May 13, 2008
Alumni of National-Service Program Continue to Get Involved in Volunteering
By Cassie Moore
Washington
AmeriCorps alumni are more likely than their peers to volunteer, be active in their communities, and trust others, according to a study released today.
What is more, AmeriCorps alumni are much more likely to have careers in public service, and alumni from racial and ethnic minority groups and poor backgrounds are much more likely to be employed in public service careers than their peers. The survey reported that 44 percent of minority and 46 percent of alumni from needy families were employed in public service careers, versus only 26 percent of their peers in comparison groups.
The study was conducted by the Corporation for National and Community Service, the federal agency that oversees AmeriCorps, and by Abt Associates, a research firm with headquarters in Cambridge, Mass.
The most recent survey is the second phase of a study on the long-term effects of service in the AmeriCorps program. The study follows more than 2,000 AmeriCorps alumni from 108 state and national programs and three of five AmeriCorps’ National Civilian Community Corps campuses. The AmeriCorps volunteers were first surveyed in 1999, before they began their service, and were later surveyed during their service, four years after they enrolled in the program, and eight years after enrollment. The current report is the second update of the results to have been made public.
Strong Connections
The study found that, in general, AmeriCorps alumni were more likely than their peers to be connected to their community in a variety of ways: Sixty-nine percent of state and national alumni participate in community meetings, events, and activities, compared to 63 percent of their comparison group, and 64 percent of the National Civilian Community Corps alumni volunteer, compared with only 51 percent of their peers.
Among the findings:
- Slightly more AmeriCorps alumni believe they would be able to work with local government to improve their communities, on such projects as getting potholes fixed or community centers built — 41 percent of alumni of both state and national Americorps and the National Civilian Community Corps said they would definitely be able to influence these improvements, compared with slightly more than a third of their peers.
- Eighty-five percent of National Civilian Community Corps alumni say that they believe that other people can be trusted, compared with 71 percent in the comparison group.
- About 60 percent of the alumni hold government or nonprofit jobs, with 46 percent of alumni of state and national AmeriCorps programs employed in education, social work, public safety, arts, religion, government, or full-time military service, compared to 33 percent in their peer group.
The study also showed that some of the positive effects of AmeriCorps participation have faded over time. Compared with the first study in the series, completed in 2004, the strength of state and national alumni’s connection to civic causes has decreased. AmeriCorps state and national alumni are slightly less likely to have voted in the 2006 mid-term election than their comparison group.
An executive summary of the latest study, “Still Serving: Measuring the Eight-Year Impact of AmeriCorps on Alumni,” as well as the previous report, can be found on the Corporation for National and Community Service Web site.
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As an Americorps alumni myself, I’m glad this study is being done, but I think it also bears repeating that AmeriCorps is a valuable experience beyond what any statistics can show—the lives that can be touched by a single person’s yearlong volunteer service and the important life lessons for those who serve. Even if it’s for just one year, you become part of a community you might not otherwise see and in so doing, become more involved in the world around you. Even in this age of technology, there’s still nothing like face to face contact with members of one’s local community to help build openness and understanding.
— Katie May 13, 03:45 PM #
AmeriCorps is a life changing experience. Devoting yourself to full time service is one of the greatest things people can do for themselves and our country. Anyone who has participated in AmeriCorps cannot help but continue a life of service, and this study shows that very clearly. This is an excellent study that shows that AmeriCorps is truly an invaluable program that makes our nation a better place. Thank you Cronicle of Philanthrop for running an article on people who choose to give back through their time.
— Michelle May 14, 12:08 PM #