Click to view this email in a browser

Youth Worker Opportunities

News, Events and Articles for Youth Workers

January 10, 2012

Youth Worker Opportunities

Events for Youth Workers and Non-Profit Professionals
I am a Mentor Social Media Day Hosted by: MENTOR Date: January 11, 2012 Time: 12am-11:30pm Location: Facebook Cost: Free Join with youth mentors and mentoring programs around the country January 11 and help inspire others to learn about mentoring and how they can make a difference in the life of a child. Now in its 11th year, National Mentoring Month focuses attention on the need for mentors, as well as how each of usindividuals, businesses, government agencies, schools, faith communities and nonprofitscan work together to increase the number of mentors to assure brighter futures for our young people. Together, the Harvard School of Public Health, MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership and the Corporation for National and Community Service are working to focus national attention on the need for mentors. This years National Mentoring Month theme is Invest in the future. Mentor a child. Learn more. Parental Notification Act of Illinois and How it Impacts Youth Hosted by: Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health Date: January 11, 2012 Time: 5pm-7pm Location: ICAH OFFICE, 226 S. Wabash Ave, Suite 900 Cost: Free

Interested in learning about job, internship or volunteering opportunities?

If you're looking to switch career or hoping to make a lasting impact on your community through volunteering, please visit our job listing page here. If you're interested in sharing a job, volunteer or internship opportunity that your organization has. Please email me at Aslupski@luc.edu so I can post it on our job listing page.

Project Impact Media Contest

The Center for Experiential Learning is hosting a competition where student-partner teams create media highlighting the way that their job, project, internship or research from the 2011-2012 academic year has impacted the student, the community partner or

Join the youth from the Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health for an informational session on the Parental Notification Act in Illinois and how it impacts YOU! To learn more contact Tiffany Pryor at ICAH. Call 312-427-4460 ext 236.
MLK Day of Service Hosted by: One Good Deed Chicago and Chicago Cares Date: January 14, 2012 Time: 12:00pm One Good Deed Chicago and Chicago Cares have partnered to create this event and are inviting service agencies and volunteers across Chicago to get involved. Volunteers will be split into teams to paint murals and revitalize schools and community centers throughout the city. This is a great opportunity to work side-by-side with other people who care about our community. This will surely be a very rewarding experience where we can easily see what we accomplish during our time volunteering. Please email Jamie Ricks at the Mayors Office: Jamie.ricks@cityofchicago.org. Maintaining and Building Reserves: Securing your Organization's Financial Future Hosted by: The Axelson Center for Nonprofit Management Date: January 19, 2012 Time: 9:00-11:00am Cost: Free This session will explore the landscape of various types of nonprofit reserves, policy considerations, as well as frameworks to assist nonprofit boards and executives in making more informed decisions. We hope you will leave with additional clarity and strategies for saving, investing, and spending to support your organization's goals and mission. Register. Diversity Committee Call in Hour Hosted by: National Afterschool Association Date: January 19, 2012 Time: 12:00pm Cost: Free The NAA Diversity Committee invites all NAA members with interest in creating opportunities in the afterschool workforce to join a free, onehour, open line conference call. The purpose of the call is to provide opportunities to learn, share, and promote issues of diversity.

employer, and the community/larger social issue their work addresses. Student-partner teams can choose from an ePortfolio, photo essay, or video format. A selection committee will view the final media projects and select winning projects for each category and an overall winner. To submit to the PROJECT IMPACT media contest: Decide which community experience you want to document. Choose between an ePortfolio, photo essay, or video to document your IMPACT Fill out a proposal here ePORTFOLIO, PHOTO ESSAY AND VIDEO WINNER PRIZE: The winning projects from each category will be showcased in a Project Impact Gallery at the annual Civic Engagement Forum on April 21, 2012. STUDENT GRAND PRIZE: $750 towards purchasing books for Fall 2012 semester*. COMMUNITY PARTNER GRAND PRIZE: Submission of materials to media outlets in Chicago.
*Alternate awards for seniors graduating in Spring 2012 will be arranged. Learn more about PROJECT IMPACT here.

