Tag Archives: empowerment

Annoucement: UP2Youth Program launches with new positions!

Universidad Popular’s (UP) youth program has been assisting at-risk youth and families in Little Village since 2008.  This program has evolved to include partnerships with many institutions and community organizations such as the Consortium to Lower Obesity in Chicago Children, University of Chicago, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Sinai Urban Health Institute, Boy and Girls Club, Enlace Chicago, Gary Elementary School, Little Village Academy, Farragut Career Academy, Little Village High School, St. Agnes of Bohemia School, Violence Prevention Collaborative, Chicago Police Department, Chicago Public Library and the Chicago Public Parks – including many community groups and advisory committees. The program is intended for youth to find a place where they feel comfortable and safe through mentorship with caring adults. This program nurtures youth minds with social, cultural, reading and writing skills, academic achievement, life skills, parental involvement, sports and recreations, health literacy and service learning. Each youth develops leadership skills to achieve their goals and inspire others along the way.

UP to Youth is a youth-led initiative that seeks to empower young people through an environment where they can express themselves and engage their community freely through service-based projects that build skills among youth to enable them to create positive change in their world.  UP to Youth is founded on the model of popular education as conceived by the social theorist and educator, Paulo Freire with the goal of providing a holistic approach to youth leadership and positive youth development that serves as a gateway to higher education.

Since early 2014, Universidad Popular has been advocating with the assistance of youth and parents to reach out to State legislators to support funding efforts of after school programs. We urge you to help us build upon the structure for youth programming we have created and share these job descriptions with others.

Positions available below:

1.)

Job Title: Academic Specialist Fiscal Year: 2017
Department: Youth Programming Program: UP2Youth

Job Summary:
The Academic Specialist assists and supports the UP2Youth Program Coordinator with curriculum-based tutoring plans and tracking grades and progress of youth. In addition, the Academic Specialist is responsible for delivering programmatic activities and tutoring assistance to youth in the community, The Academic Specialist reports directly to the Youth Program Coordinator

 Job Responsibilities:
Create curriculum-based after-school classes that focus on educational achievement and academic outcomes.

  • Oversee tutoring and studying groups to ensure tutors/mentors are using techniques that will help participants develop assets crucial to learning.
  • Collect progress reports and report cards from participants and/or schools to track and analyze academic progress.
  • Meet with participants quarterly to analyze their strengths and weaknesses in school and together create a plan for educational success using goal setting, plans for healthy study habits, and other techniques.
  • Match academically low-achieving participants with volunteers, staff, and peers who excel in areas of weaknesses for individual or group tutoring sessions.
  • Plan and facilitate quarterly trips to college and high school campuses for program participants to learn more about higher education and the benefits of academic achievement.

Job Requirements:

  • Bachelor’s degree.
  • Bilingual Spanish/English is mandatory.
  • Proficient in Microsoft Word, and Excel.
  • Experience working with youth.
  • Be patient, good listener, responsible, and culturally sensitive.
  • Excellent organizational and communication skills.

NOTE:  This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. Employee may perform other related duties to meet the growing needs of the organization.

Send Cover Page and Resume to:                                            apply@universidadpopular.us

Universidad Popular
Olivia Flores-Godinez
2801 S. Hamlin Ave.
Chicago, Illinois 60623

2.)

Job Title: Program Coordinator Fiscal Year: 2017
Department: Youth Programming Program: UP2Youth

Position Overview
UP’s Youth Program Coordinator will administer the design and implementation of the UP2Youth program. He/she will ensure program quality and performance, which includes overseeing staff development, communicating with parents and youth participants, and maintaining relationships with funders, community partners, media, and other youth development providers. This programs hours of operation are Monday – Friday 3pm – 5pm

