Phone: (802) 257-4069
Web: http://www.acfellowship.net/mercy.html

Agape Christian Fellowship is in a white church located on Canal Street, just up from the Brattleboro Food Coop and the train station. Meals are served on Sunday afternoon at 1:30 and on Thursday night, from 6-8 p.m. Serves mostly families with small children; It is limited by the number of folks in the family. On Sunday, the food is prepared and served family style. On Thursday night it is designed to take with you. The type of food changes. Sometimes canned goods (peas, spaghetti sauces), sometimes macaroni, and sometimes peanut butter and bread. Food is limited by the number of people in family.

Phone: (802) 254-6800
Contact: Carol, Meg, Ann, Ray, Bo or Judy

The meal is served on Mon, Wed, Thurs, and Sat. 11:30-12:30. The kitchen is closed on Christmas and Thanksgiving. All are welcome. There are a mixture of people, a substantial amount of young people, though most are single adults. Though the menu varies, there is almost always salad, a main dish (casseroles, pastas, chicken, meat entrees), dessert, beverages, and bread for the meal and to take home, along with hot food in take-out containers. Volunteers from the parish and the local community staff the meal. Food is served in a line with set tables for eating. Food is only limited by availability. It is located in an old white house with bright purple front door, also the home of the Brattleboro Music Center, between Youth Services and St. Michael’s school. People can walk there or arrive by bus a couple blocks away on High and Main St.

Phone: (802) 254-4730 (Call during office hours, in summer 9am-Noon, in winter 9am-2pm)

Loaves and Fishes is in the basement of the big white church near intersection of High and Main, across from First Baptist Church.  Meals are served on Tuesday and Friday from 11am-1pm, from 11:30-12:30 all year round, except for Christmas or New Year's when they fall on either of those days.

There are a mix of ages present, not many teens unless coming with parents, a few families, single parents, and adults ages 30-75, and a special group comes before their AA meeting across the street. There is an occasional scuffle and occasionally someone has been asked to leave. Volunteers serve the food behind a serving table. Participants stand in a line and choose their food and then eat at set tables. There are always several choices of a hot meal with vegetarian options, and meals includes soup, salad, beverages, and dessert. They also have a sharing table with non-perishable items like donated breads and such that people can take home, along with a hot meal for someone who could not get here. Food is only limited by availability.

Phone: (802) 387-5948

The Putney Food Shelf is located in an old church converted to a community center, at 10 Christian Square in Putney. It is open Tuesday 6-7 p.m. and Friday 9-10 a.m. The organization serves people of all ages, no ID or parent permission needed. You can't prepare any food here. They have frozen meat, fresh vegetables, cat food/dog food, bread, peanut butter and lots more.

 

Phone: (802) 254-5990
Web:  www.bgcbrattleboro.com;

Opportunities
The Boys and Girls Club is a recreation center for youth ages 10 - 18. They have two types of jobs available. Junior staff positions for youth ages 16-19, work the front desk all year round. lder youth, ages 19-22, work more closely with children in Summer camp. Both positions are part time, around 20 hours a week when the club is open.

Pay Rate and other Benefits
Jr. staff are paid minimum wage ($8.06) and Summer Camp staff is paid $10.00 an hour.

Qualifications
There are no qualifications for Junior staff, but Summer regular staff are usually known by the other staff, need to have graduated high school, be free from convictions for drugs/alcohol or offender crimes, and have some experience working with youth.

Feel of the Place
The environment is loud, busy and sometimes chaotic. Nw staff hadow older staff and the Summer Camp staff to get training on paperwork, interacting with others and creating a safe environment. The staff works as a team and ends up creating a close community. hey expect a committed work ethic even though they are working where all their friends hang out.

Phone: (802) 257-4566
Contact:  Paul Putnam, Manager

Brown and Roberts is a family-owned retail hardware store in downtown Brattleboro.

Opportunities
They hire young people 16 and over and accept volunteers. The job title for newly hired young people would be cashier/ receiver, and responsibilities would include pricing, stocking, warehouse work, cashier, and cleaning. This is a part-time position of 9 to 20 hours.

Payment and other benefits
The job starts at minimum wage ($8.06 an hour) and after 3 months there is a review.  After that the pay depends on the job.  Other benefits include learning people skills, how to deal with customers, how to manage time and all about all kinds of hardware.

Qualifications
The only qualifications are that someone have basic math skills and be a “people person.”  They do not test for drugs.

