Montana Americorps Program Seeks School and Community partners

The Governor’s Office of Community Service http://serve.mt.gov/ announced today that the Jobs for Montana Graduates Foundation (JMGF) is seeking partnerships with high schools and community based organizations for their Young Adult Service Corps (YASC) AmeriCorps program.

"We are seeking schools and organizations that want to help young adults make a difference in their communities," said Sarah Sadowski, Director of Young Adult Service Corps. "Committed partner organizations can give Young Adult Service Corps members the opportunity to provide valuable contributions to their community through service."

The Jobs for Montana Graduates Foundation http://www.jmgf-mt.org/ is seeking schools and community based organizations to partner in offering Young Adults Service Corps AmeriCorps positions to their local youth. Partner organizations agree to supervise the young adult participants and arrange volunteer service activities. JMGF provides training to participants and supervisors on leadership, job skills and civic engagement. JMGF also offers scholarship incentives and networking and collaboration opportunities to participating organizations. Successful partner organizations include high schools, alternative education programs, Boys and Girls Clubs, Job Corps Centers, after school programs, and nonprofits.

Interested schools and organizations can learn more about the Young Adult Service Corps program by contacting Sarah Sadowski at (406) 443-2413 or by visiting http://www.jmgf-mt.org/ and clicking on "AmeriCorps."

"Montana’s youth of today are our leaders of tomorrow," said Jan Lombardi, Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Community Service. "Our communities truly benefit from the volunteer work and passion for change that these young leaders provide."

Young Adult Service Corps is an AmeriCorps program that engages young adults (aged 17-24) in volunteer service in their community. Young adults serve as reading buddies and mentors for elementary school students, help with after school programs, help build green-star efficient homes, serve with local fire department to help coordinate trainings, and much more. Participants serve over 300 hours with their local organization and earn an education award of $1,175. This education award can be used towards college tuition or to pay off student loads.

"Volunteering at my school helped me become more involved in activities and it helped me learn and develop new skills," said Brooke Aberg, Young Adult Service Corps alumni from Centerville, MT. "I enjoy working with the young kids at my school, which has helped me focus on the possibility of becoming an elementary teacher."

The Jobs for Montana Graduates Foundation sponsors the Young Adult Service Corps AmeriCorps program. JMGF was created in 2003 to create opportunities to help Montana’s youth. Learn more at http://www.jmgf-mt.org/.

The Governor’s Office of Community Service was created in 1993 to promote and expand national service and volunteer opportunities in Montana. The Governor’s Office of Community Service administers the federal grant funding for Young Adult Service Corps.

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