WASHINGTON — Today, the Peace Corps officially launched “Circle of Service,” a new initiative designed to formally partner with service organizations and create lasting pathways for individuals committed to public service. Through this initiative, the Peace Corps aims to foster a lifelong culture of giving back by connecting volunteers with meaningful opportunities to serve both domestically and globally.

To launch the initiative, the Peace Corps partnered with four service organizations: City Year, Public Allies, Teach For America and Tilting Futures, all of which share the agency’s commitment to service, intercultural competence and community development. Through the Circle of Service, the Peace Corps and its strategic partners will build a community for motivated changemakers to seamlessly transition between service roles throughout their lives, expanding their global impact and strengthening the future of public service.

“The Peace Corps was born out of a bold call to action: who would be willing to go the distance to make a difference? For 63 years, the story of this agency has been one of Americans from all across the country stepping up to meet the moment. Now, with the Circle of Service, another bold new chapter in that story begins,” said Peace Corps Director Carol Spahn. “Through this strategic partnership, we’re building something bigger than any single organization could achieve alone, a future that unites our strengths to offer volunteers meaningful opportunities to contribute to sustainable progress.”

As part of this strategic partnership, the Peace Corps will offer expedited review of applications for service from alumni of partner organizations so individuals with a passion for service have an opportunity to continue their efforts globally. In addition, the agency will provide Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs) with information about employment and/or volunteer opportunities to serve at Circle of Service partner organizations, creating pathways for RPCVs to share their experiences and build upon the professional and intercultural skills they developed during Peace Corps service. This interconnected network exemplifies the Circle of Service, where organizations, volunteers and communities benefit from sustained engagement and collaboration.

"As an organization that has believed in the power of young people to positively effect change in their communities since its founding, City Year proudly joins the Circle of Service partnership pilot,” said City Year CEO Jim Balfanz. “We believe that uniting and empowering young people, while increasing their access to post-service pathways in mission-aligned organizations will change the world for the better. At City Year, we strive to support our 40,000+ alumni post-service, engaging them as partners for City Year's impact as they continue to realize their leadership potential and civic commitments. The Circle of Service partnership will be a critical piece of our talent pathways impact focus that will streamline our collective desire to drive systems change through service."

"Public Allies' network of apprentices and alumni represents the voices of talented leaders and social entrepreneurs that have too often been marginalized and excluded from pathways to leadership," said Public Allies CEO Jenise Terrell. "Service is an essential experience for our future leaders. Circle of Service promises strong and strategic partnerships for Public Allies to expand the possibilities for our network to connect and serve communities locally, nationally and globally – getting us one step closer to more inclusive pathways to leadership and solutions to our nation's greatest social concerns."

“Teach For America is honored to join the Peace Corps' Circle of Service partnership alongside so many esteemed peers,” said Teach For America President and Chief Operating Officer Jemina Bernard. “As we soon approach our 35th year, one of the most important lessons we’ve learned at Teach For America is that we have to work collectively in order to achieve a vision as big as ours – ensuring all kids have access to an excellent education.”

“At Tilting Futures, we believe that the solutions to our world’s most pressing challenges will come from leaders who represent and are deeply connected to the communities they serve,” said Tilting Futures CEO Erin Lewellen. “This partnership with the Peace Corps Circle of Service is essential to creating the systemic changes needed to educate, inspire, and support our nation's next generation of service-oriented leaders. We are honored to play our part in building a leadership pipeline rooted in humility, community, and a deep understanding of the interconnectedness of global challenges.”

Circle of Service offers service-oriented organizations the opportunity to scale their impact globally. By connecting their alumni with the Peace Corps, strategic partners can extend their mission and values beyond borders, empowering individuals to contribute to world peace and friendship. Strategic partners also benefit from the agency’s more than six decades of experience in a people-centered, localized approach to international development, enhancing their own capacity to deliver effective programs in their respective fields.

Circle of Service strategic partners bring specialized expertise in areas such as agriculture, community economic development, education, environment, health and youth in development. Together with the Peace Corps, these organizations are laying a foundation for a service network that will inspire generations of changemakers. The Peace Corps invites interested organizations to explore strategic partnership opportunities and join this collaborative effort to expand their global impact.

Other interested Circle of Service partners should visit peacecorps.gov/circleofservice for more information.