Cross posted from Future Majority.
Looking to get involved in progressive youth organizing?
I got a lot of emails from folks looking for job candidates, pimping conferences, and scouring or interns. It seemed to make sense for me to put out a call and compile as much as I could into on place. So here's a fairly comprehensive listing of all the jobs, internships, and conferences that can help you do it.
I hope folks find this valuable. Also, I'm pretty appalled that there is no central repository for stuff like this. There are places to go, sure - NOI's job boards, Idealist.org, Democratic GAIN, etc. but all of those seem somewhat incomplete and are hard to navigate. Building a real "youth movement job board" isn't at all a bad idea and it could probably be done super cheap if it was all done wiki style.
JOBS
Campus Progress - Deputy Director
Campus Progress has an immediate opening for a Deputy Director. The Deputy Director will manage a variety of Campus Progress operations, including issue campaigns, events, publications, and grassroots organizing. Full description at here.
To apply, simply e-mail your resume and cover letter attachments to: jobs [at] americanprogress [dot] org.
National Stonewall Democrats Director of Chapter and National Development
POSITION SUMMARY
The NSD Director of Chapter and National Development is responsible for providing the leadership, strategic direction, management and coordination for all National Stonewall Democrats fundraising efforts. A primary component of this position is to assist in the fundraising efforts of local chapters. The Director of Chapter and National Development will create fundraising strategies that increase the organization’s support from individuals, corporations, labor unions, PACs, and chapters, as well as increase resources provided to chapters. The Director of Chapter and National Development plays a key role in identifying, cultivating, and soliciting mid-level and major donors for annual gifts. This is a director level position.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Plan, administer, and implement all fundraising activities of National Stonewall Democrats in consultation with the Executive Director;
- Utilize the expertise of the Board of Directors and the Fundraising Committee to execute a comprehensive fundraising plan;
- Manage annual membership growth and maintenance;
- Maintain a proactive, creative leadership role in the identification, cultivation, and solicitation of individual, corporate, PAC, and chapter contributions;
- Cultivate and directly solicit key donors working with the Executive Director and Board of Directors when appropriate;
- Develop an annual fundraising plan in collaboration with the Executive Director for presentation to the Board of Directors;
- Oversee the development and expansion of a high-dollar sustainer program;
- Prepare and/or oversee all direct mail letters, case statements, grants, brochures, and sponsorship proposals required to support fundraising efforts;
- Plan donor receptions and events, utilizing the Board of Directors when appropriate;
- Provide detailed reports about fundraising progress to the Executive Director on a regular basis and the Board of Directors when appropriate;
- Ensure all donors are appropriately thanked and receive regular communications by making donor stewardship a priority throughout NSD;
- Develop and maintain a close working relationships with the philanthropic community, individual and corporate donors, sponsors, board members, PACs, and volunteers;
- Serve as a member of NSD’s senior management team;
QUALIFICATIONS
- At least five years of proven experience managing complex fundraising programs;
- Extensive experience fundraising political money;
- Familiarity with FEC reporting procedures;
- Proven track record of raising million dollar budgets;
- Familiarity and experience with all parts of a campaign;
- Demonstrated experience in managing people and budgets;
- Ability to work in a hands-on environment with limited resources;
- Computer literacy;
- Knowledge of multiple fundraising programs;
- Ability to effectively gain the respect and support of various constituencies, including board and staff members, donors, chapter leaders, politicians, and civic leaders;
- History of successfully identifying, cultivating, and soliciting major gifts;
- A record of measurable results in organizing and implementing such activities as: major gifts, annual gifts, grant writing, corporate and PAC giving, direct mail, and special events;
- Bachelor’s degree;
- Committed and enthusiastic about NSD’s mission;
- Highly entrepreneurial, resourceful, and flexible;
- A strategist who is adept at planning, prioritizing, multi-tasking, organizing, and following through while remaining highly energetic and focused;
League of Young Voters
The League of Young Voters/League of Young Voters Education Fund are hiring for three positions:
Executive Director
Field Director
National Operations Associate
About the League of Young Voters and League of Young Voters Education Fund:
The League of Young Voters Education Fund and the League of Young Voters are national organizations that support young people to build power to create solutions in their own communities. Our integrated youth civic engagement model combines best practices from electoral, community, campus and cultural organizing with sophisticated voter engagement techniques. We engage young people who have been shut out of the political process, train them to be sophisticated organizers on their own issues, and build multi-racial, multi-issue alliances. We believe that our permanent campaign approach (year round, long-term, locally-driven) is key to building the trust, skills and power necessary to not only increase young voter turnout in the short term, but to leverage long term change and form a generation of engaged and active young leaders.
