The AmeriCorps VISTA program began in 1965. NeighborWorks America's VISTA program launched in 2009, and since that time more than 1,000 volunteers have completed service with the NeighborWorks networks. Josie Clerfond, a graduate of University of California, Santa Cruz, served as an AmeriCorps VISTA with the South Los Angeles Transit Empowerment Zone in 2019. After working as an affordable housing nonprofit professional and then in business development for a clean tech company, Josie joined NeighborWorks America to serve as the VISTA leader for the 2023-2024 cohort year. She loves to travel, especially to Africa, and will be attending law school at the University of Michigan after her service with NeighborWorks. Below, she tells us what it takes to be a VISTA.
Tell us why you decided to become a VISTA?
My initial VISTA service year was my first full-time job out of college. I decided to become a VISTA because I was drawn to public service and the government sector, and I wanted an opportunity where I could build career skills as an entry-level professional. I also wanted to feel a sense of purpose in my work and to be sure that I was helping my community in ways that addressed the history of wealth inequality in our country.
Finish this sentence: Being a VISTA is … humbling and rewarding! VISTA members live on a modest stipend that is comparable to the poverty level in the communities that they serve. While it is a serious and at times difficult commitment, the amount of change we are able to make as volunteers is pretty astonishing. Our full-time job is to make our host organizations operate better and more efficiently, which means that we can bring fresh ideas and processes to our host organizations that are in need of suggestions from an objective person.
How has being a VISTA impacted your thoughts about what you want to do in the future?
Being a VISTA has confirmed that I want a career in the public sector and specifically the federal government. I have enjoyed seeing the impacts of AmeriCorps, which is a federal program, and seeing the ways it has changed lives – both the lives of the VISTAs themselves and the community members they serve.
What's been your favorite moment as a VISTA so far?
My favorite part of this year was attending the NeighborWorks Training Institute in San Francisco
where I had the opportunity to enhance my knowledge of homeownership and mortgage lending, and also got to meet with 11 other NeighborWorks VISTAs from across the country. We were able to share stories and successes from our service years and we truly felt like a team, despite the distance between our host sites.
Why did you choose NeighborWorks America for your service?
I was really impressed by the long history and geographic spread of the NeighborWorks organization. Not to mention that NeighborWorks has one of the largest VISTA programs in the country. I was excited to become a VISTA Leader for NeighborWorks because of the opportunity to contribute to a program that has impact at a large scale. I was also thrilled at the prospect of becoming a mentor for over 30 VISTAs who are starting their journey in public service with NeighborWorks.
What do you wish more people knew about the VISTA program?
I wish more people knew about the level of dedication that goes into a VISTA's year of service. Being a VISTA is a sacrifice of time and financial comfort, which means that the program draws very bold and driven individuals to serve. The typical VISTA is a very interesting person, so I encourage people to take the time to get to know us!
Do you have recommendations for someone who might be interested in this type of role?
Refer them to MyAmeriCorps.gov to search for open positions. Additionally, contact Debbie Wise at [email protected] to learn more about the NeighborWorks VISTA program. The next program begins in October.
05/30/2024
