Venice Arts ignites, expands, and transform s the lives of Los Angeles’ low -incom e youth through photography and film education, and uses our participatory storytelling practice to am plify the voices of underrepresented com m unities around the w orld. Media Arts Mentor Venice Arts’ M edia Arts Education + M entoring (M AE) program offers a volunteer opportunity to serve as a M entor. M entors provide support to youth ages 9-18. Alongside the Lead Teaching Artist and a Teaching Assistant, M entors are m em bers of the faculty team . A typical M AE w orkshop consists of 8 to 12 youth, Venice Arts aim s to provide a m entorship ratio of 1 faculty m em ber to 4 or less youth. This ratio is especially beneficial for w orking in sm all groups and providing 1:1 youth support. Time Commitment It is an honor for Venice Arts to receive your tim e and talents w ithout com pensation. Venice Arts w ill do our best to set clear expectations and accom m odate your schedule w henever possible so that you have the best volunteer experience. H ow ever, please understand that w e m ust prioritize a consistent and supportive atm osphere for our youth. O ur academ ic calendar w orkshops run for 10-12 w eeks in the Fall (Septem ber-D ecem ber) and 10-12 w eeks in the Spring (February-M ay). These w orkshops m eet once a w eek for 2 hours, except for our Advanced W orkshops, w hich are 3 hours. W e ask that m entors do their best to m iss no m ore than tw o days of any w orkshop. The average weekly commitment is two hours. Venice Arts also offers a 4-w eek sum m er cam p program (July), in w hich w orkshops m eet every w eekday (M onday-Friday) for a tw o-w eek session, three hours each day. W e ask that sum m er cam p m entors be available for at least three days a w eek of the tw o-w eek session. The average weekly commitment for summer is nine hours. For each of these Fall, Spring and Sum m er sessions, M entors w ill be asked to attend a three hour faculty training. Qualifications W e require M entor volunteers to have prior experience w orking w ith youth ages 9-18. M entors m ust be at least 18 years of age. M entors m ust successfully com plete a D O J background check, w hich Venice Arts w ill arrange. Ideal m entors are experienced artists in one of the follow ing fields: photography, film m aking, com ic arts, illustration, and anim ation. W e also w elcom e college students w ith a genuine interest in m edia arts and/or arts education w ho are looking to fulfill internships for academ ic credit. W e are especially interested in w orking w ith artists w ho consider education a part of their ongoing practice, have an interest in w orking w ith under-resourced and underserved youth, and have know ledge or interest in developing their ability to engage w ith youth from a traum a-inform ed and culturally com petent lens. Finally, w e ask that volunteer candidates have a deep appreciation for diverse perspectives, and experiences, and w ill help to create a w elcom ing environm ent for all youth. How To Apply Please fill out an application and attach a resum e or CV. Please: N o phone inquiries, em ails, or w alk-ins.
