Each year on Martin Luther King Jr Day, people across the country volunteer in their communities to celebrate Dr. King’s legacy of service. But what do you do after the day is over?

 There are tons of fellowships and programs to help you get more involved in your community while pursuing a social-impact career, but how do you find these opportunities?  What challenges might you face in your journey? To get a better sense of what it looks like to cultivate a public-service career, we asked Ryan Wilcox, an AmeriCorps Alum and Mentoring Specialist for Whetstone Boys Ranch, to share his experiences.

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By Ryan Wilcox

Photo via Ryan Wilcox

My desire to serve others has always been driven by my faith. In high school, I went on several mission trips with my church, including to Rio, Bravo, Mexico—where I was part of a work team that built a cinder block house for a family. These mission trips were my first experience with true poverty. Later, in college, I served as camp counselor at a camp for teenagers with epilepsy. I credit these initial experiences with shaping my passion for missions and service I hold today.

After graduation, I was looking for a job in the non-profit industry. Like many recent graduates, I struggled to find a job right away. After an extended search, I investigated public service programs, and AmeriCorps stood out to me. AmeriCorps offered much of what I was looking for: a 9-month to 12-month commitment; an opportunity to leverage my Advertising/Public Relations degree; and potential placement in my community. I chose to serve as an AmeriCorps VISTA, a program that requires a 12-month commitment, and focuses on fighting poverty by building the capacity of the host non-profits.

Gaining life-long skills

During my 12 months as a VISTA, I served with Cornerstone Assistance Network, a non-profit that works with people below the poverty line, in danger of becoming homeless. As a VISTA, my primary focus was communications and outreach: I helped establish and manage Cornerstone’s social media presence, and was a key member of Cornerstone’s website development team. In addition, I worked to manage and recruit volunteers, attending recruitment fairs at local colleges. These responsibilities helped me develop skills in managing people, building relationships and establishing goals. As a mentor, I use these skills to encourage the boys at Whetstone to grow.

I also learned, inevitably, how to live on a tight budget. I received a small stipend, at the time about $800/month. My VISTA position did not offer housing, but it was close enough to my home that I was able to live with my parents during my service year. I deferred my student loans and elected to receive the Eli Segal Education Award at the end of my term, instead of a cash payment. As a recent graduate, I had student loans, so I appreciated the help!

Coping with challenges

While I learned a great deal in AmeriCorps, some challenges did arise, primarily with transitioning out of the program. I wasn’t prepared for the end of my term, and did a poor job of planning my exit. I didn’t begin job searching seriously until it was too late. As a result, the end of my service arrived, and I didn’t have any prospects for full-time employment.

After leaving AmeriCorps, I took a series of part-time and contract based jobs. The experience was a lesson in perseverance, and a chance to seek guidance on my career direction. I accepted a part-time position with an after-school program. This job gave me the skills I needed to be effective in my current role. It also showed me that I have a heart for mentorship.

Tips for you

Dr. King once said, “Everybody can be great, because anybody can serve.” I wouldn’t trade my service year for anything. I gained pride in serving my country and community. It also changed my perceptions on poverty, a big social problem facing the United States.

Are you ready to serve? Here are a few things to keep in mind, if you want to pursue AmeriCorps, or any public-service program.

1. Figure out what matters most: Do you want to travel outside of the country? Do you need to make a certain amount of money? Are there skills you want to develop? The answers to these questions will determine what public service program is right for you. For example, while I chose AmeriCorps, I also looked at the Peace Corps. I knew I wanted to stay close to home and commit for one year, instead traveling abroad for two years.
2. Do your research: It becomes easier to find programs to get involved in once you know what you need. I attended a Peace Corps information session before deciding that AmeriCorps was the better choice for me.
3. Plan ahead: AmeriCorps provides resources to help with your transition. However, I’d advise you to begin to plan for life after AmeriCorps early in the service year. This applies to both graduate school research and job searching. If the end of your service year arrives, and you don’t have a job or graduate school offer, consider serving another term.

Good luck!

Connect with Ryan on twitter and on his blog.

“Everybody can be great…because anybody can serve… You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.”  - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

This Monday, January 21st, is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Since 1994, MLK Day has been a national day of service for people willing to take a “day on, not a day off.” If you’d like to invest some time helping a good cause this weekend, perform a quick search on Idealist and explore the dozens of organizations hosting events. To help you get started, we’ve put together a few opportunities below:

• If you live in the Pacific Northwest and want to do good on the 21st, you’re in luck! In Seattle, the Doric Lodge will be assembling emergency kits for victims of natural disasters, while outside Portland, the Ridgefield National Wildlife refuge needs volunteers to plant and protect native trees. Farther inland, the Red Cross is teaming up with the Spokane Fire Department to promote fire safety, and you can help spread the word!

