Americorp

[ccbatson]

I want to start this thread as open ended as possible to find out what people on both sides think of Americorp. So, there it is...what do you think of Americorp?

[ccbatson]

Fascinating that nobody has anything to say about Americorp. Very revealing.

[6nois]

I personally feel that Americorp is a very important and vital program to communities across this country. I think it does a great service and is a very honorable program.

[oladub]

I know one guy who joined Americorp out of high school to earn a college stipend. He was ok with his experience. He was assigned to work in Portland, Oregon. His job was to ride the light rail back and forth and report any suspicious or illegal behavior. He would call in the situation and the police would board his light rail train at the next stop or two and deal with it. He was not provided with a weapon and was instructed to stay out of conflict. His job was just to call in the police.

I don't know why the federal government was providing this service, or subsidy, to Portland. It isn't a poor city. It could have provided the same service at its own expense. It worked out fine for this 'volunteer' however. He got to see another part of the country, was provided a communal place to live, and earned some money for college.

[ccbatson]

Interesting Oladub....potentially a "civil defense force". Where have I heard this recently? Oh yeah, Obama talked about expanding a civilian defense force with funding to equal the military [[ideally, according to Obama). He then proceeded to pave the way for 5 Billion dollars [[more) to go to Americorp.

What, or who would be the targets and mission of these empowered Obama youth corps? Who decides? Was the now defunct Flagg program to turn in conservative "liars" connected in any way?

[East Detroit]

It's Americorps, not Americorp.

A corps of volunteers who want to help others while building their own characters; not a corporation of money hungry idiots.

People who would never give of themselves to others and think altruism is slavery are thinly veiled in their bias and baiting about things like Americorps or the Peace Corps. Laughable to express pride in being a soulless being with no desire other than building a mountain of cash. Very revealing... again and again and again, ad nauseum.

[oladub]

East Detroit, Amerikorps is definitely not a get rich scheme for high school graduates but it doesn't require 'volunteers' to go around in sackcloth either. From its website-
What are the benefits of serving with AmeriCorps NCCC?
AmeriCorps NCCC members receive a living allowance of approximately $4,000 for the 10 months of service [[about $200 every two weeks before taxes), housing, meals, limited medical benefits, up to $400 a month for childcare, if necessary, member uniforms, and an education award of $4,725 upon successful completion of the program.
What do the medical benefits cover?
The medical benefits plan covers all injuries and/or illnesses suffered during service and most pharmacy needs. The plan does not cover medical care for pre-existing medical illnesses and/or injuries.
If accepted to the program will I have to pay for my transportation to the campus?
AmeriCorps NCCC will pay for your transportation to the campus from your home of record and back home when you have completed the program or whenever you leave the program permanently.
Do AmeriCorps NCCC members wear uniforms?



Yes. You are required to wear a uniform. Uniforms are issued to members when they report to the campus. The uniform colors are gray, black, and khaki. At a minimum, all members will receive the following items:

1. BDU [[battle dress uniform) pants--black & khaki
2. Khaki shorts
3. T-shirts [[short and long-sleeve)
4. Polo shirts [[short and long-sleeve)
5. Hooded sweatshirt
6. Winter parka
7. Steel-toed work boots
8. Baseball cap
9. Fleece vest
10. Coveralls

Other uniform items may also be provided depending on the campus where you are assigned.
http://www.americorps.gov/for_indivi...ex.asp#getpaid

Up to $9,450 of college stipends may be earned by 'volunteers'.That's not a "mountain of cash" but it is a respectable amount for high school graduates to otherwise save in 20 months. The room, board, health insurance, uniforms, travel, and earned stipends must be worth about $15,000/10 months or about $18,000 per annum. I doubt that young McDonald's volunteers do that well.

[Detroitej72]

Interesting Oladub....potentially a "civil defense force". Where have I heard this recently? Oh yeah, Obama talked about expanding a civilian defense force with funding to equal the military [[ideally, according to Obama).

And how is that any different than your man Bush, after 911 encouraging American's to spy on their fellow patriots, and report them to authorities?

