What is AmeriCorps*Vista?

AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) is the national service program designed specifically to fight poverty. VISTA provides full-time members to nonprofit, faith-based and other community organizations, and public agencies to create and expand programs that ultimately bring low-income individuals and communities out of poverty. VISTA members commit to serving communities by building capacity through indirect services.

Colorado Youth Corps Association

The Colorado Youth Corps Association (CYCA) is a statewide coalition of youth conservation corps that employ and train youth and young adults on land, water, and energy conservation projects. Youth corps are a proven strategy for engaging young people in service to their communities and stewardship of their environment while cultivating valuable skills to meet the challenges of the 21st century. CYCA creates opportunities for young people to participate in high-quality youth corps statewide. There are currently 10 accredited youth corps in the state that serve 1,800 young people annually.

What is the Good Works Youth Program?

Good Works for Youth is a program of the Colorado Youth Corps Association (CYCA). In the project there are 26 VISTA members volunteering at 26 host sites across Colorado. Host sites include youth conservation corps, other environmental youth-serving organizations and non-profits that focus on youth development. The goal of our VISTA program is to improve and increase services for youth living in poverty and to connect these young people to their communities and their environment.

VISTA members in the Good Works for Youth program support community efforts to overcome poverty by focusing on building sustainability through fundraising efforts, programmatic improvements, marketing activities and expanding partnerships. The program goals are:

  • VISTA members will develop and implement systems and activities for fund development in order to expand quality services to low-income and at-risk youth.
  • VISTA members will develop and implement systems and materials to enhance volunteerism, program activities and participant recruitment in order to expand quality services to low-income and at-risk youth.
  • VISTA members will develop and implement systems and activities for marketing, outreach and expanding community partnerships in order to enhance services to low-income and at-risk youth.

Who are the host sites?

If you would like to learn more about the Good Works for Youth VISTA Program, please contact Scott Segerstrom, CYCA Associate Director at aoletski@cyca.org or 303-863-0604.

Links & Resources for VISTAs

VISTA Campus
Good Works for Youth Facebook Page
VISTABuzz (VISTA Twitter)