Soooo... What is AmeriCorps?

This is a question I got more times than I could count leading up to and during my service year, and I’m sure will continue once I am an AmeriCorps Alumni. If you get it, you get it, and if you don’t... well, you really don’t. The problem is that it’s hard to explain quickly, and people usually want a quick answer.

So, after a LOT of trial and error and confusion, here is the “elevator pitch” I came up with:

AmeriCorps is the national version of the Peace Corps. There are three main programs within AmeriCorps; I’m a VISTA, which stands for Volunteer in Service to America. This is a year-long volunteer position where you work with an organization to build capacity in order to reduce poverty.

That usually is enough to satisfy those who want a quick response or are asking out of politeness more than interest. If they are truly interested, they usually ask follow-up questions that lead to a more in depth discussion! I’ve found that people usually think AmeriCorps is synonymous with City Year or Teach for America, so I usually go more in depth about the work that VISTA members do.

Whatever response you get when describing AmeriCorps, don’t take it personally. If people understand what AmeriCorps is, or have a friend or family member who has done it, usually that’s where the conversation goes, which is great. If they’re hearing about AmeriCorps for the first time, I’ve gotten responses that run the gamut of being pretty snarky and condescending to regarding me as some kind of saint for volunteering.

Whichever it is, it’s so not personal; you’re not messing up your life or unable to “figure things out”; far from it! You’re also not a saint for being in AmeriCorps (no offense). You’re just a person and it’s just a program, and it’s also a pretty cool, unique experience to have for a year! So just repeat that to yourself and let everything else go.