Youth Organizing Leadership Academy (YOLA)

Background:  
Maryland Communities United is a membership-based organization of low to moderate-income communities in Maryland. Our mission is to help low to moderate-income people achieve transformative change on issues of social, economic, racial and environmental justice. For more information about Maryland Communities United, visit our webpage at www.MarylandCU.org

Communities United also has the Youth Organizer Leadership Academy (YOLA) to train youth in the fundamentals of community organizing. The program will focus on leadership development and job readiness with an equity and justice lens. The inaugural YOLA training is aimed at passing the torch of community leadership, to our city's young people to equip them to pursue lives and even careers in community organizing.

Primary Objectives: 
Train youth leaders in community organizing
Teach youth leaders job readiness skills that will prepare them to enter the workforce
Establish relationships with other youth leaders and groups
Expand the base of Communities United to include underrepresented youth leaders 
Encourage and equip youth to address problems in their schools or communities through organizing
Expand the understanding of how local, state, and federal policy changes happen and the role of community members to advocate for those changes

Responsibilities: 
Represent YOLA, a program of Communities United, among peers, other youth organizations & electeds
Participate in weekly organizer training's held on Mondays from 4:30-7:00 pm starting February 10, 2020.
Participate in regularly scheduled training's and field trips
Plan and implement Major Projects..

Expectations:
Arrive at scheduled events ON TIME. The Instructor must adhere to this as well.
Treat other youth organizers and adult leaders with respect at all times.
Communicate effectively with fellow cohort members and adult leaders in a timely manner.
Participate in all training's/meetings to the fullest extent possible.
Complete off-site tasks when assigned.
Work as a team and support your peers.
Keep cell phones out of sight and on vibrate during training's/meetings unless otherwise instructed.

Termination Policy:
Physical Fighting
2 No Call No Shows
Missing 2 Sessions in a row without documented excuse
Insubordination
 

Compensation:
Participants in YOLA will be paid the current minimum wage of $11.00.

Supervision:
YOLA will be supervised by adult staff of Communities United, but we support self-determination and expect that program rules and governance will be developed by the cohort. The program will operate out of the Communities United office loacted at 2221 Maryland Ave, Baltimore MD, 21218. (THIS LOCATION IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE!!!)

This application is due on Tuesday, February 7, 2020!