Animation Teacher (Volunteer)

About Mentor A Promise

Mentor A Promise (MAP) is a New York City–based nonprofit supporting children and youth ages 5–18 experiencing housing instability through mentorship, literacy, social-emotional learning, educational enrichment, and creative opportunity. At MAP, creativity is treated as a pathway toward confidence, expression, imagination, and possibility.

About PromiseStudios

PromiseStudios is MAP’s creative media and storytelling division responsible for animation, podcasting, film, publishing, visual storytelling, educational media, and digital creative experiences. The division creates spaces where young people and creatives can explore storytelling, artistic expression, digital creativity, creative collaboration, multimedia learning, and professional artistic growth.

Role Overview

Mentor A Promise is seeking a passionate and collaborative Animation Teacher to support students and creative volunteers through engaging, trauma-informed animation education and artistic mentorship. This role focuses on teaching animation fundamentals, strengthening technical skills, exploring new creative tools, and building confidence in storytelling and visual communication. The Animation Teacher works closely with PromiseStudios teams to create joyful, accessible, encouraging, professionally enriching, and creativity-centered learning experiences.

Core Responsibilities

Animation Education & Creative Instruction

• Teach and support foundational animation principles, intermediate animation techniques, movement and timing, visual storytelling, character design, scene development, and creative animation exercises.
• Help create engaging and accessible animation learning experiences.

Artist Development & Creative Mentorship

• Guide and support developing animators, student creative projects, artistic experimentation, portfolio development, creative confidence-building, and collaborative storytelling practices.
• Provide mentorship and thoughtful feedback that strengthens artistic growth.

Creative Tools & Industry Learning

• Introduce and support learning involving animation software, creative workflows, industry-relevant tools, emerging animation practices, and digital creative platforms.
• Help animators expand both artistic and technical abilities.

Professional Development & Growth Opportunities

• Support a culture of continuous learning by helping expand animator skill sets, introducing new techniques and approaches, exploring workshops and guest learning opportunities, and identifying pathways toward certifications and continuing animation education when available.
• Encourage creative exploration and long-term artistic development.

Creative Collaboration & Storytelling Support

• Collaborate closely with PromiseStudios creative teams, storytelling and media teams, educational leadership, creative volunteers, and youth programming staff.
• Support animation projects connected to MAP storytelling, educational content, and creative media initiatives.

Qualifications

• Experience in animation, digital art, motion graphics, storyboarding, multimedia storytelling, creative technology, visual design, or arts education.
• Creativity and artistic vision.
• Communication and mentorship skills.
• Patience and collaboration.
• Passion for storytelling and youth development.
• Commitment to accessible and trauma-informed learning practices.
• Experience with animation software and creative tools is highly valued.

Commitment

• Volunteer educational and creative role.
• Approximately 5–10 hours per week.
• Minimum 6-month commitment required.
• Remote/hybrid collaboration; US-based volunteers only.
• Responsive communication through MAP systems with a 48-hour communication expectation.
• Participation in MAP onboarding and safeguarding processes.

What You’ll Gain

• Experience teaching and mentoring within a mission-driven creative environment.
• Opportunity to help shape animation education and artist development initiatives.
• Collaboration with storytellers, educators, and creative media teams.
• Portfolio-building educational and creative leadership experience.
• Meaningful impact supporting youth creativity and digital storytelling.
• Professional references and letters of recommendation.