Join SwirlCamp!
 

SwirlNYC is launching a new initiative to train and build a community of leaders activated for change - SwirlCamp!
 

What is SwirlCamp?

Swirl strongly believes that each and every person can lead and affect change. At Swirl, we are all grassroots community leaders who aim to create ripples of change through our local actions. We hope to build and support more of these leaders through SwirlCamp. Like a camp in the woods, we are setting up this temporary shelter for activists by creating a community of people who are all dedicated to change and who recognize their personal areas for growth. This is a safe space for activists and activists-to-be to come together to learn and grow from each other. We are also like a pre-season training for athletes, to help participants get the training they need to start or strengthen a life-long commitment to social change work. Once individuals have gone through SwirlCamp, we hope that they will remain in the Swirl "camp" and will continue to lead for change, committed to our values and putting them to action.
 

What does it look like?
Leaders in SwirlCamp will come together once a month in order to explore the connection between the personal and the political by recognizing and understanding the larger context within which our experiences with race and identity live. SwirlCamp will also develop participants' skills as leaders for change. These skills will be practiced through a participant led action project(s) over the course of the training. The monthly meetings (called "Training Days") will include a mixture of the following: in depth discussions about history as it relates to the inclusion and exclusion of communities, trainings on leadership skills for creating change, guest speakers sharing experience and knowledge on leadership for change, and participant led sessions determined by the group itself. By the cycle's end, each individual will have the basic skills and know-how to apply her/his passion for change and will be a part of a new community of fellow leaders activated to create long-term change in the world.

To give you an idea of what a Training Day will look like, here is the tentative schedule for our first training day (12-3pm):
I.  Introductions and Ice Breaker
II. Mapping personal visions for long-term activism and for SwirlCamp
III. Relating the personal to the political through a discussion about race and identity in 2008
     (drawing from 2008 presidential elections)*
IV. Self-assessments and goals for SwirlCamp
 
        *this will require a brief pre-reading assignment


SwirlCamp 2008-2009 Pilot Cycle:

Between October 2008 and January 2009, SwirlNYC is launching and leading SwirlCamp's pilot cycle. The group will be meeting once a month (at minimum) for facilitator-led Training Days that will include group planning sessions, leadership trainings, and participant led sessions. As the cycle progresses, participants will be taking a larger role in shaping the content and leading the group during meetings. The culmination of the training will manifest in an event coordinated by the entire team to be aligned with Swirl's mission to challenge society's notions of race through community building, education, and action. This exciting project will be a point of collaboration throughout the entire four-month training. Participating leaders must be able to attend all four training days. Exceptions will only be given to leaders with personal emergencies who are committed to making up the work in time for the next Training Day.

Training Day One    Sunday, October 5th, 12pm-3pm
Training Day Two    Sunday, November 2nd, 12pm-3pm
Training Day Three  Sunday, December 7th, 12pm-3pm
Training Day Four    Sunday, January 4th, 12pm-3pm


Jen Chau, Founder and Executive Director of Swirl, and Lynda Turet, National and NYC chapter organizer will be co-facilitating sessions, however, everyone in the group will have a key role in shaping and leading sessions.



You should apply if:

  • You want to apply your passion for change with a community of like-minded people
  • You care about issues of inclusion and exclusion but need the skills to know how to lead for change
  • You are a long-time Swirl member and want to take your involvement to the next level
  • You are new to Swirl and believe in the mission to challenge society's notions of race through community, education, and action
  • You are excited about and able to dedicate one meeting per month (at minimum) to developing your skills and a cohesive, supportive community

Like all of Swirl's programs, we welcome individuals of all backgrounds and identities (mixed-race and non-mixed-race) that share our vision for community and social justice action. Please read more about our mission statement, philosophy of work, and organizational values here.


How do I sign up?

The group size will be capped at 10 for this pilot cycle, so please send us the required materials (listed below) by Friday, September 26th at 5pm if you are interested in participating!


Email SwirlCamp@swirlinc.org with the following information:

1) Your Resume
2) A Cover Letter, including the following:
 
We will review all applications and reach out to those who we would like to interview for our first cycle of SwirlCamp. If you are chosen to be a member of the group, there willl be no cost to you. For questions about the program, you can reach Lynda at lyndat@swirlinc.org or Jen at jenchau@swirlinc.org