5f6b2b760f444937b0dfd30d3767380d.png?sfvrsn=832f624c_0 "Click Here to Learn How to Join AmeriCorps")
.jpg?sfvrsn=b1104070_1)
AmeriCorps, the federal agency for national service and volunteerism, has named Kansas as the fifth ranking state for formal volunteering in the nation as highlighted in the latest Volunteering and Civic Life in America research.
Kansas’s formal volunteering rate has increased by eight percentage points in just two years. In 2023, 902,960 state residents volunteered through an organization, contributing $1.6 billion in economic value.
Other Kansas highlights:
“Kansas represents the best of America. Kansans should feel proud to know that their neighbors and friends are looking out for their community, providing invaluable support by serving those in need,” said Michael D. Smith, CEO, of AmeriCorps “We can all learn a thing or two from Kansans.”
“The Kansas motto ‘ad astra per aspera,’ to the stars through difficulties, represents a feeling deeply rooted in each of us who call Kansas home. Across the state, we see communities harnessing the power of volunteerism to overcome hardships and meet critical community needs,” said Dr. Jessica Dorsey, Kansas Volunteer Commission Executive Director. “We look forward to seeing the many positive ways that Kansans continue to rise to the challenge and serve in their communities.”
Every two years, AmeriCorps partners with the US Census Bureau to conduct the most robust survey about civic engagement across the United States and over time. The data informs AmeriCorps’ Volunteering and Civic Life in America research, a comprehensive look at how Americans make a difference in their communities and promote the common good. The latest research examines trends in formal volunteering, informal helping, and other civic behaviors.
The national volunteering rate has increased more than 22 percent in just two years. This is the largest expansion of formal volunteering AmeriCorps has ever recorded and truly showcases the spirit of volunteerism on the rise in America.
Formal volunteering involves helping others through organizations. Through local nonprofit and community-based organizations, Americans are afforded new ways to engage with their communities and foster a sense of constructive action, civic participation and belonging. Volunteers support American schools and shelters, hospitals and hotlines, food banks, and civic, nonprofit, tribal and faith-based organizations across the country.
Volunteering doesn’t always need to be formal. More than 137.5 million people – or 54 percent of Americans – helped their neighbors informally with tasks like running errands or watching each other’s children between September 2022 and 2023. This represents a meaningful three percentage point increase from previous years.
The Give Back Kansas Challenge is an eight-week challenge that engages Kansans in employer-supported volunteering, both during and outside the workday. The Kansas Volunteer Commission and Volunteer Kansas are excited to co-partner in this challenge because much research shows the connection between employer-supported volunteering and improved employee engagement, employee wellness, organizational commitment, job satisfaction, and retention. There is also research connecting employee engagement with increased profitability and productivity.
Employers will be divided into three categories based on the number of entries received and company size (large, medium, and small). Winners will be selected by determining the average number of volunteer hours per employee completed during the challenge period (total volunteer hours ÷ total employees). The leaderboard will be updated every Thursday. Employers achieving the highest average in each size category will be awarded a $1,000 donation to a nonprofit of their choice.
Follow the challenge on our social media channels or the leaderboard page.
.png?sfvrsn=a1c033aa_1)
The Kansas Volunteer Commission professional development fund is for volunteer, mentor, and/or AmeriCorps staff to access reimbursable professional development around volunteerism and mentoring. This opportunity is only available to individuals who work in Kansas for a Kansas-based organization focused on volunteerism, youth mentoring or AmeriCorps national service.
Interested individuals will fill out the Professional Development Fund Request Form. Request Forms must be submitted no later than two weeks before the professional development opportunity begins. Submission of this form does not constitute approval of the request. Applicants will receive an email from the Commission approving or disapproving the request within two business days.
Applicants may receive reimbursement for one professional development opportunity per calendar year. A maximum of two individuals will reimbursed from each organization per professional development opportunity.
This is a cost-reimbursement fund. Approved participants will pay for their travel and registration costs up front. These expenses must be paid for with non-AmeriCorps funds. After the event, participants will submit receipts to the Commission for 50% reimbursement of SOME of their expenses. A check will be mailed within two weeks following the submission of receipts and shared learnings (see below).
Reimbursable expenses include:
Reimbursable expenses DO NOT include mileage or per diem (no food cost covered) or any other expenses not specified above.
Only the following Professional Development opportunities may be reimbursed:
The deadline to apply for these professional development opportunities is as follows:
Following the professional development opportunity, participants will be required to share what they have learned with the Commission. These remarks and any submitted photos may be used in newsletters and social media promotions.
If you have any questions or need clarification, please reach out to volunteer@ksde.gov
Civic Engagement is composed of individual and collective actions to identify and address issues of public concern. Civic engagement can take many forms, from individual volunteerism to organizational involvement to electoral participation. It can include efforts to directly address an issue, work with others in a community to solve a problem or interact with the institutions of representative democracy. Civic engagement encompasses a range of specific activities such as working in a soup kitchen, serving on a neighborhood association, writing a letter to an elected official, or voting. Indeed, an underlying principle is that an engaged citizen should have the ability, agency, and opportunity to move comfortably among these various types of civic acts.
Source: Michael Delli Carpini, Director, Public Policy, The Pew Charitable Trusts (apa.org)
Mentoring is a consistent and stable relationship between youth and a caring role model(s) that involves regular, ideally face-to-face contact and is focused on building the character, capabilities, and confidence of the mentee(s). Mentoring can be formal in the form of one-to-one, group, peer, community, school, faith-based, or mentoring that happens informally daily. Mentoring is one way for individuals to give youth another person who cares about them, who assures them they are not alone in dealing with day-to-day challenges, and someone who makes them feel like they matter.
Source: MentorKansas
AmeriCorps is the federal agency dedicated to national service and volunteerism. AmeriCorps believes by building stronger communities, we strengthen America as a whole. AmeriCorps supports our communities, helping them prosper together. AmeriCorps delivers manpower and funding to communities across the country. AmeriCorps members actively contribute to strengthening their communities. Joining AmeriCorps provides individuals with an opportunity to be a part of something bigger than themselves.
Source: AmeriCorps.gov
People the world over engage in volunteerism for a great variety of reasons: to help eliminate poverty and to improve essential health and education, to tackle environmental issues, to reduce the risk of disasters, or to combat violent conflict. In all these fields, volunteerism makes a specific contribution by generating well-being for people and their communities. Volunteers are motivated to improve their communities and contribute billions in voluntary labor annually. A society that supports and encourages different forms of volunteering is likely to be one that also promotes its citizens' well-being.
Source: Unv.org/power-volunteerism