The Environment
This is a friendly, fast-paced retail store.  Paul does the initial training but employees often mentor new employees.  The best part about working here is working with, meeting, and helping customers.  The store does not just sell hardware but really tries to help out the customer. The hardest part is learning about all the 30,000 products and where they go. About 10% of the current staff are young people.  Young employees normally stay for two or three years and normally come back during their college breaks.

Phone: (802) 254-7422
Web:  www.culturalintrigue.com; M-F 8:30 – 5
Would prefer people call after December. Ask for Adam Jebb or Katherine Flanagan.

Opportunities
They like to pay people, and do not take volunteers. There are full- and part-time positions. Most of the positions involve shipping and receiving. Sort of like a supermarket, people walk around with shopping carts and fill and shipping orders out, unpack shipments that arrive overseas (maybe a container from China or Thailand) ,manage the paperwork, and store the merchandise on shelves.

Pay Rate and other Benefits
Pay rate varies depending upon experience and performance; people who stay on get retirement plans and health insurance. People have fun; play the music they want and get to be around fun people. People come here year after year and want to stay here.

Qualifications
They only hire people 16 and over (legally required). Staff must have attention to detail; accuracy is the most important thing because shipping errors are costly. They would like people to be sober on the job, but do not drug test.

Environment
The environment is easygoing and fun. Those who are really sharp and pay attention to detail and are self motivated do very well. There is a buzz of activity in this old post-and-beam brick building. Training is done by shadowing someone who has been there longer and by receiving honest feedback about mistakes.
 

Phone: (802) 251-9960
Web: http://www.insight-photography.org/The_In-Sight_Photography_Project.html
Contact:  Steve or Sophia, Mon-Fri plus weekend hours

Opportunities
They have in the past hired youth, but they have not hired in a while, and do not have the need to hire. They do accept apprenticeships, internships and volunteers. A volunteer would do a variety of things depending on their skills. They might develop programs and classes, prepare files, write for news letters, pick up donations or write thank you letters. They usually work out a flexible time that will work for the volunteer.

Pay Rate and other benefits
Volunteers are allowed to use the facilities and equipment: dark room, dark room equipment, computers, cameras, and more.

Qualifications
To volunteer/ intern, someone needs only an interest in photography. They look for someone who is thorough, professional (reliable), ready to work, and eager to learn.

Environment
It is a friendly and informal environment where everybody collaborates. With volunteers/interns, Insight is looking for people to learn skills that will improve the organization, and who will then take their new skills on to another job. The staff loves to watch youth explore, learn and develop skills as photographers. They say they are challenged by communicating in ways that don’t sound boring, complicated or authoritative.

Jonathan Jesup Restoration Incorporated
 Email: jjr@sover.net
Phone: (802) 387-4539
Contact: Jonathan or Margie, 7-5 Monday to Friday, all year round

Johnathan Jesup is a homebuilder specializing in 18th- to 19th-century homes. He founded and owns this 30-year-old company.

Opportunities
This company hires young people 18 and older as a carpenter assistant. They work alongside the carpenter, using tools to measure, cut, and attach wood for structures. They learn to anticipate what they need to do next to help assist the main carpenters.

Payment and other Benefits
The pay for this position starts at $10.00 to $12.00 per hour. Another benefit is to be able to work with a great group of people that talk about interesting things.

Qualifications
Jonathan likes to hire people who have attended college, though the only requirement is the willingness to learn, to listen, and to work hard. It is helpful to have the structural ability to see things in three dimensions, be courteous and polite (have good communication skills), and have a commitment to clean up completely after their work is done. It is expected that people be on the job site alcohol and drug free but do not drug test.

The Environment
95% of the work is on a job site, which is a raw piece of land or an existing home. The crew is outside all day long until they progress to a covered building. It is challenging to take in all the information but they support a new carpenter helper to try new things even if they fail, supporting their ability to work independently and not rely on other people. There is lots of flexibility to stretch yourself. They will loan tools for a newcomer .

Over the last 30 years, the company has hired 20 people under the age of 20 and of those at least half are now in business for themselves.
 

Meeting Waters YMCA is a social service agency for children and adults. Its programs take place in the community, in schools and facilities in Springfield and Bellows Falls. The administrative office is open 8:30 to 4:30. Web: http://www.meetingwatersymca.org/

Opportunities
The YMCA offers paid positions to young people, along with some volunteer opportunities. Young people are hired to work as site assistants at ASPIRE, an afterschool program, where they work with children ages 5-12, prepare snacks, etc. These positions are part-time (about 10 hours a week), with extra hours during school vacations. In the summertime, the YMCA also hires young people ages 20-25 to be group leaders and activity leaders at Lewis Day Camp, located in Springfield. These jobs are full-time, but end when the summer is over.
 
