Members serve in a full-time, one-year capacity at housing nonprofits around the state, building, renovating, and weatherizing affordable housing. Most positions will work alongside experienced contractors, allowing members the opportunity to learn tangible skills through a hands-on experience. Members may also work with volunteers depending on the housing nonprofit.
Service Activities
Activities depend on the position. These positions may include new home or repair construction, weatherization, project selection, volunteer management, homeowner or client management, and environmental reviews. New home construction includes working with carpenters, other staff, or volunteers to build new homes with projects consisting of framing, roofing, painting, floor coverings, drywall, and other aspects of new home construction. Repair construction helps improve existing homes by working with carpenters, other staff, or volunteers to complete critical home repairs with projects consisting of building ramps and porches, replacing windows and flooring, roofing, painting, and other aspects of home repair. Members may also identify home repair projects for low-income households through community outreach and from referral agencies, develop scope of work by reviewing household applications, home visits, writing project plans, creating materials list and project steps. To support individuals maintaining their housing, members may assist homeowners in maximizing their opportunities for required sweat equity hours and provide oversight of required hours for program completion. Provide general maintenance education, homeownership skills, and energy savings information to homeowners or clients through trainings, workshops, and/or other channels.
Community Need Addressed
Homes for All AmeriCorps is the only housing and homeless AmeriCorps program in Kentucky. Operated by the Homeless & Housing Coalition of Kentucky (HHCK), the focus of the Homes for All program is to create, find, repair, or maintain housing for individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity. Kentucky has a shortage of affordable housing options for low-income
households; 21.4% of homeowners and 67% of extremely low-income renters are severely cost-burdened and pay more than 30% of monthly adjusted gross income on housing costs. Individuals serving in this position will address these critical housing needs by building new homes and repairing existing homes for people experiencing housing insecurity.
Position Outcomes
AmeriCorps members will be responsible for providing services to 2,500 individuals and transitioning at least 1,000 of those individuals into safe, affordable housing.
Benefits
Childcare assistance if eligible, Education award upon successful completion of service, Health coverage, Living allowance, Student loan forbearance, Training
Education Benefits
CPR/First Aid | knowledge of housing and homelessness issues in Kentucky | implicit bias | fair housing | character and leadership | civic engagement | other outcomes related to their specific placement site | professional development through various trainings
Skills you will gain
Public speaking, project management, volunteer management, teamwork, communication, timekeeping, interpersonal relationships, and professional soft skills (emails, Microsoft Office, etc.)
Competencies You Will Develop
Communication
Demonstrate sensitivity and empathy, Listen to and consider others' viewpoints, Maintain open lines of communication with others, Speak clearly, in precise language and in a logical, organized and coherent manner
Creativity & Problem Solving
Communicate the problem to appropriate personnel
Teamwork
Develop constructive working relationships and maintain them over time, Establish a high degree of trust and credibility with others, Interact professionally and respectfully with supervisors and co-workers
Decisions
Accepts responsibility, Anticipate the consequences of decisions, Identify and prioritize the key issues involved to facilitate the decision making process, Involve people appropriately in decisions that may impact them
Tools
Carefully consider which tools or technological solutions are appropriate for a given job, Consistently choose the best tool or technological solution for the problem at hand, Operate tools and equipment in accordance with established operating procedures, safety standards, and ethical guidelines
Planning
Able to prioritize various competing tasks, Drive decision making, Set goals
Service
Honor the privilege of being able to work with and for those being served, Recognize the importance of maintaining privacy and confidentiality of those being served, Understand and anticipate the needs of others