Join the Preserve WV AmeriCorps Team!
Updated 09/25/2024 - Now Seeking Candidates for AmeriCorps one-year service terms to begin on Monday, October 7, 2024. Current opportunities include:
- Cockayne Farmstead, Glen Dale
- Monongahela National Forest Heritage Department, Elkins
- Rivers to Ridges Heritage Trail, Point Pleasant
- Wheeling Heritage, Wheeling
Cockayne Farmstead |
Monongahela National Forest Heritage Program Historic Trades Team |
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Location: Glen Dale (Ohio County)
Do you love history and sharing this passion with people of all ages and backgrounds? Step back in time with the Cockayne Farmstead, a 19th century historic property owned and managed by the Marshall County Historical Society, a grassroots organization charged with preserving historic buildings and a vast collection of over 3500 19th and early 20th century artifacts. Join their team as the AmeriCorps Heritage Coordinator where you can make a positive impact on the local community by providing, expanding, and developing children’s programming. The historic Cockayne Farmstead is a unique historic site unlike any other in Marshall County, West Virginia. The Farmstead consists of an historic, National Register listed farmhouse built ca. 1850, a prehistoric earthen mound, and a large collection of 19th Century family artifacts and documents spanning the Cockayne family’s residence from 1850-2001. The 1850 farmhouse has been described as “frozen in time,” with the last major renovation occurring around the turn of the 20th century. The exterior house has been restored, but the interior has been preserved in place. The Heritage Coordinator will serve at the Cockayne Farmstead for 20 hours per week. Generally, service will occur Monday through Friday between the hours of 9 am - 5 pm. Occasional evening and weekend service hours will be required due to special events. The main duties of the AmeriCorps Heritage Coordinator will include:
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Location: Elkins (Randolph County)
Three Full-time Opportunities Available! Serve with the AmeriCorps Historic Trades Team and gain new skills while preserving unique cultural resources in the Monongahela National Forest. This three-person team will serve closely alongside their site supervisor, who is an Architectural Historian for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service, to complete hands-on historic preservation and documentation projects across 10 counties. The Monongahela National Forest is a unit of the USDA Forest Service and includes approximately 920,000 acres throughout the Allegheny Highlands region of West Virginia - an area world renowned for its rugged landscape and spectacular views, rivers, blueberry thickets, highland bogs, and open areas with exposed rocks. The Heritage Program is tasked with the management of a wealth of above-ground cultural resources throughout the forest including transportation resources, homesites, recreation resources from the mid-century and CCC-era, and more. The AmeriCorps Historic Trades Team Member will serve approximately 35-40 hours per week. The team will primarily serve as a unit conducting hands-on historic preservation repairs and maintenance on cultural resources and will be based at the Forest Service headquarters in Elkins. Regional travel will be required to complete projects. The Forest Service may provide transportation for team activities requiring regional travel. Team activities will primarily focus on three programmatic areas with the goal of enhancing the stewardship and use of cultural resources, including: (1) Hands-on Historic Trades to Address Deferred Maintenance
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Location: Point Pleasant (Mason County)
Rivers to Ridges Heritage Trail seeks a full-time AmeriCorps Heritage Coordinator to provide support to three primary coalition entities in Point Pleasant collaborating to enhance cultural heritage tourism and education activities in the lower Kanawha River Valley. Rivers to Ridges Heritage Trail is a regional nonprofit organization serving Mason, Putnam, and western Kanawha Counties. Their mission is to enhance and promote economic activities, through technical and financial assistance for the development of a tourism corridor which follows the Kanawha River from Nitro, WV to Point Pleasant, WV. The AmeriCorps Heritage Coordinator will serve 35-40 hours per week, Monday through Friday, with occasional weekend and evening service hours for special events and meetings. The primary service location will be the Main Street Point Pleasant office, however, some travel will be required within the 3 counties for service activities. Additionally, some on-site service will be required at the West Virginia State Farm Museum, also located in Point Pleasant. The main responsibilities of this service opportunity will be to:
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Location: Wheeling (Ohio County)
Are you interested in designing meaningful public history programs that connect the past to the present? Join the team at Wheeling Heritage, whose mission is to be a catalyst for Wheeling's revitalization. As the birthplace of West Virginia and an early industrial hub along the Ohio River, Wheeling holds a unique place in American history. Its designation by Congress as a National Heritage Area provides an effective way to tell the stories of its rich cultural past and to conserve its natural and historic resources. Serve 35-40 hours per week at the Wheeling Heritage headquarters in historic downtown Wheeling. Some city-wide travel will be required, as well as some service hours in the evenings and on the weekends for special events. The main responsibilities will be to:
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AMERICORPS REQUIREMENTS PRIOR TO SERVICE
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AMERICORPS SERVICE EXPECTATIONS
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AMERICORPS MEMBER BENEFITS
Did you know? You can serve with Preserve WV AmeriCorps for up to 4 years (or terms) and receive 2 full-time education awards totaling over $14,000 & up to 8 tuition waivers!