Responsibilities
 Create program design and work plan for the current year to be approved by Management Team.
 Oversee recruitment and registration process for new participants.
 Maintain participant and volunteer records updated and organized.
 Develop and manage a strong team of youth facilitators, providing leadership in the vision for the program and training and assistance for day-to-day program activities.
 Cultivate current and prospective funding for the UP2youth program.
 Develop relationships with other youth providers, local high schools, parishes, community organizations, local businesses, and ensure UP2Youth’s presence at community events.
 Plan and organize program events.
 Attend administrative conferences and other available trainings.
 actively participate in weekly coordinator meetings, staff meetings and organization-wide events and activities.
 Adhere to UP’s mission and policies
 other duties as required.
 Guide Youth research/advocacy projects
 Encourage Civic engagement on UP2Youth
 Do PR on UP2Youth matters issues

Requirements
 Bachelor’s Degree with an emphasis in positive youth development, social work, psychology, education or another related field.
 Two or more years of experience working with youth.
 Bilingual and bicultural in Spanish and English.
 Proficient in basic computer software: Microsoft Office, Internet, basic database management and data entry.
 Demonstrated experience in nonprofit fundraising, grant writing and reporting.
 Familiarity with the participatory education.

NOTE:  This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. Employee may perform other related duties to meet the growing needs of the organization.

Send Cover Page and Resume to:                                            apply@universidadpopular.us

Universidad Popular
Olivia Flores-Godinez
2801 S. Hamlin Ave.
Chicago, Illinois 60623

3.)

Job Title: Outreach Specialist/Facilitator Fiscal Year: 2017
Department: Youth Programming Program: UP2Youth

Job Summary:
The Youth Outreach Specialist assists and supports the UP2Youth Program Coordinator with recruiting new youth and networking with local schools and organizations. In addition, the Youth Outreach Specialist is responsible for delivering the sports and psychical recreation program to youth in the community. The Youth Outreach Specialist reports directly to the Youth Program Coordinator. This programs hours of operation are Monday – Friday 3pm – 5pm.

 

 Job Responsibilities: 

  • Create recruitment and outreach plan to attract local youth participants to programing
  • Develop and maintain partnerships with all schools participants attend.
  • Create mutual agreements and contracts with principals and other administrators that assist the program with data collection and information gathering on participants.
  • Become familiar with standards in physical recreation and implement them in program design
  • Plan daily opportunities for physical recreation that appeal to a broad spectrum of youth interests including team sports, various styles of dance, yoga, aerobics, and others
  • Evaluate progress in participant’s physical health based participation in physical and nutritional activities
  • Actively participate in community coalitions and dialogues with the purpose to explore resources, prevent violence, and promote cultural expression among youth

 

Job Requirements:

  • Bachelor’s degree.
  • Bilingual Spanish/English is mandatory.
  • Proficient in Microsoft Word, and Excel.
  • Experience working with youth.
  • Be patient, good listener, responsible, and culturally sensitive.
  • Excellent organizational and communication skills.

NOTE:  This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. Employee may perform other related duties to meet the growing needs of the organization.

Send Cover Page and Resume to:                                            apply@universidadpopular.us

Universidad Popular
Olivia Flores-Godinez
2801 S. Hamlin Ave.
Chicago, Illinois 60623

4.)

Job Title: Parent Engagement Specialist Fiscal Year: 2017
Department: Youth Programming Program: UP2Youth

Job Summary:
The Parent Engagement Specialist assists and supports the UP2Youth Youth Program Coordinator with parent communication in addition to referring families to proper agencies for assistance. The Parent Engagement Specialist reports directly to the Youth Program Coordinator. This programs hours of operation are Monday – Friday 3pm – 5pm

Job Responsibilities:

  • Act as a liaison between the organization and families of youth participants
  • Maintain continual contact with parents regarding activities, events, youth behavior and progress, and other relevant issues as they occur
  • Plan and deliver new parent orientations at the beginning of each school year
  • Provide all families with information regarding rules, policies, events, daily activities and other items and ensure their understanding
  • Connect families to internal and external resources
  • Refer youth and their families to services not provided by UP
  • Plan and host monthly Parent Advisory Council meetings to share information about the program with the parents and to gain feedback
  • Distribute and collect evaluations to analyze and monitor success of program
  • Provide quarterly workshops for parents based off interest surveys
  • Organize parents to provide bi-weekly healthful meals for youth participants

Job Requirements:

  • Bachelor’s degree.
  • Bilingual Spanish/English is mandatory.
  • Proficient in Microsoft Word, and Excel.
  • Experience working with youth.
  • Be patient, good listener, responsible, and culturally sensitive.
  • Excellent organizational and communication skills.

