Becoming an OSM/VISTA Volunteer
Would you like a job that matters? Are you motivated to fight water pollution and improve the living conditions of low-income communities in Appalachia?
Appalachian Coal Country Watershed Team members live and work as OSM/VISTA volunteers in low-income communities dealing with contaminated streams, depressed economies and other issues prevalent in the eastern coal region. Each serving with a local sponsoring organization, Watershed Team members strive to improve quality of life, create a healthier and safer environment, and build capacity in their host communities. Our OSM/VISTAs are flexible, multifaceted individuals who bring their skill sets to bear on a wide variety of activities, from water quality monitoring to event organizing, from environmental education to grant writing, from media work to volunteer management. OSM/VISTAs enjoy a unique opportunity to work with rural grassroots environmental leaders and to explore a wide range of future career paths and opportunities in the process. Read more about the kinds of work that OSM/VISTAs do.
Job requirements: Bachelors degree; good communication skills; familiarity with computers; ability to work in a challenging and changing environment; flexibility and adaptability; self-motivation; willingness to live in a rural Appalachian community. GIS, environmental monitoring and community organizing experience are a plus!
Location: 37+ sites in 8 Appalachian states (PA, MD, OH, WV, VA, TN, KY, AL)
Duration: 12 months (summer positions are sometimes available)
Start Date: There are 5
start dates annually. We recruit on a rolling basis, so apply now!
Hours: Full Time (no external employment is permitted)
Compensation: As an AmeriCorps*VISTA volunteer you receive a monthly living stipend of roughly $833 (before taxes), health insurance, child care if eligible, student loan forbearance (with interest paid), and the choice of a $4,725 education award or $1200 cash stipend upon term completion. Click here for a fact sheet on the benefits available to VISTA volunteers.
Applications received by the Team Office are sent onward to watersheds seeking OSM/VISTA applicants for that term. It is entirely up to the local OSM/VISTA Watershed sponsors to interview and select applicants. Final approval of applicants rests with the OSM/VISTA Team Director.
Got questions? Call (304) 461-3131 or email
recruit@accwt.org.
How to Apply
- Send your resume and a brief, nonfiction writing sample (any subject) to
recruit@accwt.org
- Go to https://recruit.cns.gov/ and complete an online AmeriCorps application (you can skip the Certification section). In the Program Selections section, copy and paste the following Program Listing ID: 07VSSWVoo4. When you have completed your application, hit the Submit Final Application button. Your information will automatically be sent to our office.
