New Report: Equity Agenda: Recommendations for Improving the Accessibility of National Service

Posted by Service Year Alliance on July 19, 2022

We are excited to share our new equity agenda today detailing our recommendations for improving the accessibility of national service, including programs like AmeriCorps and the Peace Corps.

The report, Equity Agenda: Recommendations for Improving the Accessibility of National Service, outlines suggestions to make national service more equitable and accessible for potential corps members from diverse and underserved communities, as well as to increase the accessibility of AmeriCorps grantmaking for nonprofits from those communities.

National service has long been associated as an experience for the privileged few, despite its track record of offering youth of all backgrounds meaningful service experiences, unlocking pathways toward education and career opportunities. We believe that in order to reach our vision of making national service part of growing up in America, we must prioritize equity so that every young person is able to serve — no matter their background, race, disability status, or zipcode. We must recommit to increasing the value proposition of service years and enhancing the corps member experience, so that national service is inclusive for all. This equity agenda lays out Service Year Alliance’s priorities to make this vision a reality.

Download the report.

With questions or to discuss our equity agenda in more detail, please feel free to reach out to Melissa Bender, who leads our policy work, at mbender@serviceyear.org.