Service Year Alliance released the following statement in response to Governor Wes Moore’s Executive Order on the establishment of the Maryland Department of Service and Civic Innovation:

“Service Year Alliance applauds Governor Moore on his bold action to expand service year opportunities in Maryland. It is energizing to see his campaign commitments and long-time championing of service years come to life on the first day of his administration with an executive order creating the Maryland Department of Service and Civic Innovation. This action elevates service to a cabinet-level agency with a new Secretary overseeing its work to create the Service Year Option, including supporting and expanding service year programs, managing the state service commission, implementing the Maryland Corps, and advising the Governor on service. This executive order positions Maryland as a service leader, joining a small number of states that have instituted a cabinet-level position focused on service.

On Thursday, December 1, Brookings Metro and Service Year Alliance hosted an event to explore this infrastructure workforce opportunity, with an emphasis on creating a talent pipeline for the energy efficiency sector. The event examined how current service year programs are undertaking energy transition work through strong relationships with state partners, including state energy agencies.

This white paper outlines how service year programs, state service commissions, and state energy agencies can work together to launch clean energy infrastructure programs utilizing service years, and offers new and forthcoming resources which will help to highlight a variety of program models.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Over 100 Service, Workforce, Energy, Labor, Youth and Environmental Justice Organizations Join Together to Launch the Partnership for the Civilian Climate Corps to Put Youth on Pathways to Resilience Careers

The non-partisan collection of national and local organizations is working toward implementing a national service corps to address climate resilience and mitigation

WASHINGTON, DC (January 9, 2022) – Today, over 100 cross-sector organizations announced the launch of the Partnership for the Civilian Climate Corps (PCCC) to implement a national service corps to advance climate resilience and mitigation. The partnership includes organizations representing leaders in national service, workforce, labor, environmental justice and conservation, youth-serving organizations, and the growing resilience and clean energy industries, and represents national, state, and local organizations across the country...

Four years ago, Service Year Alliance acquired AmeriCorps Alums and everything we have shared with policymakers and leaders over the years was confirmed — alums of AmeriCorps, the Peace Corps, YouthBuild, and all service year programs are the most passionate, engaged, and thoughtful leaders we know. 

In an effort to better support the alum networks across the country, we created the Alumni Chapter Steering Committee (ACSC) — a group of nine diverse service year alums who brought the voices and perspectives of alums and alum chapters to regular conversations, strategy meetings, and brainstorming sessions across our organization. We are forever grateful for the work of this impressive group of alums over the years and for their contributions to our mission and to service year alums across the country. But Service Year Alliance can do more as an organization to grow, connect, and support all alums as they exit service. 

As we kick off 2023, we are prioritizing three bodies of work related to AmeriCorps Alums and service year alums...

Service Year Alliance released the following statement today in response to Congress’ FY23 Omnibus Spending Bill:

“Service Year Alliance is grateful for Congress’ increased investment in national service and AmeriCorps to meet urgent community needs, strengthen social cohesion, and provide career and higher education on-ramps for young people. While we appreciate these  funding increases provided in the FY23 omnibus spending bill, we remain concerned about the agency’s long-term ability to expand access to national service while avoiding an impending funding cliff as American Rescue Plan investments expire...

For decades, we’ve expected young Americans to graduate high school, go to college, and then get a job. Somewhere along the way, though, our institutions lost the trust of the next generation and they began to question the value of this path.  

It’s time to rethink the path to success for our nation’s youth and rebuild trust along the way by prioritizing opportunities that bring people from different backgrounds together through a shared goal and common purpose. 

Every young person in America should spend a year in national service.  

As an AmeriCorps VISTA alum, my year of service taught me first-hand about the power of national service to launch youth on pathways to success, transform communities, and bring people together.

An Update from Kristen Bennett, CEO of Service Year Alliance on the Serve America Together Campaign: 

Service Year Alliance launched the Serve America Together campaign during the 2020 presidential primary to urge the presidential candidates to help make national service part of growing up in America. 

Against the backdrop of enormous challenges for our country — a global pandemic, overwhelming polarization and division, and an uncertain economic situation — the campaign won tremendous successes...

...As part of our organization’s new strategic direction, and ahead of the upcoming midterms when we expect the political winds to shift, we are winding down the Serve America Together campaign. It was always intended to be a time-bound effort to inform the next President’s priorities, and we’ve reached the outer bounds of that timeframe. But our vision to make national service part of growing up in America is not lost. In fact, Service Year Alliance as an organization has adopted the campaign’s vision as our organization’s overall vision — it’s what our team wakes up every morning working to make a reality... 

America is grappling with existential questions about the future of our democracy, economy, and environment. Meanwhile, we lack access to people who are different from ourselves, creating a breeding ground for division and hate. 

It’s time to rethink the role young people play in solving these key challenges. But we can’t just look to the next generation and expect them to solve issues that are deeply embedded in our culture. Instead, we must empower them with new ways to lead and pave a path toward a future where they feel prepared to become the future employers, politicians, educators, neighbors, citizens, and engaged leaders that America needs...

...Spending a year in national service develops empathetic civic leaders, builds skills for success in a changing economy, and offers solutions for creating more resilient and sustainable communities — and we should do everything in our power to make it an opportunity for all...

Service Year Alliance released the following statement in response to President Biden’s call for a new era of national service at the United We Stand Summit:

“President Biden’s call for a new era of national service today at the United We Stand Summit was a massive victory for our vision of making national service part of growing up in America. Service Year Alliance applauds President Biden for this bold call to action — and specifically for calling for a $15/hour living allowance for all AmeriCorps members..."

Recent changes to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program have expanded eligibility for service year alumni, making it faster to obtain student loan forgiveness for those working in public and non-profit careers.

The U.S. Department of Education released a waiver which allows student loan borrowers to count their term of service, including Peace Corps and AmeriCorps service, towards the ten years required to obtain PSLF — even if you put loans in forbearance or deferment and/or did not make qualifying payments during your service term. The waiver generally qualifies service alumni as under economic hardship during their service term, making them eligible to count their service term towards PSLF requirements. This waiver expires on Oct. 31 — apply today!