Benefits
There are many diverse benefits that accompany participation in JVC.
Professional
Placement with JVC provides valuable professional hands-on experience for JVs who work full-time in non-profit agencies, schools, medical clinics, and legal offices. Jesuit Volunteers are supervised by professionals in their field of work.
JVC instructs our placement organizations to treat the JVs as any other full-time employee. They have to request vacation and sick time, abide by organizational policies, and attend staff meetings just like any other employee. This employee designation better allows for thorough training and orientation, honest feedback from supervisors, and continual professional development.
Spiritual Formation
Throughout the year, JVs participate in retreats, gaining helpful knowledge and practical tools to use in their work and communities, reflecting and growing spiritually, and relaxing with the larger community of JVs.
Support
JVC’s model ensures that JVs have ample sources of support for the whole person. Placing JVs in communities provides peer support and local contacts in each city or country provide relational and communal support. Administrators at placement sites provide logistical and professional guidance.
Additionally, JVC staff members visit each JV community to facilitate personal development programs, mediate challenges that arise in community or at work, and guide JVs through their exploration of community, social justice, simple living, and spirituality.
Post-Service Benefits
One of the greatest benefits of becoming a JV is our expansive network of current and former JVs, supporters, and partner agencies. With Former Jesuit Volunteer chapters forming across the country, no matter where FJVs move, they’re never far away from other FJVs. FJVs also have access to special academic and scholarship opportunities.
Financial
Though JVs commit to living simply without much discretionary income, their basic living expenses are well provided. Through participation in JVC, JVs are afforded rent, utilities, transportation to and from work, health insurance, transportation home at the end of the year (pending successful completion of the program), a food stipend, and a small personal stipend.
In addition to covering living expenses, participants in JVC are usually eligible for deferment or forbearance of most federal student loans (eligibility for private loan deferment varies from lender to lender). JVs who participate in the domestic program may also be also eligible to participate in the AmeriCorps Education Award Program, though availability is not guaranteed.