Opportunities for Nonprofits Need volunteers during the summer?

Illinois Campus Compact is looking for host sites for their 40 AmeriCorps VISTA volunteers this summer. Illinois Campus Compact is specifically looking for organizations where Summer Associates can enhance programs that support at-risk youth through tutoring and mentoring during an 8-

The agenda with call-in information can be downloaded HERE. A leadership lesson for promoting diversity in the afterschool workplace is available HERE.

Quality Counts: Making a Positive Impact on Youth Mentoring Conference Hosted by: Mentor Kenosha and Racine Date: January 20, 2012 Time: 8:30am-4:00pm Location: University of Wisconsin-Parkside Cost: Varies

Please join Mentor Kenosha & Racine at our annual mentoring conference at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. This year, the conference is titled, "Quality Counts: Making a Positive Impact with Youth," and it should be no surprise that the emphasis will be on how to create and maintain a quality program in order to maximize the impact with youth. Mentoring program staff or education staff, social workers, and all other youth-serving professionals are highly encouraged to attend. Register Search Engine Optimization for Nonprofits Hosted by: HandsOn Tech Date: January 20, 2012 Time: 8:30AM-9:30AM Location: 8833 Gross Point Road, Suite 202 Skokie, IL Cost: Free Do you have an effective website? Does your website attract as much attention as it should? Most people use search engines to find businesses and causes that they are interested in, but many small nonprofits can be underrepresented online. Come to our training on search engine optimization (SEO) and learn how to turn your website into a highly-effective marketing tool! SEO is the practice of tuning your website to return prominent search results on search engines such as Google. In this class you will learn how to present the content on your website so that more people will be able to find you. This class will be hosted and presented by John Hoffman of OneIMS, a major provider of professional integrated marketing solutions in Chicago, and an expert in SEO, PPC, and other online marketing tools. Click HERE to register! Website Design with Squarespace Hosted by: HandsOn Tech Date: January 24, 2012 Time: 9AM-11:30AM Location: St. Benedict Technology Consortium 2215 W. Irving Park Road Chicago, IL 60618 Cost: Free Does your organization need a new website that is easy to build and update? Come to HandsOn Tech's workshop on Website Design, and learn how to easily build a website! This class is an opportunity for nonprofits and community members to learn how to easily plan, build, and maintain a website. The class will cover what makes an effective website for a nonprofit or school, what should go into planning a good website layout, and then highlighting Squarespace as a simple and cheap tool to build your site. This class is appropriate for all skill levels. The workshop will be hosted and taught by professional trainers at St. Benedict's Technology Consortium (SBTC), whose mission is to improve the access to and integration of technology in schools and parishes throughout the Archdiocese of Chicago. Click HERE to register! Non-Profit Opportunities Fair Hosted by: The Center for Experiential Learning at Loyola University Chicago Date: January 25, 2012 Time: 11:00am-2:00pm Location: 1125 W. Loyola Ave Cost: Free

week placement. If you're interested in hosting a Summer Associate please contact me at Aslupski@luc.edu with your name, organization and a brief description of the volunteer work.

Hosts needed for 11-Month Fellowship

Illinois State Universitys Stevenson Center for Community & Economic Development now has Fellows (including AmeriCorps alumni!) ready to be placed with organizations across the U.S. starting in summer 2012. In exchange for a stipend, these students work 35 hours per week for 11 months to assist organizations with their programs and services. To learn more about hosting a Stevenson Center Fellow, please visit their website.

Hosts needed for Illinois Institute of Technology PreInternship Program The Advancing Career and Education (ACE) Program is for graduate students who assist local organizations with various projects. Students are required to complete 100 hours of project work over two semesters at an organization to enhance academic experiences through early exposure to business environments. As an academic program linked to students education, there is no cost to a partner as students cannot be compensated. Please feel free to contact Director Luigi Pecoraro at 312906-6555 or aceprogram@stuart.iit.edu for more information.

