We're Recruiting: AmeriCorps VISTA Peer Access Navigator
When most people think of Make-A-Day, they picture our team out in the community connecting neighbors to food, resources, and support. What they may not see is how much work goes into making sure those connections actually stick.
Getting someone through the door of a clinic or a behavioral health appointment is only part of the job. The harder part is building the systems that make warm handoffs real, follow-up consistent, and referrals trackable. That infrastructure doesn't build itself.
That's where this VISTA member comes in.
The Role
The Peer Access Navigator VISTA member will build the foundation for a sustainable peer navigation model at Make-A-Day. During their term, the VISTA member will map existing referral pathways, formalize partnerships with primary care, mental health, and substance use providers, and develop the training materials, workflows, and data systems that will allow Peer Navigators with lived experience to do this work long-term.
This role is behind the scenes by design. The VISTA will not provide direct navigation services but will build the model that makes those services possible. It's the right fit for someone interested in public health, community organizing, or nonprofit systems design who wants to leave something lasting at the end of their year.
The Experience for a VISTA Member
The VISTA program is just as beneficial for the member as it is for the organization. VISTA members gain:
Real-world experience in partnership development and cross-sector collaboration
Hands-on systems design work in a fast-paced, community-centered environment
Mentorship from nonprofit leadership with backgrounds in housing, justice navigation, and community health
A tangible portfolio of work that reflects organizational impact
By the end of the year, you'll leave with experience in program design, data systems, and community partnership that translates across public health, social work, and nonprofit careers.
Member Benefits
AmeriCorps VISTA members receive a living allowance for the duration of their service term. Upon successful completion, members choose between an education award of $7,395 (which can be used toward tuition, student loans, or approved educational programs) or a cash stipend of $1,800. Members are also eligible for noncompetitive eligibility status for federal employment for one year following service, which can be a meaningful advantage for those pursuing public sector careers.
Additional benefits include healthcare coverage, childcare assistance if eligible, and access to the VISTA Leave policy. Members may also receive relocation assistance if moving more than 50 miles to serve. During service, members are prohibited from holding outside employment without written approval, so the living allowance is designed to cover basic needs for the term.
See more about AmeriCorps here.
If that sounds like you, we'd love to have you on our team.
Questions and to apply: Email your resume and cover letter to info@makeaday.fun
Make-A-Day is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, marital status, disability, military status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.