NOTE:  This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. Employee may perform other related duties to meet the growing needs of the organization.

Send Cover Page and Resume to:                                            apply@universidadpopular.us

Universidad Popular
Olivia Flores-Godinez
2801 S. Hamlin Ave.
Chicago, Illinois 60623

These positions expire 11/18/16

We are Learning to Succeed!

We are participants at Universidad Popular and we urge Governor Bruce Rauner to please sign Bill SB 2043.  We need to continue learning English. Thank you!

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Our program participants took action into their own hands this week to urge Governor Bruce Rauner to please sign SB 2043. A bill that will appropriate State funding to adult education through the Illinois Community College Board.

On Twitter Tuesday, participants posted on UP’s twitter page getting over 320 impressions with followersCapture1On Website Wednesday, participants visited the Governor’s website to sign a petition for SB2043 and urge Rauner to sign the bill.

On Telephone Thursday, participants called the Governor’s Office at 217-782-0244  or 312-814-2121 and asked him to sign SB2043 see a video clip here 20160212_121629

On Facebook Friday we reached over 1000 people, please help us share this post!

download_20160212_122927

Learning to Succeed (LETOS) provides English classes in the morning and evening for immigrant adults, with an emphasis on life skills, civic engagement, and community transformation. The curriculum and teaching method we use is based on popular education; there-fore, participants are encouraged to participate in class, curricula, and evaluation of the program. Classes take place at two different locations in Little Village and in Chicago Lawn.

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At the community level the state budget crisis has rippled it’s outer rings and impacted direct services to workforce programs, computer training, after-school youth programs, adult education and family literacy. These programs provide educational training to hard working immigrants residing in the Chicagoland area.

Today, the State of Illinois continues to struggle as community centers fold and many others reduce services to less than 50% capacity. What should we tell people who knock on our doors at night who struggle to pay the rent and keep their homes warm in the cold winters? What should we tell people who are victims of violence due to a rise in crime and gun violence – “Do you want a job?”, “do you want to go to college?” if you don’t sorry we can not help you because you are not contributing to the States economy?

IMG_7296Little do you know these are hard working immigrants, they all have jobs, they all work long hours, they all want to get a better jobs, they all want to go to college or universities. But, they have other responsibilities and commit selfless acts, each person can not surrender thousands of dollars to institutions. Community centers provide a space where each learner gains confidence to build their communication skills to carry out conversations in English with their employers and at demanding times in the doctor’s office or with their children’s teachers. These types of programs must also be funded in order to equip those who can to continue in their educational paths and individual career pipelines even if the end result is a raise or a better position in a job they have committed their entire lives to.

How well do you know people committed to learn English?

“My name is Jose Diaz. I prefer to be called Jose. I was born in Puerto Rico. I am 49 years old. I came to Chicago on February 26th 2009. I am married.”

“My name is Betty Salguero. I prefer to be called Betty. I was born in Guayaquil, Ecuador. I am 47 years old. I came to Chicago on January 2010. I am married. I am a nurse. I like to work at O’Hare airport, I clean.  On my free time I like to watch movies. I love to eat Ecuadorian food. My favorite place to visit is the mall. I like to learn at Universidad Popular. ”

“My name is Maria Elena Romano. I prefer to be called Maria Elena. I was born in Mexico City. I am 61 years old. I came to Chicago on May 26th, 1994. I am married. I like to dance everything. On my free time I like to sing. My favorite food is American food. I am a participant at Universidad Popular since September 2015.”

“My name is Maria Barraza. I prefer to be called Mary. I was born in Durango, Mexico. I am 43 years old. I came to Chicago on October 1989. I am married. I am a first communion catechism teacher. I like to dance and I like to exercise with Zumba.  On my free time I like to watch TV, go to my mother’s house, walk and study English. I love to eat Mexican food. My favorite place to visit is Durango, Mexico. Every day I take my children to school.  I have four children. I work a lot at home and I take care of my mom.”

