Members who serve as an SCA intern, including SCA’s Corps programs, have the option of joining AmeriCorps for their term of service. When you join AmeriCorps as part of your SCA experience, you’re joining tens of thousands of Americans each year who dedicate themselves to service to make our country a better place.
Benefits of serving in AmeriCorps with SCA
- Connect with others at SCA and across the country who care about service and volunteerism.
- Add AmeriCorps national service to your resume.
- Postpone payments on qualified student loans.
- Receive a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award after successfully completing your service commitment. For more information about this benefit, visit the AmeriCorps website.
Your responsibilities as an SCA AmeriCorps member
- Complete AmeriCorps paperwork in addition to your SCA paperwork.
- Participate in an introductory SCA AmeriCorps training.
- Complete your full service commitment to your host site.
- Keep careful records of your service hours and accomplishments during your position.
- Engage with the AmeriCorps national service network by joining service days, participating in trainings, and linking with other AmeriCorps members as possible during your position.
How to get started
- In searching for positions you have three options:
- Some positions are NOT AmeriCorps eligible which means that you cannot be an AmeriCorps member if you choose to accept these positions.
- Some positions are AmeriCorps eligible. This means that you can choose whether or not you want to be an AmeriCorps member if you accept one of these positions.
- Some positions, mostly team-based Corps positions, are required AmeriCorps positions. Thus, you have no option but to be an AmeriCorps member when accepting this position. Examples include SCA Massachusetts, SCA Hudson Valley, SCA Adirondacks, SCA New Hampshire, SCA Idaho, and National Direct program. Find out more about those programs here.
- Next, when you’re offered an SCA position, if the position is AmeriCorps eligible, look for a question asking you if you’d like to accept SCA AmeriCorps for your position*, and make sure to choose “Yes”.
- After you complete the required AmeriCorps enrollment paperwork and documentation of eligibility as part of your SCA enrollment paperwork, you’ll be on your way as an SCA AmeriCorps member.
In order to be eligible to serve in AmeriCorps, members must meet the following criteria:
- Be selected into an SCA position that is eligible for AmeriCorps.
- Be a US Citizen, National, or Lawful Permanent Resident Alien.
- Be at least 17 years of age at the start of your SCA position.
- Have a high school diploma or equivalency or agree to obtain a high school diploma or its equivalent before using the award.
- Complete and pass an FBI fingerprint and criminal history review that meets AmeriCorps standards.
- Have served in AmeriCorps no more than three times. (The lifetime maximum is four terms of service as an AmeriCorps member.)
- AmeriCorps members are responsible for paying federal income, social security, and Medicare tax on their allowances from SCA. These taxes will be withheld from member payments in accordance with federal law.
Learn more about the SCA and AmeriCorps partnership.
*SCA AmeriCorps is a grant program contingent upon federal funding and SCA receives a set number of spots in SCA AmeriCorps each year. If our member numbers exceed the number of spots available, SCA may not be able to include an offer to accept SCA AmeriCorps with your position offer. Eligibility for SCA AmeriCorps is not a guarantee of placement in the SCA AmeriCorps program or guarantee of an AmeriCorps Education Award.
