Introduction

Letter from Mayor Bill de Blasio

October 2020

Dear Friends:

My administration has made a bold commitment to building a fairer and more equitable city. Achieving this ambitious goal is only possible when we use every tool at our disposal, which means harnessing the power of New Yorkers through service opportunities like the City Service Corps. For the past five years, this program has placed young people in positions of public service, empowering them to amplify the voices of their neighbors and inform sustainable government programs.

Since its launch in 2015, City Service Corps has engaged residents at a municipal level, making our city’s initiatives more effective and efficient. I am tremendously proud of the important impact the Corps’ members have made on our city and recognize the tremendous value of this program model. In this spirit, I am pleased to offer this City Service Corps Blueprint as a resource for cities across the nation that are equally invested in forging a fairer future for their communities.

There has never been a more critical time to take up the challenge of improving engagement with residents and creating more equitable communities.

For months, the COVID-19 pandemic has threatened our health, our economy, and has shone a spotlight on the disparities that exist in our neighborhoods. Engaging residents as AmeriCorps members is an innovative way for local governments to engage community experts and work towards an equitable recovery.

It is my hope that with this blueprint, cities across our country and beyond can build on our success, generate meaningful change in their neighborhoods, and establish a legacy of public service and experience that is strong enough to transcend any crisis.

Sincerely,

Bill de Blasio
Mayor

Introduction

Message from the NYC Chief Service Officer:

The City Service Corps Blueprint was written before the pandemic hit New York City and our nation, testing the strength of our communities and our democracy. The COVID-19 crisis has laid bare longstanding inequities, requiring systemic solutions to intractable problems. The pandemic has also demonstrated the need for creative and efficient utilization of government resources. For these reasons, we could find no better time to publish the City Service Corps Blueprint.

It is our hope that the City Service Corps Blueprint can serve as a foundation for cities and municipalities who want to build a culture of service within their ranks. Integrating AmeriCorps members into City government not only brings on new talent, expertise, and perspectives rooted incommunity, but also ensures that civic engagement lies at the core of public service. Democracy is modeled and exercised starting within local government.

AmeriCorps has long been a training ground for leaders in public service, igniting a passion and setting those who serve on a lifelong journey of civic engagement. This was my experience as an AmeriCorps VISTA member serving at a small nonprofit, and this has been my journey, but I am far from alone. A service term in city government for many also solidifies a dedication to equity, a call to service never more relevant than now. And the opportunity to serve can be a life-changing opportunity in itself. For many native New Yorkers, City Service Corps has meant access to positions of power to make change from within City government, not to mention opened doors and future job opportunities.

We also witnessed the power of service during the height of the COVID-19 crisis in New York City. Members’ perseverance, talents, and skills energized programs that needed to adapt to address changing needs, or transition to socially distant or virtual models of service delivery. Members also displayed unwavering commitment to helping the most vulnerable, including people experiencing homelessness, low-income parents and children, and immigrant communities.

Civic engagement and service make us stronger, as individuals and as communities. I am proud of the continued contributions of City Service Corps members towards building a more equitable city, and hope this Blueprint will provide the tools for other cities to join ours in growing the ranks of our civic leaders.

Yours in Service,

Anusha Venkataraman
NYC Chief Service Officer

City Service Corps encapsulates the Citi Foundation’s dedication to addressing the complex social, economic and environmental challenges facing communities across New York City – Citi’s hometown since its founding in 1812 – and its mission as a Foundation to help young people pursue their career and economic ambitions.

In addition to providing workplace experiences, City Service Corps empowers members to develop the leadership skills critical to success and inculcates a civic engagement mindset that often stays with members post-service. Workforce and leadership development are key components of Pathways to Progress, the Citi Foundation’s $100 million commitment to connect young people globally, including across New York City, to on-ramps to opportunity.

City Service Corps is a great example of harnessing the resources that exist today, but deploying them in new ways to drive better outcomes for tomorrow.

– Citi Foundation