The Jefferson County Mental Health Local Advisory Council is looking for a VISTA worker to help increase access to health and food resources by developing an educational platform to connect families with community resources.
The position begins in January and will last one year, with a possible renewal, said Advisory Council member Barb Reiter.
The goal of the VISTA project is to move low-income individuals in Jefferson County out of poverty by increasing access to community resources that will result in better job choices, mental health support and access to food, according to the project description.
The VISTA volunteer will work out of an office supplied by the county and be paid a stipend, along with an end-of-service educational award or stipend, according to Reiter.
The program is supported in part by AmeriCorps as well as a $5,000 matching stipend from the Advisory Council, according to Reiter.
Parts of Jefferson County have poverty levels higher than the state average. A recent community health assessment also revealed that mental/behavioral health concerns and substance abuse were issues among the county’s adult population, according to the project description.
Jefferson County’s data show the need to solidify support for families around mental health, educational opportunities to help advance job qualifications, and support for families in need with food security, according to the project description.
Applicants must have a college degree, be at least 18 years old and possess the following skills: writing/editing, recruitment, communications, leadership and general skills.
AmeriCorps is a network of national service programs where members commit their time to address critical community needs such as academics, mentoring, poverty, preparing for disaster and more. Originally called VISTA, the program began in 1964 as a way to combat poverty. VISTA was combined with the National and Community Service, AmeriCorps Seniors in 1993 to become AmeriCorps.
Those interested must complete a profile and apply through AmeriCorps, which can be found at www.americorps.gov.
