WE’RE RECRUITING PRESERVE WV AMERICORPS MEMBERS – APPLY TODAY!

PAWV is recruiting for Preserve WV AmeriCorps members for the 2017-2018 program year.

The purpose of the Preserve WV AmeriCorps program is to implement historic preservation and heritage tourism projects throughout West Virginia by way of historic resource re-use, improvement, development, and interpretation.  Members’ service will emphasize community development and revitalization through projects focused on historic preservation, volunteer management, and cultural heritage tourism development.

Preserve WV AmeriCorps members will be placed with individual sites throughout the state of West Virginia, ranging from museums and archives to Main Street organizations and city agencies.  Positions open for recruitment are noted below.  For more information about position descriptions, contact dlapresta@pawv.org.

Positions Open for RecruitmentFull-time Positions (1750 Hours for One Year)

• Charleston Main Streets (Charleston, Kanawha County)
• City of Charles Town (Charles Town, Jefferson County)
• Cockayne Farmstead (Glen Dale, Marshall County)
• New River Gorge National River (Glen Jean, Fayette County)
• Ohio County Public Library Archives (Wheeling, Ohio County)
• Waldomore (Clarksburg, Harrison County)

Half-time Positions (950 Hours for One Year)

• Old Hemlock Foundation (Bruceton Mills, Preston County)
• Pricketts Fort (Fairmont, Marion County)

More Information:The program start date and the required orientation will be August 28, 2017.

All members must commit to serving for 11 ½ to 12 months (unless otherwise noted), with full-time members serving 1750 hours and half-time members serving 950 hours.

Full-time members (1750 hours) will receive a $12,600 living allowance payable in 23 bi-weekly installments.  Members qualify for student loan forbearance during their service year. Workers Compensation insurance and health insurance will be provided for members. A child care subsidy can be available for qualified candidates. Unemployment coverage is not included.

Half-time members (950 hours) will receive a $6,300 living allowance payable in 23 bi-weekly installments.  Students currently enrolled in an institute of higher learning are encouraged to apply for the half-time member positions, as the service time and projects for these positions may be used toward internship requirements (if approved by your institution).  Workers compensation insurance will be provided.  A child care subsidy can be available for qualified candidates. Unemployment and health insurance coverage are not included.

All members are responsible for their own living arrangements and cost. No resettlement or moving allowance is included.

All members will receive a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award at the successful completion of their term of service.  The educational award for full-time members is equivalent to the Pell Grant amount and is subject to change annually.  (It was $5,775 for the 2016-2017 program year.)  The educational award for half-time members is pro-rated according to their service time and will, on average, be half of what a full-time member receives.  Members with uncompleted terms or uncompleted hours do not receive an educational award. The educational award can be used for tuition at most colleges, technical, and vocational schools, or for the repayment of qualified student loans. Under new rules, some members 55 or older may choose to transfer their award to a child or grandchild. Existing qualified student loans can be deferred during members’ AmeriCorps service, with their loan interest paid for the deferred period.

Member Requirements:

• The member must be a US citizen, US national, or lawful permanent resident alien.
• The member must have a high school diploma or GED and be at least 17 years old at the start of service.
• The member must honestly record any criminal history with the program director and must have a clear record, with no murder or sexual assault convictions.
• The member will be required to attend two days of orientation with other members and their supervisors, August 28 – 29, 2017, at a central location to be determined. Orientation will focus on the AmeriCorps program policies, procedures, and prohibited activities, as well as on planning service activities and completing required surveys.
• Members must attend the statewide AmeriCorps Swearing-in Ceremony and a special civic service project, both occurring in Charleston on October 11, 2017.
• Members will be required to participate in three total Civic Service Project days: one on October 11, 2017, another on January 15, 2018 (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day), and April at a date to be determined. Other service days may be planned, and members can participate if desired and count this as AmeriCorps service time.
• Members will receive additional site-specific training from their service site and participate in individual training in topics related directly to their site duties over the course of the service year.
• Expect to attend quarterly meetings for the Preserve WV AmeriCorps program. This information will be provided to you and your supervisor during orientation.
• Other training activities may be scheduled during the first two months of service and throughout the year. Members will be notified of these trainings as soon as possible. Some will be mandatory; others will be optional.
• Members will be expected to provide their own transportation to trainings, civic service projects, and other program-related events. Travel is reimbursable (with prior authorization for optional activities).  Carpooling with other members or PAWV staff is strongly encouraged.
• Member must track and log all service time and duties in a timesheet provided by the Preserve WV AmeriCorps program director, as well as in an online AmeriCorps reporting system called OnCorps.

