AmeriCorps*VISTA based position, which is centered around working with our Miro Local TV partners (namely, public broadcasting affiliates and community TV centers from around the US).

What: VISTA Position @ PCF
When: Mid-July 2009 to July 2010
Where: Boston or NYC
Wage: Living Stipend/Educational Award/Health Care
See eligibility requirements below.

This is a very unique opportunity to work as part of the PCF team for a full year. Read on to find out more about how a VISTA position works, and details on what you would be doing. Check into the PCF Intern position as well…

About the Miro Local TV Project

Due to media consolidation and disintegrating business models, traditional local journalism is on the decline. As a result, mainstream media is failing the needs of American towns and cities for a local discourse that articulates common identities and informs the democratic process. Citizen journalism could fill this void, but citizen journalists constantly struggle for audience, reach, and relevance.

Miro Local TV (MLTV) will create a series of community-based video hubs to connect local creators, public access stations, and the community of viewers. With these new hubs and the relationships that they form, vibrant local communities of video can flourish. Quite simply, we can create an active, citizen-driven, online television world for individual cities and towns.

MLTV will focus on five communities in the first year. Each hub will be a local website (e.g. worcestervideo.org) where people can watch and submit video. A partnership with the local public access station will ground an outreach effort to connect creators and creative organizations to residents that are eager to engage with local news and information. MLTV will provide tools for syndication (in and out), ways to geographically code and gather local content from across the internet, and custom local versions of the open source video player, Miro.

Your Responsibilities, as a VISTA Member

a. Aiding in the development of outreach guidelines with our Outreach Director.

b. Managing relationships with partner community access and public television stations.

c. Co-developing and publishing training materials for partner organizations to use to learn to use the Miro Local TV web software.

d. Assisting organizations in the initial setup and customization of their Community Video Hub.

e. Outreach to potential community partners for the larger, second year of the project which will begin in fall 2009.

Your Skills

We would be able to make efficient use of a range of skills for this position, and to some extent will adapt the position based on the degree of technical proficiency of the candidate. By far, the most important criteria for us are demonstrated intelligence, professionalism, and responsibility. More specifically, we will look for the following:

a. Proficiency with use of modern internet tools and services (eg. email, word processing, etc).

b. Ability to write clearly and simply, including the ability to explain technical concepts and software instructions in plain english.

c. Strong and positive communication skills both for internal communication with our team and communication and support for partner organizations.

d. Ability to listen and synthesize diverse demands.

What Unique Benefits and Experiences do you Gain?

PCF is one of the leading software development non-profits in the world. Our hiring process is strict, our positions are very desirable, and the resulting team that we have assembled is world-class.

Above all, being a member of our team offers access to this wealth of human resources— professionals that are leaders in their field, that are well connected to other organizations and companies, and who are happy to offer their knowledge and experience to each other.

The VISTA member will have full access to our staff and our technical resources. In addition, the member will be invited to technical and media conferences that staff participate in at various times during the year.

The Specifics of Being a VISTA Member

The VISTA position is available in both Boston and New York City — you will technically be a volunteer, but will receive a living stipend, educational award, and health care coverage. More information on the CTC VISTA program.

VISTA Member Benefits

In return for your service, AmeriCorps*VISTA and the CTC VISTA Project has many benefits, some more valuable than others:

* ~$11,000/year living allowance. This amount varies based upon the community in which you serve.
* $4,725 Education Award or $1,200 stipend paid at the successful completion of your year of service
* Student loan deferment or forbearance on qualified loans
* Health benefits and prescription drug coverage
* Serve as part of a national team, facilitated by the CTC VISTA Project, to share resources, experience and advice
* The opportunity to gain high-level experience, skills and access within the nonprofit sector. Many of our alumni have gone on to full-time employment within their organization or another as a result of their service within the CTC VISTA Project

Eligibility

AmeriCorps*VISTA candidates must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or lawful permanent resident, be team-oriented, and be willing to take on a wide range of challenges. Some listings may require college degrees or previous work experience. You must be at least 17 years old. There is no upper age limit, and many AmeriCorps*VISTA members bring significant work and life experiences to their assignment. Self-initiative, flexibility and organizational skills are a must.

How to Apply

Send your application directly to jobs [at] pculture.org with “VISTA Position” somewhere in the subject line. Please include: brief bio, statement of interest, and a resume. We’ll be interviewing candidates over the coming weeks.