- STIPEND: AmeriCorps members receive an annual stipend that is disbursed on a bi-monthly payment schedule over the course of the year. The amount of the stipend is based on the type of service slot.
- Full-time (35-40 hours/week) - $22,000 annual stipend
- Half-time members (15-20 hours/week) - $11,000 annual stipend - EDUCATION AWARD: AmeriCorps members will receive a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award upon the successful completion of their term of service. The educational award can be used for tuition at most colleges, technical, and vocational schools, or for the repayment of qualified, federal student loans. Members 55 or older may choose to transfer their award to a child, stepchild, or grandchild. AmeriCorps members can receive educational awards for the equivalent of 2 full-time service terms. The value of the educational award for the upcoming term is:
- Full-time - $7,395.00
- Half-time - $3,697.50 - AUTOMATIC STUDENT LOAN DEFERMENT & INTEREST PAID: Members’ qualified student loans can be deferred during AmeriCorps service, with the accumulated loan interest paid by AmeriCorps at the end of the deferred period.
- WV UNIVERSITY/COLLEGE TUITION & FEE WAIVER: For every 600 hours of service, AmeriCorps members will receive a waiver for one semester’s tuition and fees to undergraduate or graduate programs at public colleges and universities in West Virginia. AmeriCorps members are eligible for up to 8 semesters of tuition waivers, meaning that after you have accepted every other form of financial aid available to you (not including loans and work study), the WV AmeriCorps Tuition Waiver can be applied to cover your remaining balance of tuition and fees. You are not required to accept offers of student loans or work study assistance before applying the tuition waiver.
- HEALTH INSURANCE: Group health insurance is available for full-time members who do not have health insurance or do not qualify for Medicaid.
- CHILDCARE SUBSIDY: Full-time AmeriCorps members have the option to apply for childcare coverage provided by AmeriCorps
Did you know? You can serve with Preserve WV AmeriCorps for up to 4 years (or terms) and receive 2 full-time education awards totaling over $14,000 & up to 8 tuition waivers!
SKILLS SUGGESTED FOR THIS PROGRAM
- Demonstrable historical research abilities
- Good written and verbal communication skills, including public speaking
- Good organizational skills, required to work on multiple tasks for event coordination and volunteer management purposes
- Comfortable working with different types of people
- Responsible and able to be self-directed and take the initiative
- Experience with historical resources, public history, or historic preservation (or ability to prove you can learn)
- Some leadership experience
- Computer experience: online research, email, Microsoft Office (including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint), Google Drive, and social media
- Must be willing and able to travel statewide for various trainings and for service at some sites
HOW TO APPLY
1.) Send a written cover letter and your resume with contact information for two professional references to AmeriCorps program director at [email protected].
The cover letter should directly reference the description of the position the applicant is applying to and speak to how the applicant's interests, experience, and career goals are a good match for that particular service opportunity. Position descriptions for all available service opportunities can be found below. If interested, applicants may use the cover letter to apply for more than one position.
