Service Year Opportunities in New Hampshire

This report compiles information relevant to the work of the New Hampshire Service Year Workforce Commission. By surveying New Hampshire’s workforce, service year programs available to young people in the state, and employment and education opportunities offered to service year alumni, the report intends to establish an overview of background information relevant to the goals of the Commission. As New Hampshire communities age faster than other communities across the nation, we identify service year programs as high potential opportunities to attract young people to New Hampshire who tend to be interested in contributing to their communities and engaging as productive members of civil society.

With regard to employment, the report uses the Employers of National Service program to measure dedication to attracting service alumni applicants, concluding that New Hampshire lags behind some of its neighbors and could benefit from greater commitment to the program by local and state government institutions. The report also assesses the use of Segal Education Award funding in New Hampshire and identifies institutions participating in award matching to encourage service alumni applicants. The Dartmouth Admissions Office is used as a local example of higher education attitudes towards service programs and service alumni. Finally, the report identifies various opportunities to promote service year program participation and encourage alumni to stay and contribute to the state through the development of environmental recreation, support for the New Hampshire chapter of AmeriCorps Alumni, and adoption of new education and employment incentives for service year alumni.