The League of Young Voters Education Fund (LYVEF) is a non-profit, 501(c)3 non-profit organization engaging young people under 35 in the democratic process through voter education, trainings, leadership development, and by providing support to existing youth, cultural and student organizations to include voter organizing in their work. For more information: www.youngvoter.org
The League of Young Voters (LYV) is a political, 501(c)4 advocacy organization for young people under 35 to build a progressive governing majority in our lifetime. We develop leaders and build political power to create public policies which reflect our core values: family, community, inclusion, freedom, equality, sustainable jobs and peace. We lobby at the local, state and national level to hold elected officials accountable to our agenda. For more information: www.TheLeague.com
LYVEF/LYV have national staff working in Brooklyn and San Francisco and offices in Brooklyn, NY; San Francisco, CA; Milwaukee, WI; Pittsburgh, PA; Albuquerque, NM; Portland, ME. Location of the ED is flexible. Efficacy with virtual office is necessary.
HeadCount - Director of Digital Media Strategy, Editorial Director, Non-Profit Consultant, Voter Registration Consultant, Outreach Director
The core belief behind HeadCount is that the live music community is a large, vibrant audience that has the potential to be politically influential if properly represented at the polls. HeadCount uses the assets of the music industry and the incredible influence artists have over their fans to mobilize this audience into action.
Stretching beyond just registering voters, HeadCount also aims to become "the community organizing arm of the live music scene," giving every socially conscious music fan an avenue toward activism.
If you think you can help HeadCount, we would love to hear from you. We have openings in the following positions, and are always happy to hear how you otherwise might help us by emailing: HR [at] headCount [dot] org.
More details here.
New Voters Project - Project Lead Organizer, Project Campus Organizer
Something big is happening in our democracy - young people are voting. Already in this year’s Presidential primary contests, young voters have been turning out in record numbers. Youth voter turnout more than tripled in the Iowa caucuses, and increased by 25 percent in New Hampshire, with 53,000 more 18-29 year olds voting than did in 2004. These historic increases echo the surge in youth voter turnout in the last three election cycles.
2008 could be a big year for the youth vote and the Student PIRGs are working hard to make sure that it is. Young voters (18-31 year olds) now make up nearly one-quarter of the electorate and as such we have the potential to make the politicians pay attention to us. And we have the potential to make big impacts on issues like global warming, college affordability, health care and financial security.
If you’re tired of just talking about change and you want to make a difference, apply for a position with the Student PIRGs to get out the youth vote in 2008.
New Voters Project Lead Organizer
New Voters Project Lead Organizers are responsible for working with 15-30 colleges in several states to coordinate voter registration and get-out-the-vote efforts. More
New Voters Project Campus Organizer
Campus Organizers are responsible for running a non-partisan voter registration and voter turnout campaign in a campus community. More
Forward Montana - Regional Director
Forward Montana (FMT), a political organization representing the voice of young progressives based in Missoula, Montana, seeks an energetic Gallatin County Director to manage and grow the organization in its expansion to Gallatin County. The Gallatin County Director will oversee program work in Gallatin County, working closely with volunteer leaders in the area and with the headquarters in Missoula. More details here.
Roosevelt Institution - Communications Director
The Roosevelt Institution (www.rooseveltinstitution.org) is seeking a talented young person to serve as our first full-time communications director. The communications director will be charged with amplifying the voices of our students through internal and external channels, including our website and blog, earned media, and oped and commentary placements. The director will also oversee our senior fellows program as well as outreach campaigns around conferences and special events. He or she will be charged with creating, coordinating and executing all of our public relations strategies and building relationships with other media outlets, journalists and writers. Applicants should be technologically savvy, experienced with new media and online communications, and engaged in progressive politics. The position is one of significant independence and responsibility in a small but rapidly growing nonprofit. Compensation commensurate with experience. Email Nate Loewentheil, executive director, at nate [dot] loewentheil [at] rooseveltinstitution [dot] org with your resume. Work experience preferred but not required.
FELLOWSHIPS
Center for Progressive Leadership - New Leaders Fellow
CPL’s New Leaders Fellowship identifies and recruits talented, diverse youth and links them to paid positions at leading progressive organizations in their state. CPL also provides intensive leadership and skills training, as well as mentorship and networking opportunities over the course of the 6-month Fellowship.