Volunteers are used in addition to the staff.  Some volunteers work in the ASPIRE program, serving as additional assistants.  Some volunteers also work in the main office assisting with copying, mailings, and general office work.

Payment and other Benefits
Salary depends on qualifications and experience, but is usually in the $9-11/hr range. The camp staff is paid a stipend, around $2,000- $2,500 per summer. Staff also get the benefit of being trained in child abuse prevention, CPR, and child/youth development. Another bonus is that, since the YMCA is so well-known, it is a good place to get experience for future jobs in education or social services.

Qualifications
The ideal candidates are age 16 and up and enjoy working with children. The YMCA wants employees who are caring, honest and responsible, and who can be role models for the children in their programs. Employees and volunteers must communicate well with both children and adults, show up on time, and dress appropriately for work with kids. Energetic, outgoing people who love to play and like being part of a tight-knit team are going to be the best fits. The hardest part is dealing with challenging children and being “on” all the time, which can be tiring. The YMCA has the option to do drug-testing, but does not do it regularly.

The Environment
The work is mostly outside under a shelter, during all kinds of weather. There is lots of physical activity in both programs. The staff become a tight-knit team and team-building is a big part of training, so that all the staff feel comfortable supporting one other. The 20 young people that make up their staff sometimes go out together after work.

Youth Friendliness
 The adult staff looks to young people as important resources and an important part of the staff. They are invited to share ideas and curriculum concepts, lead activities, and be involved in all aspects of implementing the programs. Half of the staff is young people, and has been since the organization began. Many of the youth staff have come back year after year, and sometimes later end up taking adult staff positions.
 

Phone: (802) 464-4223
Web:  www.mtsnow.com
Contact: Human Resources, 8:30–4:30, Monday-Friday

Mount Snow is a four-season ski resort and hospitality facility.

Opportunities
They offer full and part time jobs as well as volunteer opportunities for those interested. A full time job would consist of anything over 32 hours while part time would be between 10 and 24 hours. The jobs available include: ski and snow board attendants, dish washers, ticket scanners, ticket sellers, ushers, house keepers, custodians, instructors, parking attendants, retail sales associates, lift operators, and rescue team. Mount snow offers 140 full time jobs year round and have 300 employees during the summer and 1,300 during the winter months.

Payment and other benefits
The entering pay is $8.50. Full time employees get a seasons pass, 30% off retail, and 50% off food. A part time employee gets a seasons pass, 20% off retail, and 50% off food. A volunteer gets a one day lift ticket.

Qualifications
No high school diploma is required for entry level positions but higher positions require a GED or high school diploma. Some jobs are limited to age, for example lift operators and rescue team workers are required to be 18 years of age or older. Mount snow looks for honest, trustworthy, and fair employees who treat the customers and coworkers with respect and common courtesy. Since you'd be working with money they want to know that they can trust you. They do not drug test.

The Environment
Mount Snow is a family-oriented place where families like to vacation. The staff works closely together and is connected like a family. Overall, they are welcoming and friendly. As far as the supervisors go, some of them like to hover and some of them like to give new employees more independence. People say the best part of working here is being able to ski where you work. The most challenging aspect of the job is to stay focused on your job while you handle frustrated customers, when all you really want to do is ski and hang out with friends.

Youth Friendliness
At least 30% ( of 200 members) of the staff are in high school or in their early 20s. Mount Snow has always hired young people and many of the higher-level employees started when they were young. According to the manager we interviewed, one of the most rewarding things about working with young people here is that they learn work ethics and time management. Mount Snow has always hired young people and many of the higher level employees started when they were young.

Prevention Coalition, Marlboro College Graduate Center, Brattleboro
Phone:  (802) 257-2175
Web: www.brattleboropreventioncoalition.org
Open 9-5 Monday through Friday
Contact: Sue Graff, Program Assistant

Opportunities
The Prevention Coalition is funded to prevent drug and alcohol abuse among teenagers ….. They have volunteer and internship opportunities, based on funding and the current projects. They always welcome volunteers. Their latest project focuses on the prevention of under age drinking. An intern or volunteer would review media campaigns that exist to prevent drug and alcohol use among their peers, and choose ones that appeal to their age group. They might also develop new messages for print ads in the newspaper or facebook, or messages that help promote a drug free workplace. They also hire youth as childcare providers for classes. Sometimes they hire co-facilitators to help lead workshops for youth on drug and alcohol prevention.

