Service Year Alliance

Our board chair Stan McChrystal spoke about the value of national service and its ability to bridge America's divides on CBS Sunday Morning today: "Young Americans come together for a year or two and work together in efforts as varied as health care, education, conservation, the military or other community projects. ...They work alongside other young Americans, serving fellow citizens and learning about each other and themselves. So how could this work? First it exists today in the many programs like AmeriCorps, City Year, and AmeriCorps VISTA but needs to be expanded. A public-private partnership providing a central funding for stipends and other needs, creating programs and opportunities, and establishing a set of supporting policies like educational grants and job placements for national service veterans is needed. It costs money and it takes effort, but the benefits of producing better citizens who are more connected to each other is worth any amount and the time to get serious is now." We are proud to be working to expand and enhance existing #nationalservice programs to bring this inspiring vision to life and make national service part of growing up in America. https://lnkd.in/eYSe9xHC

The Service Year Alliance AmeriCorps Alums Segal Leadership Award application is now open! Awardees will receive a $2,000 cash prize and become lifelong members of the Eli J. & Phyllis N. Segal Citizen Program. Apply and learn more: here:https://lnkd.in/eDa9-Cyw

We're taking a #Stand4Service TODAY to ask Congress to reject devastating cuts to AmeriCorps in the FY25 budget. Take 2 minutes to join us & contact your reps: https://lnkd.in/gW4857e 

Like many, I watched the attempted assassination of former President Trump on Saturday evening unfold with shock and horror. All of us at Service Year Alliance extend our sympathies to the families of those killed and injured in the shooting. I flew back to DC from my home state of California this past weekend. The duration and direction of the flight provides a unique vantage point to reflect. One reflection stands in particular: I worry about what comes next. Of course, I pray that this incident does not incite more violence, and that this remains what it is - an isolated, heartbreaking incident in an otherwise heated but peaceful election. But, I’m also concerned for how this impacts young Americans - a generation who, once again, are witness to an injection of violence in our society and the breakdown of our social fabric. Already, trust among Gen Z in our civic institutions sits at critically low levels. I worry about what happens if broad swaths of entire generations lose faith in our country. While I’ve been heartened by the seemingly unanimous calls for unity, building the bridges we need to reconnect our civic bonds requires more than just well wishes. Thankfully, many people and organizations are dedicated to this cause. For the past several years, a renewed focus on Bridging within national service has attempted to tackle questions of how we can improve the service year experience to equip corps members with the skills necessary to navigate tough moments like this. At Service Year Alliance, we recently completed a pilot intervention looking at ways to improve corps members’ capacity as “bridgers.” Encouragingly, we saw improvement in several key areas, including abilities to accept members of different political affiliations, to accept that your own beliefs and attitudes could be wrong, and to view issues beyond stark right/wrong, black/white points of view. This is just one piece of a much larger puzzle, and there’s still so much work to be done. There is no single solution to the challenges that stress our politics and society, but there are solutions. I see it everyday in the stories of corps members across the country and the sea of goodwill that empowers these young Americans to build a better future. Do not give up hope. There’s too much at stake to let up now.

Did you serve between 2021-2024? Apply for the 2024 AmeriCorps Alums Segal Leadership Award! Receive a $2,000 cash award and become a lifelong member of the Eli J. & Phyllis N. Segal Citizen Program. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/eDa9-Cyw

Last month, our CEO, Kristen Bennett, attended the Service for America Summit at the Peace Corps headquarters. Read her reflections from the summit and her takeaways from the event.

If enacted, proposed budget cuts through House Appropriations Committee markups announced last week would not just slash funding for AmeriCorps and the American Climate Corps, but would irreparably set back national service in our country for years to come. Service Year Alliance is alarmed by these cuts and we urge Congress to not only reject this proposal but further bolster the FY24 enacted levels with an additional $345 million. Read our statement to learn more: https://lnkd.in/edwCBph4

📣 Calling on all interns, scholars, and hashtag#nationalservice participants! Do you want to lead and thrive in a fulfilling career? The USDA is offering Professional Development Workshops to help you navigate USA Jobs and craft a federal resume that showcases your strengths and accomplishments. Check out the workshops here: 📅 Navigating USAJOBS - July 1st, 2:00 - 3:00 PM (ET) Register here: https://lnkd.in/ecSNBUm4 📅 Federal Resume Writing - July 8th, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM (ET) Register here: https://lnkd.in/eE9vspk2 Learn more via the attached image!

Congratulations to the more than 200 individuals recognized with the Harris Wofford Joint Service Award at the Points of Light Conference in Houston, Texas! Your dedication to serving communities through AmeriCorps and Peace Corps is truly inspiring!

Great News! We're extending the deadline for the Service Year Alums Awards for just one more week! You now have until Monday, June 10 to submit your stories of #bridgingdivides and creating positive change. Don't let this chance slip away – take the opportunity to be recognized! Einhorn Collaborative Apply now: https://lnkd.in/eXa9GT9S