community action team ⚡️
Our action team is all about youth-led social change. In this cohort, you’ll meet with a collective of young adults monthly to work on issues your cohort cares about the most.
APPLICATIONS ARE CLOSED FOR THE FALL 2024 - SPRING 2025 COHORT
Duration: September 2024 through July 2025
Logistics: Meeting 2x each month on the second and fourth Tuesday from 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm.
Location: 60% Virtual, 40% Hybrid/In-person. A cell phone or laptop will be needed to join meetings, send and receive emails/texts, and participate in virtual activities. The Next Up office is located in SE Portland)
Paperwork: Participants must attend 1 of 2 offered Paperwork sessions held on September 3rd (in person) and September 5th(virtual) to participate in the program.
Compensation: $126 a month, up to 6 hours a month. This is a temporary, part-time position.
First Meeting: Monday, September 23rd 5:30-8:30pm (Virtual)
Serving Oregons’ community, our year-round development cohorts meet monthly to ensure that every young person builds the community organizing skills and anti-racist social justice analysis they need to make change in their communities. We center Black, Indigenous, and youth of color because we can only authentically address the most pressing issues when engaging those that are most impacted by the problem. Community Action Team(CAT) is a collective of 18+ community members who have consistent meetings to work on issues they care about the most.
Our CAT meetings are how we have community members give input and get involved in Next Up’s systems change work so we can have youth always leading the way. CAT sets priorities on issues they want to organize and learn more about, so we work together to take on campaigns such as lowering the voting age to 16 or learning together more about issues such as decolonizing white supremacy culture, Black Liberation, intersectional feminism, and more. We want to empower folks to be the change in their communities and lead the way for us as we all fight for a better future. This will be the space for you to meet other passionate community members who share the same passion for justice and are dedicated to investing their time and energy for it.
Activities you will engage in
Attending CAT meetings once a month on the 4th Monday from 530-830pm
Contribute to the creation, implementation and facilitation of community action team lead events and other campaigns
Support organizing efforts around issues on the intersections of youth, racial, social and economic justice both locally and occasionally statewide
Support Next Up’s state legislative policy priorities by giving verbal and written testimony, traveling to the state capitol, and talking with legislators
Learning and deepening of our understanding of anti-oppression and anti-racism
As needed, civic engagement activities outside of meetings such as get out the vote efforts (phone banking, text banking, canvassing), voter registration, and endorsement committees
Expectations
Participation in 10 out of the 12 CAT meetings annually (if you’re going to miss CAT meetings, just make sure you communicate that with the Civic Action Organizer and they will understand!).
Be involved for at least 3 Next Up and/or YAT Events/Campaigns.
Quarterly check-ins with Civic Action Organizer to work on a personal plan for your leadership development.
Qualifications
Community member, working or living in Oregon
Have access to reliable wifi and a smart device (computer, tablet, phone) to access Zoom
Passion for social justice, youth justice, and racial justice
Commitment to anti-racist, intersectional organizing
If you are excited about this program but have barriers to participation, please still apply and we can discuss how you can be successful. If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to reach out to Jasia at jasia@nextuporegon.org
