City Year to increase stipend for AmeriCorps members

Every day, City Year AmeriCorps  members arrive at schools before the first bell rings, ready to welcome students and partner with classroom teachers to ensure students receive essential academic, social and emotional supports throughout the school day and during afterschool enrichment programs.

Supporting City Year AmeriCorps members

Our corps works very hard. They serve as student success coaches to deliver critical additional resources and relationships in hundreds of systemically under-resourced public schools while they themselves acquire important professional and personal skills that will help them achieve their future goals.

We’re all dedicated to the City Year community—corps, staff, partners and donors–and we must take care of each other on all levels. This includes meeting the fundamental needs of our corps members and supporting their wellbeing through adequate supports and benefits, especially the  stipend all AmeriCorps members receive.

The bi-weekly stipend helps cover basic expenses during their year of service and the $6,495 Segal Education Award that corps members receive upon completion of their service. The award can be used for past education loans or future study or educational travel.

Making service more equitable and accessible by raising the stipend

As an organization, we’re committed to removing barriers to national service and making sure that the opportunity to serve is equitable, accessible and manageable for all young adults who want to contribute and lead in this way.

To ensure this goal, City Year will be raising stipends for first year AmeriCorps members to at least $20,000 (pre-tax) at all 29 U.S. sites for the coming school years.

We know raising the stipend is the right thing to do. The service that AmeriCorps members provide every day to our students and schools is critically important. It’s best for everyone—corps, students and teachers—when AmeriCorps members are supported and when they are able to complete their year of service without the added challenge of undue hardship and strain.

Competition for young adults has also intensified in recent years as the economy has improved.

Young people have many choices about what they will do after high school as a gap year or after college. This generation wants to contribute to their communities while also gaining skills that are in demand by employers like teamwork, problem solving, communication, collaboration and using data to make decisions.

Enhancing City Year’s value proposition

We want to make sure that what we are offering to our corps members is as strong as it possibly can be. Raising our stipend is part of that larger value proposition.

We also strive to equip our AmeriCorps members with all the tools they need to succeed—including a stipend that covers the basics.

Not only is this the right thing to do, but when our corps members are able to show up as their best selves, they are able to complete and make the most of their year of service, build impactful relationships with their students, and access all of the additional benefits that are available to the, including exclusive scholarships and the Segal Education Award.

Learn more about service with City Year, or apply today: