Today’s post comes from Carrisa Pawell, Interactive Strategy AmeriCorps Member with Points of Light. She is currently serving as an AmeriCorps member.

I started my year of service with AmeriCorps with not much of an idea what AmeriCorps did. I had heard them called the “domestic PeaceCorps”, and that is the description I still use with my friends and family! However, I may yet adopt the AmeriCorps week slogan, AmeriCorps Works! as it encompasses the breadth of the wide variety of service AmeriCorps members provide.

Approximately halfway through my term of service at Points of Light, my definition of volunteerism has expanded in ways I never expected. As a support member on the Interactive Strategy team, I volunteer mainly through the computer! In my past service experiences, I have volunteered in retirement communities, libraries, children’s day camps, and food kitchens. Although I use it for the majority of my entertainment and education, I never dreamed that the Internet would be the next frontier for service.

I’d like to share with you a few things I’ve learned over my term so far.

Volunteer online! You don’t have to be a Twitter expert to volunteer online. Did you know that you can play online games for free that donate to charities on your behalf? One example is Charitii – a charity-donating crossword Web site that raises money to provide clean water, food for the malnourished, and protection of the rainforest worldwide.

Be open to opportunities outside of your expectations Why limit yourself? My AmeriCorps term of service has taken me in so many directions I couldn’t have predicted a year ago, including a big move from California to Georgia! Service can take you in a variety of directions. I know the option of voluntourism is next on my list! Consider combining your travel and service experiences with a voluntourism vacation.

Microvolunteer Not all acts of service have to be year long commitments! Sparked provides a place where nonprofits can post small, digitally-based volunteer opportunities that can be done in a small amount of time. These opportunities aren’t just computer-based; many of the opportunities can be done on a smart phone, so time spent waiting in line at the grocery store can turn into time helping to improve a user’s experience with a nonprofit’s website.

Embrace your “Aha!” Moments As my AmeriCorps predecessor, Ken Tran, wrote in his Turning Point post for Points of Light, AmeriCorps members experience many “aha!” moments during our service years. Those situations are when the imaginary light bulb finally lights up and we realize that what we’re doing has purpose and direction. That our actions are positively impacting those around us and that the effects of our service will be felt long after we have left. During “AmeriCorps Works” week, I invite you to think back and remember your own “aha!” moment. What is your purpose and direction in the service field? How do you feed the need to impact others in a positive way? Take some time to refocus on that moment and the resulting actions; it can only increase your commitment to service!

Are you an AmeriCorps alum? If so, how will you be celebrating this week?  Be sure to register as an AmeriCorps Alum and register or join an AmeriCorps Week event.

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• 5 Tips For Managing Volunteers from my AmeriCorps Service
• Go Out and Show How AmeriCorps Works
• It’s AmeriCorps Week, but what is AmeriCorps?