Creative Community Apprenticeship

The Creative Community Apprenticeship (CCA) is a paid serve-and-learn experience for youth ages 16-24. Each nine-month cohort consists of 3 apprentices:
  • Primary Apprentice: One 20hr/week position for young adults (18+)
  • Supporting Apprentices: Two 10hr/week positions for high school students (min. age 16)​

​Our model has a peer mentorship component, so the last two months of each cohort is spent training and supporting new apprentices. 
​Through the Apprenticeship, youth have the opportunity to learn transferable skills, apply that learning through real-world experience, and grow their leadership through peer mentoring and community advocacy.

What do apprentices do? 
The Apprenticeship has a three-prong approach:
Learn
Apprentices learn about our four core philosophies to creative community building through online and in-person trainings. Those concepts are: people-centered approaches, expressive arts, restorative practices and trauma-informed care. 
Apply
Apprentices apply their learnings as hosts of our Open Studio time after school and throughout the summer. In addition to understanding the practical application of our deeper concepts, apprentices learn transferable skills that will support whatever career path they choose in the future. 
Lead
Apprentices provide leadership as peer mentors. During the last three months of each cohort, apprentices provide training and support to the incoming cohort and their work shifts from focusing on internal operations to building community connections.
Youth selected for the apprenticeship are:
  • interested in learning more about how art can transform individuals and communities,
  • want to explore healthy ways to respond to stress and adversity, 
  • and are ready to gain leadership skills by serving as peer mentors and community advocates.

We prioritize youth who have faced personal or systemic adversity and partner with local youth-serving agencies and high schools to announce openings.

Want to help?

Sponsor An Apprentice
We are committed to paying apprentices a stipend equivalent to $12.50 per hour and your support will sustain that commitment. With the button below, you can either make an individual contribution to sponsor an incoming apprentice or get your community involved for some collective action to ensure our apprentices are well supported. 
Be A Sponsor
Refer a Youth
Are you a youth worker or teacher in Minneapolis who works with youth ages 16-24? Would you like to help us spread the word when applications open?

​Email us to get added to our outreach list.
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