Street-Level Youth Media
 School program students at Healey School. |
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Photo:
Deb Diehl
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Started on the city's West side by a handful of artists as a way to get at-risk youth off the street, the agency has evolved into a national leader in the media literacy and technology access movements. Drop-In programs at neighborhood multimedia labs provide access to computers, the Internet, video production and editing facilities. Special Projects offer media making employment opportunities in collaboration with recognized cultural institutions throughout Chicago and the United States. In-School programs in Chicago's public schools work with classroom teachers to weave media into existing coursework.
Equally innovative is Street-Level's organizational model, employing shared management that ensures programmatic and fiscal accountability. Rejecting the "charity" model of fundraising, the agency bases much of its support on earned income through partnership contracts rather than grants. Youth play a key role in the agency, with many alumni functioning as teachers and production team employees. With technology and media as their vehicle, Street-Level works with youth rejected by mainstream society, advocating for their needs and pushing them to new heights. Their programs show how art and social commentary can meld together on the grassroots level to empower youth. Their ongoing hope is to create opportunities for young people to find solutions to their problems, to strengthen their communities and work together toward economic viability.
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Youth Media 1856 West Chicago Avenue 1st Floor Storefront Chicago, IL 60622 Phone: 773-862-5331 Fax: 773-862-0754 E-Mail: livewire@charlie.acc.iit.edu URL: http://streetlevel.iit.edu Focus: Media Arts, New Technology, Information Access Number Participating: 1,000 Ages: 5-21 Annual Budget: $500,000 "Street-Level is my home away from home. They've got all the things I'd ever want, like cameras. They're teaching me how to get along in life, and that I'm a lot smarter than I ever thought." Carlos Arroyo Street-Level Participant, age 15 An interview with Street-Level Youth Media at: http://www.kidscampaigns.org/hot/arts/streets.html |