Join us on January 25, 2012 for an opportunity to engage with area non-profits looking for volunteers,

Articles

interns and full-time and part-time staff. Over 80 organizations will be in attendance including Chicago Children's Museum, Chicago HOPES, City Year Chicago, Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana, GirlForward, Howard Area Community Center, Indo-American Center, Jumpstart, Northwestern University Center for Talent Development, St. Joseph Services, and Youth Outreach Services. To learn more about this event please contact
Travis Proffitt, Community Partnership Coordinator, at tproffi@luc.edu or at 773.508.7690.

Leadership Lesson: Effective Classroom Management By: National After-school Association Want to learn more about Effective Classroom Management in Out-ofSchool Time programming click HERE. The Special Issue on Middle Childhood By: Human Nature Special edition of Human Nature journal focusing on the lives and development of young people during ages 6-12 HERE. Engaging Adolescents: Building Youth Participation in the Arts By: National Guild for Community Arts Education Meaningful engagement in arts education can have a life-changing impact on teens while benefiting your organization and your community. Engaging Adolescents: Building Youth Participation in the Arts describes a holistic approach that integrates arts learning with principles of youth development. If you are developing new programs and services for teens or rethinking and strengthen existing programs, you'll learn from the principles and strategies explored in this publication. Good in Theory, Problems in Practice: Young professionals views on popular leadership development strategies By: Young Non-Profit Professionals Network Young Nonprofit Professionals Network recently surveyed over 1,100 emerging nonprofit leaders across the country. Conducted in Spring 2011, YNPNs National Voice Survey tested several interventions targeting leadership development in the nonprofit sector. Read this report.

Webinars
Effective Internet Presence Presented by HandsOn Tech and Nonprofit Technology Network Date: January 10 Time: 1:00-2:30PM Cost: Free Sign up for this fantastic webinar provided by NTEN, the premiere nonprofit technology network, about how to create and maintain an effective Internet presence! This webinar will walk you through major Internet trends, then discuss tactics for getting your message across to supporters and keeping them engaged. We'll dive into which online tools and social media are most effective, what strategies fit each tool, and the advantages of integrating your online campaigns. Finally, you'll get a chance to ask our expert presenter about the online presence challenges you are facing. Click Here to register! Select "HandsOn Tech" under "How did you hear?" in order to receive discount. Non-Profit Management Webinar Series: Program Evaluation Tools Presented by the Axelson Center for Non-Profit Management Date: January 11, 2012 Cost: $50

Why evaluate your organization's programs and how important is the evaluation process, anyway? Program evaluation is an essential tool for improving your organization's overall effectiveness and impact. Program evaluation should be one of the essential pillars of your organization's strategies for development and growth. This webinar is intended for Executive Directors, Program Managers, and others with responsibility for program design and implementation. Participants will leave the session with various program evaluation frameworks and a stepby-step guide to launching their own work. Register Here
Learning from Mistakes: Strengthening Research-Based Screening Practices Date: Thursday, Jan. 12 Time: 12:00-1:15pm CST Cost: FREE Register Youth Safety with

Friends for Youth's Mentoring Institute is hosting this important webinar that takes a closer look at "red flags" during the mentor application and match monitoring process - and highlights