• For green residents of the Golden State, check out Urban Releaf’s tree planting event in Oakland, or head south to Santa Barbara and join Channel Islands Restoration in the San Marcos Foothills to restore a creek-side habitat.

• In the Midwest, you can choose between several volunteer activities with the H.O.W.A. Family Center in Minnesota, or donate food or clothes to the Urbandale Food Pantry in Iowa. If you’re busy on the 21st, don’t worry, because the Fourth Presbyterian Church in Chicago is cleaning classrooms at a local school on the 19th.

• If you haven’t touched your copy of Where the Wild Things Are for a decade or two, head to Raleigh, NC and drop off your surplus Goosebumps at Bonnie’s Book Foundation. If you want to get some exercise on the 21st, plant some trees in Nashville with the Harpeth River Watershed Association or help the Center for Academic Service provide relief from the tornado that swept through parts of Alabama on Christmas Day.

• Of course, no post would be complete without a few opportunities from the Northeast! In New York City, Congregation Ansche Chesed and the Advent Lutheran Church will organize several family activities on January 20th, including creating birthday cards for elderly neighbors and assembling care packages. On January 21st in Cambridge, MA, create quilts, bookmarks, activity kits and more with Many Helping Hands. Last year over 800 people attended, and this year should be even more successful!

Wherever you live and whatever you want to do MLK day, Idealist has you covered. If you want to stay up to date on what’s new, just set up an email alert based on your favorite search. Have a great long weekend, and enjoy your day on!

Are you 50 or older? Check out these tips from nextavenue.org on how to make a difference on MLK Day.

Come together to create a better world (Photo credit: cobalt123, Creative Commons/Flickr)

December 10th is Human Rights Day, commemorating the UN General Assembly’s 1948 adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, one of its first major achievements. This year, the theme is how to ensure that all people make their voices heard in public life and be included in political decision-making.

Want to get involved? Get started by taking a look at our introduction to human rights work.  Then check out Human Rights Watch, an organization investigating human rights abuses and bringing international attention to injustices worldwide, challenging those in power to end abusive practices and respect international human rights law. They’re currently seeking interns to work on diversity initiatives, a London film festival, and their Middle East and North Africa research. They’re also seeking full-time help in their Health and Human Rights division and in their research on Mexico.

To get involved in the United States, take a look at the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants. They’re looking for a Senior Program Officer in Arlington. Or check out the American Civil Liberties Union, which has been fighting for individual rights since 1920 and needs people to fill forty positions ranging from attorneys to executive directors to project managers in New York, DC, San Francisco, and St. Louis. If you’re interested in LGBT rights advocacy, visit the Human Rights Campaign. They need someone to develop their online properties and social media presence, so if you’re got some web development chops, check out the position they have open right now.

And if you’re looking to keep your job search on theme for this year’s Human Right’s Day, take a look at the Texas Organizing Project. They make sure that the voices of low-income Texans are heard in the political process. Get on board as their new Director of Voter Engagement.

If you’d rather volunteer, take a look at these great opportunities to make a difference. And if you’re still curious about human rights work, shoot a message to one of these folks to chat about their experiences.

There are lots of ways to fight for human rights around the world and around the corner. No matter what your skill set or interests, there’s a human rights opportunity out there for you. Are you looking for a position defending human rights? Or are you already deep in the trenches? Tell us about it!

Photo credit: max_thinks_sees, Creative Commons/Flickr

Saturday, December 1st is World AIDS Day. It started in 1988 and soon blossomed into a global event. Whether you’ve worn a red ribbon for years or just recently decided to get involved, Idealist has jobs, events, and volunteer opportunities from dozens of countries to help you make the world a better place!

To start off, the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, based in Washington D.C., currently has nine jobs posted on Idealist, including positions in Lesotho and Tanzania. If you’re looking to stay local, you can’t do much better than Housing Works, in New York City. They provide a wide range of services for over 20,000 homeless or low-income New Yorkers that live with HIV or AIDS. Housing Works currently has eleven jobs on Idealist, ranging from Art Therapist to Van Driver.

If you’re in Central America, check out Fundación Nimehuatzin, in Managua, Nicaragua. Founded in 1990, the Fundación works to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS while simultaneously defending the rights of individuals affected by the disease.

