Serve your community for 10 months, from August 2021 to June 2022. Schedules are flexible and determined by the AmeriCorps member and the service site. Hours of service may be completed between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.

To see how our First Steps AmeriCorps Members manage their busy schedules, take a look at our Day in the Life schedules.

• Day in the Life of a HIPPY Parent Educator
• Day in the Life of a Family and Community Engagement Member
  • Serving with a Local Partnership
  • Serving with First Steps 4K
  • Serving with the Early Childhood Advisory Council
• Day in the Life of a Member Experience Leader

• Be at least 21 years of age or older
• Have or be working towards a high school diploma or its equivalent
• Be a citizen, national, or lawful permanent resident alien of the United States
• Complete a criminal background check in accordance with the National Service Criminal History Check eligibility criteria
• Satisfy the South Carolina Department of Social Services Central Registry of Child Abuse and Neglect

• Living Allowance (stipend) provided to you twice per month.
• Professional development and connections to a vast childcare professional network
• Mileage Reimbursement
• Access to childcare scholarships, if eligible
• Ed Segal Education Award to cover student loan debt and/or tuition cost. The award is provided at the end of the service year. Education award amounts are listed below.

15 hours per week (450 Service hours) – $1,678.57

20 hours per week (675 Service hours)- $2,417.14

25 hours per week (900 Service hours)- $3,172.50

35 hours per week (1200 Service hours) -$4,441.50

The application for the 2021-22 program year will open May 9, 2021. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, and orientations are hosted virtually twice a month.

1. Complete your application online. Prepare to submit your Driver’s License and Social Security card.
2. You will receive an email requesting you to schedule your candidate screening.
3. You may be invited to complete a panel interview with the AmeriCorps site.
4. Complete a background check, if selected by the AmeriCorps site to become a First Steps AmeriCorps member.
5. Complete orientation, then serve your community!

Family and Community Engagement - Serves by conducting outreach activities, creating outreach materials, and connecting families of young children with community services and resources. Serves a total of 675 service hours over the program year. Living Allowance:$ $273.90 per stipend (pre-tax)

Berkeley (1 position available)

Orangeburg (1 position available)

Dillon (1position available)

Darlington (1 position available)

Jasper (1 position available)

Family and Community Engagement - Serves by conducting outreach activities, creating outreach materials, and connecting families of young children with community services and resources. Serves a total of 450 service hours over the program year. Living Allowance:$190.24 per stipend (pre-tax)

Lancaster (1 position available)

HIPPY Parent Educator - Serves by providing parents with the knowledge and tools to engage their 4-year-old children in developmentally appropriate, skill-building activities through 45-minute home visits (in-person preferred). Parent Educators receive weekly 90-minute training that focuses on how to use the HIPPY curriculum with parents. Serves a total of 900 service hours over the program year. Living Allowance:$ 359.52 per stipend (pre-tax)

SC Midlands (1 position available)