Kids Summer Program Intern
CHIP Mentoring Program (Alternative Directions, Inc.) —
Baltimore, MD
The CHIP Mentoring Program is a program of Alternative Directions, Inc (ADI). As an extension of ADIs mission to serve those in prison and returning home from prison, the CHIP Program provides mentoring and other services for children of incarcerated parents.
For the first time, CHIP will be offering a summer program (the Baltimore Connectors) for the children who participate in the program. The Baltimore Connectors Program is a summer experience for children participating in the CHIP Program, primarily coming from low-income, under-resourced families. Many of these children lack connections to people, places, and ideas outside of their immediate neighborhoods. They have limited access to visiting areas of the city outside their neighborhood. These children often have little sense of how they impact their community. Many have never had the opportunity to participate in a community service event, engage with elected officials, or visit a college. The Baltimore Connectors Program will provide 30 children from CHIP, ages 6 to 17, the opportunity to go on nine trips that promote building connections around the Baltimore and DC area.
Throughout each trip, Connectors will be placed into small groups under the guidance of CHIP Interns who serve as camp counselors. Each week they will engage with volunteer chaperones drawn from a different organization around Baltimore. Children, chaperones, and counselors will engage in their weekly experience while learning about, enjoying, and appreciating one another. At the end of each day, interns will guide children in small groups to create written or drawn reflections on the people, places, and ideas they connected with.
To request an application, contact program director Sarah Kennedy at skennedy@alternativedirectionsinc.org, or visit our website at www.chipmentoring.org.
