I was in the NCCC in 3 different classes and 3 different regions and this is the one of the most accurate videos on UA-cam I seen I like the effort you put into it
I’m leaving for the Southern region in a couple months, and I’m so excited! I first saw this video last October, and I added it to my personal NCCC playlist. I come back and watch from time to time for the excitement. Thank you for sharing all your thoughts with us! This video was so helpful to me, and my friends! :)
@Jason Jones I think If I realized people would watch my video over and over again for excitement I might have polished it up a bit more when I was filming it...oh well. 😌 I'm still glad it's inspired you though! Going forward in the program may be a bit different now due to the Panic around Covid-19, but hopefully the impact isn't too detrimental. Remember to stay flexible and if you have any other questions feel free to reach out, It's been about 3 years or so since I was in the program, and things change, but I'll try to give you the best input I can from my experience. 👍
You are absolutely hilarious!!! However, my daughter and I found this to be very informative. Although, we laughed through the whole video. We loved everything about you. Keep making great videos our buddy! THANKS!😁
First, I served in the southwest region this pass fall session and I can confirm, if you think you're about to smoke weed in CO that's a big negative. They do random drug tests. YES invest in headphones, personally i like Bluetooth as they're easier to manage in the van, because you will LIVE in that van. Three people for the van? that's crazy, we only need two people a driver and ATD. You'll also live in the uniform, there were days i went to sleep in it. The religious services portion in this video is weird, we were able to go to religious services, like it was in the rules it got priority over the van. OMG! the living arrangement, gotta be flexible.
I'm currently in Americorp NCCC Southern Region, 8 months in the program, working with Habitat for Humanity at High Point North Carolina, and what you said on this video is completely true.
Great Video. I am pulling for my daughter and her crew who are doing hard busting trail maintenance. It is extremely hard for them, with the "SPIKE" they are doing, while she was happy to be DONE with CTI.. Corps training institute. The physical part is ROUGH! for this service project. They are having to cook of course and maintain, but many of these hosting sites are not near many places, very "remote" and working this hard to have a sandwich for lunch, is nothing pretty.. Pray for her group, I see many of them bailing out after this spike. I told her to look on the bright side, some of the other teams are camping out in 28 degree weather right now. GEEZ
It’s crazy how many of us served in Louisiana, I was in the Atlantic Region in 2016 and we were in New Roads before they moved IC to the Guard Base. It was nice having that rec room with pool tables and tv’s and actual pool, but it was a mess moving everyone over before CCC got there. If you were their for that giant safety meeting where everyone in ADRT was in the auditorium, because some nerd got shocked in a home. I was that nerd lol
@@mufasasrevenge I still haven't used my Education award yet so I may not be the best resource for your question. I know that a couple past teammates of mine used their award for certifications rather than traditional schooling. If you didn't want to use your award for traditional education at all there are programs like NOLS Wilderness Outdoor School that last time I checked accepted the award and even matched it up to $2000 if I remember correctly.
Here's another resource as well, kale-dinosaur-y59b.squarespace.com/s/Using-your-Segal-Education-Award-and-Non-Traditional-Uses-of-the-AmeriCorps-Education-Award.pdf
Wow this was very refreshing. Thank you for being honest. I’m more hesitant to join because of covid. I want to experience all the things pre-covid. Idk if it will be the same.
@maria Thanks for watching! I can't say for certain how the program will be different because of Covid but unfortunately that uncertainty is prevalent everywhere, not just in AmeriCorps. I am currently in Glacier National Park in Montana finishing out the summer season here in hospitality but it's been an interesting season to say the least. All we can do is move forward and try to stay flexible. If you have any questions feel free to let me know and I'll respond when I can. 👍
I’m 20 years old and alittle lost in life, I’ve been doing DoorDash and so on while I try and find what I want to do, I have a meh work ethnic, loss of motivation, don’t know what I want to do, and am just lost. I want to change that however, and I love helping people traveling and so on. Do you think I’d be right for something like this? Could it kinda whip me into shape Thanks.
Hey, thanks for watching! I've been in a similar situation, so I understand a bit where you're coming from. AmeriCorps, at least when I was a Corps member was a good program to be in for self development but don't join to make money. AmeriCorps definitely opened up my eyes to traveling on a budget, required exercise and assigned responsibilities. I would say if you are at a point in your life where you have lack of motivation work on yourself and your mental health before you get into a team based program. Your individual attitude can affect the rest of the team. However, if you're really interested and think that you can dig deep and be self motivated I'd say go for it! Team motivation is very helpful but try not to abuse it. Although it's uncomfortable we need to be our own motivator sometimes. If you're unsure of AmeriCorps and just need a change of pace I'd recommend Coolworks or Vagajobs.com to find a seasonal job. I'm still doing seasonal work because I enjoy it but some people only do it for a season or gap year as a change up in their life. You won't get rich from seasonal work but the pay is definitely better compared to AmeriCorps, (you're working, not serving/volunteering in many seasonal positions). You can find jobs all over the US and the world potentially in beautiful places. I've worked apart from Americorps seasonally in Colorado, Alaska, Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho for example. If any of those places interest you feel free to reach out, hope this info helps!
@@zackaryfender Thanks for the reply! I used to be pretty self motivated, everything changed when I was around 17-18 and with the whole pandemic at the time. I live in a pretty small town with a terrible job market (either 80 hour weeks underpaid construction or factory jobs). I wouldn’t be in it for the money mostly for the change of scenery and helping people, I really enjoy helping others. I think I really just need a change of scenery, new challenges, and so on for a while and that’s why americorps is speaking to me so heavily. I’ve also been debating on enlisting in the military. I’ll checkout the seasonal jobs and alternatives you’ve recommended. Thank you.