Across the Atlantic, the International HIV/AIDS Alliance works all over the world to support communities in their fight against AIDS. The Alliance offers positions in the United Kingdom, as well as in various other countries, including Myanmar.

If you’re not currently searching for a job but still want to get involved, there’s always an AIDS/HIV awareness event around the corner. Visit the Southwest Branch Library in Altanta, Georgia on World AIDS Day for their “HIV Stops with Me” event and test your knowledge of AIDS while networking with other activists. Or head north a week later to Washington, D.C. for the Foreign Policy Association’s panel “Do Good Abroad”, which includes a discussion on preparing for a career in humanitarian aid.

Finally, if you feel the need to combine your philanthropic efforts with physical exertion, check out Bike Zambia. It’s a 300-mile bike ride that takes place every June and raises money for AIDS groups.

Remember that every person can make a difference in the fight against HIV/AIDS, and each little bit helps! So find an organization near you that needs volunteers and donations, or just wear that red ribbon tomorrow!

Photo Credit: arimoore, Creative Commons/Flickr

Today is Giving Tuesday, a collective effort encouraging us to give back this holiday season. While you can certainly make a donation to your favorite organization or cause, what are some other ways that we can be generous?  Here are a few videos to inspire you.

Write Love Letters

At the age of 22, Hannah Brencher was struggling with depression and loneliness. To help her cope, she started writing love letters and leaving them around New York City for strangers. Two years later, she’s leading More Love Letters, a movement that’s rooted in kindness and the intimacy of written letters.

Say Yes

For one month, Sasha Dicther of the Acumen Fund, said yes to every request for help. His month-long “generosity experiment” taught him that generosity is a practice we need to cultivate in order to break our culture of distrust.

Sasha Dichter: The Generosity Experiment from TED Blog on Vimeo.

Be an Everyday Hero

Mark Bezos is the Vice President of Development at the Robin Hood Foundation and a volunteer firefighter. In his work he has seen big acts of bravery and generosity, yet the downside is that we tend to think only the big acts matter. He encourages us not to wait to be heroes.

What does generosity look like to you?

Photo credit: kate.gardiner, Creative Commons/Flickr

This Sunday, November 11th, is Veterans Day. There are hundreds of organizations that work with veterans listed on Idealist; some are very small and focused on fixing one particular problem while others encompass hundreds of employees and touch the lives of thousands of veterans.

With over 200,000 members, the IAVA (Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America) is one of the largest veteran organizations in the country. Membership is free for vets, and by joining you gain access to IAVA’s health, education, and employment programs, not to mention events held across the country.

If you’re looking for something more local, almost every state has a veteran’s association of its own. In Texas there is the Lone Star Veterans Association, which helps vets transition back to civilian life and also organizes Operation Lone Star Santa every Christmas. In San Francisco you can look up the Coming Home Project, which provides retreats, counseling, and community programs.

Although large associations are great, there is always room for smaller projects with unique ideas. One of the most specialized veteran orgs on Idealist is Racing4Vets, which offers racing programs in Mason, Ohio. Whether training with go-carts or race-cars, Racing4Vets helps veterans have fun and gain valuable skills in the process.

If you’re not into speed, check out the Veteran Artist Program in Arlington, Virginia. Founded by three men from different military branches (Army, Marines, Navy) the VAP disproves the belief that the military and the arts don’t mix. Any interested vet can contact the VAP and get involved in theater, painting, filmmaking, and much more.

Interested in art, but not ready to take a brush to canvas? Visit the Veterans Art Museum in Chicago, which displays pieces made or inspired by our men and women in uniform.

Finally, if you’ve ever owned a dog, you know what a comfort man’s best friend can be in times of trouble. Perhaps for that reason, there are several nonprofits that match returning veterans with their own pooch. At K9’s for Warriors in Ponte Vedra, Florida, dogs from shelters are paired with veterans that have suffered from traumatic brain injuries and PTSD. In Oregon, Paws Assisting Veterans (PAVE) performs the same service. Pets for Patriots in Long Island includes cats, if you are not a fan of canines.

This Sunday, if you know a veteran, make sure to let them know you appreciate their service. If you are a veteran, relax. You’ve earned it.

As New Yorkers begin to assess the damage left by Hurricane Sandy, we are learning about various ways for our community to get involved. Below are a few opportunities to volunteer and to make donations. If you know of others, please add them in the comments and share with others who want to help out.

Volunteers and members of the US Army National Guard Unit 827 Engineers hand out MRE’s to residents at a staging area located at the Al Smith Playground on Catherine Street this morning. (Bryan Smith/for New York Daily News)

Donations

The New York Blood Center is hosting emergency blood drives in all five boroughs. Find one near you to donate blood.

