Service Year: A Better You. A Greater Us.

Is a service year right for me?

Discover if a service year is right for you, whether you've just finished high school or college or you're looking to find your path

What is a service year?

A service year is a paid opportunity to develop real-world skills through hands-on service.

Types of service years

There are over 65,000 service year opportunities in a variety of issues all across the country.

How it works

Find out how a service year can work for you in three easy steps

Find Opportunities

Paid gap years

Get paid to make a difference during your gap year with any of these opportunities.

Closing Soon

Search these opportunities that have application deadlines coming soon.

Money for college

Earn a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award to pay for college or student loans with these opportunities.

Paths to nonprofit careers

Help strengthen your communication, collaboration, and critical thinking skills through these opportunities.

Love the outdoors?

Get exposed to conservation and environmental issues with these service year opportunities.

Work with younger kids

Serve in K-12 classrooms or after school programs with these opportunities.

Work in Austin, TX

Explore a vibrant city while making an impact with any of these opportunities.

Explore Opportunities by Category

Find what is important to you. Browse service years based on an area of focus.

Aging Animals Arts & Culture Community & Nonprofit Development Disability Disaster Economic Security Education & Youth Environment Health & Nutrition Homelessness & Housing Legal Assistance Public Safety Veterans & Military Families

View All Opportunities

Service Year Stories

Learn what it’s like to complete a service year from actual corps members.

Brie Gamer

Community HealthCorps

“I would definitely encourage my friends to do a service year. I think that it's a great opportunity to take what you've learned in school and apply to real world experience.”

Corey Benjamin

Public Allies

“Service empowered me to realize that I--we--can make a real, large, and tangible difference. We have the ability to be change agents in the world.”

Taylor Dawn Hicks

Reading Partners

“I am doing a service year because I wanted to positively impact someone in the community.”

Katrina Bitanga

City Year

“It is a great honor to serve and give back to the larger DC community. I am a firm believer that no one individual can make it through life without being inherently tied to others.”

Stephen Wheadon

City Year

“This experience has changed my life in ways I could have never imagined and I am forever grateful to have done a service year.”

I served in an under-resourced middle school to help get students on track to graduation.The service year experience was challenging, but knowing that I was making an impact on the lives of others made it so empowering.

Service Year Alliance Initiatives

Find out how we're teaming up with advocates, communities, higher education, companies, and more to make a service year a common expectation and opportunity for all young Americans.

Join The Movement

Passionate about service years? Join supporters across the country and take action to spread the word.

Service Year + Higher Ed

Find ways that higher education institutions can attract students, enliven education, and put grads on career pathways through service years.

Service Year + Companies

Companies are helping young adults to serve in a rich variety of ways. Find out how.

Service Year + Places

Address local needs by expanding service year opportunities for young people in your community.

Service Year Alliance is a Project of

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