Youth Council Application Gay-Straight Alliance Network Youth Council - Job Description Youth Council Description The GSA Network Youth Council is a diverse group of youth leaders from GSAs all over California. As a member of the Youth Council you will learn skills to become a stronger activist and work towards creating a safer climate at your school for LGBTQ youth and straight allies. You will get support around mounting a campaign, event planning or starting a GSA club on your campus. In addition Youth Council members are responsible for giving input and helping guide the programs of the GSA Network. Moreover, under the guidance and mentorship of a region-specific Program Coordinator, Youth Council members are also required to launch one of GSA Network’s campaigns on their campuses. These campaigns are: -Take It Back: A Manual for Fighting Slurs on Campus -Beyond the Binary: A Toolkit for Gender Identity Activism in Schools -The “Make It Real”AB537 campaign. -The SB 71 (CA Comprehensive Sexual Health and HIV/AIDS Prevention Act) campaign -Other campaigns the GSA thinks is necessary Finally, Youth Council members will represent the needs of GSAs and youth activists from their geographic region as well as plan events and lead peer to peer workshops, leadership trainings, advocacy trainings and activist camps. Schedule The Youth Council meets once a month, generally early afternoon, either on Saturdays or Sundays. Meetings will take place in each office of the GSA Network, in Northern, Central, and Southern California. Typically, Youth Council members who are also involved in planning and/or implementing other trainings and conferences will meet during additional weekend and weekdays as well. Goals As a member of the youth council you will have monthly opportunities to: 1 . Network with youth from throughout your region. 2 . Get peer and staff support and feedback on your ongoing campaign, action or event. 3 . Give input on GSA Networks programs, policies and curriculum development. In addition you may have an opportunity to: 1. Help plan and run a youth led conference or present workshops at local conferences. 2. Plan and participate in GSA Network social activities like Pride. 3. Discuss emerging trends in the LGBTQ and greater social justice movement. 4. Provide occasional technical assistance to other GSAs. Requirements 1. Willing to commit to serve on the Youth Council for one year. 2. Committed to creating change for LGBTQ youth and fighting homophobia and transphobia in schools. 3. Interested in developing and suggesting ideas to strengthen the GSA Network. 4. A commitment to launching at least one campaign on your campus during the 2007-2008 school year. 5. A student in a public or private middle or high school in California. Membership While it is not mandatory that you be a member of a GSA all youth council members are encouraged to be a part of an established or underground (not and official club on campus) GSA or be working to start one. Members can also be a member of a diversity/tolerance club working on LGBTQ issues. All Youth Council members must be committed to making change at their schools by making them more supportive and safer for LGBTQ students and working to defeat homophobia and transphobia with our support. Each semester Youth Council members are required to be working on an action, campaign, or event that furthers them towards reaching these goals. Each Youth Council member is expected to: 1. Make a one-year commitment to serve on the Youth Council. 2. Represent your region as fully as possible. 3. Prepare for and attend monthly meetings of the Youth Council. 4. Identify needs of GSAs and LGBTQ youth and straight allies in schools and guide the direction of the GSA Network activities, programs and curriculum accordingly. 5. Participate in at least one regional or statewide committee. 6. Help plan and/or conduct workshops at GSA Network trainings and conferences. 7. Help coordinate youth involvement in events such as Day of Silence or Queer Youth Advocacy Day. 8. Strategize, plan, coordinate, and launch at least one campaign during the 2007-2008 school year. 9 Be a resource to new and/or struggling GSAs in your region. Committees Youth Council Regional Committees 1. Conference Committee – This committee is comprised of Youth Council members working with the Conference Coordinator and Program Coordinator to plan and carry out the GSA Network conference local to that area. (Northern California & Central Valley only) 2. Social / Action Events Committee – This committee is comprised of Youth Council members that will plan social / action events for both the Youth Council and GSAs in their region (i.e. Pride, AIDS walk, year start BBQ, Night of Noise, GSA movie night, etc.) 3. Core Training Team – The Training Team is comprised of between 4 and 8 trainers that are interested in leading peer-to-peer trainings throughout the year, such as 2-hour workshops, one-day Leadership Trainings and our three-day activist camp. They will be given ongoing training to improve their own training skills and will receive a stipend for their time commitment. Youth Council Application *** NOTE: All Fields are required except the three about sexual orientation, gender, and race/ethnicity. I am in: Northern CA       Central CA       Southern CA First Name: Last Name: Address: City: State:    Zip: Email: Work phone, pager, or cell phone (optional): Home Phone: Do we need to be discreet/confidential when contacting you?   NO       YES Name of school you attend: Name of GSA or LGBTQ-related organization: Current Age: Year in School (for 2006-2007 year): GSA Network strives for diversity in all aspects of its programs. The following three questions are optional but very important to us: Gender: Sexual Orientation: Race/Ethnicity: Reference: Please provide contact info for a reference who know about your work with a GSA or LGBTQ youth group and/or who can attest to your abilities as a youth leader. It can be a peer, friend, teacher, or anyone else. Name: Relationship to you: Phone: Email: Open-Ended Questions: Please answer the following questions concisely and completely. 1. Please describe your involvement and experiences with the LGBTQ movement and any other movements or anti-oppression work you have been a part of. 2. Why are you interested in serving on the GSA Network Youth Council? What would you be able to contribute to the Youth Council? 3. What issues have you seen on your campus that you would be interested in addressing this school year (i.e. slurs & name calling, gender expression, unsupportive administration etc.)?l 4. In your opinion, what are the greatest challenges facing GSAs and youth fighting homophobia and transphobia in schools? 5. Share some ways that racism, classism, sexism, and other oppressions have affected you and your activism.       Applications can also be printed and faxed or mailed to: Gay-Straight Alliance Network For Northern California Youth Council: 1550 Bryant Street #800, San Francisco, CA 94103, fax: 415.552.4729 For Southern California Youth Council: 605 W. Olympic Blvd, Suite 610, Los Angeles, CA 90015, fax: 213.553.1833 For Central Valley Youth Council: 928 N. Van Ness Ave., Fresno, CA 93728, fax: 559.268.2786