April 11, 2009
By Jonnelle Marte
After graduating from college last May, Alex Frank went to Ocotal, Nicaragua, where he studied Spanish and assisted a high-school English teacher before heading his own classroom for two months.
In his five-month volunteer stint, he became more fluent in Spanish, improved his public speaking and created lesson plans from scratch -- skills he says are now making his job hunt in Boston a little less daunting.
Plus, "it felt great to have half a year where I didn't have to worry about the job market or all these other things my peers were worrying about," says the 22-year-old.
Long-term service projects are becoming more appealing to college grads who are hoping to do some good, travel, and pick up new skills -- especially as traditional paid work becomes harder and harder to find.
"You're essentially riding out the tough economy, so hopefully when you return things will be better on the job front. And you're going to have unique experience on your résumé," says Erin Barnhart, director of volunteerism initiatives for Idealist.org, a Web site that connects people with service organizations.
Applications Are Up
Several U.S. and nonprofit volunteer organizations say applications have surged in recent months. And a bill passed by Congress last month that is expected to be signed soon by President Barack Obama would expand federal service projects and increase academic scholarships for participants.
Participants in some volunteer programs can defer some college-loan payments. Some programs offer stipends to help cover your travel and living expenses. Finding a volunteer opportunity that fits you will depend on your budget, time commitments and goals.
Programs to Consider
Here are a few major programs for volunteers:
Peace Corps volunteers commit to 27 months of service, with programs in about 70 countries. They get a stipend for living expenses and $6,000 at the end for the transition back home (PeaceCorps.gov).
AmeriCorps offers several national-service programs that vary in length and focus, but all offer an annual $4,725 education award. The Vista program, for those 18 and older, involves full-time service for a year at a nonprofit organization or local government agency. The National Civilian Community Corps is a 10-month full-time residential service program for people ages 18 to 24. Members work on several projects around the country in groups of 10 to 12 (AmeriCorps.org).
Teach for America members are recent college grads who teach for two years at low-income schools. Salary is generally between $30,000 and $45,000 and teachers may be eligible for the AmeriCorps education award (TeachforAmerica.org).
City Year members, ages 17 to 24, spend a year as full-time tutors and mentors who run after-school care and leadership programs around the country. They receive a stipend for living expenses, basic health coverage, a uniform and a cellphone (CityYear.org).
You can arrange other international service projects with the help of Web sites such as Ideal.org, VolunteerInternational.org, WorldTeach.org and TravelAlive.com (which Mr. Frank used). Short-term opportunities can be found on VolunteerMatch.org.