@@thegeneral1955 Don't give up and don't dismiss your options. Feel free to message me with any questions if you want some input from a stranger, I'll respond when I can. Hope it works out for you. 🙏
@@thegeneral1955Hi again, I know it hasn't been a year yet but I was just looking through old comments and saw yours. You don't need to respond but if you don't have any thing going on for the winter don't forget there are seasonal jobs for the winter season at many different places. Coolworks.com is a good resource and hiring for winter has already started if you or anyone you know is interested. If you'd rather stay close to home UPS hires seasonally in many places from now until Christmas, there may be positions available in your area. Take care!
You can go to church in your free time if you would like if there is one close by where you are working for you to go to. I didn't go as frequently because I was the only Baptist/Protestant believer on my team. We had a few Catholics and the rest were unsure or classified as non-religious. Realistically, since the team van is your only transport and other teammates may want to do ISP's on their day off as well if can be hard to arrange frequent trips to a service. Technically, It is a rule to allow religous services to be attended by members as a priority, however this system performs better on paper due to these reasons.
Is the money you make daily (the 10 dollars) what goes towards food for the group or is it personal money you can spend as you wish? Thanks I am joining oct 16th SW region. 🤗
The $10 you make a day is for you personally, you can spend it however you want. I personally spent a portion of that on additional food in town or on the road for convenience or for better quality food than we might cook as a group. I hope that helps!
You should have some free time but generally Onboarding week is really busy so don't expect a lot right away, you may have a few hours at a time to yourself but I wouldn't expect a full day. As for what to pack I'd suggest packing light, you can pick out things that you need along the way, so just a few outfits. (Remember that you're issued a uniform as well.) As a sidenote, I'm not familiar with the Iowa Campus but I've been through Iowa before. Don't expect to go clubbing in Iowa, there isn't a lot there from my experience except corn, cows and some occasional houses or small towns. Hope this helps.
The application process was, at least for me, a bit of a pain. I was waitlisted the first time I applied. I waited a few months not knowing if I was going to be accepted or not. I was not accepted the first time I applied but I was accepted within two weeks the second time I applied. There is more info about the application process/AmeriCorps at www.nationalservice.gov I hope this helps!
@@lifewithk6056 That's exciting Karie! Congratulations! 🎉 I was also offered a position with FemaCorps before I joined the program, but I opted to go the more hands on route as a Traditional NCCC Member. There are Pros and Cons to both paths however. I honestly haven't kept up with current affairs with AmeriCorps concerning the Covid-19 Pandemic, but definitely be flexible during this time. My guess is that if it worsens they won't cancel the program altogether but pushing back start dates now seems almost unavoidable. Regardless, I hope it works out for you and any others interested in joining as soon as they can.
Zackary Fender thank you for your quick response! I’m definitely not afraid of getting my hands dirty (I actually welcome all the challenges) I’m trusting God in this one and will hopefully be leaving for Sacramento in August. Where there any questions you wished you’d asked prior to your year of service? I’m hoping to live a very frugal and minimal lifestyle during my term so that I can save what I can. I’m looking to go back to school and start my own nonprofit
@@lifewithk6056 These aren't questions that I didn't have before the program, but they are questions that would be benifical to consider for yourself anytime in my opinion. What goals do I have for this season in my life? How can I realistically accomplish those goals and get centered on them? (Personal goals, team goals, family goals, spiritual goals, fitness goals, etc.) ...Or put another way, What is a real way for me to practice self discipline to meet my goals that works for me? What is important to me and going to help me grow? What are the differences between my comfort zone, growth zone, and danger zone? When should I ask for help doing something and when should I carry on individually? These are just a few that I can think of right now but if you have any specific questions for me just reach out and let me know. I'll respond when I can. Hope this helps!
This may be a weird question but are there any special rules about your hat? Someone on another video said they could wear a hat but it couldn't have a logo. Someone else mentioned you could only wear your hat indoors. My daughter just got her invitation but she is very sensitive to the sun and a hat is like medicially necessary for her. Do I need to worry about this? Can she wear her hat at worksites? - great video btw
It's been a few years since I was apart of the program so things may have changed but while I was in NCCC you either wore your NCCC hat ( the ball cap I showed in the video), a hard hat, or no hat while working. In your free time, you could wear whatever you want.
IDK how to pin you, Zachary, or I would. I've applied but I still have so many questions, and not a lot of guidance. How many different programs in the website should you apply for? They all seem to have around the same start date. Also would you recommend applying through the Americorps website or skipping that and applying right to the conservation or state website you want to join? Also do these programs have slot of potential to lead to further employment? Like you mentioned the BLM, do you now work with them because of your time with Americorps? Or was that just the natural progression of your lifes journey? I really want to become a park ranger, or something like that without the gun and badge. But I want to get my foot in the door first, and get as many certificates as I possibly can. Any light anyone can shed on these questions would be greatly appreciated.
Do you have a facebook or Instagram? I ask because I could give you a call that way if you still have a lot of questions. I have some time this morning so I don't mind. My social media accounts are just my name- Zackary Fender. Otherwise, I suggest just reading previous comments, hope I can help!
I served in the great northeast and they were the most welcoming people I have ever come across. I know it’s all a manner of perspective, but would the north west be just as welcoming to the national service members volunteering there?
If you are just talking about the North West in general then I would say yes. Obviously, different individuals/groups may be more welcoming or less welcoming depending on where you go and the time that you go. I never had any large issues personally though. I hope this helps!
