Jesuit Volunteer (JV) AmeriCorps members provide direct service to people who are economically poor or marginalized and capacity building services to agencies working for social and ecological justice in the Northwest. Members live in community with other JV AmeriCorps members, learn to live simply and sustainably, and share in reflecting upon their experience through the context of service and community life. JV AmeriCorps members serve in agencies whose clientele are children, women, and men who often are invisible and live on the margins or our society, including those experiencing abuse, homelessness, poverty, hunger, addictions, health issues, and disabilities. They also serve in positions addressing environmental concerns and ecological sustainability. Members experience the rugged beauty of the Northwest region while living and serving in urban centers and rural communities. Our organization, including members, staff, and board, strive to live out the four values of our mission: community, simple living, social and ecological justice, and spirituality/reflection. Term of Service: JV AmeriCorps members make a service commitment of one year, beginning early August to the end of July, with no alternate start dates. Members have the option to rejoin for additional years of service. Placement depends on matching skills and talents with the needs of the community. Members must live in community with other JV AmeriCorps members, and are prohibited from taking on paid work outside of their service placement for the full year.
Service Activities
We have multiple sites with different member positions available in the following areas: education, social work, outreach, environmental concerns, legal aid, healthcare/nursing, and service in direct service centers with the homeless, physically or mentally ill, persons with disabilities or addictions, the elderly, children, domestic violence survivors, refugees, and migrant workers. Some opportunities are available to people with specific undergrad degrees, such as teachers, counselors, nurses, social workers, community organizers, and lawyers. Our positions help build the capacity of non-profits, engage students, and help increase access to healthcare. Opportunities are available to serve in cross-cultural communities with Native American, Alaskan Native, Latinx, immigrants and refugees, and the diverse populations of urban centers. Various positions require proficiency or fluency in Spanish.
For specific position descriptions, please visit: http://jvcnorthwest.org/what-we-do/volunteer-opportunities/.
Community Need Addressed
Each of our 145 positions are addressing needs specific to each organization and each locale. In addition to the primary responsibilities of their positions, JV AmeriCorps members also create new projects to increase non-profit organizational capacity.
Position Outcomes
Increased capacity for organizations, and new or enhanced systems and processes for organizations and programs.
Benefits
Education award upon successful completion of service, Health coverage, Housing, Living allowance, Stipend, Student loan forbearance, Training
JV/AmeriCorps members invest hundreds of hours developing professional and personal skills during their service year. They often discern career and vocational pathways in which to share their gifts and skills beyond the service year. Additionally, they share homes, meals, and the highs and lows of life together, forming deep and often lifelong relationships during their year. Post-service, they join a network of over 7,000 other former JVs who served with our program, and for those who were AmeriCorps members, they join the network of over one million members with whom to network and connect.
Competencies You Will Develop
Communication
Demonstrate sensitivity and empathy, Lead group discussion, Listen to and consider others' viewpoints, Maintain open lines of communication with others, Turn taking, Write cleary and effectively
Creativity & Problem Solving
Communicate the problem to appropriate personnel
Teamwork
Derive consensus, 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, Involve people appropriately in decisions that may impact them, Quickly respond with a back-up plan if a decision goes amiss
Planning
Able to prioritize various competing tasks, Create environment of contribution, Create plan of action, schedule tasks so that work is completed on time, Facilitate group planning, Set goals
Service
Be pleasant, courteous, professional and respectful when dealing with internal and external customers or clients, Honor the privilege of being able to work with and for those being served, Provide personalized, prompt, and efficient service to meet the requirements, requests and needs of customers, Recognize the importance of maintaining privacy and confidentiality of those being served, Understand and anticipate the needs of others