Center for Democracy & Civic Life Affiliate Positions [PAID]

Fri, 03 Mar 2023 14:40:15 -0500

The Center for Democracy and Civic Life is seeking undergraduate students to play leading roles in its 2023-2024 programs as affiliates with the Center. Affiliates include Alternative Spring Break (ASB) leaders (up to six positions), ConnectionCorps facilitators (up to eight positions), and STRiVE coaches (five positions).

Applications for affiliate positions are due Monday, April 3, 2023. Click here to apply. Read on for more information about the positions.

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Alternative Spring Break (ASB) leaders

Alternative Spring Break (ASB) is a six-day immersive learning experience for undergraduate UMBC students organized by the Center for Democracy and Civic Life. During ASB, participants explore the systemic and human dimensions of complex social issues in Baltimore, spending most of the week in small groups focusing on a specific issue or challenge. ASB groups work with community partners, elected officials, and scholars, in part to help participants identify their own pathways to long-term community engagement. ASB 2024 will take place during the week of UMBC’s Spring Break: March 17 - 24, 2024.

ASB 2024 will be developed by a team of undergraduate student leaders organized and trained by Center for Democracy and Civic Life staff during weekly meetings in the fall 2023 and spring 2024 semesters. Together, the leaders will develop plans for a holistic, empowering ASB experience for participants. ASB leaders will work in pairs to develop small group experiences exploring social issues in Baltimore. Past ASB groups have explored challenges and solutions relating to equitable access to housing, nutritious food, and health care; disability justice; support for youth impacted by intimate partner violence; and a variety of other issues. Leaders can develop an experience relating to one of these topics, or to a new topic they propose.

The overall time commitment for ASB leaders is approximately 100 hours over the course of the fall 2023 semester (2 hour weekly meetings, plus participation in additional programs), the winter 2024 term (roughly 4 - 6 hours each week), and the spring 2024 semester (2 hour weekly meetings until Spring Break, plus participation in additional programs; all day during the week of Spring Break). For specific meeting and program dates, see the application form.

ASB leaders receive a $1,000 stipend and a zero credit practicum notification (PRAC 121-03) on their transcripts for winter and spring 2024.

All undergraduate students are invited to apply. Preferred but not required: Applicants will have participated in ASB.

ConnectionCorps facilitators

ConnectionCorps is an initiative through which undergraduate UMBC students learn to foster democratic participation and authentic connection among participants in the Center for Democracy and Civic Life’s workshops and programs (e.g., Change Makers Dinners, Changing Maryland, and Dinners with Friends). ConnectionCorps facilitators participate in bi-weekly and ad-hoc training sessions to build community, develop facilitation and dialogue skills, and prepare for specific workshops and programs.

The overall time commitment for ConnectionCorps facilitators is approximately 60 hours (1.5 hour meetings every other week, plus participation in programs and workshops as they arise) over the course of the fall 2023 and spring 2024 semesters (roughly 30 hours per semester). For specific meeting dates, see the application form.

ConnectionCorps facilitators receive a $600 stipend and a zero credit practicum notification (PRAC 121-05) on their transcripts for spring 2024.

All undergraduate students are invited to apply. Preferred but not required: Applicants will have participated in workshops or programs hosted by the Center for Democracy and Civic Life or Initiatives for Identity, Inclusion, and Belonging (i3b).

STRiVE coaches

STRiVE is an immersive five-day leadership for public purpose program for UMBC undergraduate students organized by the Center for Democracy and Civic Life in partnership with the Student Government Association. STRiVE helps inspire and support students in becoming more effective leaders and contributors to their communities, especially the UMBC community. STRiVE participants develop friendships; discover their strengths and values; learn how to work more effectively in groups; envision contributions they could make at UMBC; engage issues relating to identity, privilege, and systemic oppression; and tackle both simulated and real leadership and social change challenges. STRiVE 2024 will take place from January 8 - 12, 2024.

STRiVE 2024 will be facilitated by a team of staff and undergraduate student coaches organized and trained by Center for Democracy and Civic Life staff during weekly meetings in the fall 2023 semester. Together, the coaches will rehearse sessions and make plans for an intensive, engaging STRiVE experience for participants. Each student coach will be paired with a staff coach to facilitate activities for a closely-knit small group (a “pod”) that will meet regularly during STRiVE. Coaches will be trained to facilitate pod and large group sessions.

The overall time commitment for STRiVE coaches is approximately 100 hours over the course of fall 2023 semester (2 hour weekly meetings, plus participation in additional programs) and winter 2024 term (all day on January 5 and 8 - 12, 2024, plus one meeting after STRiVE). For specific meeting and program dates, see the application form.

STRiVE coaches receive a $1,000 stipend and a zero credit practicum notification (PRAC 121-04) on their transcript for winter 2024.

All undergraduate students are invited to apply. Preferred but not required: Applicants will have participated in STRiVE.

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Use this form to apply to be an Alternative Spring Break (ASB) leader, ConnectionCorps facilitator, and/or STRiVE coach for the 2023-2024 academic year. Again, applications are due Monday, April 3, 2024.

If you have any questions, you can contact us directly at civiclife@umbc.edu.