Zackary Fender I agree, the last place I served weren’t the best. It does help, thank you. The group I served with was with Habitat for humanity. They were very welcoming to construction crews. May I ask which affiliate you got to serve with? I do know there are age limits with some. Here in Texas, they ain’t even heard of Americorp, at least here in San Antonio, Texas. In fact, it’s too hot here, I wouldn’t recommend serving here. 100+ degree heat. Although it seems housing is a bit of a pain to find. I ain’t there yet, but I’ve been calling around.
@@Bellecarlson1969 The age requirement is 18+. If you join AmeriCorps NCCC (N Triple C) they include traveling the country with your team, food and Housing as part of the program. If you join you will work at 4 different project (SPIKE) locations throughout the U.S. over the course of ten months. I came from Florida Originally so when I was accepted into the program I got a chance to go the Pacific Region Campus in Sacramento, CA (which I took). My teams project's included as follows, 1. A 7 week disaster relief effort for flooding in Baton Rouge, LA. (Inbetween projects we went to our Campus back in Sacramento for evaluation and a debrief for about two weeks, sometimes less.) 2.Low-income housing construction in Coachella Valley, CA 3. Trail building and invasive species removal near Seattle and the Snoqualmie valley in Washington state. (We stayed near North Bend, WA where they filmed alot of the original "Twin Peaks" t.v show.) 4.Worked at a summer camp doing trail maintenance, Painting, installing flooring and decking near Grass Valley, CA. Hope this helped.
So you can smoke cigarettes during these programs right! I'm in Houston tx, I don't want to be bothered about bringing and getting them. Btw this one is giving 8'000+ over 6 months getting a bit under 800 every 2 weeks with 3000 for loans or ECT. Houston tx
My term ends in July (Class 27), I watched this video before I went in and rewatching it now, all the stuff you said was true (especially the political affiliations). Thanks for this video! What was your speciality role btw?
Hey, thanks for watching! I still hope you had a good term regardless of any political differences you may have had with others in Americorps. While it can be challenging sometimes to have different opinions than other people I think that's part of what makes the world so unique. Our plethora of different backgrounds and perspectives can make life a bit more interesting I think. (To an extent) I was a VST when I was in the program to answer your question.
Housing on your Campus would be like staying in a college dorm with roommates. Spike (project) housing varies wildly from dorm style to single room to sleeping in a (big) room with 20+ people in it or camping. I never had a project that didn't have access at least one part out of the day for a shower, you may not have ready access if you work with the BLM though. Food is either cooked or purchased with an allotted fund for your team or it is provided by the sponsor depending on the project you are assigned to. Hope this helps!
If you mean a part time job, no you cannot. You won't have time for it. You'll be working a full time job plus you may have to volunteer one of your "off" days every week or two depending to complete your required number of ISP hours. You also won't have access to your personal vehicle for most of your term so you won't be able to get transportation to and from another job. Hope that helps.
So I just got a message that Americorps wants me to join (why would they send this after I get a job?). I'm in a much different position now, but we will see how it goes. Thanks for this information
Normally yes, but it depends on the project. Every project I had except our disaster relief project in Louisiana allowed us one sleeping area for males and one sleeping area for females. You are issued a bag filled with three sleeping bags shortly after you arrive on campus too for the duration of your term to use so you don't really have to worry about a blanket. On our disaster assignment, we had co-ed boarding at a National Guard Facility near Baton Rouge for about 3 1/2 weeks I believe, the latter half of our time there. We slept on cots with roughly 20 people (give or take) in the room from what I recall. The Cots actually weren't as bad as I thought they be though, It's a big adjustment for a couple of nights but you can adapt pretty fast if you put your mind to it. Hope this helps.
If I remember correctly we were paid bi-weekly but even if you're paid weekly I'd say plan your budget around being paid bi-weekly. Just remember if you join, all of your teammates (minus your Team Leader) are being paid the same stipend and are having to budget accordingly, same as you.
Well my advice varies depending on what YOU want. Do you want to serve others? Do you get along with people well enough to be in close quarters with 9-11 ish people for the next 10 months? (I thought I couldn't but I did somehow) Could you tolerate not being paid well but doing fufilling work during this time in your life? Do you want to serve (work) in 4 diffrent areas of the US over 10 months? That's AmeriCorps NCCC. I'll say this in case you don't have anyone in person to tell you though, it doesn't matter what someone else wants you to do, if you don't want or need to do it for yourself then don't waste your time. Anyway, I don't know what type of situation you're in or how flexible but if the above aspects I mentioned don't appeal to you I would suggest to almost anyone now that doesn't have kids and a family to support to try Seasonal work if you're just looking for a change. While you don't serve/volunteer really, the pay is much better than AmeriCorps NCCC and you can spend some time (generally 4 months a season) in a beautiful location working, normally with food and lodging provided at a reasonable rate. Will you get rich off of THESE jobs? Also Generally no... but besides AmeriCorps working seasonally has been one of my best professional and honestly life choices. An average person, especially if you can learn to live a bit more frugally, can save a decent amount though.(obviously depending on the payrate and job) I'm going to work in Wyoming at a Snowmobiling resort in ten days, that would have been CRAZY to me three years ago. I found that job by word of mouth, but a good resource for those type of jobs to get started is www.Coolworks.com. if you have more questions feel free to ask!
