ONE OF TEN WAYS UP
Some men build careers out of holding this community up: running nonprofits, doing outreach, working with families in crisis. It usually starts with volunteering as a teenager and finding out you're good at showing up for people.
Daily Bread Soup Kitchen takes volunteers at 16, no experience needed. It's real work with real people, and it looks serious on every application you'll ever fill out.
DREAAM works with young Black men from age 3 to 24 on leadership, jobs, and life. Getting mentored is the first half of learning to mentor.
The YES program places Unit 4 students 14 to 19 in paid summer jobs, some at nonprofits. Paid experience plus a reference letter.
AmeriCorps positions and entry jobs at local organizations teach you how nonprofits actually run: grants, budgets, boards.
Parkland and the U of I both have social work and human services programs, and the local orgs hire from them.
A Champaign organization built for Black boys and young men, ages 3 to 24: mentoring, Saturday college prep, youth football, job training, and paid work experience for older youth. Founded here, staffed by people who know these blocks.
Call 217-373-4818 or email info@dreaam.org. The office is at 2009 Fox Drive, Suite C.
The county's master list of volunteer openings, searchable in one place. Age minimums vary by listing, but plenty take 16-year-olds, and some take younger with a parent.
Browse the listings online and pick one thing this month. One is enough to start.
The City of Champaign and Unit 4 place students in paid six-week summer jobs with local employers, plus workshops on resumes and interviewing and a spring Job Interview Fair. Summer spots fill fast; registration for the next summer opens each October.
Ask your counselor about YES in the fall, or contact the YES office through Unit 4.
Serves lunch downtown every single day. Volunteers prep, serve, and clean from morning to early afternoon. It's the easiest real service work in town to actually get into at 16.
Sign up through the volunteer form on their site. 116 N. First Street, Champaign.