AmeriCorps: Mentoring with CarbonCorps

Posted by United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley on May 25, 2021

Why should you serve as a mentor with CarbonCorps?  This program emphasizes transformational experiences for the members.  Members receive intensive on-the-job experience, guidance, professional development, and mentoring skills.

Once members successfully complete their service term, they will have the skills needed to be community change agents.  Members will possess the tools needed to make a difference in their communities.

Other advantages of serving: 

• Members earn a living stipend based on the number of service hours they sign up for.
• An educational award will be granted to the member at the end of successfully completing their service term.
• Some of the service term hours may count toward a college internship.
• Building a network including other members, community agencies & professionals, and United Way staff.
• Filling in a gap year between high school and college or college and the workforce.

What is AmeriCorps?  AmeriCorps is a national service program administered by PennSERVE (Pennsylvania’s State Service Commission), enrolling individuals in national community service positions.

State grants issued by PennSERVE AmeriCorps support organizational efforts to recruit and engage members to address unmet community needs.  Grants are awarded to organizations that engage members in evidence based or evidence informed interventions that strengthen PA communities, organizations like the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley.

What does a mentor do?

• Build relationships with students to enhance the core condition of learning {school readiness, behavioral/physical health}.
• Utilize evidence based Social Emotional Learning curriculums.
• Establish & strengthen partnerships with community resources that families can utilize in Carbon County.
• Help school leadership become knowledgeable about resources that benefit their schools.
• Facilitate community engagement between schools and families to form a collaborative partnership.

Flexibility of schedules:  CarbonCorps has different service term hours available to fit individual schedules best.

We work with our host sites to determine how many hours per week they would like to utilize a mentor and then post the service position to recruit.  Host sites also provide a brief description of what they envision the mentor doing.

A service term is 10 months in duration – anticipated start is August 23, 2021.

All the CarbonCorps positions will be hosted by either a school or non-profit agency with an educational component. {there is a cost share associated with hosting a mentor; this will be discussed along with possible assistance when meeting with the potential host site}

For more information on applying to become a member contact: Marsha Macalush, Program Manager, CarbonCorps (marsham@unitedwayglv.org).