Unconventional Careers EWU Career Services

My service as a Volunteer has changed my life. It was only until I became a Peace Corps Volunteer that I understood what it means and how wonderful it is to truly know a culture. In these three years I have learned more about the Paraguayan culture, about myself, and about life than I ever would have anticipated. I lived my Peace Corps dream with humility and humor, with successes and failures. I feel I have left mostly invisible, but deep impressions on my Paraguayan community. - Taylor Gale Beauregard (Peace Corps Volunteer, Paraguay )

My life changed completely on August 9, That day, after 15 years of dairy farming, I was loading bales of hay onto a truck. A bale fell from the top of the haystack and struck me on the head, which severed my spinal cord between the fourth and fifth cervical vertebrae in my neck. I was paralyzed from the neck down. I served two years as an Outreach Specialist and AmeriCorps*VISTA member. During that time I became passionate about advocating for people with disabilities, realizing there were many disability issues that had direct influence on the quality of life of people with disabilities. I soon realized I had joined an organization that generated a very positive outlook on life with a disability instead of the negative outlook of you cant do this or you wont be able to do that. - Gordan Richins, former AmeriCorps VISTA member

I was born, grew up in a small city and went to University in upstate New York. After graduation, I decided to finally leave the cozy confines of Upstate New York and see more of the world. I knew there was so much to the world and wanted to see as much as possible. I clearly wanted to travel, but also needed to earn money to finance these travels! I decided teaching English in Taiwan would allow me to contribute by sharing my language with students in another country. At the same time, it would give me the opportunity to immerse myself in a new culture and learn a useful language (Mandarin Chinese). Despite thinking through my decision carefully, when I finally boarded the plane to Taiwan I started to question my own sanity. How will I be able to teach these kids when I cant speak Chinese and they cant speak English? Will I be able to adjust to life in a new and very different country? Will I make any friends? Will I like the food? I know many people ask themselves the same questions and decide NOT to spend a year abroad. I ended up having an incredible year in Taiwan; one which changed my life. - Mitch Gordan, former Reach to Teach member

Domestic Volunteering Postgraduate domestic volunteering comes in two types: Fully unpaid Unpaid with educational award and (often) stipend Benefits of volunteering: Professional development Networking opportunities Building skills Academic award

Education Grants for Volunteering AmeriCorps Education Grants –Based on which type of AmeriCorps you do, between $1,000 and $7,000 dollars (typically) Students in Service –Part-time AmeriCorps program, no monthly stipend AmeriCorps and VISTA –Full-time AmeriCorps programs, include monthly stipends Jesuit Volunteer Corps –Full-time volunteer program that provides housing in community Teach for America –Recruiting outstanding students to commit to teach for 2 years.

Students in Service If you are... over age 17 looking to put your idealism into practice interested in earning money to pay for college or to pay off student loans eager to gain new skills or apply the ones you have interested in helping others and making a difference in your community then you might consider Students in ServiceStudents in Service

AmeriCorps State and National If you are... over age 17 looking to put your idealism into practice interested in earning money to pay for college or to pay off student loans eager to gain new skills or apply the ones you have interested in helping others and making a difference in your community … then you might consider AmeriCorps State and NationalAmeriCorps State and National

AmeriCorps VISTA If you are … at least 18 years old concerned about poverty in America and interested in helping a low-income community establish a new program or enhance an existing program to help itself and knowing it will continue long after you're gone a college graduate or have years of work experience an organizer and resource-builder patient enough to work on a project that might not show results quickly comfortable staying in one community for the entire year … then you might consider joining AmeriCorps VISTA.AmeriCorps VISTA

AmeriCorps NCCC If you are.... between 18 and 24 years old seeking hands-on work in clearing trails, providing disaster relief, renovating housing, tutoring kids, other active assignments interested in doing a variety of projects looking to relocate and travel during your service term willing to live in a dorm excited about living and working with a close-knit team … then you might consider joining AmeriCorps NCCC.AmeriCorps NCCC

International Volunteering: Peace Corps Established in 1961, works in 70 nations Assignments are 27 months Application: 6-9 months Pay: transportation, living stipend, readjustment ($6,075 full term), education award 18 + (most require college education or 3-5 years professional experience) 10,000 applicants – ~4,000 volunteers (most decide not to go, only 10% are rejected) Education Award: AmeriCorps Award = $9,000 total

International Internships International Internships – opportunity to live and work abroad. There are many programs that offer internships abroad, usually at much higher cost. This is often because programs must organize your visas and entry permission. Examples of programs EWU has worked with. –Connect-123Connect-123 –Washington CenterWashington Center

Teach English Abroad You can teach English abroad in a number of countries – some require TES/FL (Teaching English as a Second/Foreign Language) Certification, some dont Examples of Programs that do not require TESL or TEFL Certification –JETJET –EPIKEPIK –INTERACINTERAC –Many, many others!