Support Youth Solutions with (Re)Shape Chicago

Save to Favorites

Alternatives’ (Re)Shape Chicago Solutions Challenge gives teams of young people the opportunity to shape solutions to address real issues, challenges, or opportunities that they face in their lives. (Re)Shape Chicago will culminate in a showcase dinner elevating the perspectives, insights, and creativity of Chicago’s youth. By supporting (Re)Shape Chicago, you can amplify youth voice! You can learn more at www.reshapechicago.org.

We are looking for a range of skills so that teams can function in a complimentary way. Some specific skills that we have identified a need for include: design experience, youth-work/teaching experience, project management, marketing experience, event planning experience, public speaking/facilitation experience. Aside from these, a general desire to help out and a commitment to youth voice are the most important things we are looking for in volunteers.

There are multiple roles with slightly different time commitments, but most will range between 30 and 50 hours over a 10 week period. Multiple orientations will be scheduled at the beginning of March 2018.

Team Mentor

You can work collaboratively with a team of young people to support them as they think through, refine, and present their solution to the problem or opportunity they have identified. This involves a commitment to attend a series of studio days with teams of youth for about 4 hours (10am to 2pm) for 7 Saturdays in April and May. Each team will have 3 or 4 adult mentors matched with 6 to 10 young people. You will have a curriculum including activities and templates to support the projects, and you will attend a volunteer training in advance of studio time.

Support teams and volunteers by helping to coordinate logistics like food and materials or support volunteers and youth as needed. Rather than focusing on a specific team, you will float across and support the group of teams to make sure they have everything they need to stay focused on their projects. We expect to have a small team of 3 to 4 Coordinators helping during each of the 7 studio days.

All of the projects that teams create will be highlighted and shared with a broader audience at a Showcase Dinner, scheduled for Thursday, May 17 th at the Chicago Teachers Union (1901 West Carrol). The planning committee will help plan and execute the showcase dinner including promotion, layout, decorations, catering, and program. We are looking for 6 to 10 volunteers for this committee.