#americorps NCCC

[macgyvermedical]

Hi! I saw your post about the NCCC. Can you tell me a little bit more about what it was like? And maybe some certifications or skils I might want to have before applying that would help me be a shoe in? In a year or two I'd like to leave where I am and travel, and then maybe settle down somewhere else after, and this seems like a good way to go about that and simultaneously chase my interests and find things I enjoy. Basically- I've got time to build skills before I want to apply, and I think it'd be a great fit for me, so I'm just curious about any and all information that would help me be more informed and prepared.

What it's like: (note that I served in 2018, so some of this may be outdated information)

Once you're accepted, they place you at one of 4 campuses throughout the USA. You get a duffel bag mailed to you (anything you bring with you has to fit in this duffel) and a plane or train ticket emailed to you. You have to take that plane or train to the campus, because they pick you up in a bus or van from the airport or station.

Once you get to campus, you go through "in-processing" where you get your uniforms, gear, and PPE, get assigned a room and/or bunk, and meet your instructors for training. If you're a Corps Member, you are also assigned a team and meet your Team Leader at this time (though some campuses do this later in training).

Training lasts about 2 months for Team Leaders and about 1 month for Corps Members. You are with the same cohort (called a "Class") for your whole service term, including training. Training includes how to get along as a team, physical training to ensure you're physically capable of the work demanded of you, and specific training on things like how to drive the van, how to use certain tools and PPE, and how to do any tasks associated with your particular role on the team.

Towards the end of training you go on a 1-2 day mini project, where you go through all the motions of a real project (called a "spike"), except that it's really near by campus and it's pretty much for practice.

Then you go on your first real spike. Depending on where it is and what time of year it is, you might live in a tent, in a dorm, in a half-built house, or any remotely suitable housing supplied by the hosting organization. We lived in a conference room once, and once in an old nursing home wing that wasn't being used.

Food is handled by giving a lump sum of money on a card to the team, and you have to figure out grocery shopping and cooking as a team. This is a challenge, but one that usually works out.

For transportation, the team has one 15-passenger van. Gas is paid for by NCCC. If you have a project that requires a lot of tools, you may have a pickup truck too, but this is rare, and you're not allowed to use it for anything other than project reasons. You keep a log of every time you use the van or truck, for any reason, and there is a 25-mile radius from housing that you're allowed to go.

Spikes are between 3-8 weeks long and you do 4-7 of them during a service term. In between you have "transition" where you go back to campus, debrief from your previous project, brief and train for your next project, and catch up with everyone else. At the end of the service term, you have a final debrief, have a life after americorps meeting, learn job skills like writing a resume, etc... and get your plane ticket home.

What you should do to get prepared:

You don't need certifications. If you need to know something for a project they will train you. If you want something I'd say get First Aid or Wilderness First Aid. Getting a little job experience and a lot of volunteer experience will help you a lot more.

[starsteemer]

Got invited to americorps NCCC for the fall, i am viscerally terrified. Like obviously i wanted this cause i see myself as an adventurous person who cares about community, the environment, and volunteerism and i WANT new experiences and i WANT to get away from the agony of stagnation in my personal growth but then i read the email saying i am invited and started crying on the spot cause im also so so attached to my online friends and im scared i wont be able to stay close with them when internet and even electricity is not guaranteed

[company-and-co]

So about Americorps-

How possible is getting hrt in Americorps? Is it covered in the health benefits or???? (Asking bc the health benefits website part is just- Not working??? Idk what to do with that)

I don’t have easy access to HRT where I live, meaning I’m not on it, so unfortunately I don’t have any direct experience with this. However, the health insurance they do provide only covers you while you’re working for them, and it’s very rudimentary. Like it only covers things that happen to you while on the job; I had gotten a spider bite and if I didn’t have my own insurance it would have covered the antibiotics.

Long story short, I don’t believe it would cover HRT, mostly because I think it would fall under “prior to AmeriCorps”.