Neither, if you are accepted they will send you a big green bag in the mail. The green bag is yours to personalize and keep after the program. It's a surplus army bag, and it will hold your surplus belongings on Campus in some sort of locked storage while you are away. While on SPIKE (project) you will have a large red backpack to hold what you will need. You will also be given 3 sleeping bags in a separate compress bag. (It may vary by campus.) I actually still had my green bag and was using it for laundry up until about two weeks ago. I forgot about it and someone stole it. 😑 oh well. Hope this helps!
English is an odd language sometimes. I honestly don't know why we Americans call it "Core" instead of "Corpse". That's just how it's supposed to be said.
@@deactivated6450 Yes, I understand. We also don't use the Metric system widely, we can be a bit weird sometimes. I was just born here, I didn't make the rules. 😂
@@deactivated6450 The French do pronounce it this way. I'm not sure where the American pronunciation started like this, but Peace Corps is also pronounced as "Peace Core".
? I mentioned nothing about a 16k annual income. If you were referring to the comment I made about 70% of the world population living on less than ten dollars a day here is a quote from one 2015 Business insider article "In 2011, 4.4 billion people lived on $10 dollars or less per day, according to a new report from the Pew Research Center. That's 71% of the world's population."
@@zackaryfender I know. I'm referring to the current stipend which amounts to about $16000 annually and that you said these programs give $10 per day to live on. Maybe this is just a matter of updating.
@@youngidealist ah, I see. It's been a couple years since I was apart of the program so they may have increased the payrate since I was a Corps member. I haven't heard of that increase until now.
You are cute. My son is 38 years old. Is there an age limit, because he lives with me and he really needs to find another living and working situation. Thanks 😊
There is no upper age limit for team leaders in NCCC but that entails being responsible for team members. Seasonal work in hospitality could also be another option for a while at least, some positions offer housing and are more akin to a "Normal" Job . Hope this helps!
I want to join because I wanna travel around since I never left my city before but is the work crazy hard an I want to make good money or do u know any other programs I could look up ?
If you're trying to make good money from the program then AmeriCorps NCCC definitely isn't for you. It's still an experience I'm glad I have under my belt but there are other ways to travel and actually make some money while doing it. If the community service or constantly living with your team aspects don't appeal to you either I'd suggest looking into some seasonal work. I am currently working at the YMCA of the Rockies seasonally in Colorado and have another job lined up for the summer in Denali National park in Alaska when my contract here is over. Many seasonal jobs, as long as you have a little money to travel to where you are working and meet the requirements for being hired will provide the rest for you as long as you do your job. Many provide housing and food which is deducted from your pay automatically. You won't get rich working those type of jobs either but so far I've found it much easier to save up doing this work for a while. You have few expenses (minus traveling to and from jobs), can visit new places, and meet new people from all over the country and the world. You can also make and potentially save a bit of money while doing it.
No no, it's only $5,800, and it's a grant if you complete the program. You don't pay it back, but you have to pay taxes on it for the year that you use it. It's definitely not a program to get much money. However, benefits of joining include traveling the country with your team working at 4 different project (SPIKE) locations throughout the U.S. I came from Florida Originally so when I was accepted into the program I got a chance to go the Pacific Region Campus in Sacramento, CA (which I took). My teams project's included as follows, 1. A 7 week disaster relief effort for flooding in Baton Rouge, LA. (Inbetween projects we went to our Campus back in Sacramento for evaluation and a debrief for about two weeks, sometimes less.) 2.Low-income housing construction in Coachella Valley, CA 3. Trail building and invasive species removal near Seattle and the Snoqualmie valley in Washington state. (We stayed near North Bend, WA where they filmed alot of the original "Twin Peaks" t.v show.) 4.Worked at a summer camp doing trail maintenance, Painting, installing flooring and decking near Grass Valley, CA. We also volunteered at several locations near our project sites on our "off" days to receive our required number of ISP hours which is necasary to complete the program. The satisfaction of helping other's through your service, working as a team to complete set goals, being exposed to different perspectives, traveling the country, those are a few of the reasons I can think of to join. If that doesn't appeal to you, you probably shouldn't join. Hope this helped.
I was in the NCCC in 3 different classes and 3 different regions and this is the one of the most accurate videos on UA-cam I seen I like the effort you put into it
Appreciate the comment Man, thanks for your service!
You are welcome and thank you for your service man!!!
young ron swanson
I’m leaving for the Southern region in a couple months, and I’m so excited! I first saw this video last October, and I added it to my personal NCCC playlist. I come back and watch from time to time for the excitement. Thank you for sharing all your thoughts with us! This video was so helpful to me, and my friends! :)
@Jason Jones I think If I realized people would watch my video over and over again for excitement I might have polished it up a bit more when I was filming it...oh well. 😌
I'm still glad it's inspired you though!
Going forward in the program may be a bit different now due to the Panic around Covid-19, but hopefully the impact isn't too detrimental. Remember to stay flexible and if you have any other questions feel free to reach out, It's been about 3 years or so since I was in the program, and things change, but I'll try to give you the best input I can from my experience. 👍
You are absolutely hilarious!!! However, my daughter and I found this to be very informative. Although, we laughed through the whole video. We loved everything about you. Keep making great videos our buddy! THANKS!😁
First, I served in the southwest region this pass fall session and I can confirm, if you think you're about to smoke weed in CO that's a big negative. They do random drug tests. YES invest in headphones, personally i like Bluetooth as they're easier to manage in the van, because you will LIVE in that van. Three people for the van? that's crazy, we only need two people a driver and ATD. You'll also live in the uniform, there were days i went to sleep in it. The religious services portion in this video is weird, we were able to go to religious services, like it was in the rules it got priority over the van. OMG! the living arrangement, gotta be flexible.
