The work they do varies widely. And they show up in all sorts of community programs, rather than reporting to a central office. Even knowing what to call AmeriCorps members is tricky. They are not quite volunteers, because they get stipends for their work, along with education grants. But they are not quite employees, either, because their pay is considered a living allowance, their hours are often flexible, and their tenure is limited, usually to a year.
Benefits can also vary depending on how programs are structured.
In Cleveland, AmeriCorps members are working at various social programs - from Habitat for Humanity, where they help community volunteers build homes in the inner city, to Case Western Reserve and John Carroll Universities, where they run health, environmental and education programs. . . .