National Youth Leadership Council - WordPress.com

0 downloads 241 Views 181KB Size Report
Mar 30, 2016 - Learning Conference® and present various youth leadership ... attendance at all YAC conference calls and
National Youth Leadership Council Youth Advisory Council 2016-2018 Application Mission, Goals and Outcomes For more than 30 years, the National Youth Leadership Council has tapped into the passion, creativity, and ingenuity of all young people to make meaningful change happen. Our Youth Advisory Council is a team of servant-leaders dedicated to promoting youth leadership, servicelearning, and education equity. By providing valuable perspectives to inform NYLC programming, in particular Youth4Education – a youth-led campaign to advance education equity through service-learning – YAC members contribute to the success of NYLC in reaching our mission to create a more just, sustainable, and peaceful world with young people, their schools, and their communities through service-learning. In addition to campaign work, YAC also participate alongside NYLC staff at the National ServiceLearning Conference® and present various youth leadership workshops and trainings across the country. As a Youth Advisory Council member, YAC have an opportunity to use their talents and strengths to help NYLC develop young leaders through service-learning. Together, we are leading the way to address real world issues with all young people, inspiring them to Serve. Learn. Change the world.® YAC Mission Exemplify servant-leadership while advising NYLC programs through shared decision-making to transform communities and create positive social change in the world. (2016) YAC Goals •

YAC will have full, intentional partnership within the organization, opportunities for personal and professional development, and authentic voice in decision-making through activities related, but not limited, to the Youth4Education campaign, the National ServiceLearning Conference, and various NYLC trainings and workshops.



YAC will promote service-learning as an approach to teaching and learning in which students and young people use academic knowledge and skills to address genuine community needs.



YAC will be exceptional young leaders in the fields of service-learning and youth development.

YAC Outcomes •

YAC will build the capacity of the Youth4Education campaign to advance education equity through service-learning, as well as contribute to the creation of a youth-led, large-scale advocacy campaign model to promote youth leadership in social justice work.



YAC will provide trainings to their peers and/or adults on topics such as NYLC’s K-12 Service-Learning Standards for Quality Practice or youth solutions to the achievement gap in order to engage young people in policy advocacy and increase civic engagement.



YAC will form effective youth-adult partnerships with NYLC staff and external partners. YAC will cultivate these partnerships and integrate adult perspectives into their work.



YAC will be active members in the Generator School Network through participation in activities including, but not limited to, creating and offering professional development opportunities for Youth4Education participants, providing peer reviews on servicelearning projects, and leading discussions about youth voice and education equity.

Additionally, YAC members will: • Understand the functions of a non-profit and its organizational structures; • Learn from experienced staff to build personal, social-emotional, leadership, and professional skills; • Increase the ability to think critically and strategically; and • Build a resume in unique and powerful ways.

Qualifications and Timeline Qualifications of a Youth Advisory Council member •

Have an understanding of the National Youth Leadership Council



Be committed to education equity work and one or more of the following: o o o o o o

Youth voice and leadership Social change Service Civic education and action Public policy Social media engagement



Have experience in leading or participating in a service or service-learning project



Have an interest in public speaking (e.g., facilitating a workshop or training, emceeing, making a speech in front of an audience, etc.)



Be able to serve up to two years consecutively



Must be enrolled as an incoming high school freshman starting Fall 2016 up through a college/university freshman, at the time of application

YAC Recruitment Process • • • • •



March 30, 2016: Applications open for 2016-2018 YAC cohort May 1, 2016: Applications close for 2016-2018 YAC cohort May 8 - 14, 2016: Interviews (invitation only) May/June 2016: Selection, announcement, and orientation for YAC members July 2016: Begin term of service at NYLC as the 2016-2018 YAC cohort

2

Policies and Expectations YAC General Code of Conduct • • • • •

Respect for self and others. Be open to diverse opinions and differing viewpoints. Challenge yourself and your fellow advisory council members. Speak your truth; experience discomfort; expect and accept non-closure. Participate wholeheartedly. Be on time; be fully present; listen generously; stay engaged. Maintain positive relationships. Friendships are encouraged, no sexual or romantic contact will be allowed. Any additional expectations as determined by the NYLC Youth Policies Manual.