[mmysterious-skin]

snowy streets and alleyways like walking through heavens gates

[proteus-no]

To put things into perspective: I hadn't hit the posting limit since 2014, until that night

the best part of experiencing november 5th 2020 was watching tumblr attempt to describe what it was like to experience november 5th 2020

[army-of-bee-assassins]

(with the ttrpg one i also had magic missile prepped and completely forgot...)

if more than one applies, pick the one you think is more obscure and tell me the other(s) in the tags

[thatonebirdwrites]

I really wish I could have gone to the north-east and Hawaii before I got sick. But I never got the chance. Even if I can visit somehow, I'd be in my wheelchair with a stamina of less than one, which sucks. This illness sucks, but at least I have some stories of adventures from before I got ill. (That's the line in my life. The Before I Got Sick and After I Got SIck.) No, I have no idea how I skipped Oregon, South Carolina, and Oklahoma. At least northeast made sense since it's a region, the other three who knows. (I took the train a lot Before I Got Sick but I also drove a lot or drove with others who drove a lot). Before I Got Sick, I worked in California, Texas, Lousiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Wyoming, and Iowa. The only reason I worked in the south was due to AmeriCorps*NCCC who stationed my team there to clean up after a nasty hurricane ripped the region apart.

Mississippi is where I almost drowned, but a bird diving in front of my face saved my life. I grabbed it, and the bird showed me which way was up in that murky-ass water. I can't swim well, but birds can swim. Bird was very unhappy about the whole me grabbing them. I got my hand pecked at pretty good, but at least I survived! My teammates rescued me when I burst free from the water and unleashed the bird from my hand. That story is one of the many reasons why my nickname is Bird. The moral of this story is Beware Of Rip Tides and Don't Wade Too Deep If You Can't Swim Well.

There's also the time I fell off a 500 foot bluff in Wisconsin, landed in a tiny-ass tree, and clung to it like a Bird for five hours in 25 degree Fahrenheit weather with no coat. Because I was a smart teenager, you know. How I got up there and why I fell is not important.

The moral of this story is Do Not Climb Sandstone Bluffs. Sandstone is very brittle and will easy crack and break with any amount of pressure. Also, I'm majorly sad that I missed the helicopter rescue of the Bluff incident. My younger sister swears it happened, but I guess I was too high on hypothermia to really register a fucking helicopter above my head. I guess it makes sense in retrospect since why else would the firefighter be hanging from a rope next to my little tree? All I could think about at the time is how kind the person was to give me the firefighter's coat, so I could be warm again and pretend I'm a firefighter.

Since this also happened in the middle of nowhereland Wisconsin, emergency teams used my rescue as practice. So I got strapped down to stretcher, unstrapped, and strapped again by each trainee/person needing practice. I think this happened after they confirmed no major injuries, but honestly who knows. I was tripped out hypothermic/dissociating at the time. Moral of that story is Wear A Coat In Cold Weather, Especially Below Freezing Weather.

I got lost in Wyoming with some of my Polish friends once. I had been taking pictures of the scenery behind us with my flipphone (gosh were those photos poor quality but I had no other phone at the time). This was our first misadventure too. Well, we ended up lost, way south of where we hoped to go, and ran out of water. I had one water treatment tablet, so we used that for the water from streams. We also had a bag of peanuts for some reason. I realized I'd been taking pictures behind us, mostly because I liked to see how far we'd gone. Made me feel like we made progress. So I matched the landscape to the photo, and we backtracked to the start of the trail that way. This is why I only take photos of where I've been when I hike (or used to hike).

Moral of that story is Read The Map More Often and Bring More Water Treatment Tablets.

The second misadventure in Wyoming with my Polish friends involved the Turquoise Lake expedition. We made it to the lake by correctly reading maps. That lake was gorgeous as fuck. However, we started at six in the morning, failed to keep track of time, and got to the lake at five pm in afternoon. Which meant half our journey back to civilization was done in the dark. With very little ways to verify landmarks.