Your video just made me want to join even more.
I'm currently in Americorp NCCC Southern Region, 8 months in the program, working with Habitat for Humanity at High Point North Carolina, and what you said on this video is completely true.
Thank you Zachary! A very helpful, delightful and informative session. Wish you well.
The intro was cringe at first but honestly full of useful information and the most entertaining! Thank you
Great Video. I am pulling for my daughter and her crew who are doing hard busting trail maintenance. It is extremely hard for them, with the "SPIKE" they are doing, while she was happy to be DONE with CTI.. Corps training institute. The physical part is ROUGH! for this service project. They are having to cook of course and maintain, but many of these hosting sites are not near many places, very "remote" and working this hard to have a sandwich for lunch, is nothing pretty.. Pray for her group, I see many of them bailing out after this spike. I told her to look on the bright side, some of the other teams are camping out in 28 degree weather right now. GEEZ
I just saved up $4,000 to spend while at NCCC. Made things much better and luxurious ❤
Great Video! Quite accurate on all you said. Love how you found some humor on the not so funny facts of NCCC. Thanks for sharing ;-)
This was a great video... Thanks Zack!!!!!
ZACK!!!!! I'm your number 1 fan. Love you
Appreciate you sharing.
No problem, glad I could help some. Have a Happy New Year!
It’s crazy how many of us served in Louisiana, I was in the Atlantic Region in 2016 and we were in New Roads before they moved IC to the Guard Base. It was nice having that rec room with pool tables and tv’s and actual pool, but it was a mess moving everyone over before CCC got there. If you were their for that giant safety meeting where everyone in ADRT was in the auditorium, because some nerd got shocked in a home. I was that nerd lol
Do U have to use the education award you get when you finish for school ? What if u are not interested in going back to school? Thanks
I also don’t have any outstanding loans or anything
@@mufasasrevenge I still haven't used my Education award yet so I may not be the best resource for your question. I know that a couple past teammates of mine used their award for certifications rather than traditional schooling. If you didn't want to use your award for traditional education at all there are programs like NOLS Wilderness Outdoor School that last time I checked accepted the award and even matched it up to $2000 if I remember correctly.
Here's another resource as well,
kale-dinosaur-y59b.squarespace.com/s/Using-your-Segal-Education-Award-and-Non-Traditional-Uses-of-the-AmeriCorps-Education-Award.pdf
Wow this was very refreshing. Thank you for being honest. I’m more hesitant to join because of covid. I want to experience all the things pre-covid. Idk if it will be the same.
@maria Thanks for watching! I can't say for certain how the program will be different because of Covid but unfortunately that uncertainty is prevalent everywhere, not just in AmeriCorps. I am currently in Glacier National Park in Montana finishing out the summer season here in hospitality but it's been an interesting season to say the least. All we can do is move forward and try to stay flexible. If you have any questions feel free to let me know and I'll respond when I can. 👍
how hard it is to get into the program? I just heard about it and I'm interested in joining but I don't know what I need to be accepted into it
Thank you so much. God bless
I’m 20 years old and alittle lost in life, I’ve been doing DoorDash and so on while I try and find what I want to do, I have a meh work ethnic, loss of motivation, don’t know what I want to do, and am just lost. I want to change that however, and I love helping people traveling and so on. Do you think I’d be right for something like this? Could it kinda whip me into shape Thanks.
Hey, thanks for watching! I've been in a similar situation, so I understand a bit where you're coming from. AmeriCorps, at least when I was a Corps member was a good program to be in for self development but don't join to make money. AmeriCorps definitely opened up my eyes to traveling on a budget, required exercise and assigned responsibilities. I would say if you are at a point in your life where you have lack of motivation work on yourself and your mental health before you get into a team based program. Your individual attitude can affect the rest of the team. However, if you're really interested and think that you can dig deep and be self motivated I'd say go for it! Team motivation is very helpful but try not to abuse it. Although it's uncomfortable we need to be our own motivator sometimes.
If you're unsure of AmeriCorps and just need a change of pace I'd recommend Coolworks or Vagajobs.com to find a seasonal job. I'm still doing seasonal work because I enjoy it but some people only do it for a season or gap year as a change up in their life. You won't get rich from seasonal work but the pay is definitely better compared to AmeriCorps, (you're working, not serving/volunteering in many seasonal positions). You can find jobs all over the US and the world potentially in beautiful places. I've worked apart from Americorps seasonally in Colorado, Alaska, Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho for example. If any of those places interest you feel free to reach out, hope this info helps!
@@zackaryfender Thanks for the reply! I used to be pretty self motivated, everything changed when I was around 17-18 and with the whole pandemic at the time. I live in a pretty small town with a terrible job market (either 80 hour weeks underpaid construction or factory jobs). I wouldn’t be in it for the money mostly for the change of scenery and helping people, I really enjoy helping others. I think I really just need a change of scenery, new challenges, and so on for a while and that’s why americorps is speaking to me so heavily. I’ve also been debating on enlisting in the military. I’ll checkout the seasonal jobs and alternatives you’ve recommended. Thank you.
@@thegeneral1955 Don't give up and don't dismiss your options. Feel free to message me with any questions if you want some input from a stranger, I'll respond when I can. Hope it works out for you. 🙏
@@zackaryfender Thank you man, I’m thinking next year I will apply to americorps.
