Public Allies Connecticut

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Public Allies advances diverse young leaders to strengthen communities, nonprofits and civic participation.

Description:
Public Allies is a leadership development program that aims to advance diverse young leaders to strengthen communities, nonprofits and civic participation. Through our core program, Public Allies advances the skills, networks and experience of diverse young leaders as they strengthen communities, nonprofits and civic participation. Public Allies selects our communities' most promising young leaders, ages 18-30, who commit to a rigorous and rewarding ten-month program of full-time, paid apprenticeships in community organizations, team service projects and weekly leadership training. Currently (2006-2007 program year), we have a class of twenty Allies, placed at twenty different nonprofit organizations in Bridgeport, Hartford and New Haven.

History:
In 1992, Public Allies was founded by two remarkable women who set out to prove that prevalent stereotypes which labeled young adults as "slackers" and "Generation X" were wrong. Vanessa Kirsch and Katrina Browne saw that young people were committed to active citizenship and community change, though this significant energy and talent often remained untapped, especially by the nonprofit sector. With help from hundreds of volunteers, Kirsch and Browne created Public Allies to recruit, train and support diverse young leaders, preparing them to assume national and community leadership on pressing public issues.

In September, 1992, Public Allies launched its first apprenticeship program in Washington DC, placing 15 outstanding young people aged 18 to 30 in positions of influence in the city's nonprofit sector. The following year, Public Allies Chicago began with 30 more Allies. In 1994, young people started local chapters in Milwaukee, Raleigh-Durham and Wilmington, DE. We opened in San Jose/Silicon Valley in 1995, Cincinnati in 1998, Los Angeles and New York City in 1999, Taos in 2000 (in partnership with the Rocky Mountain Youth Corps) and our program at Eagle Rock School and Professional Development Center in Estes Park, CO in 2002. Public Allies Connecticut opened in 2004, serving Bridgeport, Hartford and New Haven.

Contact person: Laura Bachman, Ally, (phone), (email)

Address:

20-28 Sargeant Street Hartford, CT 06105 (See a map)