Deadline: April 6, 2020
Apply to join the National Council of Urban Indian Health Youth Council Class of 2020. Through a Native Connections cooperative agreement with SAMSHA, the National Council of Urban Indian Health’s (NCUIH) Supporting Urban Native Youth (SUNY) program proposes to build the capacity of urban communities to assist urban youth to live healthy lives through community support.
Through the development of a National Urban Indian Youth and Young Adult Advisory Council, NCUIH seeks to develop a community-driven comprehensive urban youth suicide and substance abuse response plan for urban Indian communities to provide prevention and recovery support to AI/AN young people under 24 years of age.
The NCUIH Youth Advisory Council will promote peer level awareness and support for youth and young adult AI/ANs living in urban areas. Youth Council members will promote awareness of substance misuse, trauma, suicide prevention, and mental health among peers on a local and national level.
Benefits
Youth Council members will receive training in the following areas:
- Training to improve awareness regarding positive mental health practice
- Promotion of suicide and substance misuse prevention
- Strengthening peer-support surveillance, motivational interviewing skills, and providing a space for cultural connections
- Creating campaigns for the peer-level prevention of suicide, substance abuse and mental health challenges
- Understanding the seven sacred teachings (love, courage, honesty, respect wisdom, truth, and humility) for sharing experiences and overcoming open communication barriers among peers
- Building leadership and professional development skills
- Building self-care and wellness skills
- Building advocacy-based policy skills
- Strengthening team-building skills
Youth Council members will also have the following opportunities and benefits:
- Sponsored travel, lodging and meals for attendance to a 3-day, in-person Youth Advisory Council Orientation on Wednesday, Thursday & Friday, June 17 – 19, 2020 in Washington DC
- Sponsored registration, travel, lodging, meals and attendance to NCUIH’s 2021 Annual Leadership Conference, Location TBD
- A modest stipend
Eligibility
- Open to American Indian/Alaska Native living in urban communities, off reservations between the ages of 18-24. Youth Council applicants must be 18 years of age by the application deadline
- Able to engage in a 12-month commitment with NCUIH beginning June 1, 2020, and ending May 31, 2021
- Youth Council members must have a desire and willingness to grow by serving as youth leaders representing urban communities
- Attend a 3-day, in-person Orientation on Wednesday, Thursday & Friday, June 17 – 19, 2020, in Washington DC (expenses paid by NCUIH)
- Attend NCUIH’s 2021 Annual Leadership Conference, Location TBD (expenses paid by NCUIH)
- Presence at monthly virtual check-in meetings between June 2020 – May 2021
- 1st Virtual Meeting – Wednesday, June 3, 2020, Time TBD
- Continued participation on work for Youth Council project assignments
- Accessibility via phone and e-mail
- Accessibility to virtual calls via computer or internet-capable phone
Application
- Complete the Youth Council Application
- Adult Reference option to include a 2nd Adult Reference
- Optional Peer Reference
For more information, see FAQ and visit National Council of Urban Indian Health.
