Member Guide—The Maryland Corps/Service Year Option Program
Dream big and make a difference in Maryland today!
The Maryland Corps/Service Year Option (MC/SYO) Program is a minimum 9-month paid opportunity for you to serve your neighbors in your community, gain real-world experience, and build a strong foundation for your future through Maryland's Department of Service and Civic Innovation (DSCI).
As a Member, you join a statewide network of people committed to gaining work experience, building their skills, and personal growth. You’ll earn a living wage, receive professional development, and contribute to projects that strengthen Maryland’s schools, nonprofits, public agencies, and local communities.
You’ll grow, give back, and take bold steps toward your goals—all right here in the state of Maryland.
Application Announcement
The MC/SYO Program application is not live yet! Get ready for our launch in early February by heading to the Apply Soon page for more information.
Your path to service
Complete an application on DSCI’s Application and Matching Portal. Don’t worry, we’ve streamlined the application process to make it as straightforward as possible!
- If you require a reasonable accommodation to apply, please contact us at [email protected].
We review applications continuously. Keep an eye on your inbox—we might reach out if we have follow-up questions or need more information.
Once you are conditionally accepted, the fun part begins: finding your next job.
You will use DSCI’s Application and Matching Portal to explore and apply to positions, interview with Host Site Partner (HSP) organizations, and accept an official offer.
Heads up: to become an official Member of Maryland Corps/Service Year Option, you must successfully match with an HSP.
Don't sweat the interviews; we provide tips and resources to help you ace the matching process and find the right match for you.
Before you serve, you’ll attend Pre-Service Orientation. This is your chance to meet the DSCI team, connect with other Members, and learn the ins-and-outs of the program. We’ll make sure you know exactly what to expect so you can hit the ground running at your new gig.
It’s go time! You will complete a minimum 9-month term at your Host Site. You won’t be doing it alone, though. You’ll get:
- A Service Success Coach: A dedicated coach from DSCI to guide your growth.
- Workforce Development: Level up with hands-on professional development training and mentorship, and engage in discussions around critical themes such as financial literacy, public speaking, and civic engagement.
- Apprenticeship Status: Access to an online platform to earn a registered apprenticeship through the Department of Labor.
(Plus a few other surprises we can’t spoil just yet!)
You did it! Upon graduation, you’ll receive a $6,000 completion award. If you’ve met the requirements, you’ll also receive your Department of Labor Registered Apprenticeship Certificate or trade credentials.
What’s Next? We don't just wave goodbye. You’ll join an Alumni community of lifelong service champions, and we’ll work with you to lock in your next steps, whether that’s:
- Staying on with your Host Site.
- Pivoting to a new career path.
- Continuing your education or starting a new apprenticeship.
Is this right for you?
We believe that everyone can serve. That’s why we’re looking for passionate applicants who can lead the charge on shaping Maryland’s future. When you start your service, you’ll fall into one of our two pathways:
- Service Year Option: Individuals ages 18–24 who have graduated from high school or earned an equivalent credential (such as a G.E.D. or Certificate of Completion).
Maryland Corps: All eligible adults 18 and older; no education requirement.
We’re looking for Adults 18+ residing in Maryland who want to:
Serve full-time for 30-40/hours a week at a Host Site Partner organization and contribute to meaningful projects across Maryland.
