AmeriCorps has long sought to address climate-related issues by funding national service programs that specifically target extreme weather events and other disasters, sustainability and energy efficiency initiatives, and disaster recovery programming.

AmeriCorps NCCC is a full-time, residential, team-based program for young adults aged 18-24.* They maintain four programs, Traditional Corps, FEMA Corps, Summer of Service, and Forest Corps.

Parent Possible is a Colorado-based organization that equips parents with the tools they need for success in their children’s education and lives. Parent Possible has administered Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) since 1989. HIPPY is a home visitation program model with a curriculum to promote children’s development prior to kindergarten. In Parent Possible’s implementation of HIPPY, AmeriCorps members work with parents’ one-on-one with weekly visits.

The five AmeriCorps NCCC regions – Atlantic, North Central, Pacific, Southern, and Southwest – routinely collect feedback from their regional sponsors to learn about their perspectives and experiences with the NCCC program and teams working at sponsor organizations’ service projects. These findings are used to make evidence-informed program improvements.

This report describes initial findings from a national evaluation of how AmeriCorps’ National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) seeks to promote leadership skills and qualities among members. With data from a baseline survey administered between January 2020 and April 2021, this report details characteristics of a sample of NCCC members at the time they began their service. Data were also collected from a matched comparison group of candidates who applied and were later invited to serve with NCCC, but who did not accept.

Key Findings Include: