Youth Council - Iowa Pride Network

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iowapridenetwork youth council

Deadline: Monday, May 24, 2010

Membership Expectations

Job Description:
Iowa Pride Network’s Youth Council is a diverse group of youth leaders from high schools all over Iowa. 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 creating 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 Iowa Pride Network. 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, conferences and other organizing projects.

Schedule:
The Youth Council meets once a month at the Regional GSA Coalition meetings. Meetings will take place at the coalition meeting location, which will be announced on Iowa Pride Network’s website and via email/list-serve. Typically, Youth Council members who are also involved in planning and/or implementing other trainings and conferences will meet during additional week days and weekends as well.

Objective:
As a member of the Youth Council your objective will be to:

Network with youth from throughout your region
Get peer and staff support and feedback on your ongoing campaign, action or event
Give input on Iowa Pride Network’s programs and organizing projects
Educate your peers with Iowa Pride Network’s Thinking Queerly Coalition Curriculum

In addition you have an opportunity to

Help plan and run a youth led conference or present workshops at local conferences
Plan and participate in Iowa Pride Network social activities
Discuss emerging trends in the LGBTQ and greater social justice movement
Provide occasional assistance to other GSAs

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 an 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. Each semester Youth Council members are expected to be working on an action, campaign, or event that furthers them towards reaching these goals.

Requirements & Expectations:

Make a one-year commitment to serve on the Youth Council
Prepare for and attend all monthly meetings of the your regional coalition
Agree that you will not miss more than three Regional GSA Coalition meetings in a year
Agree that you will not consecutively miss two of Iowa Pride Network’s conferences/events
Committed to creating change for LGBTQ youth and fighting homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia in schools
Develop and suggest ideas to strengthen Iowa Pride Network
Be a student in a public or private high school in Iowa
Represent your regional coalition as fully as possible
Identify needs of GSAs and LGBTQ youth and straight allies in schools and guide the direction of Iowa Pride Network activities and programs accordingly
Help plan and/or conduct workshops at Iowa Pride Network trainings and conferences
Help coordinate youth involvement in events such as Leadership Training, Western Iowa Organizing Summit, Annual GSA Conference, Iowa Gay-Straight Alliance Day and LGBT & Allied Student Day at the Capitol
Be a resource to new and/or struggling GSAs in your region
Attend and participate in all six Iowa Pride Network trainings/conferences