.::.Housing Action Illinois .::.

VISTA VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Illinois Affordable Housing Support Project

Housing Action Illinois is seeking 15 AmeriCorps VISTA volunteers to work for seven organizations forming the Illinois Affordable Housing Support Project. All positions will start during summer 2010 and last for one year.

These national service positions provide opportunities to coordinate local volunteers, develop resources, fundraise, build the capacity of nonprofit organizations, eliminate poverty and assist individuals who are homeless. These national service positions are part of AmeriCorps VISTA (www.americorps.gov) and VISTA members will serve with a local 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization working on issues related to affordable housing.

Each AmeriCorps VISTA applicant will be evaluted, in part, based on the following qualifications for all positions:

Bachelor’s Degree preferred.
Ability to interact with people of all ages and cultural backgrounds.
Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office software applications (e.g., Word and Excel).
Commitment to eliminate poverty.
Commitment to serve one year as an AmeriCorps VISTA member.

One position is for a Lead VISTA, who must have prior experience as AmeriCorps VISTA. The Lead VISTA will coordinate the activities of the 14 VISTA Program Associates and be responsible for some administrative duties.

The Lead VISTA and 2 other VISTA volunteers will work in the Housing Action Illinois office in downtown Chicago. Other VISTA volunteers will work on the northwest side of Chicago, Lake County, Chicago's south suburbs, Aurora, Rockford, and Peoria.

The 15 VISTA volunteers will be fazed in over three months during 2010, with one group starting in June, another in July, and the last in August. To find out which locations are scheduled for each month, please see the full job descriptions on this web site. April 26 is the deadline for positions starting in June, May 26 is the deadline for positions beginning in July and June 25 is the deadline for positions beginning in August.

To apply for any of these positions go to www.americorps.gov, find the "Illinois Affordable Housing Support Project" posting through the Advanced Opportunity Search option and complete the application. You can also go directly to the listing by clicking on this link:

https://my.americorps.gov/mp/listing/viewListing.do?fromSearch=true&id=36049

All AmeriCorps VISTA members receive a living allowance stipend and the following benefits:

A Segal AmeriCorps Education Award or post-service stipend.
Health care support.
Training in project management and leadership.
Travel costs associated with training.
Moving allowance for members relocating to serve.
Liability coverage for all members, under the Federal Employees Compensation Act and the Federal Torts Claims Act.
Child care for income-eligible members.
FICA (Social Security and Medicare) contributions.

Click on the links below for to download PDF files of detailed job descriptions for each VISTA position:

Hesed House (Aurora) VISTA Volunteer Recruitment Associate-4 positions

Housing Action Illinois Lead VISTA

Housing Action Illinois VISTA Development Associate

Housing Action Illinois VISTA Membership Associate

Lake County Residential Development Corporation (Gurnee) VISTA Volunteer Associate

METEC (Peoria) VISTA Fundraising Associate

Northwest Side Housing Center (Chicago) VISTA Community Program Associate

Rockford Area Affordable Housing Coalition (Rockford) VISTA Volunteer Development Associate-2 positions

South Suburban PADS (Homewood) VISTA Development and Volunteer Recruitment Associate

South Suburban PADS (Homewood) VISTA Employer Development Associate

South Suburban PADS (Homewood) VISTA Housing Development Associate