The Creative Leadership Academy (CLA) is a partnership between E4 Youth, the Moody College of Communication (MCC) and Division of Diversity and Community Engagement (DDCE) at the University of Texas at Austin. Working directly with MCC’s Director of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Erin Reilly and DDCE’s Director of Inclusive Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Ruben Cantu, E4 Youth will expand its creative workforce development efforts to serve more than 1000 youth in the Central Texas area.

In the coming 2019 – 2020 school year, E4 Youth will spearhead professional development and support for Career and Technology Education (CTE) teachers throughout Central Texas. As a supplement to this effort, E4 Youth will work the MCC and DDCE to recruit, hire and train a pool of 40+ college students to serve as instructors for its high school enrichment clubs and other enrichment organizations throughout the region. CLA members are recruited from the University of Texas and other area colleges. Each member of the pool receives a monthly stipend and participates in weekly capacity building activities working with creative and technology professionals. Those selected to lead clubs will receive compensation of $15/hr while others are eligible for internship and employment opportunities with E4 Youth’s sister organizations including Latinitias, Creative Action and industry partners like GSD&M.

E4 Youth will work with MCC and DDCE to recruit these Creative Mentors from within the University of Texas and help facilitate capacity building training for participants in the program. In addition to support for training students, these departments will work with E4 Youth to facilitate professional development opportunities for classroom teachers working with creative youth across the region.