Harambee Citybuilders Apprenticeship Program

Harambee Citybuilders Apprenticeship Program

Funder: River City Community Development Center

Geographic Scope: Chicago, IL (West Humboldt Park area)

Focus Areas: Youth workforce development, job training, life skills, community service, and subsidized home repair assistance

Overview

Harambee Citybuilders is a youth apprenticeship program offering training and volunteer opportunities combined with educational stipends. Youth participants contribute to community improvement through tuckpointing (mortar replacement between bricks) services provided to low-income homeowners. The program emphasizes building healthy personal identity, conflict resolution, relationships, financial literacy, and job skills.

Program Components

Life Skills Course:

Required for all participants

Educational stipend provided every two weeks for class attendance

Topics include: healthy personal identity, conflict resolution, relationships, basic financial literacy, and job skills

Volunteer Community Service Projects:

Required participation in volunteer hours

Primary focus: Subsidized tuckpointing services for low-income homeowners in Chicago

Alternative: Service within R CITY's Dreambuilders Children's Program

Hours vary by participant's track level

Youth Eligibility

• Minimum age: 12 years old
• Maximum age: 18 years old
• Age requirements strictly enforced; applications not meeting requirements automatically rejected

Participant Status

• Youth are NOT employees of R CITY or Harambee Citybuilders
• Status: Volunteer participants in apprenticeship program

Track Levels

Three separate tracks determine:
• Stipend amount for class attendance
• Number of volunteer hours required per day
• Level of responsibility and types of duties during program

Program Structure

Timing Options:
• After school program: Ongoing interviews throughout the year
• Summer program: Late May through early June interviews

Homeowner Eligibility (for Tuckpointing Services)

• Must live in Chicago, IL
• Must own their home
• Home ownership verification required from application information
• Household income verification may be required

Contact Information

Apprenticeships Director: Charnesha Collier

Harambee Coordinator/Tuckpointing: Lance Harris
Email: tuckpointing@rcitycdc.org

Organization Address: 3709 West Grand Avenue, Chicago, IL 60651

Phone: 872-363-5018

Email: info@rcitycdc.org

Notes

• Applications always being accepted for both after school and summer programs
• Interviews conducted on rolling basis throughout the year (after school) or late May-early June (summer)
• Youth earning $600+ in stipends annually must complete federal W9 form
• All youth and parent/guardian must complete consent form before participation