Deadline: May 26, 2023
Applications for the Youth Solutionists in Government Program 2023 are now open. The Youth Solutionists in Government Fellowship (YSGF) is a 4-month virtual program based in the United States for individuals between the ages of 15 and 25, with the goal of bridging the gap between youth and climate policymaking spaces.
Oftentimes, climate decision spaces do not include the visions and ideas of youth. The goal is to transform that by ensuring that youth are empowered to participate in environmental governance on a local, state, and/or federal level. They provide capacity-building sessions to educate fellows on how to engage the government through a unique 3-step framework.
Fellowship Tracks
- Build a Youth Climate Commission: The fellowship will train and assist fellows in creating Youth Climate Commissions in their local communities. OneUpAction International was able to create the first ever Youth Climate Commission in the nation (located in LA County) and they are going to show you how to accomplish the same.
- Create a Climate Platform: Participating in a fellowship can provide fellows with the necessary knowledge and tools to understand and address climate change issues in their local community. Fellows will learn how to develop a comprehensive climate platform that highlights the community’s struggles and suggests policies.
- Utilize the Citizen Ballot Initiative: They will train fellows on how to write their own climate policies and policy suggestions on a local, statewide, or national level through a citizen ballot initiative. A citizen ballot initiative informs climate policy by mobilizing community members to support a proposed policy addressing climate change through the instrument of signatures and ballots.
Benefits
- Expand your network of environmentalists and meet climate activists throughout the nation.
- Learn from experts in the climate field, including those who work in politics, advocacy, and community-organizing.
- Receive a certificate after a successful completion of the fellowship entitling you as a “Youth Solutionist in Government”.
- Receive internship credit if you are seeking it.
- Become connected with OneUpAction International’s Alumni Network.
Eligibility
- In order to be eligible for this fellowship, you must be between the ages of 15 to 25 years old as of April 2023.
- Additionally, you must be living in the United States of America. You do not need to be a citizen of the United States of America to apply. They require that all applicants must reside in the U.S. during the time of fellowship.
Application
They have designed a comprehensive fellowship program that offers participants invaluable training in each of the three tracks mentioned above during the first half of the fellowship period (June and July). In the second half of the fellowship period (August and September), the team of experienced mentors will provide guidance to fellows as they embark on developing their own unique project centered around one of the three tracks.
For more information, visit Youth Solutionists in Government.
