York Ready for Climate Action Climate Equity and Community Outreach VISTA

Dive into the seaside community of York, Maine, building connections and partnerships that strengthen York Ready for Climate Action and the York Recycling Committee’s abilities to help York residents access energy-efficient home improvements that save money and improve their quality of life! 

York Ready for Climate Action (YRCA) is a grassroots organization dedicated to increasing awareness of the causes and effects of climate change and advancing environmentally friendly and inclusive policies and behaviors. The goal of YRCA is to improve environmental equity and health by engaging all and reducing barriers to participation. Our programs help citizens navigate and afford home energy retrofits to electrify their homes, centering equity and inclusion for all residents. With our help, the town of York, ME will meet its climate goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030 and 100% by 2050. 

YRCA partners with the Recycling Committee of York (RCY) on initiatives that allow York to improve waste disposal methods, with an active focus on improving access to composting and other solutions to food waste.

The York Community Outreach VISTA will help both YRCA and the RCY to expand their reach to people in the community, allowing more York residents to learn about and benefit from their programming. The VISTA will also focus on improving the fiscal sustainability of the fund that YRCA uses to help low-income residents who would otherwise struggle with high home utility costs. This position will do this by:

• Strengthening the marketing, outreach, and management of the Household Equity Fund, the Fund that provides financial assistance to low and middle-income York residents to install energy–efficient systems in their homes that save money and reduce carbon emissions. The HHEF pays the difference between the rebate and actual cost directly to the installer for the energy efficiency retrofit projects of heat pumps, insulation/ air sealing, energy audits, and heat pump hot water heaters for York residents with low incomes as defined by the State of Maine,
• Creating the structure for the food-waste disposal program for the RCY, with the goal that this program will extend composting solutions to York residents, businesses, and schools,
• Rejuvenating the YRCA Climate Fair into an event that is attended by a larger and broader population of constituents,
• Developing a more comprehensive and better publicized model for the annual York Home Tour, and
• overall strengthening community awareness and engagement for all YRCA’s programs and events.

Benefits

• Bi-Weekly Living Allowance of $983.36/Biweekly
• Relocation Allowance of $750 plus $.40 per mile (for those moving more than 50 miles)
• Health Benefits
• Childcare Reimbursement if eligible
• Student Loan Forbearance for eligible federal loans (interest paid by AmeriCorps)
• Training and Professional Development
• Life Navigator (on-staff licensed counselor for members)
• Choice of Segal AmeriCorps Education Award ($7,395) or an end-of-term bonus ($1,800) upon term completion
• Non-Competitive Eligibility for federal employment for one-year post-term
• Networks with available rental housing options
• Access to organization facilities
• Extensive Training

*Individuals are limited to two full Segal AmeriCorps Education Awards in their lifetime

Already have a MyAmeriCorps account and want to apply for this specific role? You can find that listing on MyAmeriCorps here.

The positive impact VISTA members offer their local communities is remarkable and continues to build year after year. Descriptions of all Goodwill AmeriCorps Positions can be found at: goodwillnne.org/jobs/americorps/positions/.