We also had to hide from a moose who walked onto our trail and started munching berries. Moose are brutal and will rip you apart (even tear into cars! Like when I hung out with the Mormons, whose jeep got chased by a bull moose for three miles! I thought we were done for, but that little jeep somehow escaped). Moral of that story is Either Plan For An Overnight Complete With Supplies or Turn Back To Avoid Getting Caught Walking In Darkness In A Mountainous Forest. Oh, the Mormon Jeep story's moral is Do Not Piss Off Moose.

I have other ridiculous stories from the times Before I Got Sick. My illness destroyed my ability to hike or do much exercise, so my stamina is shit now. Now all I have is stories. Let me know if you wanna hear more.

Maybe it's a good thing I'm relegated to a wheelchair now. I can't get into ridiculous fixes with a wheelchair...

... or can I?

[lunarian-anarchist]

Just submitted my application for Americorps NCCC....

Wish me luck y'all. I think this'll be really good for me and I've always wanted to gain skills for disaster relief so I can build a career around that. Being in Florida I definitely see a need for more people specialized in disaster relief given....ya know.

[janhooks]

It's so funny when I see people like if only America had a national service program where young people can live and work on a team doing service projects throughout the country. Reinventing AmeriCorps NCCC...

[tonysopranosfeverdreams]

can u talk more about your time in americorps? if you feel like it. i'm interested in doing it but idk if i can but i want to know what it's like

yes!! i have done americorps twice at different times in my life and they were very different experiences that were what i needed at each time

i did americorps nccc at first when i was 22 and it was probably the most life-defining experience of my life. i got to live with a small group of people and travel around the country for a year and work with different organizations which is really cool for a young person for a few different reasons, for me being:

-exposure to different types of work and organizations that are doing genuinely good work within their community. When I was in the program, we did everything from working hands-on in national and international gardens and parks, construction-type work cleaning and boarding vacant houses, working as summer school teachers and camp counselors for people with disabilities, and there are more im forgetting im sure but it really shows you the opportunities out there and pushes you out of your comfort zone to the point that you realize you are capable of much more than what you may have thought

-free food/housing, which makes it super ideal for a young person with no money and gives you the unique opportunity to actually travel and build career skills for free

-this is dependent on chance, to an extent, but i had a team i loved. we were all very very different personalities and backgrounds but very open people and we built a very strong bond which i think helped all of us learn to grow up by cooking for each other, navigating very tight living situations, having fun together, working together as a team all the time, and that's something i see a lot of people still struggling to navigate even as much older adults. but on top of those skill sets you learn, it's just fucking FUN. you get to go on tons of road trips with your best friends and meet tons of new people have cook outs, go camping, have movie nights, play hide and seek in old houses. its just really really really fun if you get paired with people who are open and caring and you learn a lot from them

There are downsides. The training for NCCC is kind of grueling. It's arguably a cult. But I easily survived on that small living stipend with the housing and food coming free and if you can take the physical training and strict rules and see them as like a way of trying new things and learning new ways to live, its actually pretty fun. I learned I actually like playing most sports and am pretty athletic. Everyone breaks all of the rules (alcohol, especially) and at least at my campus, it was very very very easy to get in trouble. I got in a lot of trouble during my stint tbh we were bad kids lol but i dont even regret that because it was fun and i learned from it and the people i was around knew me well enough to fight for me to stay in. just try not to get caught because they do kick people out at the drop of the dime, and if i had been on any other team than the highest-achieving, most close-knit one, i'm pretty sure i would have been kicked out in a heartbeat. i know multiple kids who got arrested or had other like very intense situations happen during that time, so like, it is as challenging as it is fun. please be more cautious than me if you do it.

I did AmeriCorps Vista when I was 27, after several intermediate years of working at a non-profit theatre and it was a completely different experience, but also really beneficial for me, personally. But I did get lucky again, here, in finding a career path I was interested in and people who were invested enough to put me on track for a job and trust me with some key opportunities. I'd say this is something that this option for me felt comfortable because at this point i was a full adult with expectations for autonomy and independence so it was a nice opportunity to get my foot in the door in field I cared about (for me, I had realized during my first stint that I was really passionate about making sure kids had a safe space to go during summers and afterschool, so I chose to work with an org that did that). If you do good work in VISTA, and if you commit to the work and try new things, I think it's pretty common to make a career out of it. I got the opportunity, as a VISTA, to write a grant proposal for NASA (literally on a WHIM, to give me a first stab at learning how to write grants and grow my skillset), and I got it, which basically sealed a permanent position in the org for me. From there, I was able to get additional promotions, so it was like. an extremely efficient launching point to get into a career i was interested in for me. And I think this happens for a lot of people.

