Stewards VISTA: AMP Berea – Creative Community Initiative -AmeriCorps

position Title: Stewards VISTA: AMP Berea – Creative Community Initiative -AmeriCorps

jobshiringnearme.org Legacy Program: Stewards Individual Placements, East

Site Location: AMP Berea

City, State or Full Address: 440 Chestnut St. Berea, KY 40403

Terms of Service:

Start Date: September 8, 2026

End Date: September 7, 2027

Must serve a 365-day (1 year) service term

Living Allowance: $68.39/day ($24,962.35/year)

Purpose:

AMP Berea’s AmeriCorps Program advances community and economic development in Berea, Kentucky—serving a small, arts-rich city at the gateway to Eastern Kentucky’s coal-impacted counties—by leveraging arts, culture, and public space to activate underused areas, strengthen local economies, and expand regional creative infrastructure. Grounded in values of collaboration, inclusivity, cultural vitality, and community engagement, the program supports initiatives such as neighborhood concerts, arts-and-health partnerships for older adults, and participatory festivals, while promoting equitable access to creative opportunities and resources. The program is guided by principles of storytelling, partnership, and capacity building to help rural communities communicate impact and sustain long-term growth.

In this AmeriCorps Position, the member will design and implement messaging systems, develop story archives, and create outreach tools to strengthen how communities and partner organizations communicate their impact to funders and policymakers. The member will collaborate with staff and regional partners, travel throughout Eastern Kentucky, and support program development efforts that build the visibility and sustainability of creative initiatives. This role contributes directly to organizational capacity by enhancing communication infrastructure and advancing the mission of this AmeriCorps Program.

The AmeriCorps VISTA member will build capacity and develop sustainable solutions to alleviate poverty in underserved communities.

description of Duties:

The Communications and Storytelling VISTA will build communications infrastructure and storytelling capacity for AMP & regional partner communities.

• Develop a communications strategy, messaging frameworks, and content toolkits.
• Create a story archive documenting impact.
• Design outreach systems that help partner communities increase visibility with funders & civic audiences.
• Compile live music economic impact data from national sources and package it into accessible toolkits that the regional communities can use to make the case for local arts investment and inform state-level policy conversations.
• The VISTA will also do grant research & regional funding pipeline development.

Qualifications:

• United States citizen, United States national, or a lawful permanent resident alien
• Must be 18 years of age
• College graduate
• Agrees to provide information to establish eligibility and to complete a National Service Criminal History Check

Physical Requirements:

jobshiringnearme.org Legacy is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals and will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations to perform essential functions. Some positions may require periodic overnight travel, non-traditional hours, ability to move across varied terrain, use program-specific tools and a range of technology on an infrequent or frequent basis. Exerting up to 25 pounds of force occasionally to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects. Ability to safely drive an organizational vehicle may also be required for some positions. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during Application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager.

Time Requirements

• Typically, this position is expected to serve full-time (35-40 hours), but exact schedules may vary.
• Member may be required to participate in national, state, or local service projects or events as part of their service term.

Orientation and Training:

• Member will receive an orientation that includes training on AmeriCorps prohibited and unallowable activities.
• Member will receive a Virtual Member Orientation (VMO) from VISTA on their first day of service.

Benefits:

• Segal AmeriCorps education Award* of $7,395.00

o   or choice of cash stipend of ~$1,800.00

• Living Allowance of $68.39 per day, disbursed every 2 weeks
• Relocation Allowance ($750) if Eligible
• Healthcare Coverage* if Eligible
• Childcare Coverage* if Eligible
• Loan forbearance if Eligible
• Interest Payments if Eligible
• Training and Professional Development Opportunities
• Employee Wellness Program (access to a licensed, professional counselor and 24/7 support)
• Non-Competitive Eligibility* (NCE) status upon successful completion of the term
• Networking and Mentorship

*For more information regarding the Segal Education Award, check out this link as well as alternative uses for the award here.

*For details about AmeriCorps VISTA healthcare benefits, please visit http://www.vistacampus.gov/healthcare.

*For more information regarding the AmeriCorps VISTA Childcare benefit, please visit https://americorpschildcare.com/.

*For details about Non-Competitive Eligibility, please visit https://my.americorps.gov/trust/help/member_portal/non_competitive_eligibility_overview.htm.

Evaluation and Reporting:

As an AmeriCorps VISTA member, performance will be evaluated on whether the member has completed their required year of service; the member has satisfactorily completed assignments; and if the member has met other performance criteria that were clearly communicated at the beginning of the term of service.

Reporting requirements include, but are not limited to, bi-weekly timesheets, accomplishment tracking, and quarterly reporting.

Supervisor Name and Contact Information:

For VISTA related information, contact Addie Gilkerson, agilkerson@conservationlegacy.org 

For site related information, contact Samantha Skinner, samdodson27@gmail.com 

jobshiringnearme.org Legacy is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. 

We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you need assistance and/or reasonable accommodations due to a disability during the application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager.