Meet other volunteer game changers and level up your skills to help youth participate in the Portland Indie Speed Run! Please register for Indie Speed Run volunteering here. The orientation and training is required for anyone who wishes to mentor youth during Pixel Arts events.
Archive for volunteer opportunities – Page 2
Meet other volunteer game changers and level up your skills to help youth participate in the Portland Indie Speed Run! Please register for Indie Speed Run volunteering here. The orientation and training is required for anyone who wishes to mentor youth during Pixel Arts events.
UPDATE
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ATTN: Portland Indie Speed Run jammers! E-mail ISR via http://www.indiespeedrun.com/devsite/index.php?option=com_rsform&view=rsform&Itemid=8 to submit your game if you were affected by the power outage!
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General Info:
The Portland Indie Game Squad, Pixel Arts Game Education, and the University of Portland are hosting a 48-hour game jam from September 27th through the 29th. Participants will gather Friday evening, hear the jam’s secret theme, then race against the clock to make a game using their technical skills, teamwork, and everything learned along the way! People without specific or advanced technical skills are of course welcome to participate to learn new things and meet the community.
Basic Schedule:
Friday, September 27th:
6pm-7pm – Form teams and meet other jammers.
7pm-7:30pm – Receive theme and start jam.
Sunday, September 29th:
5:30pm-7pm – The public is welcome to come and watch final game-making steps and finished games.
7:00pm-8:00pm – Wrap up, clean up, go home, and go to sleep.
Equipment, sleep, food:
A very small amount of computer and board game development equipment/supplies will be provided; please plan on bringing your own equipment. If you bring something like a PC tower, you are welcome to leave it at the jam site for the entire weekend, and it will be safe if you need to leave the University for any amount of time. Sleeping space will be provided, though jammers are responsible for their own overall health and wellness (which will be supported via suggested breaks, mealtimes, etc.). Updates regarding on-location snacks, a map of nearby restaurants, and free licenses from software companies will be posted in the comments of community page event listings.
Registration:
Please register via our Game Education PDX form; we have room for 50 jammers, and those who register will be accepted before walk-ins. If you are participating remotely, post in this thread or tweet at @PIGSquad with the #pdxspeedrun and #pigjam tags asking for the theme or a team match up, and we’ll help! Participants are welcome to work alone.
Indie Speed Run Component:
It is very highly recommended that all teams register with the Indie Speed Run competition. It costs $25 per team, allowing a great panel of professional judges (including Ron Gilbert, Notch, SUDA51, and Peter Molyneux this year) to evaluate your finished game; the games with the highest scores will receive prizes, including up to $2,500.
Youth Component:
Via Pixel Arts Education, game-making mentors will facilitate youth aged 9 – 17 and their parents to participate in their own jam during the available hours of Saturday and Sunday from 1pm to 7pm. Parents are welcome to register via our youth registration form; we have room for 20 youth jammers. If you are interested in volunteering to help mentor and guide youth in their jam, please submit your volunteer inquiry here!
From the successes of our first Youth Game Camp, we are assessing the camp with feedback by youth, parents and volunteers. Please join us to learn more and celebrate with a Pixel Portraits and Game Party, Sunday, August 18th 7-9pm!
Hosted at Cafe au Play (5633 SE Division St, Portland, OR), a non-profit, kid-friendly venue with inside and outside play areas and a full menu including gluten free and vegan options. Light party snacks will be provided.
Come to:
- see what happens at a Portland game camp
- learn about upcoming volunteer opportunities
- discover new programs for youth to make their own games
- create your very own 8-bit pixel portraits and avatars
- And don’t forget, bring your favorite board games & meet the community
In other exciting news, great community partners are helping develop new programs and support services including paid internships and job training.
We are working with Portland YouthBuilders’ Youth Media program, which focuses on giving students of under-served demographics the opportunity to create professional video and audio PSAs, print design campaigns, and logos at discounted rates for nonprofits. They will be collaborating to create a mini-documentary based on our September game jam; we’re thrilled to be working with their youth for future events!
We’re also solidifying plans for a “training the trainer” program with Self Enhancement, Inc., a nonprofit organization supporting at-risk urban youth in NE Portland at 8 schools. By developing an open program together, we will be able to offer volunteers training for mentoring and work opportunities in game education.
We’ll be sharing more news about the partnership programs soon! Please contact us for more information or to get your learning community involved.
Pixel Arts Game Education is an open source initiative to bring together game changers from all backgrounds, experiences and skills.
You need not be an “expert” or a “professional” to create change. Jump in now, and help make Portland a mecca for youth to play, build and design games through a collaborative learning community! Our next volunteer orientation and training is Sunday July 14th 1-5pm at the Woodstock Library in SE Portland. See our calendar for more information.
Our goal is to create safe, intergenerational learning events that engage and encourage youth to explore. We offer many opportunities to contribute to community ranging from intermittent, brief events to long-term mentoring and program development. To help us match your interests, please respond to the following questions. We look forward to working together and will contact you shortly.
Link to Volunteer Enrollment form.
