Volunteer as a Mentor at Palms Elementary!

Who Are We?

Young Storytellers is a youth development and arts education nonprofit organization based in Los Angeles and with programs across the country. Our mission is to spark creative self-discovery through storytelling. and equip young people to be the driving force of their own narratives.

We’re passionate about bringing people together and creating stories to raise the voices of those who don’t often get heard. We believe that when a young person understands the power of their own story-made of their unique background, culture, race, gender, sexuality, immigration status, geographic location, and economic status-it creates a more empathetic and equitable future for everyone. We raise voices, one story at a time.

What Is This Position?

Young Storytellers Mentors are the people who make the YS magic happen in schools all over Los Angeles. Over the course of several weeks, Mentors help facilitate writing by developing a relationship with their student writer(s) and guiding them through the process of telling their story, from ideation to a finished product. Whether students are writing individual scripts or contributing to a group story, Mentors support their writers’ creativity through Young Storytellers’ values of belonging, exploration, connection, and play. At each session, Mentors encourage creative exploration, ask curious questions, facilitate activities, and transcribe student ideas. While a creative background and experience working with young people can be helpful as a Mentor, they are not necessary, as Mentors are led through the process by YS curriculum and supported by their lead Head Mentor.

Cool, Let’s Get More Specific. What Are the Details?

• Experience working with young people or a creative industry is helpful but not necessary.
• Commit to a 9 week in-person program. Volunteers meet once a week for 1 hour-long writing sessions, and one 2.5 hour live performance called the Big Show.
• Support, facilitate, and manage a small group of student writers inside a classroom setting.
• Meet with their lead volunteer - called a Head Mentor - prior to the program start date. (~30 min. commitment)
• Maintain communication with Head Mentor weekly via email, as well as checking in on session days. (~5 -10 min. commitment)
• Model the YS values of belonging, exploration, connection, and play, as well as the YS Worldview. More details on this can be found on our website.

Ok, I’m In. How Do I Get Started?

• Complete a Volunteer Application: https://www.youngstorytellers.com/volunteer
• Visit our Volunteer Portal to complete remaining requirements and select a school site: https://bit.ly/YSVolunteerPortal

Anything Else I Should Know?

Young Storytellers believes in raising voices, particularly those that often go unheard. Belonging is a core value of the Young Storytellers culture, and our daily practices around equity, diversity, inclusion, anti-bias, anti-discrimination, and antiracism are central to that value. Young Storytellers firmly believes that Black Lives Matter. We encourage women and gender diverse people, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+ individuals, veterans, immigrants, and anyone with a disability to apply for this and all our positions. Young Storytellers has designed our interview, onboarding, and ongoing cultural practices to be a welcoming space for everyone. You can read more about our YS Worldview on our website.