VISTALand

PSO stands for Pre-Service Orientation

Refer to VISTA Member Handbook: Chapter 4: Training & Technical Assistance

PRE-SERVICE ORIENTATION

PSO serves as your learning process about AmeriCorps VISTA. It is typically a four-day event in which you begin to assume your role as an AmeriCorps VISTA member in the community and on the project you are assigned.

Pre-Service Orientation is conducted by Corporation staff, assisted by project sponsoring organizations and supervisors and professional traini...

Refer to - VISTA Member Handbook: Chapter 5: Financial Support

As an AmeriCorps VISTA member, you are required to have your biweekly living allowance sent via electronic funds transfer or direct deposit. The U.S. Treasury requires federal payments to be made by direct deposit, except when this form of payment would cause unusual hardship on the payee. (For hardship cases, see Appendix A for the procedure to have payments made by paper check.)
To set up direct deposit, you and your financial ...

Refer to VISTA Member Handbook: Chapter 13: Other Terms & Conditions of Service

MEMBER HOUSING

One of the three fundamental assumptions of AmeriCorps VISTA is that the skills and energies of AmeriCorps VISTA members are used most effectively when they live and work with the low-income people they are serving. In keeping with this philosophy, you are expected to secure housing using your living allowance, which is provided to cover the basic costs of food, housing, and utilities. You should lo...

Upon assignment as an AmeriCorps VISTA member, you will begin receiving a modest living allowance. The Corporation determines the living allowance rate, which varies according to the local cost of living in the area where you serve.
Member living allowances are computed on a daily rate and paid every other week. Living allowance payments cover a 14-day period. Direct deposit payments to AmeriCorps VISTA members are made five days after the pay period ends.

Federal income tax deductions and ...

I spend a lot of my time driving to presentations for my organization and the gas is getting higher as the summer goes on. I love doing the presentations but its starting to really cut into my budget. Is it possible to get parking and gas reimbursements from VISTA?

Refer to VISTA Member Handbook: Privately Owned Vehicle pg. 58

"In some instances, the Corporation may provide all or a portion of the member’s mileage expenses for assignment-related purposes. This payment may be accomplished th...