@@thegeneral1955Hi again, I know it hasn't been a year yet but I was just looking through old comments and saw yours. You don't need to respond but if you don't have any thing going on for the winter don't forget there are seasonal jobs for the winter season at many different places. Coolworks.com is a good resource and hiring for winter has already started if you or anyone you know is interested. If you'd rather stay close to home UPS hires seasonally in many places from now until Christmas, there may be positions available in your area. Take care!
so you cant go to church during the weekend? do you just have to stay on campus?
You can go to church in your free time if you would like if there is one close by where you are working for you to go to. I didn't go as frequently because I was the only Baptist/Protestant believer on my team. We had a few Catholics and the rest were unsure or classified as non-religious. Realistically, since the team van is your only transport and other teammates may want to do ISP's on their day off as well if can be hard to arrange frequent trips to a service. Technically, It is a rule to allow religous services to be attended by members as a priority, however this system performs better on paper due to these reasons.
That is really sad that you couldn't attend church and that most everyone else was not a believer.
Is the money you make daily (the 10 dollars) what goes towards food for the group or is it personal money you can spend as you wish? Thanks I am joining oct 16th SW region. 🤗
The $10 you make a day is for you personally, you can spend it however you want. I personally spent a portion of that on additional food in town or on the road for convenience or for better quality food than we might cook as a group. I hope that helps!
Zackary Fender thanks a lot. Good to clear some things up 👍
I’m leaving tomorrow for IOWA do we have any free time (like going into the town, clubs, etc) to ourselves if so what should I bring as far as clothes
You should have some free time but generally Onboarding week is really busy so don't expect a lot right away, you may have a few hours at a time to yourself but I wouldn't expect a full day. As for what to pack I'd suggest packing light, you can pick out things that you need along the way, so just a few outfits. (Remember that you're issued a uniform as well.) As a sidenote, I'm not familiar with the Iowa Campus but I've been through Iowa before. Don't expect to go clubbing in Iowa, there isn't a lot there from my experience except corn, cows and some occasional houses or small towns. Hope this helps.
Do most people get into the program they applied for? How does the interview process work?
The application process was, at least for me, a bit of a pain. I was waitlisted the first time I applied. I waited a few months not knowing if I was going to be accepted or not. I was not accepted the first time I applied but I was accepted within two weeks the second time I applied. There is more info about the application process/AmeriCorps at www.nationalservice.gov
I hope this helps!
Just got my invitation today.
I just realized I got invited to FEMA Corps but I’m all for this as well
@@lifewithk6056 That's exciting Karie! Congratulations! 🎉
I was also offered a position with FemaCorps before I joined the program, but I opted to go the more hands on route as a Traditional NCCC Member. There are Pros and Cons to both paths however. I honestly haven't kept up with current affairs with AmeriCorps concerning the Covid-19 Pandemic, but definitely be flexible during this time. My guess is that if it worsens they won't cancel the program altogether but pushing back start dates now seems almost unavoidable. Regardless, I hope it works out for you and any others interested in joining as soon as they can.
Zackary Fender thank you for your quick response! I’m definitely not afraid of getting my hands dirty (I actually welcome all the challenges) I’m trusting God in this one and will hopefully be leaving for Sacramento in August. Where there any questions you wished you’d asked prior to your year of service? I’m hoping to live a very frugal and minimal lifestyle during my term so that I can save what I can. I’m looking to go back to school and start my own nonprofit
@@lifewithk6056 These aren't questions that I didn't have before the program, but they are questions that would be benifical to consider for yourself anytime in my opinion.
What goals do I have for this season in my life?
How can I realistically accomplish those goals and get centered on them?
(Personal goals, team goals, family goals, spiritual goals, fitness goals, etc.) ...Or put another way,
What is a real way for me to practice self discipline to meet my goals that works for me?
What is important to me and going to help me grow?
What are the differences between my comfort zone, growth zone, and danger zone?
When should I ask for help doing something and when should I carry on individually?
These are just a few that I can think of right now but if you have any specific questions for me just reach out and let me know. I'll respond when I can. Hope this helps!
This may be a weird question but are there any special rules about your hat? Someone on another video said they could wear a hat but it couldn't have a logo. Someone else mentioned you could only wear your hat indoors. My daughter just got her invitation but she is very sensitive to the sun and a hat is like medicially necessary for her. Do I need to worry about this? Can she wear her hat at worksites? - great video btw
It's been a few years since I was apart of the program so things may have changed but while I was in NCCC you either wore your NCCC hat ( the ball cap I showed in the video), a hard hat, or no hat while working. In your free time, you could wear whatever you want.
IDK how to pin you, Zachary, or I would. I've applied but I still have so many questions, and not a lot of guidance. How many different programs in the website should you apply for? They all seem to have around the same start date. Also would you recommend applying through the Americorps website or skipping that and applying right to the conservation or state website you want to join? Also do these programs have slot of potential to lead to further employment? Like you mentioned the BLM, do you now work with them because of your time with Americorps? Or was that just the natural progression of your lifes journey? I really want to become a park ranger, or something like that without the gun and badge. But I want to get my foot in the door first, and get as many certificates as I possibly can. Any light anyone can shed on these questions would be greatly appreciated.
Do you have a facebook or Instagram? I ask because I could give you a call that way if you still have a lot of questions. I have some time this morning so I don't mind. My social media accounts are just my name- Zackary Fender. Otherwise, I suggest just reading previous comments, hope I can help!
I served in the great northeast and they were the most welcoming people I have ever come across. I know it’s all a manner of perspective, but would the north west be just as welcoming to the national service members volunteering there?
If you are just talking about the North West in general then I would say yes. Obviously, different individuals/groups may be more welcoming or less welcoming depending on where you go and the time that you go. I never had any large issues personally though. I hope this helps!