Pay Rate and other Benefits
Volunteers can earn community service hours and feel like they made a difference in getting out prevention messages to their peers. Childcare providers are paid $12 an hour if they are 18 and older, $8 if they are under 18. Often interns would participate in the community or in a group and get to meet people they normally wouldn’t. They would always get to be with invigorated, committed, colleagues.

Qualifications
A volunteer of staff must be between the ages of 18-25. They must be committed to prevention. They do not drug test their staff or volunteers. When they hire youth for specific campaigns they ask their teen co-facilitators to sign a commitment that they will be drug free for the duration of the campaign.

Feel of the Place
Only two people work in the office. An intern might work with main staff or the consultants who will provide the training; they don’t ask an intern to do anything we won’t do. They value being able to hear the perspective of young people (ideas about what might work or not work) and always try to find ways to connect that are meaningful.

(802) 257-1577
Web: www.rivergalleryschool.org
Artistic directors: Lydia Thomson, Barbara Merfeld Campman
Administrative director: Donna C. Hawes

Opportunities
The River Gallery School of Art is the local center for art education. They hire but due to small funds there ability to hire is limited, so they are mainly looking for volunteers and interns. They do hire for special events and usually only hire people that are 18+, but make exceptions for youth that are committed and open minded. Interns work part time and do office work: answer phones, work on the computer, website updates, spread sheets Microsoft office and adobe photo shop to help and make posters to advertise for the school. They also help organize, prepare, and clean up the supplies for classes. Interns can also help with renting children’s art to local businesses.

Pay Rate and other Benefits
One of the benefits for volunteers/interns is work for trade. If you provide your services you will be able to use the facilities and art supplies, or take art classes. If you are working for pay, you will most likely be paid $10 an hour. If you are an open-minded youth, you could learn a lot about the arts, and develop a passion for the arts.

Qualifications
A volunteer should be responsible, presentable, have people skills, money-handling skills, and note-taking skills. Age is (for volunteers) is not so much an issue as much as it is for paid positions which are usually looking for an older demographic with exceptions to people that are dedicated, and open .

The Environment
The environment is relaxed. Volunteers work alongside other staff and are coached individually. Volunteers are surrounded by creativity.  There is lots of art on the walls, which lends itself to inspiration. The volunteer job list is forever changing and could be a challenge for some young people. The school is very encouraging of young volunteers and have 10 or more young people working there every semester.

Contact: Elina Frumkin, (802) 246-0993
Email: efrumkin@vtfoodbank.org.

The Project’s purpose is to gather groups of volunteers to get edible food from local farms and bring it to places where the community can access it, like the Youth Drop-in Center and other programs.

Opportunities
The volunteers do field work where they pick corn, cabbage, and other produce that the farmer has set aside. They then sort them and put into a cooler. They deliver the food to various places. The amount of time volunteers work varies - it can be 20 minutes, or it can be four or five hours.

Payment and other Benefits
Volunteers get the feeling of self-sufficiency and begin to notice where food comes from. They also get exposure to local farmers, people from different lifestyles, and different kinds of food. People usually get to take some food home if there is a lot left over.

Qualifications
There are no qualifications except for the fact that you have to be at least 14 and you have to be over 18 to use knives. Volunteers should be willing to work and be available on short notice. The Project does not drug test their volunteers.

Environment
The team meets at 7:30 in the morning and travel to farms on the outskirts of Brattleboro. There is lots of conversation and little pressure to move quickly. The work involves heavy lifting and manual labor, aka farm work. The work is pretty easy to learn.

Phone: (802) 246-6397
Web: www.commonsnews.org
 Contact :Jeff Potter at editor@commonsnews.org

Opportunities
VIM is the youth literacy arm of The Commons, Brattleboro’s Independent Newspaper. They welcome youth as volunteers; no paid jobs are available. The type of work depends on someone’s experience and interest. Volunteers can help with reporting, researching stories, helping with data entry and record keeping, and delivering papers.

Pay Rate and other Benefits
Volunteers have the opportunity to publish a story for a flat fee. They also can get free movie tickets for writing. This is a good place for someone interested in a career in journalism, or who just wants to be more involved in the community.

