Teaching Artist Apprentice

ONLY APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED VIA OUR WEBSITE WILL BE REVIEWED

JOB OPENING AT 826MICHIGAN

Position: Teaching Artist Apprentice

Independent Contractor: 50-80 hrs/semester (October

 - mid December and January - May)

Location: Washtenaw County

Target Start Date: October 2025 (mandatory meeting mid-September)

ABOUT 826MICHIGAN

Mission + Vision

826michigan imagines a future where all students readily access their creative voice and confidently stand in the power of their stories. For more than 20 years, we have provided free high-quality writing programs to students ages 6-18 in Ann Arbor, Detroit, and Ypsilanti. Our mission is to inspire students to write with skill and confidence, in collaboration with volunteers in their communities. We began in 2005 as a small literary arts project, and have since grown to provide critical literacy support to thousands of students every year. Since our founding, we have delivered free youth writing and tutoring programs to over 15,000 students across southeastern Michigan.

We believe every student, especially those whose voices have been historically marginalized, deserves to write their truths and to be heard. Our creative writing and literacy programs focus on restoring humanity to educational practices with young people by actively creating anti-racist and trauma-informed programs and spaces.

We actively work to create and maintain a third space that radically heals and uplifts Black youth and students of color. Support from our community allows students in our region to receive critical literacy support free-of-charge. For more information about our programs, please visit www.826michigan.org.

Invitation to Candidates

826michigan is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. We are interested in receiving candidates from a broad spectrum, including queer and non-binary folx, folx with disabilities, and Black and Indigenous and other persons of color. Application instructions and compensation information included at the end of this notice. We can’t wait to get to know you!

Culture & Working Environment 

826michigan is part of 826 National, the country's largest network of youth writing centers, co-founded by author Dave Eggers (A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, McSweeney’s). In addition to being a member of the 826 National network, 826michigan is also a vital part of the local community. The Ann Arbor Book Festival honored 826michigan as a “Leader in the Literary Arts” in 2012; Crain’s Detroit Business named 826michigan one of its Best-Managed Nonprofits in 2013; and 826 National was named in GOOD Magazine’s “30 Places We Want to Work.”

826michigan is a creative organization that highly values collaboration and innovative thinking. We encourage a culture of learning and personal development; our organization uses a network-wide competency model, a framework for equitable and transparent professional growth and advancement. Staff are encouraged to pursue relevant learning opportunities both within our national network and beyond. Staff members work both independently and as part of a team. 

We strive to be supportive and accommodating to employee needs for scheduling and work styles. We also aim to create a humanizing work environment and prioritize work/life balance.

Commitment to Inclusion

As an organization committed to encouraging youth in their creative expression, personal growth, and academic success, 826michigan recognizes the importance of diversity at all levels and in all aspects of our work. In order for us to serve students in a manner that is respectful, culturally sensitive, and effective, we must collectively and intentionally invest in building a diverse and inclusive organization where all are safe and welcomed. 826michigan prohibits discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, religion, ethnicity, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, nationality, marital status, English fluency, parental status, citizenship, military service, or disability of any person employed by or seeking employment with 826michigan. 826michigan is an equal opportunity employer.

About the Program & Position

The Teaching Artist Apprenticeship program provides paid learning opportunities for burgeoning artist-educators. With this program, we are not aiming to train future classroom teachers; the craft of teaching artistry is about serving as an auxiliary educator in a learning environment, complementary to and separate from a classroom teacher.

We are seeking an enthusiastic and pleasant Teaching Artist Apprentice to help with various programs and volunteer support. With supervision from the Program Manager II, duties include but are not limited to:

Programs Support (approximately 50-80 hours between September - December and 50-80 hours between January - May).

• Serve as consistent program support for 826michigan’s programs in Washtenaw County, including:
  • Support field trips roadshows (short-term creative writing workshops in classrooms) including leading small group discussions, printing lessons and activities, transcribing student work, and copyediting publications.
  • Support Young Authors’ Book Project (multi-week creative writing project with a single class or grade band at a single school culminating in a professionally-produced publication) including leading small group discussions, printing lessons and activities, transcribing student work, serving as a traveling editor towards the end of the project, and copyediting the publication.
  • Support In-school Writing Lab at Holmes Elementary or Ypsilanti Community Middle School, leading small group writing activities, supporting student brainstorming, building a supportive mentoring relationship with students, and providing assistance to the program facilitator.
  • Support communications with families and volunteers by sending group messages, responding to emails, collecting consent forms and student surveys.
  • Manage the tracking of students in programs through our internal data systems (Salesforce and Data Hub).

Candidate Qualifications

The ideal candidate will be excited to support all teams at 826 via a positive, enthusiastic attitude and a desire to learn. They will wish to be part of a highly-collaborative team that works hard but also likes to laugh a lot and always puts the student experience (whoever is defined as a student in that moment) first. Candidates with experience working with students will be prioritized (although that is not a requirement of the position). The following are required competencies for this position:

• Communication: The ability to communicate transparently and effectively across mediums with an emphasis on interpersonal and business communication. 
• Organization: The ability to keep yourself and others organized. Develop a smooth system that works for all stakeholders in task completion.
• Resource Management: The ability to optimize human resources while keeping within core values and program scope and mission.

Additional Qualifications

• Excited about the craft of teaching artistry
• Passion for students
• Flexibility
• Yearn to learn new systems and processes

Compensation & Benefits

• This is a contract position from October 2025 to mid-May 2026; schedule will be set between the Program Manager II and hire.
• The pay for this position is $20/hour.
• Independent contractors are not eligible for medical and dental insurance with 826michigan.

HOW TO APPLY

Please complete our application form (only applications submitted via our website at 826michigan.org will be reviewed), including uploading the following materials. Priority application deadline is September 1. Interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis, and the posting will remain open until the position is filled. 

• Resume
• Detailed cover letter answering the following questions:
  • What in particular about 826michigan interests you?
  • What special skills do you possess that would help you in this job?
  • Tell us one thing about you that we can’t learn from your resume.