When Taylor Schmitt interviewed for a role with Public Allies, a program that matches people with nonprofit jobs, she didn’t expect to be placed at Little Red Door Cancer Agency, which offers free services to cancer patients.
“It had nothing to do with what I went to school for. I didn’t know a thing about cancer or the medical field at all, really,” she said. “But I think that goes into what Public Allies is. It gives you opportunities that you may not have had.”
Public Allies is a national program connected to AmeriCorps, and it gives you paid, full-time work experience and classroom training. At the end of the apprenticeship, which usually ends after about 10 months, you receive money that can be put toward student loans or classes. Allies are placed in nonprofits, schools and government agenciees.
This year, Indianapolis Public Allies is offering a five-month, part-time version of the program. There is no deadline to apply, but the 2025 program runs from February to June. It’s great for those who are fresh out of college, who want a mid-life career change or who want to explore something new.
After her apprenticeship with Little Red Door Cancer Agency last year, Schmitt, 24, was hired to be the program and outreach manager. Schmitt, who had moved to Indy’s Fountain Square neighborhood in 2022, credits Public Allies with helping her find her “Indy family” — her Public Allies cohort.
Schmitt bonded with her classmates through their weekly Friday training sessions at the Indianapolis Neighborhood Resource Center. She’s stayed in touch with the alumni network, which she taps to connect her clients to community resources.
“I have friends here now that have lived here their whole lives, and they tell me that I know more about the city than they do,” she said.
How can I become an ally?
First, you fill out an application and go through an interview process, which includes a panel interview. The next step is a “matching” fair, where applicants meet with as many nonprofits as they can to see what’s a good fit.
“It’s almost like speed dating, but with jobs,” Schmitt said. Little Red Door Cancer Agency was the first nonprofit she talked to at the matching fair.
Find more information about what it means to be an ally, and fill out a free application. If you have questions, reach out to Jasmen Drake from INRC at jdrake@inrc.org.
I’m a leader at a nonprofit, school or government agency. How can I host an ally?
Public Allies is looking for partner organizations that can host an ally for a five-month term. The ally could help start a new program, assess an existing one or expand outreach to the community.
Partner organizations get support from INRC throughout the program’s term. If you are interested, contact Sharon Logan, deputy director of INRC, at slogan@inrc.org.
Mirror Indy reporter Sophie Young covers services and resources. Contact her at sophie.young@mirrorindy.org.
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