Rural Action VISTA Rural Renewal
Rural Action
Apply (opens in new tab)Opportunity summary
Term length
10/21/2024 - 2/15/2026
Application window
3/1/2024 - 1/15/2025
Location
The Plains, Ohio
Hourly pay equivalent
$11.92
Project summary
Volunteers in Service to America (VISTAs) have been alleviating poverty and building capacity in communities of need for more than 50 years. When you serve as a FT AmeriCorps VISTA with Rural Action, you add to VISTA's legacy of community organizing, conservation, sustainability, and creating opportunities that lift individuals out of poverty in Appalachian Ohio. Find your place in the world while you build capacity for small rural organizations. 10 positions available at 6 regional host sites.
Opportunity description
Capacity to leverage our assets to solve our own issues is a challenge for small rural organizations, and finding your place in the world can also be a challenge. Our VISTAs engage with community leadership, build protocols, fundraise, and market programs. Our program places 10 members in 364-day terms (varied start dates) working on projects such as spanned healthcare, arts and heritage, low-income housing repair, community revitalization, and community organizing and development activities.
Benefits
- Education benefit
- Workforce credential or certificate
- Federal noncompetitive hiring authority
- Healthcare
- Mental and behavioral health benefits
- Child care
- Relocation expenses
Requirements and qualifications
Requirements
VISTAs 18 years or older (no upper age limit). Be a US citizen, US National, Lawful Permanent Resident (i.e. Green Card status), or person legally residing within a state (refugee, asylee, temporary protected status throughout VISTA service, and holding Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status). Able to serve 40 hours per week. Passion for or interest in Appalachian people and ecosystems.
Preferred qualifications
Passion for the health of people and environment in Appalachian Ohio. Interest in climate mitigation and resilience work and serving Appalachian communities. Good communication and cooperation skills. Computer literacy and willingness to learn. General knowledge of Appalachian Ohio culture is preferred but not required.
Opportunity details
Focus area
- Natural resource preservation and conservation
- Biodiversity protection and restoration
- Outdoor recreation access improvements
- Indigenous knowledge reclamation
- Historic cultural and language preservation
- Energy audits
- Solar and renewable energy systems installation
- Environmental justice
- Economic development support for energy transition communities
- Climate smart agriculture and sustainable farming
- Grant-writing and fundraising
- Marketing and outreach
- Volunteer recruitment and management
- Environmental research and citizen science
Work environment
- Telework eligible
- Team based
- Individual placement
- Rural
- Indoor
- Outdoor