YAC Policies and Procedures •

Participate in all YAC commitments listed in this application and ongoing, as determined by YAC and NYLC needs. Participation may be by phone or in person. This also includes attendance at all YAC conference calls and any designated committee meetings, as set by the committee on which you serve.



If you are not able to participate in a YAC commitment including conference calls and meetings, you must contact NYLC staff as soon as possible and before the commitment occurs. You may be asked to complete some assigned tasks due to an absence.



Any YAC member who misses 2 full YAC commitments within a 12-month period will be asked to reconsider their participation as a YAC member. This will involve a conversation with NYLC staff.



Any YAC member who misses 3 unexcused full YAC commitments within a 12-month period will be asked to resign from the YAC. There will be no exceptions.

YAC Committee Expectations All YAC members will serve on at least one committee focused on the Youth4Education campaign. Committees will determine meeting frequency at the National Youth Leadership Training. Committee attendance protocol will be determined by each committee as well, at that time. YAC Service-Learning Expectations All YAC members will learn about and promote service-learning including NYLC's K-12 ServiceLearning Standards for Quality Practice as a strategy to impact learning outcomes for young people and contribute to increased civic engagement for all community members. This will be demonstrated through, but not limited to, the Youth4Education campaign. YAC Mid-Year Evaluation All YAC members will complete a mid-year evaluation to assess their personal progress and identify areas of successes and challenges. More information about the mid-year evaluation and how it will be used will be discussed during the YAC Fall Retreat.



3

YAC Events All members of the YAC are committed in their participation to the events listed below from Summer 2016– Spring 2018. • • •





YAC Conference Calls (monthly) YAC Youth4Education Committee Meetings (TBD by committee) 2016 o National Youth Leadership Training o YAC Summer Retreat (Minnesota) o YAC Fall Retreat (Minnesota) 2017 o National Service-Learning Conference o YAC Summer Retreat (location TBD) o YAC Fall Retreat (Minnesota) 2018 o National Service-Learning Conference o 2016-2018 YAC Closing Ceremony

July 2016–August 2018 July 2016–August 2018

July 2016 July 2016 October/November 2016 March/April 2017 Summer 2017 October/November 2017 March/April 2018 March/April 2018

YAC Meetings YAC members meet at least once per month, for a minimum of one hour, via conference phone call or through NYLC’s online webinar platform. All members will be required to participate in these monthly meetings by phone or by computer. Scheduling meetings will be done on the Doodle platform to determine meeting dates and times. Please note: the time commitment for a YAC member can vary from 8-10 hours/month up to 25 hours/event for participation at retreats, the National Youth Leadership Training, and the National Service-Learning Conference.



4

Application for Participation I. Personal Information Please type or print neatly. Name (first, middle, last): Current Address:

City:

State:

Zip Code:

)

Cell phone: (

Email Address: Home phone: (

)

School: Grade/Year:

Age:

Gender: The following questions about race and ethnicity are voluntary and confidential. We collect this information for the sole purpose of maintaining equal opportunity for all applicants. Race (select all that apply):

¨ ¨ ¨ ¨

American Indian or Alaska Native Asian Black or African American Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander ¨ White ¨ Other (please specify):

What’s the best way to contact you? ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨

Cell phone Home phone E-mail Other (please explain):

Ethnicity: ¨ Hispanic origin ¨ Not of Hispanic origin ¨ Other (please specify):

For conference calls, do you have access to a (select all that apply): ¨ Phone ¨ Computer with internet ¨ Webcam

How did you hear about this opportunity to serve as a 2016-2018 YAC member for NYLC? o I have participated in the following NYLC event(s) or program(s) (check all that apply):

¨ National Service-Learning Conference ¨ National Youth Leadership Training ¨ Project Ignition ¨ NYLC Board of Directors



¨ Youth4Education Campaign ¨ Other – please specify (e.g. NYLC comes to my school to visit with classrooms and teacher):

5

o I have not participated in any NYLC event(s) or program(s) but I heard about this opportunity from (check all that apply):

¨ Friend/peer ¨ Adult ¨ Social media or other networking

¨ NYLC website ¨ Other (please specify):

sites/services Parent/Guardian Information Parent/Guardian(s) Name(s): Parent/Guardian Work Phone(s): ( Cell phone(s): (