recommended tools to help programs uncover more information about potential mentors. Friends for Youth, Inc. created SAFE, the first publication of its kind, developed to help organizations prevent infiltration of child predators into their mentoring and youth-serving programs
Tough Minds, Tender Hearts: Reflection to Support ServiceLearning Presented by the National Youth Leadership Council Date: January 12, 2012 Time 4pm Cost: Free Free webinar January 12, 2012 exploring Dr. Martin Luther Kings teachings and service-learning through the power of reflection. Register Here From Computers to the Cloud: Technology Essentials for Nonprofit Leaders Presented by: HandsOn Tech and Nonprofit Technology Network Date: January 17th Time: 1:00-2:30PM Register now for a workshop from NTEN, the premiere nonprofit technology network, about technology essentials for nonprofit leaders! Leadership and thoughtful planning are crucial to the successful use of technology in nonprofits. This webinar will detail strategies and tactics that will help you foster technology planning in your organization. We'll discuss strategies for creating appropriate technology solutions that also have the potential to reduce costs and increase organizational capacity. We'll cover the crucial tactics for IT, Data Management, Planning, Budgeting, and Online Presence. This webinar is appropriate for all nonprofit professionals. Click Here to register! After you create an account, register for the training and select HandsOn under "How did you hear?" and the $70 fee will be discounted. Building a Youth Council Presented by the National Youth Leadership Council Date: January 18, 2012 Time 8pm Cost: Free Schools and community organizations can reap benefits by tapping the creative, enthusiastic, and insightful ideas and voices of young people. This webinar will explore the powerful benefits of engaging and empowering youth voice within organizational leadership teams. The nuts and bolts of how to set up a youth advisory council will be examined. Register Here Cropping the Big Picture - Determining What Meta-Analysis Means for Your Mentoring Program Hosted by: Minnesota Mentoring Partnership Date: January 19, 2012 Time: 12:00pm Cost: Free

The Resilience Factor: A Key to Leadership in African American and Hispanic Girls By: Girl Scout Research Institute The Resilience Factor: A Key to Leadership in African American and Hispanic Girls further explores the concept of resilience as a framework based on recent literature focused on African American and Hispanic girls. Read this report. Tips for Developing Service Learning Partnerships By: Kate McPherson, Project Service Leadership If you are a teacher or youthserving professional who directs students in service learning projects, you know how critical it is to establish partnerships with surrounding community organizations. In regard to partnerships, most people start by finding an organization that can easily support their learning goals. Read the full article at SearchInstitute.org. Service-Learning Helps Middle School Students Grow By: MetLife Foundation A new MetLife Foundation issue brief entitled Service-learning in Afterschool: Helping Students Grow and Communities Prosper shows that when middle schoolers learn through hands-on service-learning projects that they have developed themselves, the potential for learning and development is limitless. Full Text

Resources
From Soft Skills to Hard Data: Measuring Youth Program Outcomes By: Forum for Youth Investment Everyone who runs a youth programs believes in their hearts

Listen in and contribute to a conversation about what this new research really means for mentoring programs. Michael Garringer of Education Northwest/National Mentoring Center will moderate a discussion between Dr. David DuBois and Dr. Tom Keller, then invite attendees

to share their perspective as well. Not just another overview of

the research, this webinar encourages attendees to review the research in advance so you can actively participate in the dialogue.
REGISTER Sustaining Service-Learning Presented by the National Youth Leadership Council Date: January 24, 2012 Time 4pm Cost: Free Free webinar January 12, 2012 exploring Dr. Martin Luther Kings teachings and service-learning through the power of reflection. Register Here Introduction to the Ready by 21 Strategies Presented by Forum for Youth Investment Date: January 31, 2012 Time 2pm Cost: Free Ready by 21 is a set of innovative strategies developed by the Forum for Youth Investment that helps communities improve the odds that all children and youth will be ready for college, work and life. Ready by 21 provides clear standards to achieve collective impact, tools and solutions to help leaders make progress, and ways to measure and track success along the way. Specifically, Ready by 21 helps leaders build broader partnerships, set bigger goals, collect and use better data, and take bolder actions. This webinar will guide participants through the essential components of Ready by 21 the rationale behind Ready by 21, tools and services available to communities and leaders, and the Ready by 21 National Partnership, an unprecedented coalition of organizations representing the government, education, non-profit, business, research and philanthropy sectors. Register Here

