NCCC in Rapid

An article was published in yesterday's Rapid City Journal about a group of AmeriCorps NCCC members spending part of their service commitment helping out at the Black Hills Workshop & Training Center.

AmeriCorps members sharing their stories is a great way to educate those who may not be aware of the disparate services provided by the national service program. Plus, these young people deserve the recognition. I especially enjoyed reading about the members' motivations for signing up and their adjustment to living off of a stipend - things us VISTAs can certainly relate to!

NCCC is the National Civilian Community Corps. NCCC projects must focus on at least one of five program areas:

• disaster services
• education
• environment
• public safety
• unmet needs

Unlike VISTA, NCCC is a direct service program. Participants are assigned to groups of up to 12 members based out of one of five sites across the country. Throughout their 10 months of service, groups rotate through a series of projects lasting anywhere between three and eight weeks. NCCC is restricted to those between the ages of 18 and 24.

There really is something for everyone under the AmeriCorps umbrella!