Qualifications
Someone must be generally interested and “rock solid” dependable (punctual and reliable.) They prefer someone be in high school and have shown that they care about the community.

Feel of the Place
The VIM office has a lot of projects going at once in a small office. Staff are usually doing several things at once, will give full attention when they give it and they are all devoted to their work.

Web: www.windhamsolidwaste.org
Contact: Joe Kowalski for facility work and Cindy Sterling for recycling work
Phone: (802) 257-0272.

The WSWMD is a 19-town cooperative waste management facility.

Opportunities
There are lots of part-time jobs open for youth volunteers and a few paid opportunities. Some of the jobs involve sorting items into categories of garbage/recycling. Someone over-16 youth can work on the conveyer belt. Other jobs involve maintenance, painting, and working on recycling projects. WSWMD is looking for volunteers who are able to repair bikes to be use for public transporation. The recycling work at events (like the hospital clambake or strolling of the heifers) pays a small stipend. Sometimes WSWMD ends up hiring a volunteer to work as a staff.

Payment and other Benefits
Pay is typically $10/hour when hired as a staff; recycling event workers get paid a small stipend. Staff get to learn about how a waste management system works, work hard with their hands, and get introduced to interesting large equipment.

Qualifications
No official qualifications, just the willingness to work.

Environment
Volunteer and paid staff are exposed to the weather. It is warm in summer and cold in winter. Staff are expected to work hard and get respect when they do. They work alongside a team of others, mostly adults, who offer attention, direction and help when needed.
 

Contact: Liz Kenton,
Phone: (802) 257-7967, ext. 18

The Youth Horticultural Project is part of the University of Vermont Extension Service. It provides job training for youth through the vehicle of organic agriculture

Opportunities
They hire young people in the Summer through various grants and programs to do field work (planting, weeding, harvesting and maintenance), sell produce at farmers markets, do outreach and mentor younger children during farm visits. Staff works three days a week.

Payment and other Benefits
Youth get community service credit as well as $8.06 an hour. They get to take vegetables home, learn gardening and job skills, and gain confidence and self knowledge. They also get to eat delicious fresh vegetables and fruit that they pick.

Qualifications
Youth ages 16-21 don’t need any special experience, just a willingness to try it, work hard, and be open to other people. The Project is limited to 20 workers. They keep workers who are self-motivated. Volunteers are asked to arrive and get started on their task list, figure out what needs to be done and do it. The Project does not drug test but has fired people for using drugs.

The Environment
All learning is hands-on with time to reflect in small groups. The staff puts effort into growing a supportive team with teambuilding and communication exercises. The staff gather and do all their work outside. There are 2-4 young adult team leaders who guide and supervise the work. The project only hires young people and is devoted to growing the professional skills of youth. Some of the time spent together is devoted to overcoming the challenges youth have in the workforce, confidence, communication skills, etc.
 

Contact: Andi Waisman
Phone: (802) 254-4609

Wind Tunnel Mapsite is a youth-development project to gather the information in Windham County that will help young people find the resources they want and need.

Opportunities
We are looking for young people to create content for a new website that catalogs youth opportunities in Windham County (the website you are at RIGHT NOW). Available positions are divided into two categories: Mappers and Writers. Mappers meet for a couple of hours each week to call local businesses, organizations, etc, and interview them. The interviews are transcribed into detailed notes, which are then given to the writers. Writers are responsible for turning the mappers’ interview notes into polished write-ups (like the one you are reading RIGHT NOW). Writers are allowed to do their work from home. There are also internship opportunities available with the site’s web designer.

Payment and other Benefits
Mappers are paid minimum wage. Writers are paid $10 for each completed writing piece. We also accept and encourage volunteers who need community service for high school graduation.

Qualifications
NEN is looking to hire people 21 and under for these positions. No experience is required, but good note-taking skills are helpful. Applicants are not drug tested.

Environment
The Wind Tunnel Mapsite project is just starting, and is currently borrowing an office. The space is quiet and small, but not without charm. 100% of the staff is young people, which is nice, but it means there’s a lot of personal responsibility. The work itself is very flexible. It’s not hard to squeeze a mapping session or write-up in between other school/job/life commitments.

Phone: (802) 254-5990
Web:  www.bgcbrattleboro.com;

Opportunities
The Boys and Girls Club is a recreation center for youth ages 10 - 18. They have two types of jobs available. Junior staff positions for youth ages 16-19, work the front desk all year round. lder youth, ages 19-22, work more closely with children in Summer camp. Both positions are part time, around 20 hours a week when the club is open.

