This was the AmeriCorps Office of Research and Evaluation's third of four webinars of the Reigniting Civic Life Series following the release of the Current Population Survey, 2021 Civic Engagement and Volunteering Supplement.
Date and Time: Thursday, June 8, 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. EST.
Webinar Introduction: Jehyra Asencio Yace, PhD, research analyst, AmeriCorps
Presenters:
- Shane Dermanjian, research analyst, AmeriCorps
- Samantha Spinney, principal investigator of volunteer generation fund evaluation, ICF
- Michelle Raymer, senior volunteer engagement officer, Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service
- Lisl Hacker, director of training and technical assistance, Massachusetts Service Alliance
- Kayla Paulson, service enterprise program administrator, AL!VE
Reflection: Emily Stock, project manager for volunteer initiatives, AmeriCorps
Facilitated Question and Answer Discussion: Jehyra Asencio Yace, PhD, research analyst, AmeriCorps
Abstract:
Although formal organization-based volunteering has been in decline in the U.S. in the recent decade resulting in challenges with recruitment and retention of national service members, research and data continue to show that AmeriCorps’ value proposition provides:
- Its members with a meaningful service experience, and
- Its grantee organizations the funding to support volunteer management across all contexts.
The panelists in this webinar discussed how we can leverage the AmeriCorps Member Exit Survey data (2017-2022) to apply what we know about the service experience. They also discussed research and best practices from the Volunteer Generation Fund program, and service enterprise models in volunteer management and training experiences that strive to better recruitment diversity and retention strategies.
The potential of AmeriCorps in improving civic engagement more broadly, is done by making national service an appealing, plausible option for all those interested. Increasing the number of individuals interested in service and, moreover, recruiting and retaining those who want to practice civic action through commitment to community is important to reigniting civic life in America.