Year-Long Program: Frequently Asked Questions
What are the requirements for participation?
What are the volunteer benefits?
Is prior medical experience required?
Do I need to complete the application on the AmeriCorps website and your application?
I have a few college loans. What happens to them?
Are there religious requirements?
Can I volunteer at Christ House through another volunteer program?
How much time will I get to spend with the patients?
Can I go to school or work part-time during my volunteer year?
Is the neighborhood around Christ House and Emmanuel House safe?
Can I come and visit Christ House and Emmanuel House before I apply to volunteer?
What about the rest of your application process?
What are the requirements for participation?
- Desire to work with individuals who are homeless and sick.
- Desire to work with individuals coping with addictions and various physical and mental health needs.
- Ability to work a flexible schedule that may include evenings, weekends and holidays.
- Documentation of eligibility for employment.
- Completed CPR certification prior to start date of volunteer year.
- Documentation of routine immunizations.
- Applicants must be at least 21 years of age at the start of the program, submit our on-line volunteer application packet (including a completed application and three reference forms), and undergo an interview process.
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What are the volunteer benefits?
- Room and board in an intentional residential volunteer community at Emmanuel House.
- Health, dental, vision and life insurance.
- Monthly stipend of $125 (after taxes).
- Accrued time off.
- Qualification for the Segal AmeriCorps Education Awards, dependent upon yearly federal funding levels for AmeriCorps.
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Is prior medical experience required?
Some experience in a medical setting is preferable for the Nursing Assistant and Clinical Unit Assistant positions; however, it is not required. We will train you in any relevant treatments or procedures.
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I'm interested in receiving an AmeriCorps Education Award. Do I need to complete the application on the AmeriCorps website and your application?
No. You do not need to contact AmeriCorps, nor do you need to do any of their paperwork as part of this application process. If you are accepted into our program, we will complete the AmeriCorps entrance forms upon your arrival to Christ House, thereby making you eligible for the Education Award. Please contact the Director of Volunteers if you have any questions about this.
PLEASE NOTE: AmeriCorps awards are subject to availability each year, dependent upon federal funding levels.
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I have a few college loans. What happens to them?
Most federal-backed college loans are eligible to go into 'forbearance', meaning that you are not required to make payments during your term of service but that interest will continue to accrue. For year-long volunteers who are eligible for the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award, a part or all of the interest that accrues on these federal loans during your time of service will be paid by the National Service Trust. Please contact your loan holders for more information about placing loans into forbearance. PLEASE NOTE: AmeriCorps awards are subject to availability each year, dependent upon federal funding levels.
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Where will I live?
Christ House year-long volunteers are required to live at Emmanuel House, an intentional residential volunteer community with other Christ House year-long volunteers. See Emmanuel House for more information.
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When can I start?
The 2012-13 volunteer program year begins on Monday, August 6, 2012 and ends Friday, July 26, 2013. Year-long volunteers are asked to arrive the Friday before their start date, to move into Emmanuel House and meet fellow volunteer residence community members. In addition, year-long volunteers are given an opportunity to interact with Christ House staff members and patients the weekend before their start date, through various orientation activities.
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Are there religious requirements?
There are no religious requirements to become a year-long volunteer and work in the Christ House community. The intentional volunteer residential community, Emmanuel House, welcomes individuals from all faiths and beliefs; it is a place where each member of the community can address relevant social justice issues through his or her individual lens, be it religious or secular.
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Can I volunteer at Christ House through another volunteer program?
Yes! Christ House accepts year-long volunteers through both secular and non-secular volunteer programs. If you join another volunteer corps and would like to volunteer at Christ House, please have your program coordinator contact the Christ House Director of Volunteers.
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How much time will I get to spend with the patients?
All staff and volunteers at Christ House are actively engaged in a ministry of presence with the patients. Regardless of whether you are working in an office, serving on the medical team or planning activities, you will have plenty of opportunity to interact with patients in many different settings.
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Can I go to school or work part-time during my volunteer year?
No. Christ House asks that all year-long volunteers make a commitment to both their year of volunteer service and to the intentional volunteer residential community at Emmanuel House. Volunteers are not to hold other employment or enroll in area universities during their year of service.
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Is the neighborhood around Christ House and Emmanuel House safe?
Yes, however like any urban environment some precautions need to be taken. You will find Adams Morgan (our neighborhood) to be an exciting, vibrant, multi-cultural area with many different stores, restaurants, parks and trails to explore. Safety discussions are held within the community at Emmanuel House. Christ House is committed to the safety of our volunteers and will address individual safety concerns as they arise.
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Can I come and visit Christ House and Emmanuel House before I apply to volunteer?
Prospective volunteers are welcome to schedule a visit to Christ House. While we are not able to provide housing for visitors, we would love to show you around our facilities and let you talk with staff members about what they do here and what you would be doing. Please note that all formal interviews are conducted over the phone, and not in person.
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What about the rest of your application process?
Completed application packets for the Christ House year-long volunteer program are accepted on a rolling basis, beginning January 1st, 2012. Please see Year-long Volunteer Application Process for more information. We accept application packets until all positions are filled, but early completed application packets are highly encouraged. The Year-long Volunteer Selection Committee reviews completed application packets and invites candidates for a telephone interview, starting with a community life interview and then with specific position interviews. After completing the interview process, the selection committee makes the final decision and informs program candidates.
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