Pay Rate and other Benefits
Jr. staff are paid minimum wage ($8.06) and Summer Camp staff is paid $10.00 an hour.

Qualifications
There are no qualifications for Junior staff, but Summer regular staff are usually known by the other staff, need to have graduated high school, be free from convictions for drugs/alcohol or offender crimes, and have some experience working with youth.

Feel of the Place
The environment is loud, busy and sometimes chaotic. Nw staff hadow older staff and the Summer Camp staff to get training on paperwork, interacting with others and creating a safe environment. The staff works as a team and ends up creating a close community. hey expect a committed work ethic even though they are working where all their friends hang out.

Phone: (802) 251-9960
Web: http://www.insight-photography.org/The_In-Sight_Photography_Project.html
Contact:  Steve or Sophia, Mon-Fri plus weekend hours

Opportunities
They have in the past hired youth, but they have not hired in a while, and do not have the need to hire. They do accept apprenticeships, internships and volunteers. A volunteer would do a variety of things depending on their skills. They might develop programs and classes, prepare files, write for news letters, pick up donations or write thank you letters. They usually work out a flexible time that will work for the volunteer.

Pay Rate and other benefits
Volunteers are allowed to use the facilities and equipment: dark room, dark room equipment, computers, cameras, and more.

Qualifications
To volunteer/ intern, someone needs only an interest in photography. They look for someone who is thorough, professional (reliable), ready to work, and eager to learn.

Environment
It is a friendly and informal environment where everybody collaborates. With volunteers/interns, Insight is looking for people to learn skills that will improve the organization, and who will then take their new skills on to another job. The staff loves to watch youth explore, learn and develop skills as photographers. They say they are challenged by communicating in ways that don’t sound boring, complicated or authoritative.

Meeting Waters YMCA is a social service agency for children and adults. Its programs take place in the community, in schools and facilities in Springfield and Bellows Falls. The administrative office is open 8:30 to 4:30. Web: http://www.meetingwatersymca.org/

Opportunities
The YMCA offers paid positions to young people, along with some volunteer opportunities. Young people are hired to work as site assistants at ASPIRE, an afterschool program, where they work with children ages 5-12, prepare snacks, etc. These positions are part-time (about 10 hours a week), with extra hours during school vacations. In the summertime, the YMCA also hires young people ages 20-25 to be group leaders and activity leaders at Lewis Day Camp, located in Springfield. These jobs are full-time, but end when the summer is over.
 
Volunteers are used in addition to the staff.  Some volunteers work in the ASPIRE program, serving as additional assistants.  Some volunteers also work in the main office assisting with copying, mailings, and general office work.

Payment and other Benefits
Salary depends on qualifications and experience, but is usually in the $9-11/hr range. The camp staff is paid a stipend, around $2,000- $2,500 per summer. Staff also get the benefit of being trained in child abuse prevention, CPR, and child/youth development. Another bonus is that, since the YMCA is so well-known, it is a good place to get experience for future jobs in education or social services.

Qualifications
The ideal candidates are age 16 and up and enjoy working with children. The YMCA wants employees who are caring, honest and responsible, and who can be role models for the children in their programs. Employees and volunteers must communicate well with both children and adults, show up on time, and dress appropriately for work with kids. Energetic, outgoing people who love to play and like being part of a tight-knit team are going to be the best fits. The hardest part is dealing with challenging children and being “on” all the time, which can be tiring. The YMCA has the option to do drug-testing, but does not do it regularly.

The Environment
The work is mostly outside under a shelter, during all kinds of weather. There is lots of physical activity in both programs. The staff become a tight-knit team and team-building is a big part of training, so that all the staff feel comfortable supporting one other. The 20 young people that make up their staff sometimes go out together after work.

Youth Friendliness
 The adult staff looks to young people as important resources and an important part of the staff. They are invited to share ideas and curriculum concepts, lead activities, and be involved in all aspects of implementing the programs. Half of the staff is young people, and has been since the organization began. Many of the youth staff have come back year after year, and sometimes later end up taking adult staff positions.
 

