The benefits of being a host site are numerous and include: access to a committed volunteer who will serve at your agency for 10 months; ability to collaborate with a volunteer to address community issues; opportunity to serve as a personal and professional mentor; and direct connection to the national service movement. It is also fun and inspiring to see your member in action and to see the positive changes that occur to the youth you work with.

Must be a high school, alternative school, or non-profit organization serving Snohomish County youth.

Pay the financial cash match of $6,000 per full-time member, to be billed in quarterly installments of $1,500. This payment goes directly toward the member’s $13,000 living allowance.

Provide the AmeriCorps member with a quality placement, ensuring meaningful and productive work with teens and volunteers full-time for 10-months. Members must spend the majority of their time working with teens and volunteers or planning projects and cannot duplicate the functions of other employees or replace or displace a paid staff position.

Understand that AmeriCorps members are volunteering full-time in order to gain experience working with youth. In exchange, they receive a modest $13,000 living allowance and $4,725 educational award. AmeriCorps is extremely rewarding, but organizations must understand the sacrifices involved.

Provide resources and support. This includes providing Member with: orientation; introduction to Host Site staff; training; a designated work space with computer, phone, and office supplies; recognition; motivation; flexibility; support to achieve personal and professional goals; support in attending AmeriCorps Team Days per month (typically two Fridays per month), Youth RAP (4th Tuesday from 8:30-11am), and other special events (a calendar of AmeriCorps activities is posted online).

Identify a positive Host Site supervisor who is a champion of AmeriCorps. Host Site supervisors are responsible for: providing consistent support to Member; participating in a weekly supervisory meeting with Member to discuss goals, accomplishments, challenges, needs, etc; assuring timely submission of Member report and timesheets; completing mid-year and end-of-year evaluations (form provided by AmeriCorps Program); taking a genuine interest in Member’s ambitions; striving to ensure that Member’s experience at Host Site is helping in the achievement of personal goals; participating in Host Site visits by AmeriCorps Program staff; communicating with AmeriCorps Program staff.

Contact the AmeriCorps Program Director if your school or non-profit orgnization is interested in partnering with the AmeriCorps Program by hosting a member. She will answer your questions and email you the one-page application.

The host site application deadline is rolling; we accept host sites until all slots are filled. It is best to submit an application between April and May to be considered for a slot for the service year which beings in September. At times we have slots open until August. If you think it is too late to apply, call to verify as we may be able to accept your application.

Within a week of receiving your application the Program Director will contact you to ask clarifying questions, suggest changes, etc. There are instances in which an organization is not a good fit for this particular AmeriCorps Program and referred to one that would be a better fit.

A finalized job description is just the beginning of the process of obtaining an AmeriCorps member. Member recruitment is the next step. AmeriCorps Program staff recruits members. However, we also encourage host sites to get involved in recruitment efforts. Being a host site is contingent upon finding a member to place at your site. The more involved you are in the process, the more likely your organization is to have a member placed at your site.

All potential members must complete an AmeriCorps Program application which can be found on our website. They must also go through a formal interview process. Beginning in early July, individuals accepted in to the AmeriCorps Program begin host site interviews. You will receive an email in early July detailing this process. As soon as a member is placed at your site, you can expect that person to begin serving full-time at your organization in early September 2009.