Community Outreach Representative

LISC AmeriCorps is available to everyone eligible to serve.

We treat all persons without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, marital status, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or any other characteristic or status protected by applicable federal, state or local law.

With residents and partners, LISC forges resilient and inclusive communities of opportunity across America – great places to live, work, visit, do business and raise families. Over the last 40 years, LISC and its affiliates have invested approximately $24 billion in businesses, affordable housing, health, educational mobility, community and recreational facilities, public safety, employment and other projects that help to revitalize and stabilize underinvested communities. Headquartered in New York City, LISC’s reach spans the country from the East Coast to the West Coast in 36 urban markets from Buffalo to San Francisco and 2,400 Rural counties. Visit us at www.lisc.org to learn more.

THIS IS A ONE-YEAR INTERNSHIP PROGRAM. THERE ARE TWO POSITIONS AVAILABLE – ONE IN TUPELO, MS, AND ONE IN GULFPORT, MS. THESE ARE NOT REMOTE POSITIONS.

YOUR ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES AS AN AMERICORPS MEMBER

This is an AmeriCorps position and as such, the member may not engage in prohibited activities as part of his/her/their service. This is a position description and the activities and goals noted below represent the service you will be providing. Your host site is Renaissance Community Loan Fund.

The member will have an immediate supervisor at host site and a LISC point of contact throughout the term of service for coaching, mentoring, and training support in order to undertake activities to achieve a community goal.

The member is expected to undertake the following activities toward goal achievement:

The AmeriCorps team member will conduct community outreach and recruitment of new clients to Renaissance Community Loan Fund’s business coaching and financial counseling services. The team member will accomplish this goal by…

• Assisting the Director of Admin & Marketing and the Community Outreach Coordinator with the planning, facilitation, and organization of meetings and events,
• Providing materials and communicating helpful information to prospective clients,
• Collaborating with other Renaissance team members to provide the best information to and plan for each client,
• Conducting frequent checks with program clients to evaluate progress and provide motivation to reach adopted goals,
• Reporting results on a periodic basis to measure client successes and weaknesses, and
• Learning about CDFI best practices through conversations with other team members, participation in CDFI collaborative meetings, and reading valuable material provided by supervisor.

In performing these activities, host site and LISC AmeriCorps EMC anticipate that the person in this position will achieve the following monthly goal(s):

• 6 Coaching Clients recruited
• 20 Technical Assistance Hours with Clients
• 4 Events Attended Promoting Renaissance Community Loan Fund
• 15 Outreach Contacts Engaged
• Significantly contribute to a community needs assessment or implement community solutions making
  the host organization more effective and or efficient in serving residents

In order to meet the goal(s), the successful candidate will be provided with a work-plan at the onset of service and training needed to achieve the goal(s). Progress toward goal attainment will be measured monthly through an on-line system and training will be provided.

OTHER SERVICE REQUIREMENTS

Members are required to track time and submit on-line timesheets twice per month. They are also required to submit a monthly report through the same system (training will be provided). The person selected for this position will perform his/her/their day to day service at the partner site. Normal service hours are dictated by the partner site. Occasional evening and weekend service may be required. Members are eligible for all Federal Holidays off (except Dr. Martin King Jr. Day). It is expected that the person will be flexible as oftentimes service requires some evenings and weekends.

Members are expected to attend and participate in all LISC AmeriCorps EMC sponsored activities including but not limited to:

• Attending onboarding sessions coordinated by LISC;
• Participating in nationally sponsored webinars;
• Actively participating in at least two team coordinated service projects (one for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service and one for National AmeriCorps Week); and,
• Engaging in any other LISC events as determined by the LISC team

PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

To be eligible to participate as a LISC AmeriCorps EMC member the candidate: (1) must not have previously resigned from a LISC AmeriCorps position; (2) be able to earn at least 74% of the education award for this position; and (3) if having previously served, been exited with satisfactory service from a prior term.

The candidate will also need to meet all AmeriCorps eligibility requirements including but not limited to:

• Be at least 17 years of age (there is no upper age limit)
• Possess unexpired proof of status as a US citizen or possess unexpired permanent resident status and be able to provide documentation as determined by AmeriCorps during the pre-enrollment period
• Meet the National Service Criminal History Check Requirement noted below

NATIONAL SERVICE CRIMINAL HISTORY CHECK REQUIREMENT

If a candidate has a criminal record, it does not necessarily make him/her/them ineligible for service. LISC does not disclose any results with the host site and will discuss any eligibility concerns that may arise directly with the candidate as per LISC’s policy.

Candidates being offered and accepting this AmeriCorps position must consent to a search of the National Sex Offender Public Website, State Level Criminal History Search, and an FBI search. LISC should receive the results from all checks at least one week prior to the first day of proposed service. The person must be cleared for service by LISC prior to the first day of service.

A candidate may not be considered eligible for service in instances where he/she/they: (1) are subject to registry on the National Sex Offender Public Website (NSOPW); and/or (2) has been convicted of murder; and/or (3) has a non-resolved/non-adjudicated criminal offense.

PROGRAM BENEFITS

Upon successful completion of the full term of service, the member will be eligible for a $6,495 education award to pay off existing, eligible student loans or return to school. Members are eligible to place qualifying, existing student loans (not in default) into AmeriCorps forbearance. The position pays a total stipend of $30,200. The stipend is taxable and paid in 24 equal checks twice a month from LISC. Direct deposit is required. A health care benefit is available for the participant only. For members with children under the age of 13, there is a child care subsidy benefit available which is dependent on the participant meeting all eligibility requirements (This benefit is administered by a contracted provider via the AmeriCorps Agency).

Additional benefits for alums can be found here: https://www.nationalservice.gov/special-initiatives/employers-national-service/alumni and information on Public Service Loan Forgiveness can be found here: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service.

The candidate selected for this position will complete an account set up and on-line application via the My AmeriCorps Portal located here: https://my.americorps.gov/mp/login.do as well as intake forms via a secure system.