Zackary Fender I agree, the last place I served weren’t the best. It does help, thank you. The group I served with was with Habitat for humanity. They were very welcoming to construction crews. May I ask which affiliate you got to serve with? I do know there are age limits with some. Here in Texas, they ain’t even heard of Americorp, at least here in San Antonio, Texas. In fact, it’s too hot here, I wouldn’t recommend serving here. 100+ degree heat. Although it seems housing is a bit of a pain to find. I ain’t there yet, but I’ve been calling around.
@@Bellecarlson1969 The age requirement is 18+. If you join AmeriCorps NCCC (N Triple C) they include traveling the country with your team, food and Housing as part of the program. If you join you will work at 4 different project (SPIKE) locations throughout the U.S. over the course of ten months. I came from Florida Originally so when I was accepted into the program I got a chance to go the Pacific Region Campus in Sacramento, CA (which I took). My teams project's included as follows, 1. A 7 week disaster relief effort for flooding in Baton Rouge, LA.
(Inbetween projects we went to our Campus back in Sacramento for evaluation and a debrief for about two weeks, sometimes less.)
2.Low-income housing construction in Coachella Valley, CA
3. Trail building and invasive species removal near Seattle and the Snoqualmie valley in Washington state.
(We stayed near North Bend, WA where they filmed alot of the original "Twin Peaks" t.v show.)
4.Worked at a summer camp doing trail maintenance, Painting, installing flooring and decking near Grass Valley, CA. Hope this helped.
So you can smoke cigarettes during these programs right! I'm in Houston tx, I don't want to be bothered about bringing and getting them. Btw this one is giving 8'000+ over 6 months getting a bit under 800 every 2 weeks with 3000 for loans or ECT. Houston tx
Can't smoke while working or on Campus or wearing the uniform but off times and walk off campus is allowed
My term ends in July (Class 27), I watched this video before I went in and rewatching it now, all the stuff you said was true (especially the political affiliations). Thanks for this video!
What was your speciality role btw?
Hey, thanks for watching! I still hope you had a good term regardless of any political differences you may have had with others in Americorps.
While it can be challenging sometimes to have different opinions than other people I think that's part of what makes the world so unique. Our plethora of different backgrounds and perspectives can make life a bit more interesting I think. (To an extent)
I was a VST when I was in the program to answer your question.
Did you do a job in alaska in winter
Not in the winter, I did work in Denali in the summer about 3 years ago.
Good video. I enjoyed your humor.
As for living accommodations, what is included? Housing, food, etc? How often do you shower? I'm seriously considering this.
Housing on your Campus would be like staying in a college dorm with roommates. Spike (project) housing varies wildly from dorm style to single room to sleeping in a (big) room with 20+ people in it or camping. I never had a project that didn't have access at least one part out of the day for a shower, you may not have ready access if you work with the BLM though. Food is either cooked or purchased with an allotted fund for your team or it is provided by the sponsor depending on the project you are assigned to. Hope this helps!
@@zackaryfender Thanks so much! I'm nervous but incredibly interested in this!
Ok so can you have a parting job ?
If you mean a part time job, no you cannot. You won't have time for it. You'll be working a full time job plus you may have to volunteer one of your "off" days every week or two depending to complete your required number of ISP hours. You also won't have access to your personal vehicle for most of your term so you won't be able to get transportation to and from another job. Hope that helps.
So I just got a message that Americorps wants me to join (why would they send this after I get a job?). I'm in a much different position now, but we will see how it goes. Thanks for this information
I hope it works out well for you either way man. Thanks for watching. 👍
How do you enroll at the school and can they help get your high school diploma
Do boys and girls have separate rooms?
Normally yes, but it depends on the project. Every project I had except our disaster relief project in Louisiana allowed us one sleeping area for males and one sleeping area for females. You are issued a bag filled with three sleeping bags shortly after you arrive on campus too for the duration of your term to use so you don't really have to worry about a blanket. On our disaster assignment, we had co-ed boarding at a National Guard Facility near Baton Rouge for about 3 1/2 weeks I believe, the latter half of our time there. We slept on cots with roughly 20 people (give or take) in the room from what I recall. The Cots actually weren't as bad as I thought they be though, It's a big adjustment for a couple of nights but you can adapt pretty fast if you put your mind to it. Hope this helps.
... You remind me of one of my Teachers in High School. Very mono-tone.
I didn't find it funny either.
Are you paid this literally everyday or everyweek or biweekly?
If I remember correctly we were paid bi-weekly but even if you're paid weekly I'd say plan your budget around being paid bi-weekly. Just remember if you join, all of your teammates (minus your Team Leader) are being paid the same stipend and are having to budget accordingly, same as you.
@@zackaryfenderdo you have to pay for housing or food at all
Someone wanted me to join, but I have no clue about it should I join or not I don't know thanks for the video though.
Well my advice varies depending on what YOU want. Do you want to serve others? Do you get along with people well enough to be in close quarters with 9-11 ish people for the next 10 months? (I thought I couldn't but I did somehow) Could you tolerate not being paid well but doing fufilling work during this time in your life? Do you want to serve (work) in 4 diffrent areas of the US over 10 months? That's AmeriCorps NCCC. I'll say this in case you don't have anyone in person to tell you though, it doesn't matter what someone else wants you to do, if you don't want or need to do it for yourself then don't waste your time. Anyway, I don't know what type of situation you're in or how flexible but if the above aspects I mentioned don't appeal to you I would suggest to almost anyone now that doesn't have kids and a family to support to try Seasonal work if you're just looking for a change. While you don't serve/volunteer really, the pay is much better than AmeriCorps NCCC and you can spend some time (generally 4 months a season) in a beautiful location working, normally with food and lodging provided at a reasonable rate. Will you get rich off of THESE jobs? Also Generally no... but besides AmeriCorps working seasonally has been one of my best professional and honestly life choices. An average person, especially if you can learn to live a bit more frugally, can save a decent amount though.(obviously depending on the payrate and job) I'm going to work in Wyoming at a Snowmobiling resort in ten days, that would have been CRAZY to me three years ago. I found that job by word of mouth, but a good resource for those type of jobs to get started is www.Coolworks.com. if you have more questions feel free to ask!