)

)

Parent/Guardian(s) E-mail(s): II. Resume Please attach your most updated resume with this application detailing your volunteer, work, and educational experiences thus far. III. Essay ESSAY QUESTIONS Limit your response to a max of 150 words per question. Please attach on a separate piece of paper your responses. 1. Why are you interested in being a part of the NYLC Youth Advisory Council? 2. If you are selected, what are some of your personal goals for your participation as a YAC member? Be as specific and detailed as possible. 3. Tell us about an education issue you are passionate about. Why is this issue important to you? Include any examples of actions you have taken to address this education issue and contribute to education equity. 4. Select an area of interest (up to two): o o o

Youth voice and leadership Social change Service

o o o

Social media engagement Civic education and action Public policy

5. Thinking about the two areas of interest you selected above, what skills, experience, abilities, or personal qualities do you have in those areas that will benefit the YAC? 6. What efforts would you take to share YAC and NYLC updates/information with your school and community? 7. What do you expect to learn from NYLC and how will you apply it to what you are doing/will do in your community? 8. Is there anything else we should know about you or your interest in being a YAC member?



6

IV. Letters of Recommendation Please submit two letters of recommendation from individuals who know you well and can describe your skills, accomplishments and personality. We appreciate letters that: • • • •

Reveal things about you that grades and test scores, even resumes, can’t. Provide personal opinions of your character. Give compelling examples of your leadership. Show who is willing to speak on your behalf.

Please instruct your recommenders to email a completed letter to [email protected] with the subject line, RE: 2016-18 YAC application, or they can mail it to the address provided at the end of this application. All letters of recommendation must be received by Sunday, May 1, 2016 at 11:59 p.m. Do not include your letters of recommendation with this application. V. Commitment Please respond to the following questions to indicate your interest in and commitment to NYLC. Are you able to commit to two years as a Youth Advisory Council member? YES o

NO o

Will you be able to respond to and follow through with the Doodle requests to meet monthly via conference calls and remain flexible to meeting times that will fit the needs of the group and YAC committees? YES o

NO o

Please check the following boxes stating your agreement and availability.

¨ I can attend the National Youth Leadership Training in July/August 2016 and 2017, TBD ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨

in MN. I can attend the YAC Fall Retreat in October/November 2016 and 2017, TBD in MN. I can attend the National Service-Learning Conference in March/April 2017 and 2018, TBD location. I am available to attend the YAC Summer Retreat in July/August 2016 and 2017, TBD in MN or another location. I understand that I may have to fundraise to attend some or all of the events above when asked and would be committed to doing so.

CANDIDATE INTERVIEWS If invited, I am available to interview for a YAC member position the week of May 8-14, 2016. YES o



NO o

7

VI. Signatures SIGNATURE OF 2016-2018 NYLC YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL APPLICANT I have read and understand the information in this application and will honor the responsibilities of a YAC member upon my selection to serve on the 2016-2018 NYLC Youth Advisory Council. I understand that if selected and unwilling to fulfill my responsibilities as a YAC member, NYLC will have the right to ask me to step down. To that effect, my application is completed to the best of my abilities in full disclosure. I understand the failure to complete my application will result in being disqualified for consideration. Applicant name (please print): Applicant signature: Date: PARENT/GUARDIAN PERMISSION (if applicant is under 18 years of age): I agree to allow to participate in NYLC’s Youth Advisory Council if s/he is selected to serve as a two-year consecutive term member. Parent/Guardian name (please print): Parent/Guardian signature:

Date:

Application Checklist Make sure you have completed the following in order to submit your application. • • • • •

Resume Essay Questions Completed Application Applicant Signature Parent/Guardian Signature

Please instruct your recommenders to submit their letters by the deadline date. If you have any questions about the application, please call (651) 999-7378 or email [email protected]. Mail your completed application by Sunday, May 1 2016 at 11:59 p.m. to: National Youth Leadership Council RE: 2016-18 YAC Application 1667 Snelling Avenue North Suite D300 Saint Paul, MN 55108 If you would prefer to email your completed application, please email [email protected] with the subject line, RE: 2016-18 YAC application.



8