Young adults
meaningful service
simple living
spiritual growth
intentional community
YEAR-LONG PROGRAM
WASHINGTON, DC
IN THEIR OWN WORDS
“I'll never forget my first prison visit with CAIR. My heart broke. My world was rocked. I struggled to find the words to say to console a mother separated from her daughter for more than a month. I vowed in that moment to make fighting for human rights and social justice my life's work. I'm beyond grateful for the experience.”
— Jamal, Brooklyn
* name changed to protect privacy
Overview
The Westmoreland Service Corps (WSC) offers five young adults an opportunity for year-long meaningful service, simple living and spiritual growth in intentional community. WSC fellows tackle challenging societal issues through work in health care, social services, social justice, legal aid and immigrant rights agencies in eleven-month placements in the Washington, DC area. A dedicated community counselor encourages and supports individual spiritual growth and exploration of values.
PLACEMENTS
WSC has a history of changing lives ... of those who serve and those who benefit from their involvement. Partner agencies may include:
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Action in Montgomery (AIM)
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Capital Area Immigrant Rights Coalition (CAIR)
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Community of Hope
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Mobile Med
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Pan American Development Foundation
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Project Create
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Samaritan Ministry
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SEEC (Seeking Employment, Equality and Community)
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WATER (Women's Alliance for Theology, Ethics, and Ritual)
Scroll down to learn more.
APPLY
Applications for the 2022-2023 program year will be accepted on a rolling basis — until all positions are filled — with priority deadline of Jan. 31, 2022.
Applicants should possess B.A. or B.S. degree earned, as a rule, within the past three years.
FINANCIAL
Commuting allowance, health insurance and $700 personal monthly stipend for food and personal expenses provided through agency placement.
Housing, utilities provided by church for a modest monthly rent.
Roundtrip travel to Washington, DC covered for candidate interviews with agency placements and WSC board members.
One trip home financially supported during year of service.
Annual and/or sick leave follows practice of agency where volunteer serves.
TRAINING
Training provided on-the-job by employing service agencies, which typically have a great deal of experience integrating several new members each year.
Participation encouraged in annual DC-based Ecumenical Advocacy training and activities.
WSC board members assigned as mentors to provide support.
Service area: Maryland, Northern Virginia, Washington, DC
Service length: 11 months (Aug. 1 through June 30)
Program size: 5 fellows per year
Residents of the house agree to and follow COVID precautions to help ensure their health and safety.
OTHER
LIVING
WSC fellows live together in a furnished house on DC-MD border with easy access to bus and metro lines in the Washington, DC area.
Private bedrooms, shared bathrooms.
Shared cleaning responsibilities; shared cooking encouraged.
Community meetings are required one evening each week with a community counselor who provides support for community living, exploration of values, and adaptation to new work environment.
Three retreats per year with WSC board members and community counselor.
The house is not currently ADA-compliant and no pets/animals are allowed.
Agency Placements
If you're a college senior, a recent graduate or someone still discerning a calling or career — and you have a passion for social justice and an interest in helping others — we encourage you to consider Westmoreland Service Corps.
So what are you waiting for?
AIM
Communications Specialist
Action in Montgomery (AIM) builds citizen power to effect change by developing leaders in congregations, public schools, and neighborhood associations to act
together on issues that matter to their communities. Issues tackled include affordable housing, transit justice, the Maryland DREAM Act, and more.
PROJECT CREATE
Intern
Project Create offers out-of-school-time arts programs for some of the most vulnerable children in the District.
Samaritan Ministry
Intern Caseworker
Samaritan Ministry works to improve the lives of all throughout the Greater Washington area, one next step and one neighbor at a time. Most of our participants need our support with their employment, education, health, or housing goals — but we will work with anyone who wants help!
CAIR
Legal Assistant – Detained Adult Program
Capital Area Immigrant Rights Coalition (CAIR) strives to ensure equal justice for all immigrant men, women, and children at risk of detention and deportation in the DC metropolitan area and beyond.
Note: Written and oral Spanish fluency strongly preferred; driver's license required.
MOBILE MED
Clinic Facilitator or NIH Endocrine Clinic Facilitator
Mobile Medical Care serves low-income, uninsured, and Medicaid-enrolled residents through a network of seven primary care clinics and two specialty care clinics located throughout Montgomery County to reach areas of greatest unmet medical need.
Note: Spanish required
SEEC
Intern
SEEC (Seeking Employment, Equality and Community) helps people with intellectual and developmental disabilities who want to work, make friends, learn and live in homes of their choosing.
COMMUNITY OF HOPE
Patient Advocate
Community of Hope DC’s mission is to improve health and end family homelessness to make Washington, DC more equitable.
Note: Car desirable
PADF
Year of Service Fellowship
Pan American Development Foundation (PADF) works with vulnerable populations across Latin American and the Caribbean to improve human development and human security.
Note: Spanish required
WATER
Staff Associate
WATER (Women's Alliance for Theology, Ethics, and Ritual) is a non-profit educational center and public charity in Silver Spring, MD that connects activists, religious leaders, students, scholars, and allies who are using feminist religious values to create social and religious change.
Note: Spanish fluency and technical proficiency are pluses