AmeriCorps Applications Skyrocketing (And Here Are the Numbers)

If you told me that AmeriCorps applications were up, I’d say “That’s not too surprising.” Lots of Americans want to help their communities in these tough times, Boomers and Millennials are seriously civic-minded, and the traditional job market is dismal.

But if you told me applications had more than tripled, I would say, “Wow!”

Well, the Corporation for National and Community Service has been tracking their online application numbers, and we are definitely in Wow! territory.

Here is what CNCS’s reporting shows (note: online application numbers don’t represent ALL AmeriCorps applications, but serve as a good proxy for overall application trends):

• In June 2009, we received 34,373 online AmeriCorps applications, nearly triple the 11,814 online applications received in June of 2008.

• During the previous 8 months (Nov. 2008 – June 2009) AmeriCorps received 146,699 online applications, a 217 percent increase above the 46,221 applications received during the same 8 month period a year ago.

Interestingly, applications in January 2009-just as President Obama came in AND the depth of the economic crisis was being driven home–were up 617%(!) over January 2008

Here is CNCS’s analysis of the numbers, which makes for interesting reading (and also illustrates the importance of fully funding the Serve America Act to grow AmeriCorps):

We believe the increase in AmeriCorps applications is due to several factors. The economic downturn is likely having some effect, as college grads and others facing a bleak job market decide to take a closer look at public service positions like AmeriCorps. Serving in AmeriCorps gives recent grads and others valuable skills, money to pay for college and pay back loans, the chance to explore a career path, and, most important, the satisfaction that comes from serving others.

We also think there is an “Obama effect”. His campaign engaged millions of volunteers and he has made service a central cause of his Administration. The response to his call for a national day of service on King Day was astonishing. The Corporation has been promoting service on the King Holiday since 1994, and while it has grown every year, participation went off the charts in 2009 thanks to the President-elect’s call to service and making it a centerpiece of his Inauguration. We had more than 13,000 projects, more than doubling last year’s record of 5,000, and estimate more than one million Americans served that day, including hundreds of thousands of young people and college students. (For more on historic turnout on King Day, visit www.mlkday.gov)

Perhaps even more important than these two recent factors is a strong altruistic streak among today’s young adults. Today’s young people are volunteering and getting involved in politics at record levels. Volunteering by older teens has doubled since the 1980s. Numerous other studies also suggest that today’s youth are volunteering and interested in politics at higher rates than the past. Two-thirds of college freshmen believe it is essential or very important to help others, the highest this figure has been in the 25 years (UCLA study). There was strong voter turnout by 18-24 year-olds in the 2008 campaign. Millennials are not waiting for solutions – they are starting their own nonprofits and using cutting edge technology to organize and make a difference.

We think there are several big reasons why millennials are so involved:
• The catastrophes of 9-11 and Katrina were a wake up call and a call to action that gave young people a chance to be part of something larger than themselves.
• Community service and service-learning – a teaching method that combines classroom learning with community service – are much more prevalent in K-12 schools and colleges. (Our 2008 prevalence report found that 86% of high schools offer or encourage community service.)
• New technologies like Facebook and MySpace make it easier for young people to organize for change and connect with their peers – whether across town or across the world.
• AmeriCorps is a catching on as a way for young people to make an intensive commitment to helping others. More than 574,000 have served in AmeriCorps – many right out of high school or college — and many go into public service careers or start their own nonprofits.

***Article taken from Service Nation