Dear Youth Leader,
On behalf of NACAC, I would like to invite you to apply for an exciting opportunity in foster care and adoption advocacy. This year, as part of its Community Champions Network (CCN) program, NACAC will again be establishing a Youth Advisory Team to identify and support experienced young adult leaders and connect them to opportunities to use their knowledge and expertise across the US and Canada. NACAC will train members of the Youth Advisory Team and will seek to identify opportunities for youth input (through materials review and consultation, training, and other means) for organizations that work in the foster care and adoption community.
To be a member of NACAC’s Youth Advisory Team, you must have lived experience with kinship care, foster care, or adoption, and:
· Attend designated teleconferences, webinars, and in-person training. Members cannot miss more than 20% of the activities and must communicate with CCN’s youth engagement coordinator when they are unable to participate in a call or event.
· Help revise training content and training material for the annual youth leadership training and annual youth leadership training.
· Provide advice, input, and feedback to plan youth programs, contribute to the CCN Youth Empowerment Team Facebook presence, and participate in other programs and initiatives as needed.
· Work to address systems of oppression and inequality for marginalized populations represented in the foster care and adoption system. This standard applies to both technical assistance work performed for NACAC as well as how team members conduct themselves in publicly visible forums, such as on social media.
· Ensure work conducted as part of the Youth Advisory Team reflects the values outlined NACAC’s position statements, mission, and vision.
The term of membership will be one year from April 2019 to March 2020.
NACAC will cover transportation and lodging for any in-person training or other events and will provide stipends to team members who lead or contribute to individual projects. The amount of compensation will depend on the type and intensity of team member involvement.
Eligibility:
Members of the Youth Advisory Team must be between 18 and 30 and have experienced the foster care system, kinship care, or adoption. They must also:
· Be reliable and consistent in their communications with the youth engagement coordinator
· Have access to a computer with internet
· Have a current government issued ID (passport preferred)
· Live in the US or Canada
· Be in good standing with NACAC
· Adhere to all NACAC policies, procedures, and the Youth Advisory Team Agreements
· Commit to at least 1 year of service
Applicants must also have experience in advocacy and community leadership. Leaders are encouraged to highlight their skills in regards to written and oral communication, reliability, and initiative. NACAC is committed to creating a team that demonstrates the full range of diversity present in the foster care and adoption community and will not discriminate against applicants on the basis of gender, race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disabilities.
Deadline
Applications must be submitted by March 8, 2019. NACAC will review applications and notify individuals on the status of their application by late March. If selected to be a member of the Youth Advisory Team, leaders must commit to starting their participation on April 5, 2019.
This opportunity is made possible with the support of Jockey International’s Jockey Being Family® initiative.
For more information, please contact:
Mercedes Zahler
Youth Engagement Coordinator
651-644-3036 (extension 12)