 

DIGITAL LITERACY STORYTELLING SERIES: YO SOY UNIVERSIDAD POPULAR

As a part of our Digital Literacy Program (DILIPRO), the following writings and posts are the product of our participants in our Photoshop classes in the evening.  They created photos using the program Photoshop to illustrate a story of themselves, their experiences, and their aspirations. These posts were designed, organized and written by them to demonstrate what they have learned in the Digital Literacy Program along with stories of their choosing.

Mi Historia

Hoy es un día muy bueno para darle gracias a todas las personas que me ayudaron a lograr lo que tanto había anhelado.Universidad Popular

Para mí no era nada fácil empezar porque no tenía ni idea donde podía ir a aprender lo que mi trabajo requería es algo muy simple pero requeriría de tiempo, dedicación, práctica y lo más esencial de un maestro con paciencia y mucho talento y sabiduría para que yo lograra lo que quería. Aprender, algo tan simple como es la fotografía.

Corría el mes de marzo y yo tenía que finalizar un trabajo para mayo, Sergio la persona que me ayudaba con el trabajo de fotografía ya no quiso  ayudarme más, en ese momento creí que nunca iba a acabar con el trabajo que había empezado, se me acabaron las ideas: cómo arreglar fotos y comencé a comprar libros y más libros pero era por demás no  entendía, había símbolos , herramientas , que nunca en mi vida había visto y además tampoco dormía de tan solo pensar que era un pena no poder terminar el trabajo que yo aseguré a tiempo entregaría, estaba triste y desesperado me sentía mal porque las personas para las que trabajé ya me habían pagado todo y ellas tenían la ilusión de ver su trabajo terminado,, Yo pensaba ¡qué voy hacer! , el teléfono sonaba y sonaba las personas por su trabajo preguntaban y yo no lo tenía, ¡qué días!   Parecían divertidos pero no para mí tan solo eran pesadillas.

Un sábado por la tarde casi a finales de abril vino mi hermana a visitarme y después de saludarme preguntó, ¿hermano que te pasa porque estas desesperado dime si te puedo ayudar en algo si esta en mis manos con mucho gusto te ayudo? Mi respuesta fué un poco brusca y le dije, ¿sabes arreglar fotos? de veras que te lo agradecería. Me dijo lo siento, de eso ni idea, pero sé de un lugar y ahí sí te podrán ayudar es una escuela muy chiquita pero muy buena. Logo of Universidad PopularAhí sí que te van a ayudar y vas a aprender lo que tú quieres saber y le dije gracias hermana gracias y en cuanto se fué llamé a la escuela de nombre ”Universidad Popular” y me contestó una voz muy fina y educada, era Vicky la secretaria, por cierto muy amable, dijo deme sus datos y prepárese porque las clases ya van a empezar. Acudí a la clase y cuál fue mi sorpresa, todos eran tan buenos y me ayudaban a solucionar los proyectos que era la base de lo que yo quería aprender encontré a algunos compañeras que se veía con gusto me ayudaban y hasta se molestaban si a la clase faltaba, me acuerdo de Lola muy bien. El primer día que la conocí pensé que ella era maestra porque a todas ayudaba,  Andrea siempre tan atenta y dedicada a su tarea.Heriberto Nava Photo

Podría seguir contando cada experiencia con todo compañero pero no acabaría bueno gracias a todos espero y cada día sigamos aprendiendo porque es muy bonito cada día saber más. Gracias George por compartir lo que sabes, se te Agradece

Atte.

-Heriberto Nava

Mis Recuerdos de la Universidad Popular
Personal de la Universidad Popular

Llegué a la Universidad Popular por una maestra que trabaja con las  escuelas públicas de chicago que la escuela se llama Edward school y desde el momento que fui a registrarme fue una bienvenida por parte del personal muy atentos y amables la fecha es muy recordada para mí. La Señora Vicky  fué la que participó para darme a mi la bienvenida a Universidad Popular y desde ese momento me sentí  motivada por ella y no falté ni un día a clases. Enseguida entré al salón de clases igual el recibimiento del maestro Jose Alejo que en ese momento se presentó como maestro de la clase y toda la clase por mandato del maestro nos presentamos cada alumno de la clase  tan pronto terminamos comenzó la clase con profesionalismo tan bonito que dije porque la maestra que me recomendó la Universidad no me la recomendó antes, yo estaba perdiendo mucho sin aprender.

