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Circle of Service
Connecting a network of volunteers and alumni with continued opportunities to serve for lasting, positive change
Overview
The Circle of Service is a Peace Corps initiative to formally partner with service organizations and create lasting pathways for individuals committed to public service. Through this initiative, the Peace Corps aims to foster a lifelong culture of giving back by connecting volunteers with meaningful opportunities to serve both domestically and globally.
Launched in October 2024, the Peace Corps initially partnered with City Year, Public Allies, Teach for America, and Tilting Futures, to build a community for motivated changemakers to seamlessly transition between service roles throughout their lives, expanding their global impact and strengthening the future of public service.
Benefits
The Circle of Service offers benefits for all participants:
- The Peace Corps broadens its outreach by engaging with experienced professionals, while providing Returned Peace Corps Volunteers with career and service opportunities. For strategic partners’ alumni, the Peace Corps offers expedited consideration for their Peace Corps application, reviewing the application within two weeks of receipt, and if qualified, offering an interview. The expedited consideration saves the alumni several weeks when applying to the Peace Corps.
- Strategic partners gain access to a global platform for their alumni to apply their skills, allowing them to deepen their impact.
- Volunteers and alumni benefit from this integrated network that supports lifelong engagement in public service, offering new pathways for professional and personal growth.
Our partners
These are our current Circle of Service strategic partners:
City Year is a trailblazing, youth-powered organization with a dual mission: expanding educational opportunity for all students and developing the next generation of leaders through national service. Research shows the more time a student spends with a City Year AmeriCorps member serving as student success coach, the better the student outcomes—academically, interpersonally and in terms of attendance. A public-private partnership, City Year is a proud member of AmeriCorps, operating in 29 U.S. cities with international affiliates in the U.K. and South Africa. Today, 40,000 alums continue to lead and serve where they live and work.
Public Allies helps thousands of emerging leaders serve our country, get on successful pathways to higher education and careers, and bring communities together to work for the common good. We operate our signature AmeriCorps program in multiple communities nationwide. We believe that communities already have the leadership they need to create lasting social change. Public Allies seeks to find and cultivate those leaders and connect them to the issues and causes that ignite their passion.
Teach For America works in partnership with communities across the country to expand educational opportunities for children. Founded in 1990, Teach For America finds, develops, and supports a network of leaders who expand opportunities work in classrooms, schools, and every sector and field that shapes the broader systems in which schools operate. Today, Teach For America is a force of more than 70,000 alumni, corps members teachers, and Ignite tutors.
Tilting Futures equips young people worldwide to create meaningful impact on global issues. Tilting Futures' immersive learning programs enhance students’ emotional and intellectual skills through collaboration with communities and cultures worldwide. Tilters graduate into a lifelong global network with a permanent perspective shift on the world, and what they’re capable of achieving within it.
How does the Circle of Service work?
The Peace Corps partners with service-oriented organizations to engage their alumni with opportunities to continue their service globally, through the Peace Corps’ traditional two-year program, and short term, high-impact opportunities with Peace Corps Response. In addition, Circle of Service alumni may donate their voluntary services through the Peace Corps’ Virtual Service Pilot. The Peace Corps also shares Circle of Service strategic partners’ service and professional opportunities with returning Peace Corps Volunteers.
- The Peace Corps offers expedited consideration of applications completed by Circle of Service alumni. If qualified, these applicants will be notified within two weeks to be scheduled for an interview.
- Circle of Service strategic partners promote Peace Corps service to their alumni on a quarterly basis, host annual recruitment events, and identify opportunities to host Peace Corps leadership at Circle of Service strategic partner events during the year.
- When Peace Corps Volunteers begin planning for their return home from overseas service, the Peace Corps promotes service and opportunities with Circle of Service strategic partners as a way for returning Peace Corps Volunteers to continue their service and grow their careers.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Circle of Service applicants
Who are considered Circle of Service alumni?
Circle of Service strategic partner alumni have completed (or are completing) a volunteer service assignment with a current Circle of Service strategic partner.
Do Circle of Service alumni need to provide proof of completed service?
Yes. Applicants should upload their official completion of service document as indicated in the Peace Corps application. If you are unclear what document verifies your service, please contact your Circle of Service strategic partner.
What if I am currently serving with a Circle of Service strategic partner?
If you are currently serving with a Circle of Service strategic partner, you must have completed at least three months of service at the time of your Peace Corps application.
Who should I contact if I have a question about whether I am a Circle of Service strategic partner alum?
Please contact the Circle of Service strategic partner with whom you served.
What does expedited consideration of application mean?
The Peace Corps will offer expedited review of applications from Circle of Service alumni within two weeks of receipt, when possible, provided they have submitted a completed Peace Corps health history form and passed the preliminary legal review. Applicants who are deemed competitive through this review will be scheduled for an interview.
What if I don’t hear from the Peace Corps two weeks after I submit my application?
If you believe that your application met the criteria to qualify for an expedited review and you have not heard from the Peace Corps two weeks after your submission, please contact your Peace Corps recruiter.
Interested Circle of Service partners
What are the criteria for becoming a Circle of Service strategic partner?
To launch the initiative, the Peace Corps partnered with four service organizations, City Year, Public Allies, Teach or America and Tilting Futures, all of which share the agency’s commitment to service, intercultural competence, and community development. In addition, each Circle of Service strategic partners meet the following criteria:
- Alignment with the Peace Corps’ three goals,
- Programming focused on intercultural understanding and volunteer service, and
- A robust and accessible alumni network that meets the basic eligibility requirements for traditional two-year Peace Corps Volunteer service, and short-term, high impact Peace Corps Response service.
How can my organization get involved?
Interested organizations can learn more by contacting [email protected]. The Peace Corps aims to review interested Circle of Service strategic partners on a quarterly basis. Potential strategic partners will go through a standard agency vetting process and will be considered based on the same criteria as the current Circle of Service strategic partners.