2024 SEEDS OF FIRE ADVISORY COMMITTEE APPLICATIONS

DEADLINE TO APPLY: APRIL 11, 2024

EN ESPANOL

During May to September 2024, Seeds of Fire (SOF) will bring together an Advisory Committee of up to 5 youth (ages 15-26) to engage in the creation and implementation of a Participatory Action Research (PAR) process focused on existing and non-existing communal care systems, as an alternative to carceral systems.

This is a 5 month commitment to youth leadership development, researching & analyzing already existing communal care systems, and finding the gaps where we can create these systems. Each Advisory Committee member will work together toward a goal of creating *at least* 1 communal care system as an alternative to carceral systems. Advisory Committee members receive a total of $10,000 in educational stipends administered in two payments for their time as a Committee member.

Advisory Committee members will utilize Seeds of Fire’s podcast as the vehicle for participatory research methods.

Advisory Committee members will facilitate 1 workshop a month with the Seeds of Fire Fellowship. These workshops will reflect the work we are doing around PAR and each workshop will have a focus on one of Highlander’s six methodologies.  

Apply here!

Being part of Seeds of Fire’s Advisory Committee will provide opportunities for each member to acquire a variety of skills, which include but are not limited to:

• Participatory Action Research
• Facilitation and Workshop training skills
• Political Study & Education
• Team-building
• Project management
• Logistics and operation support
• Popular Education
• Organizing and action planning
• Programmatic Evaluation

Applicants

Any person who lives in the South or Appalachia and identifies as youth (ages 15-26) are welcome to apply! Highlander strongly encourages applications from Black, brown, and indigenous people, women, TLGBQIA2S+ and gender variant/non-conforming folks, and working-class/cash poor people. People directly impacted by the criminal justice system are also strongly encouraged to apply.

Individuals accepted into the SOF Advisory Committee will be responsible for the following areas of work:

Areas of Work

• Participatory Action Research (PAR)
  • Committee members will be responsible for following a PAR process focused on researching existing and non-existing communal care systems as alternatives to carceral systems. Committee members will work together to create and maintain their roles in the PAR process in order to achieve a goal of creating 1 non-existing communal care system together. 

• Seeds of Fire’s Podcast
  • Committee members will be responsible for creating podcast episodes, using the POP model. This will allow the podcast to serve as a vehicle for participatory action research methods. These methods may include but are not limited to: interviews, meetings, surveys, conversations, poetry, storytelling, online resources, collaborations with research librarians, and interviews with public officials.

• Seeds of Fire Fellowship 
  • Advisory Committee members will be responsible for facilitating 1 workshop per month with the new members of Seeds of Fire’s Fellowship. These workshops will be focused on the PAR work the AC members are doing, with each workshop being based on one of Highlander’s 5 remaining methodologies: Popular Education, Cultural Organizing, Language Justice, Intergenerational Organizing, and/or Land, Legacy, & Place. 

• Homecoming
  • The Advisory Committee will be responsible for developing and executing a Youth Track as part of Highlanders 2024 Homecoming, at which, with the support of the other SOF participants and staff, Youth will have the opportunity to facilitate or co-facilitate workshops around Highlander’s methodologies and/or the work they’ve done during SOF’s programming, engage with Highlander’s other programs & their workshops, knowledge and techniques to further their work.

Expectations

Committee Members will be expected to:

• • Complete the work outlined in “Areas of Work” above
  • Participate in Bi-weekly Committee video calls that may include but are not limited to: 
    • Problem solving around work areas
    • Working collectively to move components of work forward
    • Fully participating in group study, which might include political readings, movies or podcasts and group discussions
    • Skill-based webinars and trainings
  • Participate in Monthly FAC Check calls with the SOF Fellowship members
    • These calls will require AC members to facilitate workshops for the SOF Fellowship members, with the support of SOF staff 
  • Be present for group calls and/or meetings as needed
  • Attend the week long in-person orientation in May (May 6-11)

• If you cannot attend in-person, please share this information with Teddy or Rosmery during your interview. **You will still be considered for the AC**

• • Attend in-person program closing in September (September 13-15)

• If you cannot attend in-person, please share this information with Teddy or Rosmery during your interview. **You will still be considered for the AC**

• Support committee member peers
• Troubleshoot Programmatic issues as needed
• Understand and follow Highlander standards and guidelines
• Have at least 1 role during events (ex. Homecoming, In-person gatherings, etc.)

If you have any questions or concerns, please email:

Rosmery rosemery@highlandercenter.org and

Teddy teddy@highlandercenter.org