Prevention Coalition, Marlboro College Graduate Center, Brattleboro
Phone:  (802) 257-2175
Web: www.brattleboropreventioncoalition.org
Open 9-5 Monday through Friday
Contact: Sue Graff, Program Assistant

Opportunities
The Prevention Coalition is funded to prevent drug and alcohol abuse among teenagers ….. They have volunteer and internship opportunities, based on funding and the current projects. They always welcome volunteers. Their latest project focuses on the prevention of under age drinking. An intern or volunteer would review media campaigns that exist to prevent drug and alcohol use among their peers, and choose ones that appeal to their age group. They might also develop new messages for print ads in the newspaper or facebook, or messages that help promote a drug free workplace. They also hire youth as childcare providers for classes. Sometimes they hire co-facilitators to help lead workshops for youth on drug and alcohol prevention.

Pay Rate and other Benefits
Volunteers can earn community service hours and feel like they made a difference in getting out prevention messages to their peers. Childcare providers are paid $12 an hour if they are 18 and older, $8 if they are under 18. Often interns would participate in the community or in a group and get to meet people they normally wouldn’t. They would always get to be with invigorated, committed, colleagues.

Qualifications
A volunteer of staff must be between the ages of 18-25. They must be committed to prevention. They do not drug test their staff or volunteers. When they hire youth for specific campaigns they ask their teen co-facilitators to sign a commitment that they will be drug free for the duration of the campaign.

Feel of the Place
Only two people work in the office. An intern might work with main staff or the consultants who will provide the training; they don’t ask an intern to do anything we won’t do. They value being able to hear the perspective of young people (ideas about what might work or not work) and always try to find ways to connect that are meaningful.

(802) 257-1577
Web: www.rivergalleryschool.org
Artistic directors: Lydia Thomson, Barbara Merfeld Campman
Administrative director: Donna C. Hawes

Opportunities
The River Gallery School of Art is the local center for art education. They hire but due to small funds there ability to hire is limited, so they are mainly looking for volunteers and interns. They do hire for special events and usually only hire people that are 18+, but make exceptions for youth that are committed and open minded. Interns work part time and do office work: answer phones, work on the computer, website updates, spread sheets Microsoft office and adobe photo shop to help and make posters to advertise for the school. They also help organize, prepare, and clean up the supplies for classes. Interns can also help with renting children’s art to local businesses.

Pay Rate and other Benefits
One of the benefits for volunteers/interns is work for trade. If you provide your services you will be able to use the facilities and art supplies, or take art classes. If you are working for pay, you will most likely be paid $10 an hour. If you are an open-minded youth, you could learn a lot about the arts, and develop a passion for the arts.

Qualifications
A volunteer should be responsible, presentable, have people skills, money-handling skills, and note-taking skills. Age is (for volunteers) is not so much an issue as much as it is for paid positions which are usually looking for an older demographic with exceptions to people that are dedicated, and open .

The Environment
The environment is relaxed. Volunteers work alongside other staff and are coached individually. Volunteers are surrounded by creativity.  There is lots of art on the walls, which lends itself to inspiration. The volunteer job list is forever changing and could be a challenge for some young people. The school is very encouraging of young volunteers and have 10 or more young people working there every semester.

Contact: Elina Frumkin, (802) 246-0993
Email: efrumkin@vtfoodbank.org.

The Project’s purpose is to gather groups of volunteers to get edible food from local farms and bring it to places where the community can access it, like the Youth Drop-in Center and other programs.

Opportunities
The volunteers do field work where they pick corn, cabbage, and other produce that the farmer has set aside. They then sort them and put into a cooler. They deliver the food to various places. The amount of time volunteers work varies - it can be 20 minutes, or it can be four or five hours.

Payment and other Benefits
Volunteers get the feeling of self-sufficiency and begin to notice where food comes from. They also get exposure to local farmers, people from different lifestyles, and different kinds of food. People usually get to take some food home if there is a lot left over.

Qualifications
There are no qualifications except for the fact that you have to be at least 14 and you have to be over 18 to use knives. Volunteers should be willing to work and be available on short notice. The Project does not drug test their volunteers.

Environment
The team meets at 7:30 in the morning and travel to farms on the outskirts of Brattleboro. There is lots of conversation and little pressure to move quickly. The work involves heavy lifting and manual labor, aka farm work. The work is pretty easy to learn.

Phone: (802) 246-6397
Web: www.commonsnews.org
 Contact :Jeff Potter at editor@commonsnews.org

Opportunities
VIM is the youth literacy arm of The Commons, Brattleboro’s Independent Newspaper. They welcome youth as volunteers; no paid jobs are available. The type of work depends on someone’s experience and interest. Volunteers can help with reporting, researching stories, helping with data entry and record keeping, and delivering papers.

