TIPS History

 

 

Teens In Public Service was co-founded in 1997 by Maureen Pleas Brotherton and her daughter Tia Heim. At the age of 16, Tia volunteered tutoring homeless children. She also held summer jobs typical for her age group. Tia found that full-time summer employment kept her from doing the volunteer work she wanted to do. Maureen noticed a shortage of opportunities in Seattle that engage young leaders in the non-profit sector.

As a result, she and her daughter, Tia founded TIPS to provide teens with valuable job opportunities, while providing non-profits with bright and energetic high school students to fill their work force gaps.

Maureen is a mother of five children and the grandparent of two. She received her BA in Society & Justice, from the University of Washington and her MA in Not-For-Profit Leadership from Seattle University .

Tia is an attorney at D.R. Norton. She lives in Seattle with her husband Chris and their two children.

TIPS is the outcome of a daughter's desire to serve others and a mother’s wish for more rewarding job opportunities for teens.

 

Parent Map Magazine featured Maureen Brotherton in their April 2009 issue.

In her own words she describes how TIPS started and the rewarding experience that benefits the interns, nonprofit partners and the conmmunity.

 

THE INNOVATOR

When Maureen Brotherton's daughter Tia was 16, she faced a dilemma: She needed a paying summer job, but didn't want to give up her volunteer work as a tutor to homeless children. Brotherton and her husband's solution? They paid Tia themselves to stay on as a volunteer with the Atlanta Street Center. Thus the idea for TIPS - Teens in Public Service - was born.

 

TIPS provides teenagers rewarding summer employment in the form of paid community service internships. "TIPS participants receive more than just a paycheck," Brotherton says. "TIPS allows teens to be leaders. Our interns discover struggles and needs in their communities. They often find their life's work or passion. It is a win-win-win program for teens, nonprofits and the community at large."

 

Psychologist Laura Kastner , Ph.D., has two children who are TIPS alumni. "TIPS gives teenagers opportunities to work in substantial job roles in the nonprofit world, gives agencies outstanding teen employees, and pays the teens with foundation funds that yield huge community profit mileage out of every dollar," says Kastner. "Maureen's brainchild is nothing short of brilliant."

Personal hero:
Right now, it is Michelle Obama!

 

Pet peeve:
When people are rude or condescending to others.

 

Favorite recent read:
There Is No Me Without You by Melissa Fay Greene

 

For the whole article click on http://www.parentmap.com/content/view/1235/275