Westmoreland Volunteer Corps

ACTIVITIES: Each year the Volunteer Corps identifies positions with approximately nine agencies in Washington, DC, and suburban Maryland and Virginia. These agencies provide services such as employment counseling and search, case workers for at-risk youth, maternal/child health care and other health programs, social and legal services and shelters for the homeless, refugee support, promotion of social justice, and support for the elderly. The goals of the participating agencies are matched with the interests, skills, academic training, and career goals of the five Volunteers. The positions at the agencies provide opportunities for Volunteers to explore possible career paths in social service, health care, law, housing, religion, education, and international aid, among others. Volunteers live in a former parsonage in Bethesda, MD, with easy access to public transportation (bus and Metro). Volunteers share cooking and household chores in the furnished house. Community meetings are expected one evening each week and are facilitated by the community counselor, who provides support for community living, spiritual growth, adaptation to new and sometimes stressful work environments, and assistance with planning the three retreats. Agencies where Volunteers work provide a monthly stipend from which the Volunteers pay for housing, food, and modest personal expenses. Agencies also cover transportation to and from work (usually with a bus/Metro pass) and provide medical insurance or reimburse Westmoreland for it. Volunteers are reimbursed up to $250 for one trip home during the year.

CONTACT:

COMMITMENT: 1 year

OVERVIEW: The Westmoreland Volunteer Corps offers five adults, typically recent college graduates, the opportunity to tackle challenging social issues in healthcare, social services, legal aid and immigrant rights with Washington-area service agencies.