Great opportunity for students

Looking for a Few Good Men/Women to Serve as Ambassadors for NJ's Environment!

The Department of Environmental Protection has several openings remaining for the 2016-2017 class of AmeriCorps New Jersey Watershed Ambassadors.  Good candidates are needed to serve at the County of Passaic Planning Department (Totowa); the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission (Newark); the Hackensack Riverkeeper (Hackensack); the Great Swamp Outdoor Education Center (Chatham); and Cape May County. 

Based out of 20 host agencies throughout NJ, Ambassadors work with all sectors of the public to improve the quality of NJ's waterways through education and by empowering residents to make responsible and informed decisions about their watersheds.  Ambassadors raise awareness about litter and nonpoint source pollution through their many community projects, field work and presentations. They also take a leadership role in collaborating with local partners to plan and complete projects that protect and restore local waterways, thus promoting environmental stewardship.

Ambassadors are required to complete 1,700 hours of service from September through mid- July. Compensation includes a pretax annual stipend of $12,530; eligibility for health insurance benefits while serving as an Ambassador; subsidized childcare, if qualified; deferment of qualified student loans during service; and extensive training throughout the program year. In addition, members are eligible to receive an education award of $5,730 upon successful completion of the program.

Applicants must be U.S. citizens, have a bachelor's degree, a valid driver's license, and must have reliable transportation to get to and from field sites.

The DEP began hosting the federal AmeriCorps program in 2000. AmeriCorps is a national service initiative that began in 1993. Since its inception, more than 980,000 men and women have taken the AmeriCorps pledge, serving more than 1.3 billion hours and improving the lives of countless Americans.

Those interested may apply online through the AmeriCorps website at:  https://my.americorps.gov/mp/listing/viewListing.do;jsessionid=letQFF_oq2gn5hWlqxsQfuGQOlULzKWqi1Jxjx4fc9xVSAEQltFU!399265864?id=68288&fromSearch=true.  Deadline for applications is August 31, 2016.

For more information, visit: http://www.nj.gov/dep/wms/bears/americorps.htm or call Kathy Giordano, Program Manager or Patricia Ingelido, Supervisor at (609) 633-1441. Written queries can be sent to:  NJWAP@dep.nj.gov.