that their program helps kids - but in their heads, they know they need convincing data to prove it. This new guide from the Forum for Youth Investment - From Soft Skills to Hard Data: Measuring Youth Program Outcomes is here to help them get it read more. Team Building in Youth By: Sarah Cummings, Young NonProfit Professional Network Interested in learning some more activities for team building in your youth program? Read this article. Mentoring with Sparks By: Search Institute The best gift you can give your mentee is to provide him or her with lots of opportunities to try or experience new things; that way, each child or teen has a good chance of finding his or her own special interest or spark. The more he or she can try, the better! Use this chart to help you expand your mentee's spark options. Download the chart > Learn more about spark mentoring > Illinois Resourcenet Illinois ResourceNet: A Funding Access Initiative (IRN) is a university-based resource providing Illinois organizations a unique approach to grant access centered on providing information, educational materials, and resources on an interactive website. Illinois ResourceNet: A Funding Access Initiative striving to connect Illinois nonprofits and local units of government with the information and resources necessary to gain access to available federal funding opportunities.

Upcoming Webinars Upcoming Events Events and Webinars Archive

Opportunities for Youth Workers

Inquiry to Action Groups Hosted By: Teachers for Social Justice ItAGs gather educators, activists and their allies to study a topic and collectively create an action around that area of study, making it a true community of praxis. The topics and themes are always consistent with TSJ's principles. ItAGs support, study, and take action on issues of education and social justice. On January 21st at 5 PM, join us for the ItAG Kickoff Event (Location TBA) to meet the facilitators and fellow participants and build a community of people committed to social justice in education. The ItAGs will meet for two hours once a week for 6 weeks and conclude with a Finale Event March 17 at 5 PM, where all the ItAGs will reconvene to share their work. We ask that all people registering for an ItAG commit to trying to attend all meetings. The ItAGs are structured

Opportunities for Young People

Civic Education Project -

in a condensed 8-week session in order to create a bounded period of focused study and action. Consistent attendance is important for this model to work. To participate in an ItAG, please register in advance by filling out this online form. This Year's ItAG Topics: Chi-Queer: Queer Issues in Education Sundays, 6:00-8:00pm Location TBD This ItAG will explore and address issues of queerness, gender, and sexuality in education. Our study and discussion will include shared reflections on our personal histories and teaching practices. For our 'action' component, we hope to design and present relevant public programs that create positive change regarding queer issues for educators and students. This is our second year facilitating an ItAG read about our group's history at chiqueer.org or find us on facebook: "ChiQueer: Queer Issues in Education Inquiry to Action Group" Youth Activism Day/Time TBD Location TBD This ItAG will look at ways to support youth in doing activist projects. Areas of discussion will include adultism and other forms of oppression, youth identity development, the role of critical media analysis, promoting wellness, incorporating the arts, and examples of youth activism nationwide. Anti-Military Recruitment in High Schools Tuesdays 5:00-7:00 Location TBD This ItAG will examine the presence of military recruitment in high schools. We will study strategies for resistance aimed at limiting/eliminating that access. Science/Speculative Fiction & Social Justice Saturdays 4:00-6:00pm Estrella Negra 2345 West Fullerton Avenue (basement) "I think I would have always believed in revolutionary change, and believed in the power of people to organize for that change. But without visionary fiction, I don't think I would have had the imagination or the permission to actually see and touch and feel what that new world could look like" -- Walidah Imarisha, Left Turn Magazine, Jan/Feb 2010 In the Science/Speculative Fiction & Social Justice ItAG we hope to explore and discuss the possibilities of both social commentary and the imagining of new worlds. We'll use SciFi novels, short stories, young adult fiction, graphic novels & comic books, movies and TV shows to learn, teach each other, and envision ways of using these resources in our classrooms and communities. Whether you're a newbie who just really liked the Hunger Games, or you speak fluent Klingon, you're more than welcome to come and geek out with us once a week. Community Writing Project Fridays 4:00-6:00 Location TBD The Community Writing Project (CWP) offers small group personal narrative writing workshops in poor and marginalized communities with the aim of foster democratic learning communities and spaces for participants' critical, creative exploration of their lives. Based in the politics and pedagogy of popular education, the workshop method can be applied to many educative contexts: from formal classroom settings to workforce development programs, to organizing efforts, to community