@@zackaryfender Thanks man I think am gonna quit.
Should I bring a luggage suitcases or just a big backpack lol ?
Neither, if you are accepted they will send you a big green bag in the mail. The green bag is yours to personalize and keep after the program. It's a surplus army bag, and it will hold your surplus belongings on Campus in some sort of locked storage while you are away. While on SPIKE (project) you will have a large red backpack to hold what you will need. You will also be given 3 sleeping bags in a separate compress bag. (It may vary by campus.) I actually still had my green bag and was using it for laundry up until about two weeks ago. I forgot about it and someone stole it. 😑 oh well. Hope this helps!
@@zackaryfenderyou sleep outside sometimes with nccc?
Why do americans pronounce it as "core"? I prefer "korps"
English is an odd language sometimes. I honestly don't know why we Americans call it "Core" instead of "Corpse". That's just how it's supposed to be said.
In america yes but nowhere else to my knowledge says it that way
@@deactivated6450 Yes, I understand. We also don't use the Metric system widely, we can be a bit weird sometimes. I was just born here, I didn't make the rules. 😂
@@deactivated6450 The French do pronounce it this way. I'm not sure where the American pronunciation started like this, but Peace Corps is also pronounced as "Peace Core".
Umm, I think the 16k annual income is closer to $50 per day.
? I mentioned nothing about a 16k annual income. If you were referring to the comment I made about 70% of the world population living on less than ten dollars a day here is a quote from one 2015 Business insider article "In 2011, 4.4 billion people lived on $10 dollars or less per day, according to a new report from the Pew Research Center.
That's 71% of the world's population."
@@zackaryfender I know. I'm referring to the current stipend which amounts to about $16000 annually and that you said these programs give $10 per day to live on. Maybe this is just a matter of updating.
@@youngidealist ah, I see. It's been a couple years since I was apart of the program so they may have increased the payrate since I was a Corps member. I haven't heard of that increase until now.
You are cute. My son is 38 years old. Is there an age limit, because he lives with me and he really needs to find another living and working situation. Thanks 😊
There is no upper age limit for team leaders in NCCC but that entails being responsible for team members. Seasonal work in hospitality could also be another option for a while at least, some positions offer housing and are more akin to a "Normal" Job . Hope this helps!
@@zackaryfender thank you very much. That is very helpful. ☮️
I want to join because I wanna travel around since I never left my city before but is the work crazy hard an I want to make good money or do u know any other programs I could look up ?
If you're trying to make good money from the program then AmeriCorps NCCC definitely isn't for you. It's still an experience I'm glad I have under my belt but there are other ways to travel and actually make some money while doing it. If the community service or constantly living with your team aspects don't appeal to you either I'd suggest looking into some seasonal work. I am currently working at the YMCA of the Rockies seasonally in Colorado and have another job lined up for the summer in Denali National park in Alaska when my contract here is over. Many seasonal jobs, as long as you have a little money to travel to where you are working and meet the requirements for being hired will provide the rest for you as long as you do your job. Many provide housing and food which is deducted from your pay automatically. You won't get rich working those type of jobs either but so far I've found it much easier to save up doing this work for a while. You have few expenses (minus traveling to and from jobs), can visit new places, and meet new people from all over the country and the world. You can also make and potentially save a bit of money while doing it.
Zackary Fender thanks I appreciate the feed back
@@justinxdd5860 No problem, happy to help. Let me know if you have other questions and I'll respond when I can.
I was told $800+ in 2020. Also, I won't smoke weed...I'm a teacher. And what van?!
wait so what's the benefit of joining? the 58,000 dollar loan for school?? a loan??
No no, it's only $5,800, and it's a grant if you complete the program. You don't pay it back, but you have to pay taxes on it for the year that you use it. It's definitely not a program to get much money. However, benefits of joining include traveling the country with your team working at 4 different project (SPIKE) locations throughout the U.S. I came from Florida Originally so when I was accepted into the program I got a chance to go the Pacific Region Campus in Sacramento, CA (which I took). My teams project's included as follows, 1. A 7 week disaster relief effort for flooding in Baton Rouge, LA.
(Inbetween projects we went to our Campus back in Sacramento for evaluation and a debrief for about two weeks, sometimes less.)
2.Low-income housing construction in Coachella Valley, CA
3. Trail building and invasive species removal near Seattle and the Snoqualmie valley in Washington state.
(We stayed near North Bend, WA where they filmed alot of the original "Twin Peaks" t.v show.)
4.Worked at a summer camp doing trail maintenance, Painting, installing flooring and decking near Grass Valley, CA. We also volunteered at several locations near our project sites on our "off" days to receive our required number of ISP hours which is necasary to complete the program. The satisfaction of helping other's through your service, working as a team to complete set goals, being exposed to different perspectives, traveling the country, those are a few of the reasons I can think of to join. If that doesn't appeal to you, you probably shouldn't join. Hope this helped.