and health; agriculture systems; and community development.

Two cross-cutting issues around which Extension programs and information are developed are poverty and disaster resilience. Through an integrated approach to education, we aim to increase the resilience of Nebraskans as they face disasters, equipping them with information, tools, and access to resources to transform their own lives.

Our AmeriCorps VISTA Program

Nebraska Extension is the public outreach and engagement branch of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and we develop and deliver meaningful educational resources and experiences to people of all ages. We have robust portfolios of projects in agriculture, human sciences, and community development, and we are growing our disaster education portfolio through our AmeriCorps VISTA program. We are a proud AmeriCorps partner.

Nebraska Extension Disaster Education AmeriCorps VISTA members will provide leadership to and coordinate disaster education projects in:

Climate Resilient Agriculture Outreach

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Food Systems Education and Outreach

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Healthy Food Incentives Programming

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Land Link Analytics

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Disaster Education AmeriCorps VISTA member applications are open and will be accepted on a rolling basis. To apply, follow the links above to the applications.

Benefits

In addition to making a difference, becoming part of an amazing network of service-minded people, and gaining new experiences, our AmeriCorps VISTA members will have access to many development opportunities and resources that include:

  • Conferences and online professional development through AmeriCorps
  • Professional development trainings from Nebraska Extension, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and other Extension systems
  • University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s resources such as on-campus libraries, lectures, workshops, newsletters, and online academic and professional learning resources
  • Building community with fellow VISTA members and other Lincoln-based AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers

In addition, benefits available to all VISTA members include but are not limited to:

  • Biweekly living allowance
  • Health benefit
  • End-of-service award
  • Reduction of education costs
  • Relocation allowance, if eligible
  • Childcare assistance, if eligible
  • Post-service federal employment incentives/priority
  • Training

For more information, please visit the benefits of service web page.

Eligibility

Eligible candidates for our AmeriCorps VISTA member positions will be:

  • A U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident
  • At least 18 years old
  • A college graduate (a minimum of a Bachelor's degree)
  • Able to commit one full year of full-time (40 hours/week) service
Qualifications
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills
  • Strong computer skills
  • Responsible and reliable
  • Critical thinker and creative problem-solver
  • Able to work in a dynamic environment, both independently and collaboratively

Contact

For questions or more information, contact Julien Hoffman, AmeriCorps VISTA program coordinator, julien.hoffman@unl.edu