Civic Program Instructors

Being a Civic Program Instructor is an immersive experience for people who appreciate the excitement of a fast-paced environment and working closely with colleagues who become lifelong friends. Each week, Civic Program Instructors engage middle school and high school students from across the country in experiential, multi-day programs in Washington, DC (with opportunities to travel to New York City, Philadelphia, Williamsburg, Gettysburg, and other historical cities as well). Instructors lead an assigned group of diverse students throughout the week, guiding that group through discussions, debates, and issue deliberations and helping them to develop and exercise the skills of active citizenship. Each day, instructors and students travel around the DC area on foot and on coach buses. Instructors guide students through visits to historical sites, monuments, memorials, museums, and government institutions, and help facilitate meetings with policy experts and elected officials.

SAMPLE SCHEDULE >

The Civic Program Instructor schedule is not a standard nine-to-five work week. Each week mirrors the program schedule to which you are assigned, generally a 50-hour week. The hours align with those of the specific program (often Sunday through Thursday, with days beginning at breakfast around 8am and ending at room check around 10pm).

Close Up serves young people from all communities and backgrounds, regardless of race, religion, gender, socioeconomic level, or academic standing. Our participants come from all 50 states, U.S. territories, rural and urban communities, the left, the right, and everywhere in between. This diversity is what makes our programs great, opening students’ eyes to new perspectives and ways of thinking.

In addition to a salary ($1,560 before tax paid twice per month), Civic Program Instructors receive:

• A $500 pre-tax signing bonus after completing three program weeks and a $1,000 pre-tax bonus after completing the contract period
• Medical and dental insurance
• No-cost life/AD&D insurance
• All meals while working on program
• Mass transit subsidy or free garage parking
• Cell phone reimbursement
• Paid sick leave
• The opportunity to earn free graduate credit
• Eligibility for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program

Close Up provides three weeks of paid training encompassing our teaching methodology and the logistics of our programs. This training will be followed up with weekly professional development sessions and regular coaching and observation from our professional training staff.

At the end of the contract term, there may be an opportunity to join Close Up in a full-time/full-year role.

Unfortunately, no. This is a full-time position that is open to college graduates only. If you’re graduating in spring 2023, please be sure to apply for our Close Up Civic Fellowship instead!

Close Up is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, civic education organization that aims to inform, inspire, and empower young people to become active participants in our democracy. We believe a strong democracy requires engagement by all citizens; therefore, we seek to reach youth from all communities and all backgrounds, regardless of race, religion, gender, socioeconomic level, or academic standing. Since 1971, we have partnered with schools nationwide to serve nearly one million students and educators through experiential programs in our nation’s capital and in local communities, virtual after-school and summer programs, professional development for educators, and curriculum and resource design.