The New Leaders Fellowship provides progressive organizations with talented, diverse staff and gives young leaders the training, support and opportunities to jump-start lifelong careers in the progressive movement.
The 2008 Fellowship will run from June to November of 2008. Unlike the New Leaders Internship, the Fellowship is a 6-month program for young people who are no longer in school or are young professionals and includes a smaller, more selective group of Fellows that are located across the country.
We will have openings for New Leaders Fellows in the following states:
- Colorado
- Michigan
- Ohio
- Washington D.C.
If you live or are interested in a full-time position at a progressive organization in one of these locations, apply today to become a CPL New Leader Fellow.
INTERNSHIPS
- Young People For is always looking for interns. Apply here.
- The Stonewall Democrats are looking for Organzing, Development and Communications Interns. Details Here.
- Center for Progressive Leadership Internship Program.
For college students and other young leaders CPL's New Leaders Internship Program is a 10-week paid internship program in Washington, DC. The internship will take place from June 6 – August 15, 2008. Apply Here.
- SAVE - Student Association for Voter Empowerment
In less than a year, we have established over 20 college chapters, held numerous press conferences, hosted town hall forums with presidential candidates, directed higher ed-meetings on civic education, established a board of directors including many of our nation's top lawmakers, and formed partnerships with The League of Conservation Voters Education Fund, Earth Day Network, Common Cause, and Mobilize.org. With an office in Washington, DC, as a SAVE intern you will be organizing events, meeting with politicians, communicating online strategies, writing policy proposals, building chapters and establishing new SAVE programs. All work is substantive and we are looking for smart, driven, passionate students with strong personalities and even stronger writing skills.
Please send your resume and cover letter to Matthew [dot] Segal [at] savevoting [dot] org
- Mobilize.org has a number of opportunities in both Berkley and DC:
Mobilize.org is an all-partisan network dedicated to educating, empowering, and energizing young people to increase civic engagement and political participation. We work to show young people how public policy impacts our lives, and conversely the profound impact we can have on public policy. Our programs and projects are reflective of that belief. For more information on Mobilize.org, and our programs, please visit www.mobilize.org.
In DC:
Democracy 2.0 Entrepreneur Outreach Coordinator:
The Democracy 2.0 Entrepreneuer is a program merging TV's The Apprentice and the traditional foundation grant-writing processes with an added twist:
The people applying will not be non-profit organizations, but teams of Millennial Generation members who after meeting over the weekend will have a but a few hours to create a proposal and ³pitch² to a ³board² of industry experts their proposals to tackle their generation¹s, and this election¹s, biggest issues, ranging from the environment to deficit spending.
Interns will be responsible for helping recruit attendees, find locations to hold gatherings and work with the Mobilize.org staff to create materials and review proposals. For more information on this process, please read about the Party for the Presidency on the Mobilize.org website.
Qualifications:
- Comfortable and personable on the phone
- Outgoing and able to communicate well while spreading energy and passion
- Internet research experience (specifically with University websites)
- Basic computer and organization skills a must
- Good public speaking skills and a desire to improve them
- Must have great inter-personal skills and a passion for nonprofit, youth-based political work
Advocacy/Policy Coordinator and Youth Policy Action Center Liaison
Responsibilities:
- Research and monitor youth policy on the national level and in specified districts
- Assist the Executive Director and Policy Committee in choosing and researching legislation to advocate on behalf of
- Put together an advocacy campaign around the selected policy on both the national and local level
- Keep the Youth Policy Action Center up-to-date with current advocacy projects and policy research, this is found at www.youthpolicyactioncenter.org
- Maintain a bi-weekly Mobilize Intern blog
From Berkeley:
Press and Communications Interns
Press Liaison
- Would serve as a primary press contact
- Work with news outlets, magazines, and online publications to get coverage for Mobilize.org
- Work with the Mobilize Entrepreneur network to issue press releases, get updates on projects
Resident Blogger
- Keep content fresh on the Mobilize.org blog o Get our blog tagged and connecting it to other blogs
- Keeping a consistent response on the blog front to articles about the Millennial Generation
- Maintaining comments and adding comment to Facebook
Multimedia Projects Manager
- Work to develop multimedia elements, like graphics, presentations and video
- Work to expand Mobilize.org's media presence online
- Coordinate with the Communications Director on planning video projects, short and long term.
