The Peace Corps - What it is and how to join Teaching, Building & Growing a Better World The Peace Corps recently celebrated its 40th anniversary, so we thought it would be a good time to take a look at the history and purpose of this organization, along with information on how you can get involved. Hundreds of returned Peace Corps Volunteers, staff & friends came together on Sept. 22, 2001, to honor the Peace Corps' 40th anniversary. The day began with a volunteer project, and ended with a "Peace Vigil" on the National Mall in Washington D.C. How the Peace Corps got started After a day of campaigning for the presidency, John F. Kennedy arrived at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor on October 14, 1960, at 2:00 a.m., to get some sleep, not to propose the establishment of an international volunteer organization. Members of the press had retired for the night, believing that nothing interesting would happen. But 10,000 students at the University were waiting to hear the presidential candidate speak, and it was there on the steps of the Michigan Union that a bold new experiment in public service was launched. The assembled students heard the future President issue a challenge: how many of them, he asked, would be willing to serve their country and the cause of peace by living and working in the developing world? The reaction was both swift and enthusiastic, and over the last 40 years, more than 163,000 Americans have responded to this enduring challenge. And since then, the Peace Corps has demonstrated how the power of an idea can capture the imagination of an entire nation. One of the goals of the Peace Corps' mission is to help the people of other countries gain a better understanding of Americans and our multicultural society. To achieve this important goal, the Peace Corps works to ensure that the Volunteer corps reflects the extraordinary diversity of the American people, which has enriched and strengthened this country in countless ways. Therefore, the Peace Corps actively recruits people with a variety of backgrounds and experiences in order to best share our nation's greatest resource - its people - with the communities where Volunteers serve around the globe. The Peace Corps conducts a variety of activities to address questions and concerns specific to potential Volunteers of color. For example, Peace Corps recruiters at 11 regional offices regularly sponsor hundreds of events and general information sessions around the country for African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian and Pacific Islander Americans, Native Americans, and other people of color. Each year, the Peace Corps sends thousands of citizens to live and work in more than 71 countries, and today, there are more people of color serving in the Peace Corps than at any time in more than a decade. The Peace Corps is working to ensure that even more people of color can experience the opportunities for professional and personal growth that so often come with serving as a Volunteer. The Peace Corps is an investment in your future and an incredible opportunity to redefine yourself. The Peace Corps actively recruits people of color, and today, there are more people of color serving in the Peace Corps than at any time in more than a decade. From 1996 to 2000, the number of people of color who joined the Peace Corps rose 44%, from 413 in 1996 to 592 in 2000. Due to a lack of resources and education, many of the world's developing countries have been unable to take advantage of the advances in technology that we often take for granted. For example, most people in the developing world have never used a computer or searched the Internet. Today, however, more Peace Corps Volunteers are working to help people in these communities take part in the information technology revolution. Volunteers work with local organizations to provide young people and entrepreneurs with basic training in computer use and Internet technology, opening the doors to e-commerce for micro and small business ventures. By helping people learn more about the power of technology, Peace Corps Volunteers expand the prospects for economic growth in the communities where they serve. 40 years of Progress In 1961, the first Peace Corps Volunteers accepted assignments to serve in six countries. Currently, more than 7,300 Peace Corps volunteers are serving in 71 countries, working to bring clean water to communities, teach children, help start new small businesses, and stop the spread of AIDS. Since 1961, more than 163,000 Americans have joined the Peace Corps, serving in 135 nations. Volunteers receive intensive language and cross-cultural training in order to become part of the communities where they live. They speak the local language and adapt to the cultures and customs of the people with whom they work. Volunteers work with teachers and parents to improve the quality of, and access to, education for children. They work with communities to protect the local environment and to create economic opportunities. They work on basic projects to keep families healthy and to help them grow more food. Their larger purpose, however, is to work with people in developing countries to help them take charge of their own futures. At the same time, volunteers learn as much, if not more, from the people in their host countries. When they complete their service in the Peace Corps, volunteers work to strengthen America's understanding of different countries and cultures. The Peace Corps is fulfilling its promise by sharing America's most precious resource with the rest of the world: its people. Volunteers have helped pave the way for progress for countless individuals who want to build a better life for themselves, their children, and