Accepting Nominations The Civic Education Project's programs are designed to help promising students in grades 7 through 12 develop the knowledge, experience and leadership skills they need to make a positive impact on the world. We are currently accepting nominations to help us identify outstanding middle and high school students who have an interest in civic engagement. Once nominated, students will be sent a personalized invitation to apply to one of our innovative programs. If you would like copies of our catalogs and/or applications, they are available for download as soon as they are published. To request hard copies of any program catalogs or brochures, please contact us. Mikva Challenge Teen Health Mini Grants Win a $1,000 Award to Improve Your School's Health! The Mikva Challenge Teen Health Council and Chicago Public Schools are offering awards up to $1,000 for youth-led projects to improve the health and wellness of their school. For more information. After School Matters Thousands of free activities Cook with local celebrity chefs! Dance at the Chicago Theater! Paint a mural on the side of a building! Create animation and design logos! Build robots for national competitions! Grow a community garden and sell your products at a farmer's market! Develop your sports skills and mentor you. TEENS...Discover Your Potential with After School Matters. Apply Now!

Events for Young People

Toddler Poemtime Hosted by: The Poetry Foundation Date: Wednesdays

arts programs. The purposes of this ItAG are first, to experience and reflect on the writing workshop method by meeting weekly as a writing workshop; second, to explore ways of incorporating the CWP method into different educative practices and spaces.

Time: 11am Location: 61 West Superior Street Cost: Free The Poetry Foundation Library welcomes children ages 3 to 5 to a weekly storytime event that introduces poetry through fun, interactive readings and games. Admission is granted on a first come, first served basis. Check the Method Saturday Writing Workshop Hosted by: Young Chicago Authors Date: Saturdays Time: 12:00pm-3:00pm Location: 1180 N. Milwaukee Ave., 2nd Floor Cost: Free Lead by YCA Artist-in-Residence Roger Bonair-Agard and YCA Artistic Director Kevin Coval this rigorous, comprehensive workshop series will focus on honing your craft and voice. Learn more. Parental Notification Act of Illinois and How it Impacts Youth Hosted by: Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health Date: January 11, 2012 Time: 5pm-7pm Location: ICAH OFFICE, 226 S.

Funding Opportunities
Grants for Peace Gardens Due Date: January 9, 2012 In an effort to help schools sow the seeds of respect, the National Gardening Association will distribute 50 award packages - a value of more than $500, including $400 in gardening supplies and $100 for soil amendments and plants - for the Muhammad Ali Peace Center Peace Garden Grant program, sponsored by Yum! Brands Foundation. The group recognizes and supports youth gardening programs focused on peace and hunger awareness in the United States and around the world. To be eligible, a school or organization must plan to garden in 2012 with at least 15 children between the ages of 3 and 18. Schools in the United States must have a student body eligible for 50 percent or more reduced or free lunch. For more information, click here. Gates Millennium Scholars: Scholarship Program for Low-Income Minority Students Due Date: January 11, 2012 The Gates Millennium Scholars Program selects 1,000 talented students each year to receive a good-through-graduation scholarship to use at the college or university of their choice. Recipients are outstanding minority students with significant financial need. In addition to getting financial help to go to college, Gates Millennium Scholars participate in leadership programs and receive academic support throughout their college careers. read more>>

AmeriCorps State and National Grants Due Date: January 18, 2012 AmeriCorps funds projects that use AmeriCorps volunteers to strengthen communities. Programs are encouraged to promote one of the Corporation for National and Community Service's six focus areas: Disaster services Economic opportunity Education Environmental stewardship Healthy futures Veterans and military families Application guidelines read more>>

Wabash Ave, Suite 900

Cost: Free

Join the youth from the Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health for an informational session on
the Parental Notification Act in Illinois and how it impacts YOU! To learn more contact Tiffany Pryor

at ICAH. Call 312-427-4460 ext 236.

