A Better Peace Corps

FRESH NEW IDEAS

As life-altering as the Peace Corps experience is, many former volunteers, staff and host nationals, feel there is unharnessed potential and a need for greater flexibility.  With President-elect Barack Obama vowing to double the Peace Corps, we have a once in a generation opportunity to revitalize the program we all love and respect so much.  Over a thousand former volunteers have been interviewed by MorePeaceCorps staff and interns to compile ideas for revitalizing the Peace Corps in the 21st century. 

Here are just some of the ideas we have heard and we urge you to let us know what you think:

• A much stronger and bigger Peace Corps Response Team (formerly Crisis Corps).  More opportunities for doctors, engineers, and other needed professionals to complete short stints over longer periods to meet critical needs in developing countries.
• More joint degree programs and student loan forgiveness.
  
• Creative partnerships with other international volunteer sending programs, micro-credit groups, and NGOs and businesses that want to help, just to name a few of the possibilities.  More teamwork. 
• Major investments in water, agriculture, and public health projects.
• More robust training programs that teach Peace Corps volunteers how to install water pumps, put in solar panels, and set up health posts, just to name a few possibilities.
• More structured opportunities for returned volunteers to bring the world home.

Change

A better Peace Corps means giving an edge to an esteemed institution and trying new things — changing with the times.

CONTINUE ON TO “A BOLDER PEACE CORPS” >