Youth Leadership
Freedom Fellowship
The flagship youth development initiative at CFS is the Freedom Fellowship program. Freedom Fellows have an opportunity to ask questions about their lives, to see the connection between the means and the ends of creating change, and to develop as agents of social change.
In 2011, the Freedom Fellowship will begin with a summer leadership institute July 11 – August 5. It will be followed by five months of weekly meetings and trainings to implement an action goal plan. This year, 20 youth ages 14-17 will be selected as 2011 Freedom Fellows. The Freedom Fellowship program is held in our location on 719 S. State Street, Suite 3N.
The Freedom Fellowship will consist of leadership and activism training and an overnight retreat July 28 – 29, 2011. Freedom Fellows will participate in wellness seminars, leadership workshops, anti-oppression training, and community-building workshops. Fellows can choose one of the two policy topics:
Fair and Just Schools- Will focus on creating or changing policies that improve schools to benefit everyone. Topics for this week may include: zero tolerance policies, homophobia in schools, education reform, public school course requirements, school hiring practices and policies.
Healthy Communities – Will focus on creating or changing policies that ensure a better quality of life in neighborhoods, schools, and community. Issues may include: food justice, access to healthy food, environmental racism, substance abuse in communities of color, sex education.
The plans must include five components completed by December 2011: 1. Mission Statement 2. Action Goal 3. Set of Strategies 4. Action and Presentation 5. Reflection
Youth in the Freedom Fellowship program receive a modest stipend for their participation.
Applications for the 2011 Freedom Fellowship are now closed.
Read the 2007 Freedom Fellowship Evaluation conducted by the Loyola University Center for Urban Research and Learning.
Youth Leadership Board
The Youth Leadership Board (YLB) is the youth decision-making arm of CFS. It is made up of youth ages 14 – 19 who have actively participated in CFS programs for at least six months. The purpose of the group is to inform, shape and evaluate youth programs at CFS. YLB members are responsible all aspects of their meetings including facilitation, goal-setting, creating agendas, taking minutes, and follow-up. In addition, members assist in the recruitment process for our Freedom Fellowship program, participate in interviews of new staff, serve as representatives for CFS at events and media opportunities, and participate in professional development opportunities.
The YLB meets every week from September – May at the Chicago Freedom School Center for Social Change in downtown Chicago. Please call 312.435.1201 to learn more about applying for the YLB.