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National Peace Corps Association

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National Peace Corps Association
Founded1979
FounderJohn F. Kennedy
Type501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
FocusReturned Peace Corps Volunteers, Peace Corps Community
Location
  • Washington, D.C.
Area served
Global
Employees
10
WebsiteOfficial website Edit this at Wikidata

National Peace Corps Association (NPCA) is a North American nonprofit organization supporting the Peace Corps Agency community. Founded in 1979, the NPCA is headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States[1]

The NPCA maintains a database comprising around 150,000 records of volunteers,[2] including figures such as the Peace Corps' founder, John F. Kennedy, and individuals from host countries.[3] The NPCA has historically provided advisory support to Peace Corps volunteers. Its stated objectives include fostering a commitment to the global ideals of the Peace Corps community and advocating for the enhancement and expansion of the U.S. Peace Corps initiative.[4]

According to the Peace Corps mission statement, those ideals entail promoting "world peace and friendship" by fulfilling three goals:

To help the countries interested in meeting their need for trained people.
To help promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served.
To help promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans."[5]

History

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In the mid-1970s, at conferences of global educators in the Midwest, a group of returned Peace Corps volunteers began meeting to discuss their service experiences. They adopted a Peace Corps objective that President John F. Kennedy stated in 1961: "Come home and teach your neighbors about the communities where you served." Their aim was to offer returning Peace Corps volunteers in America a continuing mission and communal identity as Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs).[6][7]

In 1979, this group joined with RPCV community leaders in New York and Washington, D.C., to form the National Council of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers, which was incorporated in 1981. In 1993, the organization’s name was later changed to the National Peace Corps Association (NPCA).[8]

In response to the Rwandan genocide in 1994, NPCA created the Emergency Response Network (ERN) of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers willing to respond to a crisis. Peace Corps Director Mark Gearan modeled the Crisis Corps (later renamed Peace Corps Response) after this program.[9]

In coordination with the Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of Washington, D.C., the NPCA organized 200 RPCVs to march in President Barack Obama's inaugural parade[10] on January 20, 2009. That same year, the NPCA launched Peace Corps Connect, an online social networking platform to help current and returning Peace Corps volunteers interact and share ideas about projects, events, careers, and advocacy issues.

In 2002, the NPCA was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, along with the Peace Corps.[11]

Advocacy

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Members of the NPCA continue to testify on U.S. Peace Corps legislation and key issues like safety and security.

In 2005, NPCA successfully coordinated the removal of Peace Corps references from military recruitment legislation.[12][13][14]

Awards and recognition

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NPCA has encouraged and recognized the service of members of the Peace Corps community by awarding over 20 Sargent Shriver Awards for Distinguished Humanitarian Service.[15]

Programs

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Peace Corps Connect is the annual conference of the Peace Corps community.[1]

Africa Rural Connect (ARC) is an online collaboration tool aiming to address some of the challenges in rural African communities. This project introduces and encourages collaboration to identify creative, new plans to deal with the fundamental problems of agricultural development and rural poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has awarded a grant to the ARC project as part of its Agricultural Development initiative to give millions of smallholder farmers in developing countries the tools and opportunities they need to improve their yields, raise their incomes, and improve the quality of life for themselves and their families.[16]

The RPCV Mentoring Program assists returning Peace Corps Volunteers with their transition from service. The program connects recently returned Peace Corps Volunteers with RPCV mentors one year after their service ends. Mentors provide advice, key networking contacts, share experiences and adjustment issues, offer guidance on further education, review resumes, assist with career planning, and promote resources available to RPCVs to help them transition from serving abroad to serving at home.[17]

Publications

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NPCA publishes Worldview magazine four times a year. The magazine shares the Peace Corps' perspective on global issues through articles authored by and about Peace Corps Volunteers, Returned Peace Corps volunteers, and people who "share the global values of the Peace Corps experience".[18]

NPCA also produces email newsletters, including the monthly NPCA News, GlobalEdNews on global issues, and NPCA Advocacy on action alerts and news on legislation impacting the Peace Corps community.

History of conferences and events

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Since the year before its founding, the NPCA has planned annual events. These events include large conferences, celebrations for major Peace Corps anniversaries, and general meetings to satisfy bylaws requirements.

Starting in 1990, affiliated group leaders held the NPCA Presidents' Forum in conjunction with each annual meeting at Kent State University. In 2005, these meetings were renamed the "Group Leaders' Forum."

Affiliate Groups

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The network includes over 180 affiliate groups. Affiliate groups may be geographic (e.g., Chicago Area Peace Corps Association); based on the country of Peace Corps service (e.g., Friends of Guatemala); associated with workplaces (e.g., RPCVs at USAID); driven by social action (e.g., Peace Corps Community for Refugees); or defined by affinity (e.g., the Peace Corps Oral History Project). Groups advocate in line with the stated goals of the organization.

References

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  1. ^ "Peace Corps and the National Peace Corps Association Strengthen Ties through New Partnership".
  2. ^ "Frequently Asked Questions". National Peace Corps Association. Retrieved 2024-05-18.
  3. ^ Stay Connected (peacecorps.gov)
  4. ^ "NPCA Mission & Goals". Peace Corps Connect. Retrieved January 23, 2024.
  5. ^ "About". Peace Corps. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  6. ^ Title 3 of the Code of Federal Regulations (Washington, D.C.: Office of the Federal Register, 2011), pp. 12–13.
  7. ^ Hellstrom, T., Unofficial Peace Corps Volunteer Handbook (Morrisville: Lulu, 2010), p. 185.
  8. ^ Nolan, Robert (2024-06-19). "Group Dynamics". National Peace Corps Association. Retrieved 2024-08-20.
  9. ^ "What happened to Crisis Corps? The road to Peace Corps Response". Peacecorps.gov. June 12, 2021.
  10. ^ "Behind the Scenes: Peace Corps Community at the Inaugural Parade". www.peacecorpsconnect.org. Archived from the original on 2011-01-05.
  11. ^ "Nobel Peace Prize Nomination". National Peace Corps Association. Archived from the original on June 27, 2002. Retrieved January 23, 2024.
  12. ^ Kline, John (September 20, 2005). "H.R.3709 – To amend title 10, United States Code, to remove the Peace Corps as an option for service under the National Call to Service military recruitment program". congress.dov.
  13. ^ "Peace Corps Online: November 17, 2005: Headlines: Military: Congress: Legislation: NPCA: Congressman John Kline sends letter to colleagues on Peace Corps Military Option". peacecorpsonline.org. Retrieved 2024-05-02.
  14. ^ "Interagency, Intergovernmental Organization, and Nongovernmental Organization Coordination During Joint Operations Vol II". health.mil. March 17, 2006.
  15. ^ "Sargent Shriver Award Winners". National Peace Corps Association. Retrieved 2024-05-30.
  16. ^ "NPCA Launches Africa Rural Connect — Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation". Gatesfoundation.org. 2009-07-21. Archived from the original on 2012-02-17. Retrieved 2012-05-15.
  17. ^ "Mentoring". RPCV/W. Retrieved 2024-05-30.
  18. ^ "WorldView Magazine". npca.whitmoyer.com. Retrieved 2023-12-25.
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