2.) Submit an AmeriCorps application under the "Preserve WV AmeriCorps" listing. You will need to create an account to submit this application. For problems creating and submitting an application, contact the National Service hotline at 1-800-942-2677.
1.) Send a written cover letter and your resume with contact information for two professional references to AmeriCorps program director at [email protected].
The cover letter should directly reference the description of the position the applicant is applying to and speak to how the applicant's interests, experience, and career goals are a good match for that particular service opportunity. Position descriptions for all available service opportunities can be found below. If interested, applicants may use the cover letter to apply for more than one position.
2.) Submit an AmeriCorps application under the "Preserve WV AmeriCorps" listing. You will need to create an account to submit this application. For problems creating and submitting an application, contact the National Service hotline at 1-800-942-2677.
WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATION?
If an applicant looks like a good fit for the Preserve WV program, program staff will reach out via email to set up a “get to know you” phone interview. After this initial phone interview, program staff will then pass along all application materials to the site supervisors of the individual service opportunities the applicant expressed interest in.
If a supervisor believes an applicant is a good candidate for their site, the supervisor will reach out to set up an additional interview (either by phone, Skype, or in person).
n order to be selected to serve at a site, you will need to be approved both by the program staff and the site supervisor.
Following your interviews, completion of all application paperwork, and the checking of your references (from the MyAmeriCorps application form), program staff will make offers to selected candidates on a rolling basis. The program may be able to hold your offer open for a limited time if you are considering multiple options; please let program staff know if you have time constraints. Service opportunities will be filled on an ongoing basis throughout the summer (and, if necessary, the fall) until none remain open.
If you are accepted into the program, program staff will then let you know other steps required for enrollment (such as background checks and paperwork) and can (if necessary) provide helpful information for relocating.
If an applicant looks like a good fit for the Preserve WV program, program staff will reach out via email to set up a “get to know you” phone interview. After this initial phone interview, program staff will then pass along all application materials to the site supervisors of the individual service opportunities the applicant expressed interest in.
If a supervisor believes an applicant is a good candidate for their site, the supervisor will reach out to set up an additional interview (either by phone, Skype, or in person).
n order to be selected to serve at a site, you will need to be approved both by the program staff and the site supervisor.
Following your interviews, completion of all application paperwork, and the checking of your references (from the MyAmeriCorps application form), program staff will make offers to selected candidates on a rolling basis. The program may be able to hold your offer open for a limited time if you are considering multiple options; please let program staff know if you have time constraints. Service opportunities will be filled on an ongoing basis throughout the summer (and, if necessary, the fall) until none remain open.
If you are accepted into the program, program staff will then let you know other steps required for enrollment (such as background checks and paperwork) and can (if necessary) provide helpful information for relocating.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY NOTICE
Participation in the Preserve WV AmeriCorps (or any other CNCS) program is based on merit and equal opportunity for all, without regard to factors such as race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, political affiliation, marital or parental status, military service, or religious, community, or social affiliations. You have a right to reasonable accommodation for disabilities. Programs must furnish reasonable accommodations for the known physical and mental limitations of qualified AmeriCorps members.
If you believe your rights have been violated, you may report such violations to the directors of your program of whom must establish and maintain a procedure for filing and adjudicating certain grievances. You may also file discrimination-related grievances with the Equal Opportunity Counselor of AmeriCorps at (202) 606-5000, ext. 312 (voice), or 1 (800) 942-2677.
Participation in the Preserve WV AmeriCorps (or any other CNCS) program is based on merit and equal opportunity for all, without regard to factors such as race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, political affiliation, marital or parental status, military service, or religious, community, or social affiliations. You have a right to reasonable accommodation for disabilities. Programs must furnish reasonable accommodations for the known physical and mental limitations of qualified AmeriCorps members.
If you believe your rights have been violated, you may report such violations to the directors of your program of whom must establish and maintain a procedure for filing and adjudicating certain grievances. You may also file discrimination-related grievances with the Equal Opportunity Counselor of AmeriCorps at (202) 606-5000, ext. 312 (voice), or 1 (800) 942-2677.