Elementary Poemtime Hosted by: The Poetry Foundation Date: January 11, February 8, March 14, April 11 Time: 4-5pm Location: 61 West Superior Street Cost: Free The Poetry Foundation Library

Mini-Grants Available to Support 2012 Kick Butts Day Events Due Date: January 27, 2012 United Health Foundation is partnering with the Campaign for TobaccoFree Kids to offer mini-grants for 2012 Kick Butts Day (March 21, 2012) events. A program of the campaign's For Youth By Youth program, Kick Butts Day is an annual celebration of youth leadership and activism in the fight against tobacco use. On Kick Butts Day, youth organize and participate in events across the United States encouraging their peers to stay tobacco-free and educating their communities about the dangers of tobacco.

This year, for the first time, mini-grants of $500 or $1,000 will be awarded to support Kick Butts day events. Anyone who is planning a 2012 event is encouraged to apply. read more>>

Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids Invites Nominations for Youth Advocates of the Year Due Date: January 27, 2011 Each year the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids honors the accomplishments of outstanding young people who are among today's most effective leaders in tobacco control. The Youth Advocates of the Year Awards honor young advocates from across the United States who have fought hard to promote tobacco prevention legislation in their home states, reduce tobacco marketing to kids in their communities, and stop their peers from using tobacco. Youth Advocate awardees have excelled at promoting tobacco prevention at the local, state, national, and international levels. read more>> National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Announces New Grant Program to Support Conservation Job Training Programs for Young People Due Date: January 27, 2011 The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation in cooperation with its federal partners, the Bureau of Land Management and the USDA Forest Service, has announced a new initiative to connect youth to the outdoors by providing financial support for new conservation job training programs. The America's Great Outdoors: Connecting Youth to the Outdoors Initiative brings together public and private partners to support organizations that are developing innovative conservation job opportunities for youth which expose young people, particularly urban and minority youth, to the natural world and career opportunities available in conservation. read more>>

welcomes students in grades 2 to 4 to a monthly hour of poetry reading featuring age-accessible poetry, crafts, and games. Admission is granted on a first come, first served basis. Jamming for a Reason Hosted by: Yollocalli Arts Reach Date: January 27 Time: 10am-3pm Location: 1401 W 18th St Cost: Free Jamming for a Reason will bring together youth from Chicago to create PSAs for a public/community issue faced by youth. Youth will work with 10 mentors who will specialize in 5 categories, digital photography, video, animation, sound, and design. Breakfast and lunch provided! Sign up here: http://tinyurl.com/jamming4areason.

Need to get in touch? Ashley Slupski

Community Youth Support Specialist Center for Experiential Learning

Loyola University Chicago aslupski@luc.edu (773)-508-3213

Singing for Change Due Date: Rolling Deadline Singing for Change grants are awarded to programs that work to improve the health, education and safety of children and their families and aim to foster self-esteem, self-sufficiency, nonviolence and creative problem solving. Learn more and download the grant application form at the Singing for Change website. read more>> Scholastic Book Grants Due Date: Rolling Deadline Scholastic is sponsoring donations of 500 to 1,000 books to nonprofit organizations that foster literacy and a joy of reading among at-risk youth and families. Scholastic is particularly interested in promoting literacy in inner-city and rural areas. Click here to download an application. The deadline is rolling.

Want to learn more about the Center for Experiential Learning? We love to connect with nonprofit community-based organizations throughout the Chicagoland area interested in creating opportunities for students to do communitybased research, academic internships and service learning placements. For more about the Center for Experiential Learning visit our website. Contact Ashley Slupski, Community Youth Support Specialist, at aslupski@luc.edu or Travis

Proffitt, Community Partnerships Coordinator, at tproffi@luc.edu

Center for Experiential Learning Tel: (773) 508.3366 Sullivan Center for Student Services Fax: (773) 508.3955 Loyola University Chicago experiential@luc.edu 6339 N. Sheridan Rd, Chicago IL 60660