All About Parent University

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Over the past few years, CYC has expanded on what well-being in our communities means. We have been carefully growing our programming to provide resources and knowledge to both children and caregivers at our Centers.  January 2023, we started our very first Parent University classes in partnership with the Illinois Afterschool Network. This is a workshop that meets once a month, over the course of 6-8 months, for presentations and discussions about childcare and parenting. The goal of Parent University is to set up caregivers with tools they might need to assist in their child’s development. These sessions help to bridge potential gaps in understanding academic and social-emotional needs. By offering our knowledge of child development, CYC can assist families in building on their wonderful parenting skills.  

Throughout 8 months, we covered lots of important topics: 

  • January: Social Emotional Workshop – Understanding your child’s emotional processing and reactions in social settings. 

  • February: Self-Care for Youth and Families – Learning about holistic well-being for the whole family. 

  • March: Caregivers Roles in their Child’s Education – How to assist your child in an academic setting and creating an Individualized Education Program (IEP). 

  • April: Not Difficult, Just Different – Understanding and guiding your child’s emotions through customized action plans. 

  • May: Working with Diverse Learners – Identifying potential learning disabilities, and how to assist and advocate for your child. 

  • August: Power of Parent Culminating Event – Wrapping all these lessons together, this session touched on what healthy parenting looks like and discussed different parenting styles. 

At the end of all these events, caregivers received a certificate of completion and a well-being bag filled with goodies for themselves and their children. We would like to thank our amazing parents that participated this year. We can’t wait to work with the next group of lifelong learners this coming January! 

Congratulations to the Parent University Class of 2023! 

Well-being Week

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CYC has made the well-being of our children, families, and staff one of our top priorities. CYC held a well-being spirit week to get everyone involved in holistic wellness. Check out some highlights below! 

Movement Monday: Our staff created fun ways to exercise with their classes! We had some wiggle worms at the Dorothy Gautreaux Center, CYC’s Early Learning Center in Riverdale and Altgeld Gardens, where students had a morning dance party. 

CYC Early Learners dance the morning away for movement monday.

Talk About it Tuesday: Staff led talking circles with our kids and used techniques like heart-focused breathing to start conversations off on a calm, happy note. The leader of each conversation was given example prompts to chat about, such as what habits students might like to replace and what students do to reduce stress. These talking circles give CYC kids a safe place to discuss any problems or emotions they need to process.  

Wine Down Wednesday: This day was for the staff! Each Center and Partner Site was encouraged to go get dinner and build comradery within their team after work. Whether you drink wine or pop, staff had a chance to wind down mid-week. 

Throwback Thursday: Staff brought their favorite classic board and card games to play with students and coworkers, all while practicing teamwork and critical thinking skills! 

Reflection Friday: CYC staff and kids reflected on times that made them feel happy, appreciated, or proud. Each Center and Partner Site made a bulletin board of memories and photos to create a “happy place” to look at throughout the year. 

At CYC, we believe that every part of you should be taken care of. Weeks like these allow us to set aside time for our mind, bodie, and spirit, so we can continue to be our best selves! 

aLL OF OUR OST sTUDENTS AT CYC-EPSTEIN pARTICIPATE IN YOGA FOR Movement Monday.

A TEEN-y Bit of Fun

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This spring, CYC teens got to participate in new and exciting events, as well as annual traditions. CYC held our first Annual Teen Wellness Summit, Sneaker Ball, and our annual Yes I Can Awards! 

CYC held our first Annual Teen Wellness Summit, where teens came together to talk about mental health and wellness. Not only was it a great learning experience, but it was also an opportunity to meet and connect with kids from other Centers and Partner Sites. Well-being has come to the forefront of CYC’s programming, and the teens really appreciated a designated day to talk about their concerns, learn new ways to problem-solve, and make new friends.  

CYC also held our first Sneaker Ball at the Rebecca K. Crown Center! Teens from our Community Centers and School-Based Partner Sites were invited to attend this dance party. It was an evening of celebrating CYC community and a chance to break out the latest kicks and dance with friends! Check out the gallery below to see this fun filled event! 

