Ingenuity Choreographing Youth Potential
Vermont Youth Development Corps
AmeriCorps State Program
The Vermont Youth Development Corps AmeriCorps State Program (VYDC) is a statewide national service program whose fulltime and part-time members implement multi-focused prosocial activities for youth, fostering positive youth development and building resilience which helps youth avoid opioid misuse and other unhealthy behaviors, transcend the effects of COVID-19, as well as gain academic, social, and job skills.
VYDC members help communities embrace and value targeted, results-driven investment in initiatives designed to build resilience and help youth thrive. Members plan and implement programs for youth, such as, community service; civic engagement; mentoring; sports & recreation; science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM); literacy and writing; drop-in; summer learning; job skills and internships; and gardening and environmental stewardship. (Started in 1997)
How We Make a Difference
On a typical day, a VYDC member will...
Connect youth to their community through projects and dialogue.
Support youth in exploring the outdoors, playing sports, and learning yoga.
Counsel youth & provide substance-free spaces to build connection with peers.
Engage youth in STEM, academic, arts, and job skills programs.
Build food security via gardening, cooking, and nutrition classes.
Manage volunteers & seek non-federal resources to sustain programs.
Oversee social media and community outreach.
Position Types & Benefits
There are multiple types of AmeriCorps State placements with VYDC, determined by minimum number of hours served. The expected length of service, living allowance, and education award received by a member are determined by the type of placement.
1,710 hrs.
Fulltime (FT)
Timeframe: 10-12 months
Living Allowance: $22,000
Education Award: $6,495
1,210 hrs.
Three Quarter Time (TQT)
Timeframe: 8-12 months
Living Allowance: $15,530
Education Award: $4,546.50
910 hrs.
Halftime (HT)
Timeframe: 5-12 months
Living Allowance: $11,648
Education Award: $3,247.50
680 hrs.
Reduced Halftime (RHT)
Timeframe: 4-12 months
Living Allowance: $8,736
Education Award: $2,474.27
455 hrs.
Quarter Time (QT)
Timeframe: 3-6 months
Living Allowance: $5,824
Education Award: $1,718.25
305 hrs.
Minimum Time (MT)
Timeframe: 3-6 months
Living Allowance: $3,882
Education Award: $1,374.60
The Education Award is received upon successful completion of service and can be used for qualified educational expenses or payment of qualifying student loans. The Education Award may be considered taxable income in the year that it is used. For more information about using the Education Award, click here.
Additional Member Benefits
Health Coverage
The program provides health care coverage to fulltime members. Basic health care coverage is currently offered to AmeriCorps members through the Corps Network. For more information visit here.
Childcare
AmeriCorps provides help with childcare for qualified members. For more details, visit here.
Loan Forbearance
Members may be eligible to place qualified student loans into “Forbearance based on national service.” For more information, visit here.
If you are thinking about consolidating loans, please note that consolidation might have an impact on forbearance based on national service, as only qualifying federally backed loans qualify. For more information about consolidation, visit here.
Training & Skill Building
Throughout the service year members participate in training and skill building opportunities sponsored by VYDC, their host site, and Vermont’s service commission, SerVermont.
Training topics might include the following: positive youth development theory, youth counseling, experiential learning, cultural diversity, grant writing & fundraising, volunteer management, and career development. In addition to the experience gained at their service sites, members also create agendas and run team meetings, as well as plan and lead two presentations.