Alive Arts Media operates on the belief that everyone has a story to tell. Through our Mentorship Giving Circles, we invite you to support today's talented young women who are entering the working world, and extend you the opportunity to share your story with her as you do.
Think back to your adolescent years. The transition from high school to college, the stress and joys of college life, and the uncertain transition into the working world as a young adult. Chances are, someone along the way served as a mentor to you, opened doors for you, and helped you along as you found your place in the world.
Who are they? How did they impact your confidence, your character, even your career?
We at Alive Arts Media recognize the importance of mentorship, and believe in the sustaining power of every person’s support network. We also recognize the powerful impact you and your friends can make on a young woman's career goals and creative aspirations. We work every day to foster enriching communities for this generation of young women as they enter adulthood. By forming a Mentorship Giving Circle, you and your friends can make a significant impact on a young woman's life, flinging wide the doors for her as she completes a pre-professional training through her internship with Alive Arts Media.
What is a Giving Circle?
Giving Circles are a form of philanthropy consisting of groups of individuals who pool their funds and other resources to donate to their communities and organizations. Members of giving circles donate money or time to a pooled fund, decide together where to give these away, and often have some sort of social or educational interaction associated with the giving.
Many circles, in addition to donating their money, also contribute their time and skills to supporting local causes. Donations may range from spare change to thousands of dollars each year, and circles can range in size from a handful of members to several hundred.
Giving circles as they currently manifest themselves are a new trend, but they are built on old traditions dating back hundreds of years to mutual aid societies and other forms of giving for the community.
How does it work?
Mentorship Giving Circles form when someone finds out about Alive Arts Media and says to themselves “I want to help.”
Given materials & information to get started, the leader presents his/her idea to a group of friends, co-workers, neighbors, or family, asking for their involvement in sponsoring a young woman’s personal and professional development. As a group, they pledge an amount from $1,000 to $5,000 per semester (as outlined below) to provide a stipend for their student -- plus a budget to support her projects.
Each member of the giving circle will have access to a private blog, where they can meet and interact with their student, find out about her passions and goals, and share some of their own. In this capacity, group members enjoy the chance to get to know a talented young woman, and also share the commitment of time with a group -- making mentorship more manageable for those with busy schedules.
Deadlines for Spring Semester:
Pledges by October 31st, 2008
Checks by November 15th, 2008
Pledge Amounts & Breakdown:
$1,000 - $500 stipend for your student, plus $500 budget
$2,000 - Sponsors two students for a semester
$5,000 - Sponsors two students, plus contributes to the support of the program overhead.
Group members will be invited to attend a mid-semester visit day at the Alive Arts Media office in NE Minneapolis, plus a semester-end networking & career fair. The latter event will be open for goup members to invite colleagues and other professionals to hear 5-minute presentations of each intern’s work. It will be an opportunity for those hiring to meet and engage with high-caliber young women, and for mentors to network with other mentors and professionals as well.