While charging time to the AmeriCorps program, accumulating service or training hours, or otherwise performing activities supported by the AmeriCorps program or CNCS, staff and members may not engage in the following activities (see 45 CFR 250.65):

1. Any activity attempting to influence legislation;
2. Organizing or engaging in protests, petitions, boycotts, or strikes;
3. Assisting, promoting or deterring union organizing;
4. Impairing existing contracts for services or collective bargaining agreements;
5. Engaging in partisan political activities, or other activities designed to influence the outcome of an election to any public office;
6. Participating in or endorsing events or activities that are likely to include advocacy for or against political parties, political platforms, political candidates, proposed legislation, or elected officials;
7. Engaging in religious instruction, conducting worship services, providing instruction as part of a program that includes mandatory religious instruction or worship, constructing or operating facilities devoted to religious instruction or worship, or engaging in any form of religious proselytization;
8. Providing a direct benefit to
   1. A business organized for profit;
   2. A labor union;
   3. A partisan political organization;
   4. A nonprofit organization that fails to comply with the restrictions contained in section 501 (c)(3) of the IRS Code of 1986 except that nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent participants from engaging in advocacy activities undertaken at their own initiative; and
   5. An organization engaged in the religious activities described in paragraph (vii) of this section, unless Corporation assistance is not used to support those religious activities
9. Conducting a voter registration drive or using Corporation funds to conduct a voter registration drive;
10. Providing abortion services or referrals for receipt of such services;
11. Such other activities as the Corporation may prohibit.

Any perceived association with the AmeriCorps program while engaged in any of these activities should be avoided; this includes any time  members are wearing  an AmeriCorps uniform and/or the AmeriCorps logo.  Individuals may exercise their rights as private citizens and may participate in the above activities on their own initiative on non-AmeriCorps time.  The AmeriCorps logo should not be worn while doing so.

Also, a member’s service activities may not include:

1. Raising funds for his or her living allowance;
2. Raising funds for an organization’s operating expenses or endowment;
3. Writing grant applications for AmeriCorps funding or for any other funding providing by CNCS; and
4. Writing grant applications for funding by any other Federal agency.

Recruitment for this program encourages diversity and will not discriminate based upon race, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, political affiliation, marital or parental status, or military service. The program will provide reasonable accommodation to qualified persons with disabilities.

National Service members must agree to a Criminal History Background Check as part of the Preserve WV AmeriCorps program:

• National Sex Offender Public Website (NSOPW);
• State of Residence Fingerprint Check, if applicable based on application address in the My AmeriCorps portal;
• State of Service Fingerprint Check;
• FBI Fingerprint Check.

 
All Preserve WV Positions’ Skill Requirements:

• Demonstrable historical research abilities;
• Good written and verbal communication skills, including public speaking;
• Good organization skills, required for multi-tasking for event coordination and volunteer management purposes;
• Comfortable working with different types of people;
• Responsible and a self-starter;
• Experience with historical resources or historic preservation (or ability to prove capability to learn);
• Familiarity with heritage tourism (or ability to prove capability to learn);
• Some leadership experience or group/volunteer management experience (or ability to demonstrate effective leadership skills);
• Computer experience: internet research, Microsoft Suite (including PowerPoint, Excel, and optimally Publisher), email, social media/blogging. (Graphic design skills not necessary but appreciated);
• Must be willing to travel using personal car or rental car throughout the state or region for some positions and training opportunities;
• College degree or significant life experience preferred;
• High school diploma or equivalent required.

To apply: 

1. Complete the AmeriCorps application, submitted under the Preserve WV AmeriCorps program at the website http://www.nationalservice.gov/programs/americorps/join-americorps.
2. Each applicant must review the position descriptions (supplied via email) and send a cover letter or formal email to dlapresta@pawv.org explaining positions of interest and why he/she would like to serve at those sites and be a good fit for the position(s).  Applicants can apply to more than one site at once, using the same letter. If desired, applicants can also attach a resume or CV.
3. Complete a written questionnaire for the Preserve WV AmeriCorps program, located at https://goo.gl/forms/jxTsOJQQs1bil8oA2.