Climate Action VISTA AmeriCorps Member

Use your writing and communication skills to help York, Maine reach its climate goals by expanding the number of people it serves and boosting the service of the Recycling Committee!

York Ready for Climate Action (YRCA) is a citizen-driven grassroots non-profit dedicated to increasing awareness of climate change, and advancing environmentally friendly and inclusive policies and behaviors. YRCA is helping the town of York reach its climate goals – reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030 and 100% by 2050.

Our Programs:

Energy Coaches: Provides residents with individualized information and assistance to navigate home energy retrofits. Trained volunteer coaches make house visits to inform residents of options and best practices and area installers. They also help residents find rebates and other financial incentives. YRCA is establishing a Household Equity Fund to make money available for low and middle income residents. The AmeriCorps Vista will be working closely with York Community Services to address homes that qualify for HEAP.

Eco Homes: Monthly informational emails about energy savings and climate action on an individual, local, and regional level.

WRAD: Waste Reduction and Diversion is working to reduce waste by increasing opportunities for composting and working with local businesses to improve packaging and reduce plastic trash while planning community events to raise awareness.

Education and Advocacy: YRCA maintains a biweekly column in the York Weekly about climate solutions. Additionally, YRCA partners with the library for a lecture series. YRCA is planning another Climate Action Fair for March 23, 2024. The AmeriCorps Vista will be working closely with this event.

The VISTA Member will focus on building the sustainability of our Household Equity Fund, in collaboration with the ED. They will help us maintain contact with partner organizations and assist in the development of procedures for the Fund. The VISTA will contribute to making our Energy Coach program successful, gathering metrics about the number of homes served and types of services provided, and improving documentation and maintenance of data. They will also be involved in marketing and promotion for our annual Climate Action Fair, held in March of 2024. The VISTA will help us boost attendance with social media promotion, marketing, and other community outreach. The VISTA will attend Recycling Committee Meetings once monthly and help organize and implement a Compost Pilot Program. They will assist with ongoing community outreach and education.

Already have a MyAmeriCorps account and want to apply for this specific role? You can find that listing on MyAmeriCorps here.