Apply to be a Youth Organizing Fellow

Youth Organizing Fellowship
September 2023 – August 2024

Apply by June 12, 2023 for Americans United’s 2023-2024 Youth Organizing Fellowship—a paid opportunity to grow as a leader, build power with a national cohort of youth organizers, and advocate for the separation of church and state and inclusive religious freedom, including the issues that depend on them like abortion access, LGBTQ+ rights, strong public schools and a functioning democracy.

RSVP for an Info Session for Applicants on Tue, May 23. You’ll get to hear from AU staff and current Fellows about what to expect in the program and application process, and have the opportunity to ask questions. A recording will be provided after if you are unable to attend.

Overview
Americans United is recruiting for our fourth class of Youth Organizing Fellows who will learn and work with AU and a cohort of their peers from September 2023 through August 2024.

This Fellowship is right for you if you are already an activist in your community and want to dive deeper into advocacy for separation of church and state. You should bring some knowledge and experience but also be excited to learn more. AU’s Youth Organizing Fellows come from diverse backgrounds, share our values of freedom without favor and equality without exception, and have a wide range of experience with advocacy and organizing. Click here and scroll down to learn more about our current and past fellows.

Fellows must be able to commit 5-10 hours per month to organizing with Americans United and be excited to work in collaboration with youth activists from across the country to engage their peers and wider community. Fellows will have ample opportunities for professional development, receive a $1,500 stipend, and gain access to support and resources to organize in your community. Fellows must be able to attend a convening in DC and commit to the full year-long program (details below), including reliable access to the internet and video, such as a smartphone or computer.

The fellowship will kick off with virtual meetings and orientation work to get to know AU and each other in September before meeting in person for a weekend in Washington, DC, in October. During this intensive convening, Fellows will learn key information and advocacy skills and begin planning for the coming year. Fellows will continue to meet twice per month by video, as a group and one-on-one with the program manager, for ongoing training and support.

Skills you can expect to gain or strengthen during the Fellowship:
Deep understanding of the separation of church and state and inclusive religious freedom
Advocacy and organizing skills
Collaboration with people of different faith traditions and none
Effective communication and public speaking

Fellows are expected to use the information, skills, and resources they gain to raise awareness and educate their communities about the importance of church-state separation, and activate members of their communities to take action. Fellows will be asked to do the following over the course of the Fellowship:
Meet 1:1 with members of your community
Write public communications (such as blog posts, social media content, or letters to the editor)
Organize at least two events or activities in your community (such as tabling, a webinar, meeting with an elected official, etc.)

During the Fellowship, you’ll get to build a plan for what your advocacy will look like in partnership with AU staff and other Fellows. Some examples of what past Fellows have worked on include writing about topics such as fighting Christian nationalism, birth control access, and Supreme Court decisions; tabling in their communities; hosting events on topics such as religious freedom in the criminal system and LGBTQ+ rights; lobbying their elected officials; and more.

People of color, LGBTQ+ people, religious minorities, low-income people, and others who are directly impacted by and from communities disproportionately impacted by discrimination in the name of religious privilege are especially encouraged to apply.

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