Youth Train(ing)

Update: Also remember to check out the jobs and training section of our wiki for more opportunities to find training or employment in progressive politics.
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As I talk to more and more of the folks who are working to build leadership capacity in the progressive youth movement. I'm finding that it's not for lack of programs that we're suffering. Young People For Fellowships, PolitiCorps, Camp Wellstone, DMI Scholars, DFA Academies, New Organizing Institute - we're building the structures. They may not be as sexy as some of the conservative operations, but programs are available for all sectors of the movement. It's scale and funding that are the real problems.

With that in mind, here's a no-cost, potentially high impact opportunity to get some training for all you out there in "youth" land. And you won't even have to travel.

Teaming up with a wide cross-section of groups (including Campus Progress, Young People For, Camp Wellstone, Gender PAC, NARAL, and USSA), The Center for Progressive Leadership is organizing what they are calling a "network training" for youth activists. Called Youth Train, the program is designed to teach campus activists best practices for volunteer recruitment, and longterm volunteer engagement. It runs something like this:

• You agree to host or attend a house party in your area
• CPL distributes training modules to the party hosts. This consists of a video, call-in information to a conference call line or log-in information for a webcast, and some skill training materials.
• Each house party watches a 1/2 hour training video, participates in a Q&A via webcast or phone, then finishes off with a 1 hour role-playing session
• After the training, participants are granted access to an online area that contains video and audio materials supplementing the training, and discussion areas to connect fellow trainees.

Sounds a little cheesy. Like the stuff you go through at the PIRGs. But CPL did this last year with MoveOn (in 250 locations), focusing on basic media training. After a 3 month follow-up, and some basic media scanning, CPL found that MoveOn members were significantly more successful at putting their messages into the media.

Considering it costs zero dollars, only 2 hours of your time, and could both increase the effectiveness of campus groups and network students across the country, it's a pretty good deal.

If you are interested in hosting or attending an event, sign up here. The training is scheduled for March 28th. They are accepting applications from potential hosts until March 15th.

You can also make YouthTrain your friend on FaceBook.