Service
Become a Member
Serve at a nonprofit in Indianapolis through the Interfaith Enrichment Corps, the Center for Interfaith Cooperation’s AmeriCorps program. Learn and connect with cultural services, faith communities, and community resources along with a cohort of service members. Members build quality interfaith relationships that explore community solutions in an asset-based approach. Specific service activities vary per site.
This program is available to all, without regard to race, color, national origin, disability, age, sex, political affiliation, or, in most instances, religion.
Service Description
- Effective nonprofit best practices such as event planning and volunteer management.
- Religious literacy and ability to navigate the sensitivities and assets of various faith groups.
- The unique assets of and barriers faced by immigrants and refugees
- Mental health statistics, connecting resources and addressing stigma
- Socioeconomic disparities and implicit bias
- Other resource assets for referral and connection in the network of Indianapolis community organizations
- What do community leaders, clergy, volunteers see for the future of their community/congregation?
- In what ways are they serving that they would like to continue – or would like more people to be involved in?
- By learning from the community, we can intuitively support their efforts without adding to their plates.
Member Duties
- Pursue interfaith understanding, cultural connection, and community vitality through service.
- Serve with a team of other members in a year of nonprofit networking and community-based learning out of Center for Interfaith Cooperation and partner sites around Central Indiana.
- Build authentic professional relationships with immigrants, faith groups, and service providers by facilitating and engaging in honest and sensitive conversations.
- Learn and use nonprofit best practices to support site organizations and community training opportunities.
- Cultivate a working understanding of root causes of community needs including mental health stigma, implicit bias, resource disparity, social isolation.
- Identify and pursue training that leverages local experts and professionals for the benefit of your site and the AmeriCorps team.
Skills
- Conflict Resolution
- Community Organization
- Communications
- Leadership
- Public Health
- Social Services
- Computers/Technology
Program Benefits
- Living Allowance
- Training
- Education award upon successful completion of service
Terms
- Car recommended
- Service is compatible with work during off-hours
- Service is compatible with attendance at school during off-hours
How to Apply
To apply, submit a pre-application here. You will receive an email confirmation within 72 hours with instructions to schedule your screening call. Once screened, candidates will be invited to submit an official application as soon as the opportunity is live in the AmeriCorps Portal and interview with service sites. Interested candidates can speed the selection process by creating an account and profile in the portal.
For more information, contact Aimee Formo at aimee@centerforinterfaithcooperation.org.
Host a Member
Center for Interfaith Cooperation trains and places AmeriCorps members in partner congregations and organizations interested in building a strong, resourced interfaith community.
Service Site Duties
Service sites commit to providing direct supervision to members, a clear written description of goals and duties for members, a designated desk space, and member candidate referrals.
Benefits to Service Sites
An AmeriCorps member at your congregation or organization will build your capacity to (a) collaborate with religious communities, (b) cultivate interfaith understanding and cultural relevance, and (c) enhance and augment mission services in a sustainable fashion.
Members commit to 1700 hours of service and training, with CIC providing the majority of professional development opportunities needed to support success.
Members do not replace staff or volunteers and instead take on a unique role in an organization, engaging in service activities such as volunteer recruitment and support, community collaboration, mental health stigma reduction, staff/volunteer training, cultural connections, event planning, and other community-oriented activities.
Cost Share
Cost sharing for the 2021-22 program is as follows:
$9000 toward program funding for each full-year (September-August) member hosted
$1900 toward member health insurance coverage (if enrolled – members covered via another policy may waive AmeriCorps coverage)
Timeline
The IEC service year runs from September – August.
15 June: Service Descriptions due to CIC
June-July: Sites interview candidates following a screening by CIC
15 August: placements finalized, MOUs due to CIC; Member background check process begins
16 August: Site Supervisor Orientation
7-9 September: Member Orientation
10 September: Site Orientation Day; Member agreements due
13 September: First Day of Service
October: Cost share invoices distributed
February: Service Site Compliance Visits
How to host a member
Faith communities and organizations should contact Aimee Formo at aimee@centerforinterfaithcooperation.org to express interest and discuss placement.