Pay Rate and other Benefits
Volunteers have the opportunity to publish a story for a flat fee. They also can get free movie tickets for writing. This is a good place for someone interested in a career in journalism, or who just wants to be more involved in the community.

Qualifications
Someone must be generally interested and “rock solid” dependable (punctual and reliable.) They prefer someone be in high school and have shown that they care about the community.

Feel of the Place
The VIM office has a lot of projects going at once in a small office. Staff are usually doing several things at once, will give full attention when they give it and they are all devoted to their work.

Web: www.windhamsolidwaste.org
Contact: Joe Kowalski for facility work and Cindy Sterling for recycling work
Phone: (802) 257-0272.

The WSWMD is a 19-town cooperative waste management facility.

Opportunities
There are lots of part-time jobs open for youth volunteers and a few paid opportunities. Some of the jobs involve sorting items into categories of garbage/recycling. Someone over-16 youth can work on the conveyer belt. Other jobs involve maintenance, painting, and working on recycling projects. WSWMD is looking for volunteers who are able to repair bikes to be use for public transporation. The recycling work at events (like the hospital clambake or strolling of the heifers) pays a small stipend. Sometimes WSWMD ends up hiring a volunteer to work as a staff.

Payment and other Benefits
Pay is typically $10/hour when hired as a staff; recycling event workers get paid a small stipend. Staff get to learn about how a waste management system works, work hard with their hands, and get introduced to interesting large equipment.

Qualifications
No official qualifications, just the willingness to work.

Environment
Volunteer and paid staff are exposed to the weather. It is warm in summer and cold in winter. Staff are expected to work hard and get respect when they do. They work alongside a team of others, mostly adults, who offer attention, direction and help when needed.
 

Contact: Liz Kenton,
Phone: (802) 257-7967, ext. 18

The Youth Horticultural Project is part of the University of Vermont Extension Service. It provides job training for youth through the vehicle of organic agriculture

Opportunities
They hire young people in the Summer through various grants and programs to do field work (planting, weeding, harvesting and maintenance), sell produce at farmers markets, do outreach and mentor younger children during farm visits. Staff works three days a week.

Payment and other Benefits
Youth get community service credit as well as $8.06 an hour. They get to take vegetables home, learn gardening and job skills, and gain confidence and self knowledge. They also get to eat delicious fresh vegetables and fruit that they pick.

Qualifications
Youth ages 16-21 don’t need any special experience, just a willingness to try it, work hard, and be open to other people. The Project is limited to 20 workers. They keep workers who are self-motivated. Volunteers are asked to arrive and get started on their task list, figure out what needs to be done and do it. The Project does not drug test but has fired people for using drugs.

The Environment
All learning is hands-on with time to reflect in small groups. The staff puts effort into growing a supportive team with teambuilding and communication exercises. The staff gather and do all their work outside. There are 2-4 young adult team leaders who guide and supervise the work. The project only hires young people and is devoted to growing the professional skills of youth. Some of the time spent together is devoted to overcoming the challenges youth have in the workforce, confidence, communication skills, etc.
 

Contact: Andi Waisman
Phone: (802) 254-4609

Wind Tunnel Mapsite is a youth-development project to gather the information in Windham County that will help young people find the resources they want and need.

Opportunities
We are looking for young people to create content for a new website that catalogs youth opportunities in Windham County (the website you are at RIGHT NOW). Available positions are divided into two categories: Mappers and Writers. Mappers meet for a couple of hours each week to call local businesses, organizations, etc, and interview them. The interviews are transcribed into detailed notes, which are then given to the writers. Writers are responsible for turning the mappers’ interview notes into polished write-ups (like the one you are reading RIGHT NOW). Writers are allowed to do their work from home. There are also internship opportunities available with the site’s web designer.

Payment and other Benefits
Mappers are paid minimum wage. Writers are paid $10 for each completed writing piece. We also accept and encourage volunteers who need community service for high school graduation.

Qualifications
NEN is looking to hire people 21 and under for these positions. No experience is required, but good note-taking skills are helpful. Applicants are not drug tested.

Environment
The Wind Tunnel Mapsite project is just starting, and is currently borrowing an office. The space is quiet and small, but not without charm. 100% of the staff is young people, which is nice, but it means there’s a lot of personal responsibility. The work itself is very flexible. It’s not hard to squeeze a mapping session or write-up in between other school/job/life commitments.