Stewards VISTA: Appalshop

Job Overview

Position Title: Stewards VISTA: Appalshop – AmeriCorps

Conservation Legacy Program: Stewards Individual Placements, East

Site Location: 9404 HWY 805, STE B (Upstairs),

City, State or Full Address: Jenkins, KY 41537

Terms of Service:

Start Date: July 13, 2026

End Date: July 12, 2027

Must serve a 365-day (1 year) service term

Living Allowance: $68.39/day ($24,962.35/year)

Purpose:

Appalshop is a community-based arts, culture, and media organization and an AmeriCorps Program rooted in Whitesburg, Kentucky—a small, close-knit Appalachian town with a deep tradition of creativity, mutual support, and resilience. For over 50 years, Appalshop has used film, radio, theater, music, and digital storytelling to empower Appalachian communities to tell their own stories on their own terms, while building the creative and technical skills that open doors to meaningful careers and economic opportunity. Guided by the values of cultural preservation, community self-determination, and place-based development, Appalshop serves as a vital hub for workforce development, community organizing, and creative expression across Eastern Kentucky and the broader Appalachian region.

The AmeriCorps VISTA member will serve with Appalshop to help expand the organization’s reach and strengthen the systems that connect community members to creative careers, job pathways, and leadership opportunities. In this AmeriCorps Position, the member will develop workshop curricula for media production and community storytelling programs, build outreach plans to grow partnerships with schools, libraries, workforce organizations, and local employers, and improve internal systems for volunteer engagement and data tracking. By laying this groundwork, the member will help Appalshop deepen its community impact and ensure that more people across the region have access to the skills, networks, and opportunities they need to thrive.

The AmeriCorps VISTA member will build capacity and develop sustainable solutions to alleviate poverty in underserved communities.

Description of Duties:

• Develop trainings for staff to lead in production, editing, audio, archiving, digital tools
• Create curriculum for staff to lead community story-gathering and public programs such as workshops, screenings, performances, listening sessions
• Improve systems for outreach, volunteer engagement, participant support, and data collection
• Develop an outreach plan for staff to cultivate partnerships with schools, libraries, workforce providers, local employers, and regional organizations so that participants have clearer pathways from learning to paid work, internships, and community leadership

Qualifications:

• United States citizen, United States national, or a lawful permanent resident alien
• At least 18 years of age
• College graduate
• Agrees to provide information to establish eligibility and to complete a National Service Criminal History Check

Physical Requirements:

Conservation Legacy is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals and will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations to perform essential functions. Some positions may require periodic overnight travel, non-traditional hours, ability to move across varied terrain, use program-specific tools and a range of technology on an infrequent or frequent basis. Exerting up to 25 pounds of force occasionally to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects. Ability to safely drive an organizational vehicle may also be required for some positions. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager.

Time Requirements

• Typically, this position is expected to serve full-time (35-40 hours), but exact schedules may vary.
• Member may be required to participate in national, state, or local service projects or events as part of their service term.

Orientation and Training:

• Member will receive an orientation that includes training on AmeriCorps prohibited and unallowable activities.
• Member will receive a Virtual Member Orientation (VMO) from VISTA on their first day of service.

Benefits:

• Segal AmeriCorps Education Award* of $7,395.00

o   or choice of cash stipend of ~$1,800.00

• Living Allowance of $68.39 per day, disbursed every 2 weeks
• Relocation Allowance ($750) if Eligible
• Healthcare Coverage* if Eligible
• Childcare Coverage* if Eligible
• Loan forbearance if Eligible
• Interest Payments if Eligible
• Training and Professional Development Opportunities
• Employee Wellness Program (access to a licensed, professional counselor and 24/7 support)
• Non-Competitive Eligibility* (NCE) status upon successful completion of the term
• Networking and Mentorship

*For more information regarding the Segal Education Award, check out this link as well as alternative uses for the award here.

*For details about AmeriCorps VISTA healthcare benefits, please visit http://www.vistacampus.gov/healthcare.

*For more information regarding the AmeriCorps VISTA Childcare benefit, please visit https://americorpschildcare.com/.

*For details about Non-Competitive Eligibility, please visit https://my.americorps.gov/trust/help/member_portal/non_competitive_eligibility_overview.htm.

Evaluation and Reporting:

As an AmeriCorps VISTA member, performance will be evaluated on whether the member has completed their required year of service; the member has satisfactorily completed assignments; and if the member has met other performance criteria that were clearly communicated at the beginning of the term of service.

Reporting requirements include, but are not limited to, bi-weekly timesheets, accomplishment tracking, and quarterly reporting.

Supervisor Name and Contact Information:

For VISTA related information, contact Addie Gilkerson, [email protected]

For site related information, contact Shane Terry, [email protected]

Conservation Legacy is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. 

We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you need assistance and/or reasonable accommodations due to a disability during the application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager.