Frequently Asked Questions: Find Your Future

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Q. What are the qualifications for this program?

Each participant must be enrolled in one of the following DCFS programs and meet the following GPA requirements:

  1. Youth in College
  2. Youth in Scholarship
  3. Independent Living, Transitional Living Program, or Foster Care
  4. Self-selected placement

Each participant must also meet the following educational requirements:

  1. A GPA of 2.0 or greater through the spring semester. Accepted students are required to provide fall and spring semester unofficial transcripts.
  2. Each participant must be enrolled in a 2 or 4 year college or vocational program during and after the application process.

Q. Am I eligible for Find Your Future if I graduate college in May 2023?

No. All participating students MUST be enrolled in school post Find Your Future internship. You are eligible to apply if you are scheduled to graduate in December 2023.

Q. What if I am a freshman and I don’t have transcripts to send with my application package?

Submit all other Find Your Future application requirements and a brief cover letter explaining that because you are freshman you do not at present have college transcripts.

Student’s final acceptance will be contingent upon the receipt of their transcripts and meeting all other Find Your Future requirements.

Q. What type of transcripts do I need to submit: official or unofficial?

Unofficial transcripts must be submitted at time of application to Find Your Future. However, students may be required to submit official transcripts to the internship placement interview.

Q. When does the program start and finish?

The program begins on Tuesday, May 23, 2023 with four days of mandatory workshops. Workshops are normally held at our Chicago office, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, workshops may be switched to a virtual or hybrid format. Students will then report to their internships in the following weeks. Students are then eligible to work up to 375 hours throughout the summer. If COVID safe, the mandatory closing luncheon is scheduled to take place in Chicago on Friday, August 4, 2023.

When accepting this internship each intern is required to sign an agreement outlining obligations and responsibilities.

Q. Where are internships located?

Internships are based on the geographical location of the student. Find Your Future is a statewide program with established partnerships across the state, but the Find Your Future (FYF) Coordinator continually seeks new partnerships.

Q. How is my internship chosen?

Internships are determined by college concentration, interviews, and location in relation to student’s summer housing.

Q. What if I want to take summer classes or have additional employment?

The Find Your Future Program is a rigorous internship program that can include 25-37.5 hours per week at the assigned internship provider. It is highly recommended that the student prioritize the internship. However, if the student needs to attend summer classes, it must be communicated to the FYF Coordinator and a summer schedule must be provided prior to enrollment. In addition, if you intend to have additional employment during the summer, it also must be communicated to the FYF Coordinator to eliminate scheduling conflicts.

Q. Am I required to take summer classes to maintain my Youth in College stipend?

No. Enrollment in Find Your Future meets the Youth in College/Scholarship academic requirements to maintain a student’s monthly stipend.

Q. Am I an employee of Kaleidoscope?

No, interns are not employees of Kaleidoscope. Participating students are considered independent contractors; therefore, all students are required to pay the income tax on earned stipends.

Q. As an intern, do I have any benefits?

No. As an intern of the Find Your Future Program you do not earn vacation, sick, holiday, or personal time. For any time taken off, students must have supervisory and FYF Coordinator approval and will not receive pay for hours not performed.

Q. How is my stipend calculated?

Interns earn a stipend of the hourly rate of $15.00. Youth can earn up to $5,625 for the normal schedule of 37.5 hours per week for ten weeks. Under no circumstances can an intern perform more than 40 hours each week.

Q. When do we receive our stipends? Can stipends be directly deposited?

Interns receive stipends bi-weekly. Yes, stipends can be direct deposited.

Q. How many workshops are there?

There are (7) mandatory workshops and two optional workshops. They include: 

  1. Orientation
  2. Office Etiquette
  3. Resume Writing
  4. Interviewing
  5. Networking and Business Dinner Etiquette
  6. Volunteer Service Project
  7. Financial Literacy
  8. Team Building Activity
  9. Professional Social Media

Additional workshops or retreats may be added.

Q. Why are all workshops mandatory?

Attendance is required for each workshop and activity. Your acceptance into the FYF Program requires you to participate in the workshops. The workshop curriculum is part of the Find Your Future professional learning experience; therefore, they are all mandatory and students must make arrangements with work, school, and travel.

Q. Is transportation provided?

Students receive a one-time transportation stipend to assist with traveling to the week of workshops and the closing luncheon.

Q. Is housing provided?

In recent years, we have been able to provide temporary housing for workshop week for students more than 50 miles outside of Chicago. If any additional housing can be provided, students will be notified immediately.

Q. Will this internship lead to permanent employment?

Possibly. Several students have been offered employment, but this is determined by employer needs, student’s performance, and student availability.

Q. Can I receive academic credit for my internship?

Yes, as long as your University/College is aware you are being compensated for hours worked. This must be communicated with the FYF Coordinator.

Q. How do I apply?

Complete an application to apply today. Applications are due no later than January 15, 2023. Late applications will not be accepted.

Questions? Contact [email protected]