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Fall 2022 Midwest Young Advocates Program

Young Invincibles (YI) is now accepting applications for the Fall 2022 Virtual Young Advocates program (YAP). It is a unique, paid leadership development program that trains young adults ages 18-34 on ways to address systemic inequities. 

Advocates will work closely with our YI Midwest team to engage their communities around advocacy initiatives and policy issues. Participants will work individually and in small teams to create and implement strategies to increase knowledge about higher education and healthcare policies, and equitable jobs for young adults. Advocates will also receive training and hands-on experience in a variety of advocacy tools and connect with local partners and campaigns working on the issues they care about. 

This is a great opportunity to develop skills and experience in the core functions of advocacy and public policy work. We are seeking applicants who have a passion for YI’s mission and who are interested in building power among young adults to effect positive change. 

If you are interested in becoming more civically engaged, we invite you to apply here: https://forms.gle/HKjE6wrchexbAtWV9. The application deadline is Wednesday, August 17, 2022 at 11:59 pmCT.

Program Overview 

The program will run virtually and Advocates will meet via Zoom on alternating Wednesdays from 6pm-7:30pm and every Friday from 12pm-3pm. The 12-week program will begin on Friday, September 16th and end on Friday, December 2nd. Advocates are expected to work 8 hours per week, 4.5 of which will be designated for professional development on Wednesdays and group training on Fridays, and the remainder for completing related projects the rest of the week. 

At the weekly meetings, Advocates will receive training on community organizing, policy advocacy, strategic communications skills, as well as the history of our key issue areas. In addition, each participant will be asked to 1) conduct policy research; 2) conduct surveys and/or focus groups and quantify results; 3) participate voter education events;  4) advocate for institution-level policy changes; and 5) produce an individual or team digital product such as a blog post, graphic quote, or video. These activities will be completed outside the weekly training hours.

Compensation

Advocates will be paid a rate of $15.00 per hour for training and work on projects over the course of the program, with a maximum of 10 hours per week. 

Qualifications

  • Must show willingness and ability to work independently and as a member of a team
  • Must have the ability to work in a professional environment and show maturity in the workplace
  • Must be aligned with YI’s vision and values
  • Must be creative, have initiative, and able to work in a fast-paced environment
  • As our program is currently virtual, access to a laptop and WiFi will be necessary to participate. If you anticipate having an issue with this, please email Troy at troy.alim@younginvincibles.org
  • Must be between 18-34 on the first day of program (September 16, 2022)
  • Must reside in Illinois full-time during the duration of the program
  • A college degree or current college enrollment are NOT required.
  • Applicants of historically marginalized and minoritized communities are strongly encouraged to apply. 

Application

Apply to YAP here. The deadline to apply is Wednesday, August 17, 2022  at 11:59 pm CT.

Do you have any questions or concerns? Contact Troy Alim at troy.alim@younginvincibles.org. 

YAP IL

 

About Young Invincibles

Young Invincibles is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization working to engage young adults ages 18 to 34 in the political process and expand economic opportunity for our generation. Founded by and for young adults in the summer of 2009 during the debate over health care reform, YI has quickly grown into a leading voice for young people on the broader spectrum of economic justice, with a focus in the issue areas of health care, higher education, and economic security. 

Young Invincibles is an equal employment opportunity employer and strongly encourages diverse candidates to apply. YI does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious creed, sex (including pregnancy), gender, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, medical condition including genetic characteristics, mental or physical disability, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, (including transgender status), weight, height, linguistic characteristics (such as accent and limited English proficiency, where not substantially job-related), citizenship status, or any other basis prohibited by law.