Program: Literacy Mid-South – LiteracyCorps/AmeriCorps State and National Service Term: 300-hour, minimum-time AmeriCorps service term Service Period: October 19, 2026 – July 30, 2027 Anticipated Commitment: 7–9 hours per week Service Locations: Memphis Rise Academy; Bert Ferguson Community Center; Shelby Literacy Center/Peace Tree United Methodist Church Minimum Age: 18+
About Literacy Mid-South
For more than 50 years, Literacy Mid-South (LMS) has remained committed to one core belief: literacy changes lives. Founded in 1974 to help adults strengthen essential reading skills, LMS has expanded to serve learners of all ages across the Mid-South.
Our mission is to ensure that individuals and families have access to the literacy skills needed to thrive—academically, economically, and personally. Through direct programming and regional collaboration, LMS works to break cycles of limited literacy and expand opportunity for generations to come.
At LMS, literacy is not simply an educational outcome—it is a pathway to empowerment, equity, and long-term community transformation.
About AmeriCorps
AmeriCorps is the federal agency for national service and volunteerism in the United States. Through partnerships with nonprofit organizations, schools, public agencies, and community groups, AmeriCorps members commit to services that address critical community needs such as education, economic opportunity, disaster response, environmental stewardship, and public health.
Members serve in structured programs designed to strengthen communities while gaining valuable professional experience, leadership skills, and workforce development opportunities. In return for their service, members may receive a living allowance, professional development, and an education award to support future educational goals.
Memphis is home to several AmeriCorps programs working collaboratively to strengthen the community, including programs such as Teach For America, City Year, and AmeriCorps VISTA, all of which contribute to addressing critical community needs through national service.
About LiteracyCorps
LiteracyCorps is Literacy Mid-South’s AmeriCorps program that provides valuable service opportunities for members who are passionate about improving literacy in Memphis. Through the program, we provide individuals with the opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of families and children by working with community organizations, schools, and other literacy partners.
The program is designed to advance literacy equity across our region. Members work directly with elementary students in low-to-no-cost programs to prevent learning loss and strengthen foundational reading skills through structured, evidence-based interventions.
Position Summary
The LiteracyCorps: Adult English Language Learning (ELL) Volunteer Tutor supports adult learners in strengthening English reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills for everyday life, work, family, school, community participation, and citizenship.
Depending on placement, service may include small-group or one-on-one instruction, conversation practice, vocabulary development, digital literacy support, workforce-focused English instruction, citizenship preparation, learner goal-setting, and progress tracking.
Volunteers use instructional materials and tools provided or approved by Literacy Mid-South and/or the assigned service-site partner and work with LMS and site staff to provide a welcoming, respectful, culturally responsive learning environment.
Primary Responsibilities
Service Commitment
This is a 300-hour, minimum-time AmeriCorps service term with an anticipated commitment of 7–9 hours per week. Volunteers work with their supervisor and the LiteracyCorps Program Director to maintain a schedule that supports completion of all required service hours by July 30, 2027.
Service hours may include direct instruction, approved lesson planning and preparation, learner documentation, required training, meetings, coaching, check-ins, and other allowable service activities.
Volunteers must follow approved schedules, attend required meetings and training, complete assigned service activities, accurately record service hours in BambooHR, and remain on track to meet their service-hour requirement.
Required Qualifications and Eligibility
Applicants must:
Preferred Qualifications
Training and Support
Volunteers may receive LiteracyCorps orientation; Adult ELL-specific training and coaching; Burlington English and ProLiteracy training, as applicable; training on working with adult learners; support with lesson planning, learner engagement, and progress tracking; ongoing check-ins with LMS staff; site-specific orientation; and continued professional development.
Program Benefits
The AmeriCorps living allowance is not an hourly wage and is distributed in regular installments. It does not increase or decrease based on the number of hours served during a particular pay period.
Performance and Service Expectations
Volunteers are expected to meet assigned responsibilities, maintain progress toward the required 300 service hours, comply with attendance and timekeeping requirements, participate in required training and meetings, maintain professional conduct, and follow LMS, LiteracyCorps, AmeriCorps, and service-site policies.
Less-than-full-time AmeriCorps Volunteers receive an end-of-term evaluation.
National Service Criminal History Check
Selection and enrollment are contingent upon satisfaction of applicable AmeriCorps National Service Criminal History Check requirements. Required checks may include the National Sex Offender Public Website, applicable state criminal-history checks, and a fingerprint-based FBI criminal-history check. Required checks and eligibility determinations must be completed before service begins.
AmeriCorps Service Requirements
While charging time to the AmeriCorps program, accumulating service or training hours, or otherwise performing AmeriCorps-supported activities, Volunteers may not engage in prohibited activities, including partisan political activities, attempts to influence legislation, union organizing, religious instruction or proselytization, voter-registration drives, or other activities prohibited by AmeriCorps regulations and LiteracyCorps policy.
Equal Opportunity, Inclusion, and Accessibility
Literacy Mid-South LiteracyCorps is committed to maintaining an environment free from discrimination and harassment. LiteracyCorps prohibits discrimination and harassment based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, parental status, political affiliation, military service, or any other legally protected characteristic.
Literacy Mid-South LiteracyCorps is also committed to meaningful access for individuals with Limited English Proficiency and to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants, Volunteers, service recipients, and staff with known disabilities to support full participation in its programs and activities.
Job details are sourced from the employer's original posting.
Open job postingAbout the company
Literacy Mid-South is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving literacy rates in the Mid-South region. They work to provide resources and support for individuals and communities to enhance reading and writing skills.