Volunteer with TLP

Thanks for your interest in volunteering with Teen Living Programs! We have opportunities for individuals and groups throughout the year and are excited for you to get involved.

Volunteers add great depth to the work we do by bringing fresh skills, passion, and energy to our community. Whether it’s holding a drive at your office for health and hygiene items, teaching art classes at our residential facility, cooking dinner with the youth, or planning a panel discussion about career opportunities in your industry, we’d love to work with you.

While we’ll always work to find the right candidates and give you an experience that complements your talents, there are times when volunteer projects are not available. But we’d love to keep in touch with you for future opportunities and encourage you to join our mailing and email lists to stay connected. To find out more, contact our Recreation Specialist/Volunteer Coordinator, Britt Hodgdon at 773-548-4443, ext. 337.

All TLP volunteers commit to our volunteer ethics and must be at least 21 years of age. We cannot accommodate minors who are with guardians or parents.

Virtual Volunteer

TLP Virtual volunteers use their online influence and networks to advocate for and generate awareness of Teen Living Programs, the only organization in Chicago exclusively dedicated to serving youth who are homeless. Virtual volunteers encourage their professional and personal networks to learn more about Teen Living Programs by visiting and promoting our websites, YouTube channel, Facebook page, and Twitter account. Click here to find out more.

Onsite Group (max of 8) Volunteers—Single Day Activity

If you are with a group that would like to organize a single in a single day recreational activity, project, workshop or skill-share, please complete the following application. Examples of group activities include: holding an informational panel, cooking dinner with and for youth, assembling snack and safe sex packets for young people on the streets, decorating and planning for a community event or sharing a professional skill or passion with the youth.

Offsite Group Volunteers

If you are interested in coordinating a drive to collect toiletry items for welcome baskets or survival kits to be handed out on the streets, please visit the Host an Event section of our supporter toolbox website.

TLP Auxiliary Board

TLP’s Auxiliary Board is a group of Chicago-area professionals who support and enhance TLP by generating resources, assisting with public relations, and volunteering with agency youth. The Board plans, develops, and implements recreational activities for youth; acts as a fundraising arm of the TLP Board of Directors; and serves as spokespersons for TLP to the greater public.

Individual Volunteer—Single Day Activity

If you are interested in volunteering one day for a specific project, stand alone activity, workshop or skill-share, please complete this application. Examples of activities that single day volunteers may participate in are: holding a roundtable discussion to share your skill, profession or a passion, doing a specific and creative project that can be completed in one day, plan and organize a recreational activity to a place of employment, art studio, museum, etc.

Individual Volunteer—Recurring

If you are interested in volunteering at least once a month for six consecutive months please complete this application. Examples of activities that recurring volunteers may participate in are: Holding regular workshops or classes (such as art, cooking, technology, etc.), tutoring, cooking dinner with and for the youth, sharing a professional skill, starting a debate club, etc.

Before beginning service all individual recurring volunteers will:

• interview in-person with program staff,
• submit to a thorough background check,
• commit to a minimum of volunteering once a month for six months,
• participate in community meeting and orientation session.