their communities. Benefits of Joining the Peace Corps The benefits of Peace Corps service last a lifetime, but you will start noticing them as soon as you return home. In today's global marketplace, fluency in foreign languages, international experience, and cross-cultural understanding are highly sought-after assets in many sectors of our increasingly global economy. Before you begin your formal service as a Peace Corps Volunteer, you will receive three months of training to prepare you for your assignment and help you integrate into your new overseas community. And throughout your two years of service, the Peace Corps provides regular training sessions and workshops that will help you accomplish your job. Moreover, the training you receive and skills you learn will help you become more marketable when you come home and start your new career. Learn more about the specific professional and career benefits of service. Language Training With Volunteers serving in more than 70 countries, the Peace Corps teaches more than 180 languages and dialects. Once you arrive in your country of service, you will receive intensive language instruction to prepare you for living and working in your overseas community. Some Volunteers become fluent in more than one language during their service. Cross-Cultural Training Learning to communicate effectively with local people in another country equires not only language skills, but also the ability to understand the traditions and customs of other cultures. Through the Peace Corps' cross-cultural training, Volunteers develop the ability to adapt to, and participate successfully in, the culture of the community where they live and work. These skills are transferable to any culture, as well as new professional and social settings in our your own culture. Technical Training Every Volunteer receives comprehensive instruction in preparation for their specific Peace Corps assignment in education, small business development, the environment, health, or agriculture. This training enhances your existing skills and often provides you with a new set of professional skills. In addition to practical, job-specific training, you earn management and community development strategies to help you apply your technical skills in your new community. Volunteers are taught to organize and implement projects, coach, mentor, obtain resources in limited conditions, and train local people to innovate and maintain their own development projects. These leadership skills can help you throughout your post-Peace Corps career. Career Training and Job Placement The Peace Corps' Office of Returned Volunteer Services (RVS) provides career, educational, and re-entry related assistance through its 11 regional recruiting offices and its Career Center in Washington, DC. RVS taps the skills and expertise of returned Peace Corps Volunteers [RPCVs] who are willing to help other returned Volunteers with their transition. More than 700 RPCVs are listed in the Peace Corps' annual Career Information Consultants directory. RVS produces numerous career manuals and brochures, provides a variety of career and job search videos, and sponsors career workshops in the Career Center in Washington, DC. Returned Volunteers have non-competitive eligibility status for appointments to U.S. government executive branch agencies for one year after their completion of service. This means that you can be appointed to some federal government positions without competing with the general public. Federal agencies sometimes seek out non-competitive returned Peace Corps Volunteers when seeking to fill jobs. Under some limited circumstances, this status can be extended up to a maximum of three years after completion of Peace Corps service. Well-Known Peace Corp Volunteers Former Peace Corp Volunteers often use the skills and experiences they gained overseas to enhance careers in virtually every sector of our society - Congress, the Executive branch, the Foreign Service, education, business, finance, trade, health care, and social services. Today they can be found in every walk of life, and many say their Peace Corps service had a profound impact on their careers. Returned Volunteers possess a high level of confidence, independent judgment, and cross-cultural resourcefulness that are recognized by employers in all professions. People who have been in the Peace Corps include such notables as: Bob Vila, former host of award-winning show, "This Old House" (Panama 1969-70) Paul Theroux, author of Mosquito Coast and Great Railway Bazaar (Malawi 1963-65) Edward Dolby, President, Bank of America, Carolinas (India 1966-68) Michael McCaskey, chairman of the board, Chicago Bears (Ethiopia 1965-67) Gordon Radley, president of Lucasfilms Ltd. (Malawi 1968-70) Priscilla Wrubel, founder of The Nature Company (Liberia 1961-63) Chris Matthews, Host of NBC's Hardball (Swaziland 1968-70) Bruce Nussbaum, editorial page editor for Business Week (Philippines 1966-69) Johnnie Carson, Ambassador to Kenya (Tanzania 1965-68) Robert Gelbard, Ambassador to Indonesia (Bolivia 1964-66) David Greenlee, Ambasador to Paraguay (Bolivia 1965-67) Christopher Dodd, U.S. Senator, Connecticut (Dominican Republic 1966-68) Donna Shalala, former Secretary of Health and Human Services (Iran 1962-64) Robert Taft, Governor of Ohio (Tanzania 1963-65) This is just a sampling of the many former Peace Corp volunteers that have risen to the top of their chosen professions. If you have further questions about joining the Peace Corps call: 1-800-424-8580. Or contact them by e-mail : hrmjobs@peacecorps.gov You can write for more information at: Peace Corps - 1111 20th St. NW Room 2300, Washington DC 20526

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