Official Website
Visit Communities in Schools of Philadelphia's official website: www.cisphl.org
Partners
The Digital Service Fellows AmeriCorps Program is a collaborative initiative with the School District of Philadelphia and is part of the Urban Technology Project.
Digital Service Fellows (DSF) AmeriCorps Program
The Digital Service Fellows (DSF) AmeriCorps program is a yearlong opportunity for recent Philadelphia high school graduates who are interested in gaining valuable Information Technology (I.T.) skills and in serving their communities. The DSF AmeriCorps program is part of the Urban Technology Project, a joint initiative with the School District of Philadelphia. The Urban Technology Project empowers Philadelphia youth and their communities through meaningful technology experiences that link youth leadership development, education, and community building.
As AmeriCorps members, participants serve their communities by actively applying learned skills to support the use of technology in schools. In addition to providing break/fix support to schools, members lead and support technology clubs for students, teachers and parents.
Corps members learn through a combination of hands-on experiences, I.T. industry certification training and through subsidized enrollment in college courses. All corps members train under an I.T. professional in the School District of Philadelphia. Corps members are also given the opportunity to pursue I.T. industry standard certifications, including Mac OSX Support Essentials, International Computer Driving License and COMP TIA A+. During the summer, corps members are enrolled in Computer Information Science courses at the Community College of Philadelphia and can earn up to 8 credits.
Upon successful completion of their service year, corps members earn a $5,350.00 Education Award that can be used toward any accredited higher education institution. Members who wish to continue their I.T. career path may also apply to participate in the Computer Support Specialist Program, a registered I.T. apprenticeship program with the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry.
Eligibility and Commitment
To be eligible you must:
- Be between 17 and 24 years of age
- Have a high school diploma or GED
- Be a U.S. citizen or legal resident
- Submit a completed 2010–2011 application
Service Commitment
- Full time commitment: 1700 hours of service minimum (40 hrs/week)
- 52 weeks of Service: August 2010 to August 2011
- Enrollment in CCP course beginning July 2010
- Evening and weekend service opportunities
Benefits (list is not exhaustive)
- $5,350.00 Segal Education Award upon completion
- $11,800 Living Allowance
- Health care benefits
- Loan forbearance
- Access to tools and equipment (laptop, Nextel Direct Connect, software etc)
- Instruction in and vouchers for I.T. industry certifications (ICDL, OSX, Comp TIA, Adobe)
- Enrollment in Community College of Philadelphia courses (up to 8 credits possible)
- Monthly SEPTA transpass
- Uniform
How To Apply
All interested candidates must submit the 2010–2011 DSF AmeriCorps application. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis but final decisions are made by the middle of September 2010.
Contact Us
For more information about our program or the application process please contact Crista Collins, Service Coordinator at ccollins@cisphl.org or call us at (215) 299-4680. We would be glad to answer any of your questions!