AmeriCorps VISTAs Improv Comedy Workshop!

Cities of Service Resilience AmeriCorps VISTA members @ Pitch Lab

Cities of Service Resilience AmeriCorps VISTA members are called upon to strengthen climate-resilience planning and implementation in vulnerable communities.

These real-life superheroes provide services to U.S. cities by engaging community residents to improve resilience in low-income neighborhoods. 

In this role, they help equip low-income communities to better prepare for numerous risks and challenges, including those associated with climate change.

Pitch Lab was thrilled to help The AmeriCorps VISTA program utilize improv comedy skills to problem-solve within the vulnerable communities the VISTAs serve.

And no one knows better than improv coaches, RJ Owen & Joel Lutz how powerful improv comedy can be as a tool for creative problem-solving. 

Through improv exercises like mirroring, 2-line scenes and spelling bees the VISTAs were able to hone in their active listening, collaboration and authenticity. Skills paramount to improving their effectiveness while impact volunteering. 

Most Valuable Takeaways for The AmeriCorps VISTAs:

"I enjoyed the improv session because I tend to be a perfectionist. Sometimes it doesn't work out according to plan and I'm learning to embrace silence as a time to process the information given to me, so that I can give a thoughtful response."

— Sam H.

"During the improv session I was able to get a better understanding of my co-VISTA and how we work together."

— Ricky J.

"An elevator pitch will only get you so far when reaching out to community members so having the improv session really stuck with me... and how I can react when residents throw me curve balls."

— Rachel L.

"The skills taught in improv comedy are incredibly invaluable for this kind of outreach and engagement work, as well as for life in general."

— Charles A.

We're grateful for the opportunity to work with The Cities of Service Resilience AmeriCorps VISTAs and are always excited to see improv comedy's "yes, and" approach make a positive impact! 

And a BIG THANK YOU to General Assembly Denver for making this workshop possible. 

If you'd like to learn more about how Pitch Lab can help your team leverage improv comedy for innovation, creativity and team building, contact us!