Engage with the IEC
CIC welcomes board members, volunteers, and partners to join us for select training activities, where space permits. We are also pleased to welcome community organizations to present on local resources, non-profit skills, or service opportunities in our bi-weekly enrichment sessions.2020-21 Members and Sites
- Jesse Langdon - Center for Interfaith Cooperation
- David Love - St. Monica Catholic Church
- Ashley Mager - Mothers on the Rise
- Abby Shores - Light of the World Christian Church
- Kassim Muthana - Indianapolis Muslim Community Association
- Nina Porter - Mothers on the Rise
- Lexie Meier - Hope for Tomorrow
- Kaitlyn Yousif - United Religious Communities
Jesse Langdon is serving at the Center for Interfaith Cooperation.
David Love is serving at St. Monica Catholic Church as Lead Connector for the Congregation Care Network team.
Ashley Mager is a second-semester graduate student at the Fairbanks School of Public Health working towards her Master’s in Public Health. With a concentration in Social and Behavioural Sciences, she focuses on health disparities and improving health outcomes. She is currently an AmeriCorps Member at the Center for Interfaith and working as the Project Administrator for Mothers on the Rise, a reentry program. Mothers on the Rise is a program for pregnant women being released from the Indiana Women’s Prison where she can demonstrate her education and experience within the field of public health. After graduation, Ashley plans to work for a program designed to address maternal and child health disparities, such as Mothers on the Rise.
Abby Shores is a passionate individual on her journey to become a physician. She is originally from Winchester, IN but she moved to Indianapolis in 2016 when she started her undergraduate studies at Butler University, and she has loved living here ever since. Abby is serving at Light of the World Christian as a lead connector for the Congregational Care Network that serves individuals recently released from IU Health hospitals and provides companions for them from church volunteers. Abby is also working to instill a similar program within the congregation.
Kassim Muthana is serving at the Indianapolis Muslim Community Association and Masjid Al Fajr as Lead Connector for the Congregation Care Network team.
Nina Porter is serving with Mothers on the Rise.
Lexie Me
ier is an advocate for those in need. She lives in Indianapolis with her two greyhounds and family and loves discovering new coffee shops around Indy. Lexie is serving at Hope For Tomorrow, where she focuses on building bridges between the Burmese/Chin and American communities through education, service, and advocacy.
Hope For Tomorrow aims to connect the Burmese/Chin and American communities through the programs they offer and provides the community the necessary resources to succeed. They offer programs such as The Hope After School Program, Citizenship Classes, and application assistance. You can connect with them at https://www.hopefortomorrowusa.org/.
Kaitlyn Yousif is serving at the United Religious Communities of South Bend.
Enrichment Schedule
Details of open upcoming training opportunities appear below. Contact Aimee Formo to join a session as a guest, or follow the volunteer links.
23 July 21 and 6 August 21 - Mock Interviewers Needed
We’re focusing some energy in July and August on life after AmeriCorps, with resume and interview skills workshops and presentations on the Indiana job market and employability skills.
We are seeking volunteers to:
- conduct mock interviews virtually in the afternoon on 23 July and/or 6 August
- critique resumes – resumes circulated at the beginning of July, with feedback captured in writing.
Sign up here.
20 August 21 - One Thing I Learned This Service Year
Join us at our final enrichment of the 20-21 service year for members’ short presentations (10 mins each) recapping one major takeaway from their year of service.
2021-22 Member Orientation
Save the date for 21-22 Member Orientation, which will run 7-10 September. We will be recruiting speakers to address a variety of topics including Mental Health, Healthcare Access, Lived Experience & Privilege, Faith and Interfaith, Cultural Sensitivity, Networking, Nonprofit Skills, and Central Indiana resources.