Oh, wait, Bush was catering to the right wing, therefor he was a "good guy", and anyone left of the right wing messiah must clearly have an evil agenda, and a sinister motive.

All the right wing folks need to wake up and realize that our shadow government[[and the ruling oligarchy) is firmly in power, and no one party or platform is really calling the shots, despite what you guys hear on Fox News.

[Mikeg]

volunteer [[vŏl'ən-tîr'):

v.intr. To do charitable or helpful work without pay
n. A person who performs or offers to perform a service voluntarily

Americorps "volunteer":

v.intr. To do qualifying charitable or helpful work in return for taxpayer money that is dispensed by federal and state government bureaucrats
n. A person who performs or offers to perform a qualified service in return for compensation from the federal and state government bureaucracy

[elganned]

And what is your point Mikeg? That Americorps "volunteers" are not "real" volunteers because they are paid?

Is a volunteer for the armed services no less a volunteer because he or she is paid by the US government? The definition of volunteer in this instance is a person who enters into service by choice, without outside coercion. Americorps volunteers qualify no less than military volunteers.

[Mikeg]

My points are several but they do not include disparaging those who are actually doing the helpful work:

• why aren't there any volunteers willing to perform these services without compensation for their time? Is it because there are no local charities who feel it is within their charter or is it because the need is not identified by the community as a high enough priority?
• why doesn't the local government fund these services directly? Is it because local governments feel that they are not a high enough priority to devote any of their scarce budget dollars? Is it because they can offload a service they should be providing by using volunteers who are paid from federal and state grants?
• why do we need a host of federally and state-funded alphabet soup bureaucracies to administer these volunteer programs? Unlike with most registered charities, nowhere can you find the percentage of money spent that makes its way to those who are actually doing the helpful work. Maybe in the world of political and government newspeak, the "overhead" bureaucrats are also considered to be "volunteers"?

[oladub]

One high school graduate works at McDonalds where he earns $7.25/hour or about $14,500/year which is taxable. He feeds the hungry. He receives no room, board, health insurance, travel, or college stipends. He only gets a McDonald's shirt and cap for a uniform.

Another high school graduate earns about $18,000 per annum working for Amerikorps [[see 5 posts below), gets taxed at a lower rate, and even gets steel toed boots, a cool hooded sweatshirt, and black and khaki BDU pants. He makes hiking trails in a park for middle class campers.

Why would any same teenager want to work at McDonald's when he/she could make more benefits being an Amerikorps 'volunteer'?

[gazhekwe]

There is so much hysteria on here again, it is hard to keep a clear vision of what is being accomplished versus all the dark and dastardly underlying intentions.

I am in favor of community service. Preparing young people for service to their communities and compensating them as they learn and serve is a great way of attending to community needs.

Making it a voluntary service is good, like the Peace Corps. In our current state, military service is also voluntary. I equate the two, both are service to the country. They are similar, in that both are compensated by a so-called living wage, because the volunteer is required to provide full time service and would otherwise be unable to subsist with no wages.

It is quite likely that Americorps volunteers are not putting their lives on the line as are wartime military volunteers. Therefore, the wartime military volunteers should receive additional compensation.

All that being said, civilian services are difficult as you are living in the community you are serving. Evidence of enjoyment of life outside service can be regarded negatively by community members and detract from the community's receptiveness. As an example, some Vista members were assigned to assist students in a small community. The did their work and I believe helped their students to do better. They liked to party when they were not working which caused some negative tongue wagging, and the community did not continue the services after the first year. Clearly, value is dependent on the strength of the program, the commitment of the volunteers, and the relationship to the community being served.

These services are needed in all our communities and community involvement is crucial.

AmeriCorps members address critical needs in communities all across America. As an AmeriCorps member, you can:

• Tutor and mentor disadvantaged youth
• Fight illiteracy
• Improve health services
• Build affordable housing
• Teach computer skills
• Clean parks and streams
• Manage or operate after-school programs
• Help communities respond to disasters
• Build organizational capacity

http://www.americorps.gov/about/ac/index.asp