PROGRAM 3: EXPERIENCE CORPS
Experience Corps (EC) is an award-winning national program that is also funded in part by AmeriCorps. It joined forces with AARP, which is the largest organization in the US for over 50 year-old Americans. The mission of EC:
“To create powerful opportunities for 50-plus adults to meet society's greatest challenges” (AARP, 2014).
These volunteers engage to teach children about literacy skills as tutors or mentors in Kindergarten through third grade. This project started in 1995 in only five cities, and is now operating in 19 cities. EC serves over 22,000 students and has more than 2,000 volunteers now (EC website, 2014). The program is recognized by the public since it received several awards based on its innovation,
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First, it aids children to improve academic skills, especially the reading skill. 93% teachers reported a good impact on reading and literacy performance of their students who have taken part in the program (AARP, 2014). Teachers also found out that the program increased attendance of students and reduce their bad behaviors. Second, schools get support for teachers and principals because volunteers are free human resources for these schools. Third, the program provides a quality of life value, as 98% of Experience Corps members said that the work is helpful for them to stay physically and mentally active (AARP, 2014).
There is additional information to analyze program impact, and perhaps attest to its successes:
• As the 2013 Annual Report of this organization (AARP, 2014) demonstrates, EC has many donors like the American Honda Foundation, the City of Baltimore and that Corporation for National and Community Service. Therefore, EC has a diversified pool of investors.
• The training and coordination are fundamental sectors of the program (Wasik, 1998). EC brings high quality services as volunteers are trained to meet the skill performance