community action team ⚡️
Are you a young leader looking to organize and make change in your community? We hope you’ll apply to join Next Up’s Community Action Team! ✨
program overview
Community Action Team (CAT) seeks to expand Next Up’s base of young leaders, execute grassroots projects, and serve Oregon’s communities. This yearlong, paid leadership development cohort—made up of about 16+ community members—meets bi-monthly to build upon the community organizing skills and anti-racist social justice analysis young people need to enact tangible change. 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.
Our CAT meetings are how we involve community members in Next Up’s systems change and base building work—so that we can always have youth leading the way. For example, our CAT members set the priorities on which issues they want to organize around and learn more about each year. Past CAT cohorts have done everything from working on legislative campaigns to lower the voting age in Oregon to 16—to learning about topics such as decolonizing white supremacy culture, Black Liberation, & intersectional feminism.
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 to it.
TOPICS & ACTIVITIES
As a member of the Community Action Team 2026-2027 cohort, you will:
Contribute to the creation, implementation, and facilitation of Community Action Team-led events and other campaigns.
Support Next Up’s state legislative policy priorities by giving verbal and written testimony, traveling to the State Capitol, and talking with legislators.
Build relationships with Next Up Action Fund Legislative Organizers, Deep Canvassers, and Election Organizers.
Support organizing efforts around issues on the intersections of youth, racial, social and economic justice—both locally and occasionally statewide.
Learn and deepen your understanding of anti-oppression and anti-racism.
Participate in civic engagement activities, as needed, outside of meetings; such as: get out the vote efforts (phone banking, text banking, canvassing), voter registration, and endorsement committees.
program details
Applications Open: Tuesday, July 21st 2026
Application Deadline: Monday, August 31st, 2026 at 11:59pm
Program Duration: October 2026 through June 2027
Compensation: $23/hour, up to 12 hours a month. This is a temporary, part-time position.
Logistics: Meeting 2x each month on the second and fourth Wednesday from 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm.
Location: 75% Hybrid/In-person, 25% Virtual. 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 are required to attend the first onboarding session held on October 14th, in order to participate in the program.
First Meeting: Wednesday October 14th 5:30-8pm (this 1st meeting is longer to accommodate onboarding).
expectations
Attending CAT meetings 2x a month on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday from 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Attending monthly membership meetings to engage our community in Next Up’s work.
Participation in 80% of CAT meetings (if you’re going to miss CAT meetings, just make sure you communicate that with the Advocacy Manager and they will understand!).
Attend Next Up events (ex: Winter Ball, Youth Lobby Day, Canvassing, etc)
Lead planning for at least 2 events
Passion for grassroots organizing, legislative advocacy, event planning, community building, and electoral advocacy
Quarterly check-ins with the Advocacy Manager to work on a personal plan for your leadership development.
2 Meetings (at minimum) per quarter with an assigned accountability buddy.
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
preferred (not required)
Access to individual transportation (drivers license and vehicle).
Has completed the UPTURN Leadership Academy with Next Up.
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
Please answer all of the application questions in full sentences - you should aim for at least 3-5 sentences for each one. We want to learn about who you are, so it's important that you give us a sense of yourself and why you are interested in the program!
