ACC AmeriCorps Team Leader Application (2024-25)

The American Connection Corps (ACC) is the flagship AmeriCorps program of Lead For America (LFA), a national nonprofit that is building a new generation of public service leaders nationwide. ACC is LFA’s boots-on-the-ground service corps, aimed at building local leaders in rural and legacy communities. Through a year of service, ACC Members become leaders who can tackle critical challenges, advance economic prosperity, and spark needed change in the places they’re most connected to. Every corner of America deserves the leadership of great public servants, and ACC brings that vision to life. 

The next service year will begin on September 9, 2024, and all ACC Members will support the national core campaign of Bridging the Digital Divide with an emphasis on the following ACC focus areas:

• Community & Economic Development
• Health & Social Capital
• Agriculture & Natural Resources

We will have 100+ ACC AmeriCorps Members including up to 4-6 Team Leaders serving in the 2024-25 cohort.

Key Responsibilities

ACC AmeriCorps Team Leaders play a critical leadership role in supporting and mentoring the annual ACC AmeriCorps cohort to ensure a world-class service experience for all ACC Members. Team Leaders will do this by assisting with peer mentoring and support, Days of Service and community service project development, data analysis and storytelling, year-round trainings (both in-person and virtual), and ongoing professional development opportunities and resource library curation. ACC Team Leaders will also serve as local community ambassadors in their geographic region as the program expands rapidly to serve new states and regions in 2024 and beyond. Team Leads will spend approximately 10-20% of their time (4-8 hours/week) on ACC cohort-building activities as outlined below.

New in 2024: Per AmeriCorps policy, ACC Team Leaders must report in-person to a local US-based service site location within commuting distance (within 180 miles) of their home. Interested ACC Members who wish to be a Team Leader should fit in one of three categories.

1.  Traditional Host Site Position (preferred):
1. ACC Member primarily serves a host site in compliance with physical location and commuting standards. 
2. Host Site and Member must agree that Member is permitted to provide time, as agreed upon (estimated 4-8 hours/week) to the ACC Team Leader position. 
2. Applicant-Led Host Site Position (as available): 
1. In cases where an interested ACC Team Leader does not currently have a host site identified, then the ACC Member can identify another eligible service site location and can, with LFA staff support, and compliance approval, develop an agreement to serve as a Team Leader while providing support to the service site location (estimated 4-8 hours/week). 
3. LFA Focused Team Leader:
1. These will be the last slots filled, and only available if and when all other slots have been allocated to non-LFA host site locations.
2. The Team Leader would still need to serve from either the LFA Wichita HQ or another eligible service site location within commuting distance of their home.

Essential Functions

Essential functions, as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include the following tasks, knowledge, skills and other characteristics. This list of tasks is illustrative ONLY and is not a comprehensive listing of all functions and tasks performed by individuals in this role.  It does not imply that all positions within the class perform all the duties listed, nor does it necessarily list all possible duties that may be assigned.

• Support, motivate, mentor, and provide ongoing training and technical assistance to American Connection Corps (ACC) members throughout their 11-month term of service (September 2024 - August 2025).

• Oversee the daily management of the ACC Slack channel for Member communications as well as related Google Drive/electronic resource folders for Members' information and reference.

• Develop positive team morale and foster a culture of community through facilitation and hosting of bi-weekly Pod sessions via Zoom and guest plenary speaker opportunities.

• Assist with planning and on-site event support for ACC Orientation (September 9-13), Winter Institute (December 2-6), NDIA Net Inclusion Conference (May 20-22), and Graduation Week (August 4-8).

• Coordinate and oversee planning of Digital Inclusion Week (October), MLK Day of Service (January), AmeriCorps Week (March), and Juneteenth (June) community outreach activities for all AmeriCorps members to participate in, both in-person and virtually.

• Lead special projects depending on interest and expertise

• Model a good work ethic to set the work pace and culture of high expectations; ensure the development of all members’ good work habits on site as well as career and interpersonal skills for long-term post-service success.

• Serve as an ACC ambassador and public speaker to external-facing audiences; participate in public events and speaking opportunities about the ACC program.

• Collaborate closely with ACC Program staff on AmeriCorps member needs and serve as a programmatic and administrative liaison between members and staff, as appropriate.

• Monitor and help support the safety and wellbeing of Members during service and training events, including both mental and physical health needs.

• Continually strive to unify all team members by resolving conflicts, practicing active listening, building consensus, and providing compassionate feedback.

• Assist with LFA’s Alumni-Building initiatives to keep members engaged post-service.

• Assist with other duties as assigned in support of ACC’s programmatic growth and expansion.

Requirements

Eligibility:

• Be a U.S. Citizen, National, or Lawful Permanent Resident.
• Hold a high school diploma or GED equivalent.
• Be 17 years of age or older by the start of service.
• Have not already served four (4) or more AmeriCorps State/National terms of service. 
• Successful past completion of an ACC AmeriCorps term of service with knowledge of the ACC program experience

*The ideal ACC candidate will be committed to Lead For America’s values of Bridge Building, Service & Sacrifice, Love of Neighbor, Innovation in All Things, and Commitment to Place. 

Benefits

Every full-time ACC Member receives: 

• A $35,000 stipend. 
• A $7,395 Education Award through AmeriCorps, which can be applied to any education-related expenses after the program concludes (including repayment of qualifying student loans).
• Comprehensive healthcare coverage (if applicable).
• Access to childcare benefits.
• Student loan forbearance during your year of service.
• Fully-funded travel and lodging at four (4) in-person trainings nationwide.

PLUS

• Access to a network of 200+ program alumni, a strong set of mentors, and unique graduate school scholarship opportunities that help accelerate Members' careers post-service.
• Regular 1:1 check-ins with an ACC Program Officer.
• Weekly "pod" meetings with ACC program staff, guest speakers, and other ACC Members.
• Check-ins with Host Supervisor and ACC Program Officer to ensure continued personal/professional success.