AmeriCorps: Program Overview

FIAT

The Catholic Volunteer Network AmeriCorps Education Awards Program (Catholic Volunteer Network AEAP), funded by the Corporation for National Service, is a network of faith based programs which serves people in the areas of public safety, basic human needs, education, and the environment, with a special emphasis on working with youth and the poor. Catholic Volunteer Network AEAP is part of the national service movement currently engaging Americans of all ages and backgrounds in service to address our Nation’s most critical problems.

What Are the Segal AmeriCorps Education Awards?

Segal AmeriCorps Education Awards are education vouchers given to AmeriCorps Members who successfully complete a required term of service for the program in which they are participating. An education award can be used in the following ways:

To repay qualified existing or future student loans.

To pay all or part of the cost of attending a qualified institution of higher education (including certain vocational programs).

To pay expenses incurred while participating in an approved school-to-work program.

Catholic Volunteer Network AmeriCorps Education Award Program members earn an education award of $5,350 after successfully completing 1700 service hours. Some Catholic Volunteer Network AEAP Programs offer part-time terms of service as well (the amount of the award is proportional to the number of hours served).

Each Catholic Volunteer Network AEAP member is only eligible for two education awards in their lifetime, regardless of how many years they serve, or whether they have completed full or part-time terms of service.

Mercy Works

What is the purpose of the AmeriCorps Education Awards Program?

The purpose of the AmeriCorps Program is four-fold:

1) To expand opportunities for individuals to serve their communities as AmeriCorps members and earn educational benefits.

2) To increase the number of communities across the country where AmeriCorps members are helping meet local needs.

3) To broaden the network of national service program sponsors and strategies.

4) To encourage new non-federal resources to support service programs.

An AmeriCorps member’s service must enhance an existing program by developing a new project, offer services in a new area, or offer supplemental services which would not be provided by the service site without the member’s support.

How is the Catholic Volunteer Network AEAP program different from traditional AmeriCorps programs?

The Catholic Volunteer Network AmeriCorps program is unique from traditional AmeriCorps programs in that the Corporation for National and Community Service does not grant living allowances to Catholic Volunteer Network AEAP Members in addition to the education award they receive upon fulfilling their term of service.

Some programs may provide a privately funded stipend to cover living allowances, while other programs may engage members who do not receive a stipend at all.

Terms of Service (2010-2011 Program Year)

The following terms of service are available to 2010-2011 members of all Catholic Volunteer Network AEAP programs:

Full-time (at least 1700 hours for a $5,350 award):

Half-time (at least 900 for a $2,675 award):

Minimum time (between 300 and 449 hours for a $1,132 award):

Programs may choose to offer one, two, three, or a combination of all terms of service to their members.