- Level-up with required professional development trainings, on-the-job training, mentorship, and build strong, real-world professional skills
- Earn at least $15/an hour, making a difference in their communities
- Work 1-on-1 with a success coach and expert mentor
- Take a clear next step in their career and graduate with a $6,000 completion award
- Explore different career pathways
This is not the right time to apply if:
- You’re enrolled full-time in an education program
- You’re not able to to commit to full-time service at your Host Site Partner and participate in required professional development trainings
- You have commitments that will overlap with your service during business hours (typically 9:00-5:00pm Monday – Friday)
Real work. Real impact. Real growth. ✨
During your service term, you’ll take on meaningful projects in schools, nonprofits, government agencies, or private businesses. You will gain on-the-job skills, build a professional network, and tackle professional development training in:
- Financial Literacy
- Navigating the Workplace
- Civic Engagement
- Goal Setting
Find the interest that fires your passion with opportunities in various industries:
- 🌱Climate: Work on clean energy projects like home weatherization and wind energy
- 📚Education: Tutor students, assist with youth recreation, or support nutrition and life skills programs
- 🩺Community Health: Help residents access vaccines and preventative care, or serve as a mental health advocate
- 🏛️Public Service: Work inside state or local government—a direct pathway to a profession in the public sector
- 🛠️Apprenticeships & Trades: Master hard skills in high-growth industries like construction management or advanced manufacturing
- 💻Information Technology: Build competitive skills in web development, AI, and coding
- 🤝Public Safety: Partner with law enforcement to strengthen community bonds and connect individuals to resources
Want to get even more specific? We have specific corps pathways that go deep into a service, skill, or interest.
- IT Accessibility Corps: Help make government digital services accessible to everyone in partnership with Maryland's Departments of Disabilities and IT.
- Benefits Navigator Corps: Fight child poverty by helping families access essential state services in partnership with Maryland’s Department of Human Services and the Governor’s Office for Children.
- Youth Mental Health Corps: Promote student well-being and peer support in schools in partnership with various HSP organizations.
- Maryland Climate Corps: Drive climate action and protect Maryland’s environment in partnership with the Chesapeake Bay Trust.
Imagine the possibilities and see yourself as a Member today.
Where you’ll serve
Across Maryland–from Western Maryland to the Eastern Shore–you can serve in the communities where you live.
Work at a school, nonprofit, government agency, or private business. Roles are entry-level and hands-on, so you can learn as you go. See example ways you can serve below!
- Archivist, Local Library
- Community Health Outreach Specialist, Health Non-Profit Organization
- Marketing Specialist, Tech Company
- Youth Activity Coordinator, School
- Maintenance Technician, Auto Shop
- Project/Program Manager, State Agency
- Farm Aid, Urban Farm
- Design Intern, Creative Agency
Want to see where Members are currently or have previously served? Explore some of our partners below.
Please note: this list is not exhaustive.
- A Wider Circle
- Action Youth Media
- Alpha Genesis Community Development Corporation
- Anacostia Trails Heritage Area, Inc.
- Art Works Studio School
- Baltimore Center Stage
- Baltimore Collegetown Network
- Baltimore Gas & Electric
- Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Baltimore
- Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Maryland
- Building Families for Children, Inc.
- Catoctin Furnace Historical Society, Inc.
- The Civic Circle
- Community Forklift
- Community Legal Services, Inc.
- Community Mediation of St Mary’s County
- The Complete Player Charity
- Deep Roots Family Homeless Shelter
- Dent Education
- Endangered Species Theatre Project (ESP Theatre)
- Epoch Dream Center
- Essex Community Development Corporation
- Friends of the Patuxent
- Girls on the Run of Mid & Western Maryland
- Glorious Mental Health
- Habitat for Humanity of Carroll County
- It Takes a Village to Help Our Children, Inc.
- Joe's Movement Emporium
- Larbi Tech Llc
- Laurel Advocacy & Referral Services, Inc.
- Linking All So Others Succeed, Inc (LASOS)
- Maryland Center for Construction Education & Innovation
- Maryland Department of Aging
- Maryland Department of Emergency Management
- Maryland Department of Natural Resources
- Maryland Department of Planning and MD250 Commission
- Maryland State Bar Association
- Maryland State Department of Education
- Maryland Vietnamese Mutual Association (MVMA)
- MD Department of Housing and Community Development - DHCD
- Mentoring Mentors INC.
