Youth Opportunities

CHA partners with colleges, universities and other entities to secure post-secondary scholarships dedicated to CHA residents.  CHA residents planning to attend college have a number of potential scholarship opportunities provided by partners such as Windows of Opportunity (CHA’s non-profit partner) and the Posse Foundation.

The Chicago Park District provides recreational programs for the benefit of City of Chicago residents.  CHA youth can participate in these programs throughout the year at deeply subsidized rates.  Programs include arts and crafts, field trips, swimming and other sports, and other recreational activities.

CHA offers a range of summer opportunities for youth that can vary from year to year.  Youth Ready Chicago is a summer jobs initiative through DFSS that provides job readiness training and job placement to CHA youth ages 14-24. Learn and Earn, also in partnerships with DFSS, provides CHA youth aged 13 to 15 with academic enrichment, experiential learning focused on career exploration, and field trips that complement class activities.  The Next Step College Prep program engages youth in academic enhancement activities, and the Chance for CHAnge camp focuses on education and activities for youth interested in science, technology, engineering and math.  Overnight camps give youth a chance to experience the outdoors outside of the city.  Programs with other partners have included community gardens with Growing Power, Inc. and the Neighborhood Youth Corps with the Chicago Police Department.

After School Matters (ASM) administers youth programs across the city, including a summer pre-apprenticeship employment program for teenagers aged 14-15.  Participants receive a combination of academic training and professional skill development from skilled instructors who focus on teaching both the hard skills (e.g. technology, business, science, art or dance) and the soft skills (e.g. problem-solving and teamwork) necessary to function in the workplace.  CHA annually contracts with After School Matters to ensure that a designated number of summer slots are available for CHA youth.

Through a partnership with the Department of Family and Support Services, the Summer Food Program distributes breakfast and lunches through more than 500 sites across the city, including 39 CHA development sites in 2011. Children up to age 18 may eat at any of these open sites.

CHA youth can access existing after-school programs free of charge through CHA’s partnership with the Chicago Department of Family and Support Services (DFSS).