The Yes I Can Awards is a yearly event where our teens are recognized for their incredible character and accomplishments. This award ceremony is an exciting afternoon for the teens and their families as they take a cruise around Lake Michigan. Each teen is given an award for a positive trait they’ve shown throughout the past year of CYC programming. Award categories included: Creativity, Sportsmanship, Rookie of the Year, and Dedication to Education.

CYC knows it’s important to teach, celebrate, and acknowledge our kids at every stage of their lives. Giving kids the tools for not only academic learning, but social-emotional learning is just one of the many ways CYC helps to set our kids up for life-long success.  

CYC is Hiring!

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CYC cares deeply for our communities and we’re proud to serve Chicago’s youth and families. Keep reading to learn why our staff members love their jobs, and what positions are currently available on our team.

Chicago Youth Centers (CYC) is committed to promoting the academic, social and emotional development of children and teens in underserved Chicago communities so they can discover and realize their full potential. We serve more than 1,400 youth, parents, and guardians annually through a network of 21 Centers and partner sites. This is our passion, and if it is yours too, consider a career with CYC.

“Becoming a part of the CYC Early Learning Team has allowed me to become a confident and positive leader to others.  My inspiration comes from seeing and knowing how amazing our children are, and how I’ve played a part in them truly believing in themselves.” – Ms. Tanya Staggers

“Working at CYC allows you to meet the most incredible kids - our future, and at the same time have fun and feel energized to be part of such an amazing organization.” – Tina Ayala

Current open positions at CYC include:

  • Food Aide

  • Youth Worker Associate (Part- and full-time positions)

  • Teacher (Birth - 3)

  • Master Teacher

  • Bilingual Teacher (Birth - 3)

  • Assistant Teacher

  • Maker's Lab Specialist (Part-time)

  • Family Service Associate

  • Family Community Engagement Manager

  • Early Childhood Specialist

  • Child Care Director

  • Quality Assurance/Data Specialist

  • Custodian/Facilities specialist (Full-time)

  • Facilities and Operations Manager

  • Fundraising and Events Coordinator

  • Administrative Assistant

  • Consultants

See full job descriptions and submit your resume on our careers page.

CYC's Lovin' it - McDonald's Grant and Volunteer Days

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CYC has been lucky enough to become a new grant partner with McDonald’s in 2022. In addition to their incredible grant support of $100,000, many employees from McDonald’s Corporation have come to volunteer at CYC Centers.

McDonald’s volunteers visited our centers to see what CYC does first-hand. Some volunteers got to spend time with our early learners, making arts and crafts. Others assisted with organization and beautification projects, including an overhaul of our supplies and recreational areas. Thank you for lending a hand to finger paint!

McDonald’s supports CYC’s seasonal festivities too! We kicked off spooky season with pumpkin carving in October. In December, our winter holidays were filled with fun surprises. McDonald’s organized an office toy drive to assist with CYC’s annual gift giving days.

Partnerships like McDonald’s are invaluable to CYC’s mission, and we’re incredibly grateful for McDonald’s support.

Snow Much Fun!

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Thanks to the Katz Amsterdam Foundation, CYC received a grant to take some brave adventurers skiing in Wisconsin! We are taking a handful of Sundays this winter to go conquer the hills.

Before hitting the slopes, CYC kids get a private lesson on how to step in, start sliding, and stop themselves. Safety first! Students also learn about skiing gear, safety, and practice with their coach before heading up the hills. After the lesson, new skiers are ready to “pizza and french-fry” their way to fun!  CYC kids will be pros in no time!

This is CYC’s second year of skiing thanks to the Katz Amsterdam Foundation Grant, and the kids really love it. It’s an awesome opportunity to try something new and challenge themselves. (Chaperones also love the chance to read a good book and drink some hot cocoa by the fire!) CYC is constantly looking to expand our program offerings. Athletic grants like this are an incredible way to get out of the Centers and show our learners something totally different. Kids loved going on our ski trips this year, and we hope to continue the winter fun for years to come.