20-21 Green Iowa AmeriCorps Environmental Steward
Service Description: Green Iowa AmeriCorps operates through the University of Northern Iowa’s Center for Energy and Environmental Education (UNI CEEE) in Cedar Falls. The program is looking to recruit passionate and motivated individuals for an 11-month service experience in one of our service locations throughout Iowa. As a member of our new and existing programs sites, you will have the opportunity to create plans in conjunction with city officials, nonprofit leaders and school districts, and execute projects that will greatly impact the communities we serve. The leadership and empowerment experienced as part of our program will be like no other!
Our program hopes to train the next generation of ‘green-collar’ workers through a combination of field trips, presentations, and hands-on learning. Members have the opportunity to build leadership abilities through specific coordinator roles, which will allow each member to contribute their own unique skills to the program. Members have access to free trainings, hands-on skill development, and extensive community engagement.
Our mission is empowering Iowa's communities and school districts to make more environmental, conservation-minded decisions and improvements through direct service work, environmental education, professional development opportunities, and volunteer engagement.
Green Iowa AmeriCorps consists of three branches: Energy & Community, Sustainable Schools and Land & Water Stewards. Each branch of our program will provide AmeriCorps members with the unique opportunity to enhance their professional development goals, cultivate community-wide relationships, and work toward making Iowa a more sustainable, eco-nomic state.
- Energy & Community- members serve in a team-based setting providing residential energy efficiency services to under-served populations, conducting environmental education, and engaging in community service projects with service locations in Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids, Decorah, Des Moines, Dubuque & Iowa City
- Sustainable Schools-members serve in Iowa school districts as sustainability coordinators to reduce energy and waste, support teachers and students in environment education efforts, and create project-based learning opportunities with service locations in Cedar Falls, Des Moines, Decorah, Dubuque, Iowa City & Waterloo
- Land & Water Stewards-members create environmental education and community programming related to healthy water and land stewardship in conjunction with many local and state partners with a service locations in Ames, Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, Oskaloosa & Okoboji
Program Benefits: Federal Loan Deferment, Healthcare Coverage, Training and Certification, Individualized Professional Development opportunities, Segal Education Award upon successful completion, Monthly Living stipend, Leadership experience, Public Service Loan Forgiveness Qualification, Interest Accrual Repayment
Living Allowance: Energy & Community AND Land & Water Stewards - $15,000.00 (TOTAL FOR 11 MONTHS) Sustainable Schools - $10,450.00 (TOTAL FOR 11 MONTHS) Living allowances are distributed evenly in monthly installments over the course of the service term.
Segal Education Award: Energy & Community AND Land & Water Stewards - $6,195.00 Sustainable Schools - $4,336.50. Education Awards are contingent upon successful completion of the program.
Terms: Position based on completion of 1,700 hours of service in a full-time work schedule or a 1,200 reduced full-time schedule for Sustainable Schools’ positions; flexible vacation and sick leave. Outside employment available during the off hours, school attendance available during off hours
Service Areas:Service Areas: Neighborhood Revitalization, Habitat Restoration, Housing, Community Engagement, Storm Water Management, Outreach Education, Community and Economic Development, Environment, and Capacity Building