The right to vote is the first step in civic empowerment. That is why the
Urban League is leading a new empowerment movement to give people the skills an
access they need to take an active role in determining the direction, quality of
life and policies shaping their communities.
As a non-partisan organization, the Indianapolis Urban League and Urban League
volunteer groups such as the Council of Guilds and the Young Professionals work
to communicate the message that the right to vote is a powerful tool to effect
changes important to the individual, the community and the world.
Below is a brief description of the programs and volunteer groups at the IUL:
Indianapolis Urban League Young Professionals – Tomorrow’s Leaders Today
The Young Professional’s is an auxiliary organization dedicated to bringing
the next generation of leaders into the Urban League movement. Its members, ages
21 to 45, work to advance the Urban League agenda through corporate, social and
community activism.
The IUL is committed to providing leadership training development and
opportunities to network for tomorrow’s leaders today.
Friends of the Urban League – The Indianapolis Urban League Guild
The Guild is an auxiliary volunteer group of men and women who are a cross
section of our community. The “Friends of the Urban League” serve as ambassadors
promoting membership and volunteer opportunities to serve the Indianapolis Urban
League.
Latino Initiatives
The IUL is represented on the Mayor’s Latino Commission. We have made major
inroads in making the Latino community aware of and inviting their participation
in our programs and services.
African-American Community Leadership Coalition
The Indianapolis Urban League serves as a convener and facilitator of meetings
of the leadership for major organizations serving the African American
communities. The on-going dialogue fosters development of consensus and
formulates agenda for community forums.
Community Reintegration Program
The Indianapolis Urban League is serving as the lead agency for a pilot program
named the Central Indiana Community Reintegration Program (CICR). The program is
a collaborative effort between numerous public and private agencies and
organizations to identify and assist women offenders in Central Indiana who are
in the process of reintegrating into society upon their release from
correctional settings. Services include comprehensive case management,
development of needs assessment for the population, development of a resources
handbook and creation of an ongoing profile of this fastest growing segment of
the criminal justice population.
Fatherhood Initiative
The IUL Fatherhood Initiative serves fathers transitioning from incarceration or
in the process of recovering from addiction, homelessness and/or misdirected
lives. The Fatherhood Initiative uses 24/7 Dad curriculum developed by the
National Fatherhood Initiative. Participants meet in a group setting for two
hours, twice per week, for six weeks. The groups address various issues that are
pertinent to being a good dad. Participants receive incentive throughout the
sessions and there is a graduation ceremony at the completion of the program.
The goal of the program is to equip participants with the tools they need to
become better fathers and healthier, happier individuals.
Public Awareness and Policy Forums
These forums are held on an on-going basis to make the community aware of public
policy and legislation being considered.
Teen Court
A session of Teen Court is help at the IUL once each month. Teen Court is a
diversion program of juvenile misdemeanor offenders. Referrals are made directly
from the court system to the program where the juvenile must take responsibility
for their actions, provide restitution and give the community an active role in
solving juvenile crime.
Voter Education and Registration
Members of the IUL staff and Guild are Deputy Voter Registrars. Registrations
are conducted during open periods of registration.
Voter education and responsibility classes are conducted in schools by IUL
staff.