THANK YOU for being a part of Austin SCBWI!
The generosity of our membership makes our chapter so special and as we all know, time is our most valuable resource. Fabulous volunteers giving their time allows Austin SCBWI to offer critique groups, co-working, book clubs, workshops, events and ongoing opportunities so you can improve your craft and build your careers.
Want to get involved, fill out this form!
Volunteering is one of the best ways to get involved with your chapter, meet other members, and connect with fellow children’s book authors and illustrators. We have fun, learn together, and have the satisfaction of giving back. But that’s not all! There are also perks!
Austin SCBWI volunteers:
• are eligible for the Meredith Davis Volunteer of the Year Award, including one year’s free SCBWI membership
• are invited to a special Volunteer/Faculty Party the night before our annual conference, along with all the event’s faculty.
• get the first choice on free-attendance volunteer spots for the annual conference and other Austin SCBWI events.
• get coupons for discounts for Austin SCBWI events + 1 free bootcamp + discounted conference
• and twice a year, two volunteers are nominated for the SCBWI Tribute Fund Award, which gives winners an all-expenses-paid trip to either the SCBWI Winter Conference in New York or SCBWI Summer Conference in Los Angeles. (Winners are decided by SCBWI HQ from nominated volunteers around the world.) Past local participants include Christopher S. Jennings and Marsha Riti.
Austin SCBWI 2025 Open Volunteer Positions
Check out the types of ways you can get involved below. The time commitment for most volunteers averages 3 to 4 hours each month, with some months being more, others less. (Volunteering is only available to current SCBWI members.)
MARKETING TEAM
Chapter News Reporter – posts news from Austin SCBWI members on the chapter’s website.
Chapter Event Reporter – attends Austin SCBWI’s monthly meetings and selected events, then posts a brief report on the chapter website.
Discord Admin – update events on Discord, manage information distribution, manage channels and moderation duties.
Graphics Designer – creates graphics for chapter use, including conference materials, social media posts, sliders that appear on the chapter website and other designs as needed.
Newsletter Editor – builds the monthly e-newsletter based on a template, providing news about upcoming events and learning opportunities, for distribution the week before each monthly meeting.
CRITIQUE/COWORKING GROUPS
Critique Group Moderators – schedules and attends meetings for their critique group, facilitates time keeping, organization, etc., while offering support and encouragement to critique group attendees.
Volunteer Coordinator – maintains volunteer roster, assists with recruitment for ongoing volunteer vacancies, schedules volunteers for events and communicates with volunteers about event discounts.
Sketch Night Support Host – provides support to Illustrator Coordinator (IC) on Sketch Night by hosting it when IC is unable to attend or arriving late.
PAL SUPPORT
PAL Coordinators – helps to coordinate opportunities for PAL members, including events like the Texas Book Festival and TLA convention, as well as connecting with librarians, booksellers, and other PAL members. SCBWI HQ has a listserv where PAL Coordinators around the world can connect and share ideas.
Library Outreach – creates newsletter for librarians to share news and information from PAL members.
ONGOING SUPPORT
Equity and Inclusion Committee – fosters and builds a warm, welcoming chapter where all children's book creators can feel safe, included, and equal. We are dedicated to increasing access and support for writers and illustrators from groups that have been historically marginalized and underrepresented in children's literature, promoting education for members around issues of diversity and inclusion as it relates to publishing, and planning events and gatherings that nurture a diverse community.
Social Coordinator – organizes opportunities for members to network and socialize on a quarterly basis.
Scholarship Coordinator – collects applications for scholarships awarded by Austin SCBWI, checks formatting and eligibility before forwarding to appropriate selection committee.
CONFERENCE/PROGRAMMING SUPPORT
Programming Advisor – help identify speakers, topics, and more for our events throughout the year, including our annual conference, monthly meetings, and additional workshops and retreats that we might create.
Conference Critique Coordinator – collects conference critiques, checks for formatting, forwards files to critiquers, creates schedule for face-to-face meetings at the conference.
Conference Silent Auction Coordinator – works with a committee to gather auction donations from members and businesses and coordinates the auction at the annual conference.
CLS Writing Mentor Award mentor – mentors winner of CLS writing mentor award for one year
Illustrator Emerging Voice Award mentor – mentors winner of Illustrator Emerging Voice award for one year.