Month 10 Update

Garden downtown

So I officially have less than 2 months left as a VISTA Leader!

Right now, my co-leader and I are in the midst of recruitment craziness. Every application we get, we call and interview them, and then pass them along to our sites. Some days, I have talked to as many as 6 applicants. It is difficult to keep everything straight. We were extremely lucky and despite budget cuts, we were able to secure 26 VISTA positions for the 2013-2014 year. This honor is only as a result of the hard work of our members and project sponsor that continue to provide measurable outcome improvements.

If you know someone who would be interested in joining AmeriCorps, positions are posted online at americorps.gov. The VISTA positions for our project can be found by searching the project name: Charleston Area Service Collaborative. We currently have positions in the areas of Youth Leadership, Literacy, Veterans, Health, Mentoring, and Child and Family Supports. Feel free to let me know if you have any questions. (Shameless plug J)

Since I have less than two months left, people have been asking me what is next.

 I have decided that this term will be my last with the VISTA program. I have been thankful for the opportunities it has provided for me and the connections I have made, but quite honestly, I’m tired of being poor. Don’t get me wrong, I have somehow managed to make this modest budget work, but it would be nice to do the things on my “When I have money” list that has recently been growing (at the top is getting the A/C in my car fixed). Though I know I am not guaranteed to have more money come August 10^th, and that it even seems somewhat self-seeking that I so easily could.

I also feel like the last 2 years have been figuring out what I’m good at and what I like, and I’m ready to put turn that into a career. I’m also not tired of serving and volunteering and plan on doing that wherever and whatever I end up doing.

I consider the connections I have made here valuable enough to make this the first place I look for employment (which is great for those of you who haven’t made it here to visit me yet J). I know I want to help people and that I would like an environment that values innovation. As far as where and what I would be doing, I’m still researching. I liked marketing last year and enjoy communications and problem-solving. I wouldn’t mind being back in a non-profit.

So there you have it, you know as much about my future as I do J. I trust the Lord to open doors and am seeking His guidance during this process.

“When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.”