Peace Corps History

The idea of the Peace Corp was first voiced by John F. Kennedy on
October 14, 1960, when he spoke to a crowd of 10,000 cheering
students at the university of Michigan in Ann Arbor, during a
presidential campaign speech.
John F. Kennedy wanted to encourage mutual understanding
between America and peoples of other nations and cultures.
to live and work in developing countries around the world; to
dedicate themselves to the cause of peace and development
inspired the beginning of the Peace Corps.

History
On November 2, 1960 John F. Kennedy gave a speech at the Cow
Palace in San Francisco where he proposed a, peace corps of
talented men and women. These people would dedicate
themselves to the peace and progress of developing countries.
His proposal was met by over 25000 letters approving of his idea.
The Peace Corps was also a response to the Cold War and the
spread of Communism.
As President JFK made this idea reality. In March 1, 1961 the Peace
Corps was established my executive order.

History (cont.)
Congress approved the Peace Corps as a permanent federal
agency and by September 22, 1961 John F. Kennedy signed
the legislation.
In the 1960s the Peace Corps was very popular due to recent
college graduates.
However, in the 1970s, with the Vietnam War and
Watergate the Peace Corps lost favor with the people
because they were disillusioned with their government.
History (cont.)
The traditional concern of the Peace Corps was with
education and agricultural development.
In the 1980s President Ronald Reagan went beyond these
traditional concerns and incorporated business-related
education and computer literacy into the Peace Corps.
In the 1980s the Peace Corps saw a rise of Republican and
conservative volunteers who joined the largely progressive
number of Peace Corps volunteers.
History (cont.)
In 1981 the Peace Corps was made an independent agency.
In the 1990s Europe was opened up to the Peace Corps.
Funding for the Peace Corps increased after Europe was
opened.
Also, they saw a rise in membership.
Purpose of the Peace Corps
The Peace Corps was established by John F. Kennedy,
because he wanted to encourage mutual understanding
between America and peoples of other nations and cultures.
Today the Peace Corps purpose is to promote world peace
and friendships by fulfilling three goals:
1. To help the people of interested countries in meeting their
need for trained men and women.
2. To help promote a better understanding of Americans by the
people of the countries served.
3. To help promote a better understanding of other peoples on
the part of Americans.
Participation:
The Peace Corps sends Americans volunteers overseas.
For countries to participate in the Peace Corps Program they
must:
1. Invite the Peace Corps
2. Ensure that Peace Corps volunteers will be safe
3. Due to a limited budget, the Peace Corps will decide which
countries it can be active in, and will prioritize the need of
that country.




Goals:
The Peace Corps sends Americans around the world to countries.
The goal of the volunteers is to tackle the most pressing needs of
the people of those countries.
They work towards sustainable change so that after they leave the
change they worked towards will continue to be sustained.
The Peace Corps works in the areas of education, health,
environment, community economic development, youth in
development, agriculture, and other areas.

Peace Corp Program Sectors
Peace Corp Program Sectors
Education 40%
Health 22%
Environment 12%
Community Economic
Development 11%
Youth in Development
7%
Volunteer Requirements
Volunteers serve 2 years following in country training.
The Peace Corps provides volunteers with housing and a
living stipend to cover food and incidentalsallowing them
to live similarly to the people in their community.
The minimum age for Peace Corps service is 18; there is no
upper age limit.
Volunteers must be U.S. Citizens.

Volunteer Requirements
(cont.)
Volunteers health, safety, and security are Peace Corps
highest priorities. The agency is committed to providing
Volunteers with the training, guidance, and support they
need to stay healthy, safe, and productive throughout their
service.
How the Peace Corps relates to Adult
Education
Adult education is a broad subject; it is not just one subject
that takes place. The Peace Corps addresses education,
agriculture, the environment, community economic
development, and youth in development.
The Peace Corps has helped with HIV/AIDS awareness
programs in the countries it has, and currently serves in.
They take the information that of the countries they serve in,
and help those people understand why they need to know
about issues like this.
How the Peace Corps relates to Adult Education
The Peace Corps focuses on a learning transaction in the
countries they server in.
Their goal is societal, institutional, and individual education
and transformation.
The Peace Corps succeeds in all three of these in the scope of
andragogy, as they work in the countries they serve in.
AmeriCorps
A brief History
In 1993 the Corporation for National and Community
Service (CNCS) was established to connect people of all ages
and backgrounds with opportunities to give back to their
communities and their nation.
CNCS is another name for the AmeriCorp.
This organization helps over 5 million people of all ages and
backgrounds through various service opportunities.
Programs
The AmeriCorps helps in six specific areas:
1. Disaster services
2. Economic opportunity
3. Education
4. Environmental Stewardship
5. Healthy futures
6. Veterans and military families
Volunteers and the AmeriCorps relation to adult education:
The AmeriCorp is a volunteer based organization and to
volunteer one can go to this website,
http://www.nationalservice.gov/about/who-we-are/our-
history, to find more information.
The AmeriCorps (CNCS) goal is societal, institutional, and
individual education and transformation, and they help
greatly in a learning transaction throughout the American
nation.

Peace Corps Bibliography
http://www.jfklibrary.org/JFK/JFK-in-History/Peace-
Corps.aspx
http://www.peacecorps.gov/about/
http://files.peacecorps.gov/multimedia/pdf/about/pc_fac
ts.pdf


AmeriCorp Bibliography
http://www.nationalservice.gov/about/who-we-are/our-
history