AUGUSTA — In the second year of the pandemic, national researchers pointed out that the most rural areas were not accessing resources to the same extent as more populated municipalities. The reason was that the rural areas were at a disadvantage when it came to people with the time and expertise to do the background work and develop or implement plans to tackle local problems, according to a news release from Volunteer Maine.

About the same time, Volunteer Maine (the state service commission) proposed the Maine Service Fellows program to work exclusively in Maine’s most rural counties. The program was established by the legislature in 2021, and the first Maine Service Fellow now leads a home energy conservation project at Pleasant Point. Other Service Fellows projects are recruiting and expect to start work this fall.

Volunteer Maine is now accepting letters of intent from new communities in Oxford, Franklin, Somerset, Piscataquis, Aroostook, Washington, Hancock, Waldo, Knox, and certain parts of Penobscot counties. Maine Service Fellows are recent college graduates (within last five years) who commit a year to living and serving in a community as the additional human resource needed to address a community issue. The project they undertake may impact a single municipality or a region, even an entire county.

Projects are developed into work plans in consultation with Volunteer Maine. The law identifies 13 broad categories for projects, making room for nearly every local need. The primary host organization can be a nonprofit, faith-based, or governmental agency. The community provides the technical supervisor and work tools as well as a community liaison who helps the Service Fellow integrate into community life outside of work hours.

Community partners interested in applying for the Maine Service Fellows Program can find program and letter of intent information at volunteermaine.gov. The deadline for submitting for the 2023-24 year is Friday, Sept. 8.

Funding to support the Service Fellows during their term of service comes from both private and public sources. The Maine Volunteer Foundation raises money to underwrite additional privately supported positions.

For more information, contact the program coordinator Jake Hurner at 207-624-7822 or jake.hurner@maine.gov.

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