Community HealthCorps*VISTA is a capacity-building resource for community health organizations in California and New York State with a mission to alleviate poverty by working to increase access to healthcare and decrease health disparities in low-income communities. HealthCorps*VISTA members do "behind-the-scenes" service working with health center staff, community-based organizations and other partners. Members are assigned on a full-time basis for a 12-month period and provide indirect services focused on capacity building and sustainable endeavors. Examples of HealthCorps*VISTA member activities are as follows:
- Needs Assessments
- Develop and administer surveys
- Conduct focus groups
- Analyze related data
- Resource Generation
- Plan fundraising events
- Write grants
- Solicit in kind donations of goods and services
- Volunteer Generation and Management
- Write policy and procedure manuals
- Create positions (after assessing the needs)
- Recruit
- Train
- Manage
- Community Outreach
- Strategic outreach planning
- Create materials
- Event planning
- Curriculum Development
- Plan for strategic development
- Develop and pretest concepts, messages and materials
- Write lesson plans
- Implement the program
- Assess effectiveness and make refinements
- Program Evaluation
- Identify Stakeholders
- Develop Evaluation Questions
- Design and conducting an evaluation
- Determine Data-Collection Methods
- Collect Data
- Analyze Interpreting Data
- Communicate findings
VISTA Member’s activities can also include developing partnerships and expanding services to new sites.
ELIGIBILITY
You must be at least 18 years old, but there is no upper age limit. Most programs seek members with college degrees or at least three years of work experience. Many AmeriCorps* VISTA members bring significant work and life experiences to their assignment. Initiative, flexibility, and organizational skills are a must. You must be available to serve full-time for one year.
TERM OF SERVICE
| Term of Service | Minimum Number of Hours | AmeriCorps Education Award |
| Full-time | 365 Days | $4,725.00 or $1,200.00 stipend* |
*If you successfully complete a term of service in VISTA, you are eligible to receive either an AmeriCorps Education Award of $4,725 or an end-of-service stipend of $1,200. The AmeriCorps Education Award option is subject to available National Service Trust allocations to AmeriCorps* VISTA. You must select the AmeriCorps Education Award option prior to the start of service.
BENEFITS (New York)
VISTA members receive a yearly stipend in NYC and Long Island is $11,388 and $10,080 for all others in New York State outside of that area.
VISTA offers a living allowance, limited health care benefits, student-loan forbearance or deferment, travel reimbursement, relocation expenses, and the choice between an education award ($4,725), or an end of term stipend ($1,200). You may also be eligible for child care assistance should you require it.
VISTA members are not all eligible to receive a transportation allowance. However, members who live in New York City will receive a monthly metrocard worth $76/month.
VISTAs who are moving may receive up to $550 for relocation, depending on the distance moved.
HOW TO APPLY
To apply to the Community HealthCorps*VISTA program go through the following steps:
Visit the 
https://recruit.cns.gov website
- Click : "Find a Program"
- In "service area" highlight: Health
- In "state" highlight: New York
- In "program type" highlight: AmeriCorps* VISTA
- Then, click the "search" button. This will open a list of our programs in New York State.
- Click "New York Community HealthCorps" and go to the bottom of the page and click: "show details."
- At the bottom of the page, check the box that starts with "Yes!" and then click the button: "Apply for Selected Program(s)."
- This will bring you to the online application. Complete the application and it will be forwarded to us electronically.
You must also complete a Supplemental Application(located at the bottom of this page) to be emailed to vista@nachc.com.