Gracias al maestro Jose Alejo Jose Alejoaprendí como usar paso a paso la computadora. La clase del maestro José estaba  basada en computación básica como les comente el maestro nos tenía una paciencia para nosotros al dar la clase nos explicaba muy bien por cualquier motivo no captamos él lo repetía muy contento y gentil.

alexAlex Chaidez y su asistente Jorge Acosta  fueron mis maestros en el segundo semestre el curso fué de photoshop. Me motivaron para que yo continuara con las clases porque no tenía mucha ilusión para continuar con la clases porque se me hacía difícil por mi edad avanzada como les digo ellos son unos maestros brillantes como también el personal especialmente el administrador Helius Dearrudah esta persona es muy responsable cuando yo necesito ayuda con cualquier problema o citación  para notaria nunca se ha negado rápido me hacia mi trabajo sin reusarse poner ningún protesta para mí  una experiencia muy bonita.

Lo mismo mis compañeros de clases de los tres cursos que he cursado han sido unos grupos tan especiales que nos vemos como si fuéramos una familia y especialmente la Señora Dolores Sánchez  (señora Lolita).

Lolita

Con la ayuda de esta persona compartimos ideas muy bonitas, en realidad para mi es un recuerdo inundable que yo he tenido en la Universidad Popular.

-Bertha

 

 

 

UPrising Youth Program Launches Crowdfunding Campaign!

 

Universidad Popular’s UPrising Youth Program works with over 100  youth throughout the year and helps them overcome systematic challenges through a holistic approach that covers youth leadership, mentorship, and academics. Thanks to UPrising, Little Village youth have a safe space where they can grow and learn together in a supportive environment.

UPrising Support testimonials

Recently, Universidad Popular became one of hundreds of organizations in Illinois that has been affected by statewide budget cuts and the lack of 2016 budget. Because of this, the youth program will be forced to shut its doors and cease to provide area youth with academic, social, cultural, and physical mentorship.
This is devastating news
Our youth have organized themselves to speak up and demonstrate how important this program is for them. These past few months they’ve participated in demonstrations, press conferences, professional conferences; they’ve sent letters to the governor and public officials; and now they are launching a two-week crowdfunding marathon to make their summer program possible.
You can help
We want to make our summer youth program available for community youth, 5 hours a day, 5 days a week. To make this happen, we need to raise $20,000 by June 30th.
 
Share this campaign with your friends, family, and everybody else! Spread the word about the importance of funding holistic youth programing. We even made a tiny url to make sharing even easier:
Donate! 
Every little bit helps us reach our goal of sustaining our summer programing while we seek stable funding for the fall.
Checks can be made payable to Universidad Popular with “UPrising” in the memo line and sent to:
Universidad Popular
2801 S Hamlin Ave.
Chicago, IL 60623
For more information contact us at 773-733-5055 or online at www.universidadpopular.us

UP’s Knitting Group – Now on THURSDAYS!

IMG_1758Last year for International Women’s Day, the English classes put on an IMG_1765exhibition of women’s talents to highlight the women that are part of the program.

Maria Serrato brought many knit items to show and shared a little bit of her history, how she learned to knit, and her micro-business of selling hats and scarves that she makes herself.
From there, Maria decided to form a group to share her skills with others. Since then, the group has been
meeting once a week after the morning English classes. Some people have come to learn knitting for the first time, and many come to knit new projects, learn a few new stitches, and enjoy spending time and sharing stories with other women in the IMG_1757neighborhood.IMG_1755

This year, the group meetings have been moved to Thursdays from 12:00-1:00. We are trying to do more projects together, and are starting with a simple hat. All are welcome to join!