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Island Fellows Program
Island Fellows Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible to become an Island Fellow?
What do Island Fellows do?
I’m looking at the fellowship placement sites, and there is one placement that would perfectly fit my skills. Can I apply for a specific Fellowship?
What are the stipend and benefits for an Island Fellow?
Is housing provided for fellows?
Do I need a car to be a fellow?
Do fellows have an office?
What kind of professional support does the Island Institute provide for fellows?
When do the fellowships begin?
Who is eligible to become an Island Fellow?
We recruit recent college and master’s- level graduates (usually within four years of graduation) to serve as Fellows. We recognize that this requirement enables people of all different ages to apply, and the age of applicants has ranged from 22 – 45 years old, but the majority of our Fellows serve while in their mid-twenties. Most of our Fellows have been from New England, and Maine has contributed more Fellows than any other state.
Although some Fellowships require very specific skill-sets, skill-sets can be learned. So when initially interviewing Fellows candidates, we focus less upon their specific skills than whether they possess the type of personality that would make them successful. We seek candidates who are energetic, enthusiastic and who are willing to involve themselves in not just the identified tasks of their Fellowship, but who are also willing to become members of their host community. Fellows must be flexible - ferries are missed, weather cancels trips to the mainland, and ‘island time’ really does exist – and Fellows have to be able to adjust quickly and effortlessly. Fellows also must be equally comfortable in very social situations and being alone with a book on a winter’s night. To read about some of our previous fellows, please click here.
Each Fellowship is very different. Fellows have worked with town governments, local nonprofit organizations, local schools, historical societies, libraries and in many other areas on projects incorporating marine science, land-use planning, education, the arts and even healthcare services.
Fellows provide ‘an extra set of hands’ to their communities in many different ways because they are able to dedicate their energy and enthusiasm full-time to projects that are normally dependent upon the time and resources of volunteers. In addition, as members of communities where everybody wears ‘many different hats,’ Fellows have found themselves doing tasks and projects that go above and beyond the original scope of the Fellowship, including serving as members of the volunteer fire department or rescue service, playing music at church and town events, organizing social events such as weekly movies or game nights, contributing to local arts projects, teaching in the school, and much more.
I’m looking at the Fellowship placement sites, and there is one placement that would perfectly fit my skills. Can I apply for a specific Fellowship?
If you have skills and/or experience that would be particularly useful for a specific position (for instance, you have a Masters of Library Science and there is a position available in an island library) you should indicate that you feel this would be a good match. However, we ask that people apply to the Island Fellows program rather than apply for a specific fellowship. As mentioned above, an applicant’s skill-set is one of many considerations when placing a Fellow. It is more important that a fellow’s personality matches the community than if an applicant’s skills match the position. Nearly ten-years of experience with placing fellows in communities has given us a pretty good feel for what communities and community members are seeking in a Fellow.
What are the stipend and benefits for an Island Fellow?
Fellows receive a stipend of $16,600 plus a $5400 ($450/month) housing allowance - in the event that housing is not provided by the host community - for a total of $22,000. In addition, Fellows receive Americorps benefits including the opportunity to defer federal student loans and a $4,725 education award at the completion of the year that can be used to pay student loans or for tuition to an accredited graduate program. Fellows also have basic health care benefits and two-weeks of paid vacation. In addition, fellows receive ongoing professional development, including the opportunity to attend workshops and conferences and to undergo training for technical skills.
Is housing provided for Fellows?
When a community applies to host a fellow, they must state available housing options that the fellow can rent at a reasonable rate (usually $400 - $600/month which may or may not include utilities, but specific amounts vary). It is the responsibility of the on-island advisers to help the fellow find appropriate housing by putting the fellow in contact with potential landlords. Usually it is not difficult to find winter housing for fellows, but housing options during the summer are very limited. While each housing arrangement is unique, fellows have often had to move once or twice a year to remain on-island during the summer. Fellows also have very different living arrangements: some fellows have lived in single-family detached homes that they had to vacate for a few weeks when the owners visited in the summer; others have lived in efficiency apartments; others have rented rooms and shared a house with roommates; some have done all of the above.
If a site provides year-round housing for a fellow as part of their cash match towards the Fellowship (i.e. the healthcare center has an apartment they use for visiting doctors), then the Fellow may not receive the full housing stipend.
Do I need a car to be a Fellow?
We ask if you will have a car available during your fellowship on the Fellows application because, unfortunately, to live in most places in Maine requires a car. There are a few islands where a car is unnecessary, and we have had fellows who do not drive, but access to a car is necessary for some of our fellowship locations.
The fellowships are not 9-5 jobs, but many fellows are provided with office space with their host organization. Other fellows work out of their homes; and this requires that fellows have high levels of self-motivation and are comfortable completing tasks under minimal supervision. The Institute requires that all fellows have a local phone number (we don’t want people in your host community to have to call you long-distance), and we provide fellows with a laptop, printer and internet access.
What kind of professional support does the Island Institute provide for Fellows?
If a fellow needs professional or personal support, there are many people to whom they can turn.
First, as manager of the Island Fellows Program, Chris Wolff is always available to offer support and guidance.
There are also many forms of on-island support. Each fellow has at least one project advisor: a full-time island resident with whom the fellow is completing their main projects and who is familiar with the Island Institute and the Fellows program. These advisers will help you get started on your projects as well as help you learn about the community, introduce you to community members, ensure you are aware of community events, etc. Most fellows have multiple advisors, however, and develop quite a network of on-island support. In fact, during an on-island interview, fellows are often interviewed by groups of up to 10 people!
In addition, the Island Institute staff provides extensive project and personal support. In addition to Chris Wolff, we have programs staff members who work closely with fellows according to their areas of expertise. For example, GIS fellows are in frequent contact with our GIS program officer, Shey, and fellows who are working in island schools will get to know our Education Officer, Ruth. Programs and other Island Institute staff are also continually visiting the islands and try to always check-in with the resident fellow. Fellows, similarly, often meet with staff when on mainland visits.
Finally, all the fellows gather for quarterly retreats and participate in a week-long orientation in order to build a cohesive group that can offer mutual support. This has led to frequent collaboration amongst fellows, and many fellows have become very good friends.
When do the Fellowships begin?
Fellowships begin with a week-long orientation in mid-September where all the fellows gather to undergo training and get to know each other and Island Institute staff. Fellows who are placed in schools may begin earlier in order to coincide with the beginning of the school year.