Morrison Institute for Public Policy is a statewide leader in examining critical issues for Arizona and the region, and is a catalyst for public dialogue. As an Arizona State University resource, Morrison Institute uses nonpartisan research, analysis, and public outreach to help improve the state's quality of life.
As a 2015 National Service and Civic Engagement Competition grantee through AmeriCorps, Morrison Institute is conducting follow-up research on a pilot study to better understand the employability and employment outcomes of AmeriCorps members. The follow-up study expands a previous analysis of Arizona’s AmeriCorps programs to five states across the country: Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, Tennessee, and Washington. Using a mixed-methods research and evaluation design that includes 367 phone surveys, 15 focus groups with AmeriCorps alumni and supervisors, and eight interviews with AmeriCorps State Commissioners, the study examines the personal and professional networks emerging within the AmeriCorps program, which can lead to positive employment outcomes.
Overall, the findings of the cross-state study were consistent with the previous Morrison Institute’s 2016 report, “AmeriCorps: Arizona’s Pipeline to Employment.” Both studies found that AmeriCorps programming faces challenges in communication, coordination, and continuity. The takeaways for service members and organizations involved in the AmeriCorps program can best be described by those who served in the program: their service experience was transformative and it prepared them to work.
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