In 2018, alongside the (adult) Food & Farm Forum, for the first time ever we held a Youth Food & Farm Forum geared towards youth ages 14-21.  The second Youth Forum was held in December 2019.  Both times, the Youth Forum was planned, promoted, and executed by our Youth Forum Coordinator in collaboration with a six-member Youth Council from around the state.  Each Youth Forum had about 25 youth attendees.  YC members (and other youth) led sessions on topics ranging from food forests to soap making to backyard chickenkeeping.  Other YC members contributed by coordinating guest presenters or facilitating the youth-only opening/closing sessions.

One of ASAN’s core beliefs is that a resilient agricultural system must be intergenerational.  Our main objectives in implementing the Youth Food & Farm Forum are (1) to empower and inspire young attendees from throughout our state to cultivate interest in agriculture and food systems and (2) to intentionally create space within our organizing in which youth are heard, valued, meaningfully involved, and encouraged to take up leadership.

ASAN is now accepting applications for:

  1. Our 2020 Youth Forum Coordinator position (adult) — UPDATE 3/6/20: POSITION IS FILLED
  2. Our 2020 Youth Council (youth 14-24)

 

Youth Forum Coordinator:

UPDATE 3/6/20:  THIS POSITION HAS BEEN FILLED.

We are now hiring a Youth Food & Farm Forum Coordinator to coordinate this exciting work!  This is a part-time position extending from late February/early March through the end of the year.  The application deadline is rolling — however we hope to fill the position by late February or the first of March.

Job description and details on how to apply are available at http://bit.ly/2020YFC.  

Please share with your networks and encourage any qualified candidates to apply!

Posted: 1/24/20

 

Youth Council:

UPDATE 3/10/20: Deadline extended (from 3/10 to 3/22) and age range expanded (from 14-21 to 14-24).

The Youth Council is comprised of 6-10 youth (ages 14-24) from around the state who help to plan and develop the Youth Food & Farm Forum.  Youth Council members have the opportunity to build skills in event planning, communication, outreach, and leadership, and to build collaborative relationships with other youth around the state, all while working towards the successful execution of a statewide event.

Youth Council members are required to attend an in-person overnight training/orientation in April (exact dates and location TBD), and the Youth Forum Dec 10-12, 2020 in Fairhope, AL.  All registration and lodging costs will be waived as part of their service to the Council.  (They may also receive a travel stipend, if funds allow.)

The YC will meet, along with the Youth Forum Coordinator, for regular (roughly monthly) video-meetings via Zoom.  At these meetings the YC and the Coordinator will make decisions regarding the topics/presenters to be featured at the Youth Forum, create and roll out a strategy for effective outreach and promotion, and oversee logistics relating to registration, lodging, and more.

All YC members are required to complete a “leadership project” related to the Youth Forum – leading a session/workshop, coordinating social activities, facilitating outreach/promotion, or some other project of their choosing, developed in conjunction with the other YC members and the Youth Forum Coordinator.  YC members participate fully in the Forum while also serving as go-to point people for the Youth Forum Coordinator, should the need for any last-minute event-related decision-making arise.

Youth Council members receive a stipend totaling around $700 (equivalent to $80/month), in recognition of their time and work.

Apply for the 2020 Youth Council!

To apply, complete the application (and parent/guardian permission form, if applicable) in one of the following formats.  Please disregard outdated references to 14-21 age range.  New age range is 14-24.

  1. PDF: 2020 ASAN Youth Council Application (parent/guardian form embedded, on last page)
  2. WORD DOC: 2020 ASAN Youth Council Application (parent/guardian form embedded, on last page)
  3. GOOGLE FORMS: 2020 ASAN Youth Council Application AND SEPARATE Parent/Guardian Permission Form

Deadline to apply is Sunday, March 22, 2020, 11:59pm CT.