Number of Hours Per Week: 10-20
Duration of Internship: Beginning of Spring Semester 2008 through May 15, 2008.
Compensation: No monetary compensation, but opportunities to attend major events, meeting celebrities and elected officials. Great networking resource.
Contact Information: Please send a resume ATTN: Christina Gagnier, Communications Director, at christina [at] mobilize [dot] org. If you have additional questions, please do not hesitate to call us at (510) 717-3022.
- Common Cause is also looking for some interns.
Each semester and during the summer months, Common Cause offers internships to students from across the country. Working closely with staff and volunteers, interns do grassroots organizing, contribute research to policy papers and investigative studies, monitor congressional committee meetings, function as press office aides, help with eAdvocacy efforts, and assist our Development staff.
Through training and daily work experience, interns gain a broad understanding of the workings of Congress and the Executive Branch, and learn how a nonpartisan grassroots citizens' organization lobbies elected officials. Weekly briefings with Common Cause staff keep interns updated on the legislative status of Common Cause issues and the political strategy we are pursuing.
- The Roosevelt Institution will help you find a paid summer internship at a DC policy shop:
The Roosevelt Academy: Paid summer 2008 internships at policy organizations around Washington, DC. Check out www.rooseveltinstitution.org/academy for more information.
CONFERENCES AND EVENTS
Campus Progress and The Nation Magazine's West Coast Youth Journalism Conference
Saturday, January 26, 2008, 9:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
UCLA, Ackerman Student Union
Join your fellow young journalists to hear from great speakers, network with each other, and learn skills you need to succeed in journalism. Confirmed speakers include Naomi Klein, Katrina vanden Heuvel, David Halperin, Tom Hayden, Robert Scheer, and Abigail Goldman.
Please click here for more information and to register. For additional questions, please email publications [at] campusprogress [dot] org.
Super Tuesday and the Youth Vote at the Center for American Progress Action Fund
Tuesday, January 29, 10:00 am – 11:30 am
Center for American Progress Action Fund, 1333 H Street NW, Washington D.C.
Super Tuesday and the Youth Vote will discuss the rise of the youth vote, its potential impact on the 2008 elections, and its impact on policy outcomes in 2008 and beyond. The panel will feature Kat Barr, director of education at Rock the Vote; Karlo Barrios Marcelo, research associate at the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE); Latoia Jones, executive director of College Democrats of America; and Ethan Eilon, executive director of the College Republican National Committee. The panel will be moderated by Erica Williams, the Issue Campaigns Manager at Campus Progress Action.
Refreshments will be served. Sponsored by Campus Progress Action.
Please click here to RSVP. For more information, please email tbooker [at] americanprogressaction [dot] org.
Clinton Global Initiative University Inaugrual Conference
On March 14 – 16, 2008, President Clinton will host the inaugural meeting of CGI U at Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana. Hundreds of students, university officials, and global leaders will come together to make a difference within CGI U’s four main focus areas: energy and climate change, global health, human rights and peace, and poverty alleviation. This meeting is about action. Before leaving New Orleans, all attendees must make a commitment. No commitment is too small to make a difference, bring about change, or impact lives.
All applications are due by February 18, 2008. Applicants will be notified of their admission status via email on a rolling basis on or before February 25, 2008. If you would like to be considered for travel assistance, please submit your application by February 4, 2008. For questions, please contact us at cgiu.applicant [at] clintonglobalinitiative [dot] org.
Apply here
The Roosevelt Institution’s Democracy Week
Press Conference
National Press Club
Friday, February 1
1 pm to 2 pm
Panel Overview:
The discussion will focus on the role young people are playing in the 2008 election cycle, both as voters and activists, and the barriers to voting affecting young people and other historically disenfranchised communities.
Format:
Each panelist will address an audience of journalists, policymakers and students with 5 to 10 minutes of opening remarks, followed by a Q&A with those in attendance. The event will last one hour.
Panelists include:
- Professor Robert Pastor, Co-Director, Center for Democracy and Election Management, American University
- Caroline Frederickson, Legislative Director, ACLU
- *Julian Bond, Chairman, NAACP
*unconfirmed
Democracy Week
From January 29 to February 5, students at schools across the country will hold a series of events to draw attention to the unique role young people are playing in the 2008 election, and the obstacles that continue to hinder their participation. By promoting voting and broader political participation, the events will both inspire students to action and highlight the power that young people have to enact change through the electoral system. Democracy Week is part of the 2007-2008 Roosevelt Democracy Challenge.