- MISSIONFIT
- Nemas Gardens LLC
- Prathertown
- Sunflower Bakery
- Urban Strategies Inc
- Wide Angle Youth Media
The 2️⃣nd Year Leaders Program
DSCI invites exemplary Members to return for a second term as Second Year Leaders. In this role, you will serve as a program ambassador, deepen your professional experience, and expand your impact.
As a Second Year Leader You Will:
- Take on leadership roles and help facilitate professional development trainings and DSCI events
- Mentor and inspire your peers
- Represent DSCI at recruitment events across Maryland
- Co-create content that showcases the value of the program
- Contribute fresh ideas to help us better resonate with members and prospective members
Selected leaders will receive exclusive training and professional development opportunities. You can choose to stay with your current Host Site Partner or rematch with a new organization.
Ready to lead? Email [email protected]
Common Member FAQs
Got questions? We got answers!
What does Member, Host Site Partner, and DSCI Mean?
- Member = You! A potential participant in the Maryland Corps/Service Year Option Program who serves for a minimum of 9 months with a partner organization.
- Host Site Partner (HSP) = Partner organizations (and your future employer!) that host Members during their service term.
- DSCI = Maryland’s Department of Service and Civic Innovation.
The Department of Service and Civic Innovation is a cabinet-level agency in Maryland that Governor Wes Moore created in 2023. The Department was charged with creating two new streams of service, Service Year Option and Maryland Corps as well as expanding a legacy service program, AmeriCorps. The Department also plays a leading role in promoting volunteerism across the state as well as signature Days of Service, the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday and the commemoration of September 11th.
- Service Year Option: Individuals ages 18–24 who have graduated from high school or earned an equivalent credential (such as a G.E.D. or Certificate of Completion).
- Maryland Corps: All eligible adults 18 and older; no education requirement.
Both Service Year Option and Maryland Corps have a Maryland residency requirement for all Members.
Maryland Corps/Service Year Option Members have full-time (30-40 hours/week) commitments over a period of at least nine (9) months. Inclusive of hours with their Host Site Partners, Members must complete and be compensated for in-person and virtual professional development activities as required by DSCI and their Host Site Partners.
No, a high school diploma is not required to participate in the Maryland Corps pathway. Currently, to participate in the Service Year Option pathway, applicants need a Maryland GED, Certificate of Completion, or High School diploma.
You must be at least 18 years old by the date of the program start. There is no upper age limit for Maryland Corps, but Service Year Option is restricted to 18-24 year-olds.
Members are engaged with the program full-time at least 30 hours per week (and up to 40 hours per week), for at least 41 weeks starting in Fall, 2026. Members will serve until Summer, 2027. DSCI is currently considering an earlier rolling start to accommodate education programs. Please review application and program material announcements for any new information.
Members earn at least $15.00 per hour working full-time for 30-40/hours a week.
Upon successfully completing your service term, you’d receive a taxable $6,000 cash award to be used as you wish - you can pay down debt, invest in your education, or save for the future! This will be given as a cash stipend.
Yes, Host Site Partner organizations are required to provide fringe benefits, including healthcare if you require it.
During your service term, you’ll take on meaningful projects in either schools, nonprofits, government agencies, or private businesses. Check out the information above to learn more about different industries, roles and current/previous organizations Members have served at!
Yes, individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities may apply to serve in the program.
Current Members may serve a second year as a Second Year Leader.
Thank you for submitting your application. You should expect to receive guidance on next steps via email very soon. Be sure to check your email often!
Our team continues to receive significant interest in this program and will strive to respond with next steps very soon. We will provide updates by email. If you have questions about your application, please contact [email protected].
Yes. The application site is compatible with the Linguist extension (Firefox/ Google Chrome) and Google Translate (Firefox/ Google Chrome) for the best translation experience on Firefox and Google Chrome browsers.
We are grateful that you are interested in serving with us. Our application is not open yet; please check back in February and stay connected for application updates here.