AmeriCorps NPRC is a great opportunity to experience something new and exciting in a place that is on the other side of the country. When I first applied for the job my main focus was getting here and being able to work on national disasters. However, you are not promised the chance to work on a natural disaster once you get her, luckily I was able to get deployed within my first month. If there are no disasters of substantial size, which is a good thing, you will probably not get deployed. My office duties are very broad and ever changing. There are some things that I do every day that remain consistent. Scheduling presentations in the community and finding volunteers to teach these classes is something that is ongoing. Another item that I deal with is scheduling Red Cross trainings for our region and the trainers to teach those courses. These two main items mixed in with a bunch of preparedness and emergency services work keeps me busy.
Outside of my main work duties are the AmeriCorps goals that must be completed every month in order to successfully complete the program. One of these requirements is to volunteer with another non-profit organization in the area for eight hours a month. I recently got involved with Channel Islands Restoration group here in the Central Coast Region. The Channel Islands National Park is made up of five islands that stretch up the coast of central California. The restoration group is focused and grant funded to restore the islands back to their natural state by removing all invasive species and reintroducing the natives. This past week I got to spend an entire day volunteering with the restoration group. It was a day that I would have normally been at the office in Santa Barbara, but because of the AmeriCorps volunteering requirement I got to take the day an d work on Anacapa Island, which is a pretty nice office space compared to my cubical! This was a great time to get out and experience what a totally different non-profit was doing in the community.
I really enjoyed my time volunteering with this group and I will probably continue to do so for the remainder of my term here in Santa Barbara. Just thought I would write a quick post and fill you in on some of what I have been figuring out along this journey. Stay tuned for more and Happy Holidays!
-Ben
