Vanessa Arevalo is a Virginia Youth Mental Health Corps volunteer at George Mason University. Her decision to serve stems from a deep‑rooted desire to do something meaningful with her life and make a positive impact on her community. When Vanessa learned about AmeriCorps and the educational resources that could help her pursue her career goals, she saw the opportunity as the perfect way to pair her passion with purpose.

Vanessa was drawn to the Youth Mental Health Corps because she wanted to help reduce stigma surrounding mental health. Throughout her life, she noticed many young people in her community not receiving the support they needed. “Within the Hispanic community, sometimes services are not readily available, and other times there’s a lot of stigma surrounding mental health,” reflects Arevalo. “I wanted to be part of the movement to reduce that stigma and help create a community where seeking mental health support is viewed as a strength rather than something to be ashamed of.”

While in college, Vanessa faced challenges finding opportunities to gain direct clinical experience, as many roles were available only at the graduate level. “I was looking for an opportunity where I could serve youth directly while also developing my professional skills. When I learned about the Youth Mental Health Corps program, which offered both didactic training toward my QMHP‑T and hands‑on experience serving youth and families, I knew it was an opportunity I wanted to pursue,” she says.

During her first year of service, Vanessa supported the Spanish Emotional Support Line and the Youth and Family Services Board while also completing training in Sources of Strength. She recalls a particular service project that jumpstarted her career path and opened her eyes to new challenges and ways to address them. “One of the most meaningful experiences I had during my first year of service was during my Sources of Strength training, which focuses on school-based suicide prevention and building protective factors among youth. I had the opportunity to lead a mini‑group entirely in Spanish. The school where the training took place has a large population of English‑learning students, and I became aware of how language barriers can make it more difficult for students to fully participate in mental health and prevention programs. Being able to facilitate a space where students could communicate in their preferred language and openly talk about their strengths, experiences, and sources of support was incredibly meaningful to me,” Vanessa reflected.

These experiences helped her grow both personally and professionally. At the end of her service year, Vanessa still had the desire to serve and learn. She signed up for a second year with the Youth Mental Health Corps and was determined to build on everything she learned during her first year and continue creating accessible mental health spaces where every young person and family feels welcomed, valued, and supported.

Since serving with the Youth Mental Health Corps, volunteering has become an important part of Vanessa’s overall career plan. When asked about her goals, she shared her hopes of becoming a clinical psychologist and working for a nonprofit that serves under‑represented communities. “Through my service experiences, I’ve gained exposure to different areas of mental health, including working with an emotional support line, serving with a Community Services Board, and participating in suicide prevention initiatives. Each of these experiences has helped me better understand the different ways mental health services can be provided, and the barriers individuals and families may face when trying to access support,” says Vanessa.

Vanessa believes people should choose to serve because service has the power to create a positive impact on both the community and the volunteer. She sees service as an opportunity to learn from people with different experiences, develop new skills, and grow both personally and professionally. “For me, service has helped me better understand the needs of my community while also helping me discover the kind of professional and community member I want to become. I believe someone should consider serving if they see areas in their community that could be improved and want to be part of creating that change. You do not have to completely change the world to make a difference. Sometimes, making a difference starts with showing up, listening, and being willing to contribute.”

Serve Virginia is thankful for volunteers like Vanessa, who have made service and civic engagement a lifelong pursuit. We wish Vanessa continued success on her “service-to-career” journey and encourage everyone to learn more about AmeriCorps Virginia, Virginia’s Youth Mental Health Corps, and volunteer opportunities throughout the Commonwealth.