Get Involved

You can get involved with our program by joining our email list! Members of our email list receive periodic updates on our accomplishments, announcements of upcoming poetry readings and events, and other important notices about our work.

Join our email list today by sending an email to info@dccww.org. Please include your name, phone number, mailing address and email address.

Job Descriptions

Position Title: Writer-in-residence
Position Type: Direct educational-social services consultant position
Compensation: $6,500 contract (paid bi-weekly)
Schedule: One day per week, from approx. 12:00 pm to 5:30 pm (special event and field trip hours may be added.) Program takes place Monday through Thursday.

Primary responsibilities include:
1. Teach two creative writing classes one day a week at Simon Elementary, Hart Middle or Ballou High School through our In-Class Instruction Program. Work collaboratively with your partner English teacher(s).
2. Assist with teaching creative writing and co-leading other arts/community building activities in our after-school Writing Club, one day a week at Hart Middle School or Ballou High School (from 3:15 p.m. to 4:45 p.m.) Assist with supervising youth during special events and field trips.
3. Maintain an individual creative writing portfolio for each of your students. Choose, edit/revise, and input your students’ poems for publication in each issue of hArtworks, Simon Says, or Voice of the Knights. Send poems to the Artistic Director by publication deadline. Seek and submit poems to city-wide writing competitions.

Other responsibilities may include:
4. Assist with mentoring services and positive youth development activities after-school.
5. Support youth with homework help and supplementary educational activities, as needed.
6. Distribute and collect student surveys. Take attendance, when needed.
7. Assist with community outreach and public relations by e-mailing program invites and event fliers.
8. Meet with Executive Director, Artistic Director and other writers-in-residence, as needed.

Qualifications:
- Must have at least three years experience teaching or mentoring middle or high school youth
- Must have an interest in the positive and healthy development of youth and the ability to lead youth
- Should have at least one piece of writing published in a professional publication (local or national)
- Should have an undergraduate degree
- Must have an interest in creative writing, performance poetry, drama or other art disciplines
- Should have an understanding of Microsoft Word and the internet
- Driver’s license and transportation is beneficial, but not required. We are Metro accessible.

To apply: Please e-mail your resume and a writing sample to nschwalb@dccww.org.
Mrs. Nancy Schwalb, Artistic Director

Position Title: Program Assistant / Internship
Position Type: Internship; direct social services and administrative/development support
Compensation: Monthly stipend ($250-$350 a month)
Schedule: Flexible: Mondays through Thursdays; 8-15 hours a week
Education: Undergraduate and graduate level students
English, Arts, Education, Nonprofit or Social Service fields are preferred, not required

Direct social service responsibilities may include:
1. Assist with teaching and mentoring youth in our after-school creative writing/drama programs at Hart Middle or Ballou Senior High Schools (3:15 pm to 4:45 pm, Mon – Thu) and during special events.
2. Lead youth in creating e-newsletters.
3. Lead youth in creating and updating “Featured Poet” information on the website.
4. Support youth in after-school programs by meeting with them regularly to discuss their development; document each youth’s development; collect and file their report cards.
5. Support youth with homework help and supplementary educational activities, as needed.

Administrative/Development responsibilities may include:
6. Conduct fundraising research; identify new grant/funding sources and application deadlines.
7. Assist with implementing program evaluation plan; collect and distribute program evaluation tools; maintain student attendance records and student database.
8. Maintain program calendars (electronic and bulletin board); update program events and deadlines.
9. Assist with community outreach and public relations/marketing; draft and send public service announcements, press releases and event fliers; e-mail program invites and e-newsletters.
10. Update website with program and marketing information.
11. Update the donor database and file documents.

Qualifications:
- Must have at least two years experience working with middle or high school youth, ages 11-18
- Must have an interest in the positive and healthy development of youth and the ability to lead youth
- Must be energetic, positive, patient, mature, empathetic, cooperative and friendly
- Should have an interest in creative writing, performance poetry, drama or other art disciplines
- Must have an understanding of Microsoft Office and the internet; HTML experience is beneficial
- Driver’s license and transportation is beneficial, but not required. We are Metro accessible.

Academic credit: If you are seeking academic credit, we will fill out the necessary forms and/or communicate with a faculty advisor to assist you.

To apply: Please e-mail your resume/cover letter to cpatterson@dccww.org
Chip Patterson, Executive Director

D.C. Creative Writing Workshop is a not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) organization and an equal opportunity employer.

Volunteer

At DCCWW we can always use assistance from the community in implementing our work. Either through ongoing assistance in our after-school program helping students edit their work, updating our e-newsletter during the work day, planning a one time Literary Salon/Poetry Reading for our students on the weekend, or chaperoning a trip to the theater, there are dozens of ways that volunteers may become involved with the Workshop. Email Chip Patterson, Executive Director for more information on how you can become a part of the work that we do!