Illinois Real Deal: Life 101

Illinois Coalition for Community Services is a program devoted to “helping communities help themselves.” In addition, they are committed to empowering people to determine the direction of their communities through education, advocacy and grassroots organizing. Throughout the summer, ICCS is teaming up with AmeriCorps to develop a program called Illinois Real Deal: Life 101 that would collaborate with local schools to educate young students on the importance of planning for their future. Our program will lead students through a real-life simulation, hands-on experience, where they will participate in activities that will allow them to experience what it would be like in the real world when they will be expected to support themselves as adults. Students will be given random job titles that will determine their salary and the amount of money they can spend throughout the program. Different stations will be set up in representation of expenses such as housing and utilities, transportation, insurance, personal care, groceries, clothing, leisure, and other unexpected bills. The students will complete each station where they will be expected to make decisions and manage their money wisely. After completion of the program, students will be given the opportunity to work on skills such as balancing a checkbook, writing a resume and developing interview skills. It is our goal, that through the completion of this program, students will realize the important role that their education now plays in their lives as adults.