Northeast and West Coast Region Part of National Realignment of Volunteer Outreach Structure

WASHINGTON, D.C., July 20, 2012 - Peace Corps Director Aaron S. Williams announced today that the agency will expand its use of community-based recruiters as part of a nationwide realignment of volunteer outreach and recruitment efforts.  The Peace Corps will consolidate the number of U.S. regional recruitment offices from nine to seven while increasing the number of local recruiters.

“Every day the Peace Corps is recruiting, placing, and training dedicated Americans for service in more than 70 countries overseas,” said Director Williams. “The agency depends on our regional offices to provide information and guidance to prospective Peace Corps volunteers, and with this community-based recruitment strategy we can further meet the needs of our host country partners and offer improved customer service to the next generation of volunteers.”

As part of the realignment, the Boston and New York recruitment offices will merge in September 2012.  This new Northeast Region will serve Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont. New York City will be the main administrative office and staff in the current Boston office will transition to working remotely within their territories. These community-based recruiters will live and work in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Buffalo, New York.  In addition, the Northeast Region will have strategic campus representatives at key partner universities.

Under the new community-based recruitment model, the West Coast will nearly triple the number of cities containing full-time Peace Corps staff.  The West Coast Region, which currently has offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle, will also serve Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon and Washington.

The realignment is based on recommendations contained in the 2010 Peace Corps Comprehensive Agency Assessment, which included an extensive analysis of the agency’s recruitment model. 

About the Peace Corps: Since President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps by executive order on March 1, 1961, more than 200,000 Americans have served in 139 host countries. Today, 9,095 volunteers are working with local communities in 75 host countries. Peace Corps volunteers must be U.S. citizens and at least 18 years of age. Peace Corps service is a 27-month commitment and the agency’s mission is to promote world peace and friendship and a better understanding between Americans and people of other countries. Visit www.peacecorps.gov for more information.