Financially, VISTA Is much more difficult. I saved up some money before I started, and blew threw a lot of it just paying rent. It is possible, but i know first-hand it is very very difficult when you dont have any additional financial support, so I'd recommend trying to save up a little bit before starting or finding a living situation with roommates/where youre paying very little in rent. i do think its unethical and i know they have recently raised pay rates, since i finished my term, but i doubt it's enough to live quite comfortably without saving in advance.

In summary, NCCC is great and I'd recommend it to virtually any kid who loves to travel and wants to try new things.

VISTA is a great way to get experience in a field you think youre interested in and if you do it its very important you take risks to make yourself stand make your resume as impressive as possible

[limeadeislife]

I remember, when I took Intro to Psych during my sophomore year of college, the professor said something once about how it's easier to have a crush on someone after riding a roller coaster together. Like, sharing an intense or scary experience can contribute to feelings of bonding and attraction

About two and a half years after that, as I think I've mentioned on my blog a couple other times, I did a fairly unique public service program called AmeriCorps NCCC. It involved being sent first to a campus in a small town in Mississippi and living communally in close quarters with a bunch of other 18-to-24 year olds who were meeting each other for the first time, then traveling to other places in the southern U.S. to work on public service projects, with the daily schedule of work and other required activities often running over 8 hours. Opportunities to leave the communal living environment were few and far between. Definitely an intense experience. On the other hand, the weather was warm, and some of the places we saw were pretty beautiful

And during the first month, I met a girl who I got the sense was fairly "popular" - because of course, when you throw a bunch of 18-to-24 year old strangers together in close quarters, a social dynamic that includes some people being popular will develop. It's kind of like freshman year at a small college where most people live on campus, I think, combined with some kind of summer camp for young adults

This girl was friendly to me in the same way that she was friendly to everyone. And while the full story is worth telling in some other context, for now I'll just say that we went from being casually friendly, to being friends, to me finding out that she had feelings for me (which was mutual), to us dating(!!)

This is the ex I've mentioned on here a handful of times. And recently, this past March 24th, was the 5th anniversary of her breaking up with me

I know it's not normal, and likely not good - some people would probably say it's creepy - to still feel sad about an ex after 5 years. That's half a decade.

Now, part of this is that she was the only person I've ever had a happy romantic relationship with that lasted for more than roughly 2 months, so in that light, I don't think it's so strange that the memories would still be significant to me.

But the other aspect of it is that Intro Psych roller coaster principle. AmeriCorps NCCC was such a different experience from normal life, the "real world". We were in this crazy unfamiliar thing together and we both felt tired or anxious pretty often, and we found each other and turned to each other for comfort, and that was definitely just. An emotionally intense experience. I don't really know how to describe it with words. You know the romance plots in fantasy novels, where the protagonists are on some dangerous life-changing adventure, and the affection between the love interests is accordingly stronger and more poignant? It felt kind of like that.

And that was honestly probably one of my favorite emotions that I've ever experienced, and it just feels kind of hard for me to accept that I'll probably never have a chance to experience it again. Even if I do find a happy romantic relationship again in my life, something that I already worry about for various reasons.

I'm 27 now. Intelletually I know that there are plenty of people in their late 20s, including other weird nerds, who are in happy, fulfilling romantic relationships. (I believe some such people follow me here, and I appreciate the hope you provide.) But it's just hard for me to imagine for myself. I don't know if that one unconventional experience gave me unrealistic expectations. But - I'm sorry to generalize - I feel like when I encounter people nowadays who are theoretically in my dating pool, they're mostly regular adults who have jobs and live in apartments, and are looking for a partner who is also a stable, responsible adult with a job and an apartment. And even if I do achieve the external markers of that - get a permanent full-time job, move into my own apartment - and one of those people agrees to go on dates with me, it's hard for me to imagine the resulting relationship feeling as meaningful.