If you would like to donate money, The Office of Emergency Management has a list of organizations working on disaster relief in New York City that would benefit from your support. If your company would like to make an in-kind donation, learn more about how to do so here.

Many shelters also need supplies for people affected by the hurricane, including batteries, flashlights, and more. Check out Occupy Sandy to learn where and how to donate these items and how you can volunteer as well.

Volunteering

New York Cares is looking for volunteers to help with disaster relief. Sign up to get involved.

If you have tech skills, New York Tech Meetup and New Work City are looking for volunteers to help businesses get back online.

And if you are a health care professional, learn more about what you can do in the Medical Reserve Corps.

Know other ways to get involved? Share them in the comments.

As Election Day draws closer, Idealist is brimming with related events, jobs, and volunteer opportunities. We’re bringing you a small sampling of what’s currently on the site, but just search for keywords like “poll”, “vote”, or “election” and you’ll find plenty more!

Photo Credit: boxer_bob, Creative Commons/Flickr

First off, if you’re reading this blog post and just remembered that you never registered to vote or receive an absentee ballot, you should immediately head to Turbovote.org. Chances are, you’re too late to vote this year, but for the next cycle Turbovote can help by sending you all the required forms and keeping track of deadlines. It will even send you a reminder texts and emails!

If you are ahead of the game and have already sent in an absentee ballot or have free time on Election Day, why not be a polling monitor? You can volunteer in Washington, D.C. with the ADC (American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee) or in Chicago with the Asian American Institute.

After a hard day of civic engagement, Bostonians can unwind at the Election Night Viewing Party arranged by SoJust Vote. If your candidate wins, you can celebrate in the company of other people! If they lose, you won’t want to be alone when the depression hits.

After the ballots have been counted, try to make sense of the results by attending the panel “What Do We Do Now?” at the University of Pennsylvania on November 19th. Hosted by the National Constitution Center, the panel will discuss how the recent election results will change the political landscape. It features a Congressman, a U.S. Ambassador, and a bestselling political author.

Finally, if in the past few months you’ve found yourself engrossed in every poll and analyzing every speech, perhaps you should consider a career on voting and elections. A quick search with the keywords “election” and “vote” brings up a campus organizer position in New Jersey, an elections policy analyst job in New York City, and a political data manager post in California.

At Idealist, we’re proud that we have such an engaged community. So, remember to set time aside on Tuesday, November 6th and vote!

Photo Credit: Pedro J. Ferreira, Creative Commons/Flickr

Happy Halloween! While today is a fun time to dress up and indulge in candy (no matter how old you are), there are still ways we make a difference in our communities.  Check out the resources below for ideas on how you get involved.

Attend a haunted house for charity

Many nonprofits put together haunted houses that give kids a chance to have fun while raising money for the organization. What Gives? and the Nonprofit Quarterly have put together a list of haunted houses taking place around the country. Don’t see one near you? Start thinking about your year-end plan to donate to an organization you love.

Volunteer

Many communities are using today to come together and help those affected by Hurricane Sandy. We’ve listed a few ways to get involved. If you live in New York City, check out the Brooklyn Community Foundation, NYC Service, and Time Out New York for ongoing opportunities. There are also a variety of Halloween focused volunteer opportunities on our website.

Dig into to smart candy

This Halloween, try making your own candy for homemade and healthy treats. Or purchase organic chocolate that’s earth-friendly and delicious. The Daily Green and Green Halloween have ideas and resource to explore to help you get started.

How else can we give back on Halloween? Feel free to share your ideas, resources, and tips in the comments!

Photo credit: jowiki, Creative Commons/Flickr

Although Hurricane Sandy is moving out of the Northeast, there is plenty of work to be done. Whether helping people rebuild their communities or sharing information, there are various ways we can get involved.

• Make a donation: Craig Newmark, the founder of Craigslist, has generously offered to match up $25,000 in donations to Sandy relief efforts. Learn more and make a donation.
• Volunteer: The Red Cross needs volunteers to help at emergency shelters in New York. Read more about the opportunities.
• Stay informed: This is a confusing time for many people, so having the right information is key. The Huffington Post has shared a list of apps to help you keep track of the storm as well as additional resources so you stay informed.

If you have any other resources or opportunities to share, please include them in the comments.

To everyone who has been affected by the hurricane, including our neighbors in New York City, you are in our thoughts. Let us know how we can help.