But rationally there must be people in their late 20s who also want this vague thing that I want. Maybe it's just hard to picture something before it happens. Maybe hypothetical-future-partner and I could go on a road trip together (after I get a driver's license, cause I don't have that yet currently either) and that would trigger a similar roller-coaster-effect. Idk.

[macgyvermedical]

Hello! I wanted to ask about Americorps. :) First off, are they always taking people? Given the difficulty of finding a job as of late, I was wondering if hiring/the acceptance of applications has slowed any. Second, what's the pay like? Is it just enough to live on, or enough that you could put some towards college debt or savings? Third, where could you apply; are there recruiting centers or is it all online? Fourth, what's life like in the corps, per your experience?

Here are the programs currently accepting applications (6/4/24). The applications are pretty much always open for at least one entry time (there are 3 entries per year- Fall, Winter, and Summer). I know that the acceptance rate changes with the number of applications, and some years they take everyone, while other years they take fewer applicants. The only way to know if you get in is to apply.

You can use the search feature below to see what programs are available. Make sure the "AmeriCorps NCCC" and "AmeriCorps NCCC Team Leaders" buttons are clicked, click nothing else, and hit "search".

Since it's service, the pay is a stipend. When I was in NCCC in 2018, the stipend for CMs was $300/month and the stipend for TLs was $800/month. I think it's more now so if anyone knows please let me know so I can give more updated info. Keep in mind that:

All your basics- food, transportation, lodging, etc... is covered in full

Any federally backed student loans you have go into forbearance and the interest is paid by AmeriCorps

You get an education award of about $7,000 per service term (up to 2) that can go toward future education, job training or to pay off existing student loans

Basically the only thing you pay for while in NCCC is your cell phone bill and any personal care items, personal clothing, etc...

I saved about half of my stipend while I was in NCCC

Other AmeriCorps programs, like VISTA, pay essentially the local poverty line, since part of the program is learning to live on very little.

You apply online. Call 1-800-942-2677 if you need any help with the application.

[starsteemer]

Who gonna be in class 31A in SW americorps NCCC this fall 😁

[company-and-co]

Y’all I did NOT just find out that AmeriCorps NCCC has like an account on this dumpster-forsaken site.

I’ve been in this program since October and??? Why would they be here???

Anyways — as a current CM — if you wanna know anything about it, feel free to ask me. I have Bias, of course, but I have ✨experiences✨

(I’m not saying this to discourage anyone from applying, just if anyone wants to ask specific questions about the program or my experience as a non-binary member—I remember not finding much about that when I was preparing for my term)

[that-fema-corps-blog]

Welcome to my blog!

I spent a year in the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Corps, a professional development and service program for young adults under the AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) umbrella. Both FEMA Corps and traditional NCCC involve working, living, and traveling around the United States in teams with a small living stipend. I chose FEMA Corps due to a greater interest in emergency management and disaster relief.

I wasn’t finding much recent firsthand information on FEMA Corps, so I decided to make this blog according to what I would have liked to know prior to joining. Be warned: some of it is a little dry. Birds are also a special interest of mine, so I’ll be sharing a lot about them, too.

List of blog entries: Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4

Information: FEMA Reservist Position Information Disaster Survivor Assistance: Just-In-Time Training Disaster Recovery Center: Just-In-Time Training Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation Cadre Disaster Aid in Alaska (Day 307)

Highlighted posts: A (pretty cool) site inspection in Caguas, PR (Day 122) Birding in San Juan, PR (Day 179) A road trip through California (Day 281) A trip to Forks, CA (Day 305) A road trip through Crater Lake, OR (Day 350)

I posted everything to a personal primary blog before realizing I should have put it all on a secondary blog. But now it's been reposted here. All of these posts can also be found on the WordPress site too.