Overview

The Youth Leadership Council, jointly sponsored with Advocates for Youth, explores and combats stigma and shame and how both create barriers to reproductive freedom in abortion access, sex education, HIV decriminalization, pregnancy and birthing options, LGBT identity, and all related reproductive freedom issues that youth know and experience. The Council is made up of young people between the ages of 18-24 who share about and engage in efforts to de-stigmatize abortion and reproductive/sexual life through story collecting and sharing.

The 2018-2019 Youth Leadership Council will run from October 2018 to May 2019 for a total of eight months. The stipend for each of the Council members will be for 15 hours a month of paid work at a rate of $20 per hour for a total of $2,400 over the eight month period. This $2,400 will be paid in cycles and the final payment will be contingent upon successful completion of work.

The goals of Healthy and Free Tennessee’s Youth Leadership Council are to:

1. Mobilize young people to end the culture of shame and stigma that people are made to feel about sexual and reproductive health issues that intersect with abortion access including sex education, HIV decriminalization, pregnancy and birthing options, LGBT identity and work toward building a culture of empathy and support

2. Create a space where young people feel comfortable coming forward and sharing their experiences with abortion access and other reproductive health issues in their communities and on campuses

3. Increase public awareness and support of abortion access, pregnancy and parenting options, sex education, HIV, LGBT identity as well as other sexual and reproductive health issues

4. Educate the media on issues related to sexual and reproductive health

5. Advocate for policies that promote access to reproductive freedom and bodily autonomy on a local and national level, which can include abortion access, sex education, pregnancy and parenting options, HIV Decriminalization, and LGBT equality

Requirements:

Healthy and Free Tennessee Youth Leadership Council members must demonstrate the interest, capacity, and resources to organize strategic, meaningful campaign actions on their college campuses or within their communities.

Applicants interested in becoming a member of Healthy and Free TN’s Youth Leadership Council must:

• Commit to a year (Fall 2018-Spring 2019) of leadership on the council

• Be familiar with the principles of organizing or willing to learn and further develop organizing skills

• Be willing to use and strengthen communication skills. This includes speaking to groups, the media, and community members; additionally, writing, blogging, and utilizing social media

• Attend Healthy and Free TN's statewide convening in October 2018 in Nashville 

• Be available for monthly group check-ins and bi-weekly individual check-ins

• Coordinate events on campus and in the greater community about abortion access and other reproductive health issues

• Participate in Healthy and Free TN's Day on the Hill in February 2019 

• Have a strong framework and analysis of power, privilege, and oppression and the willingness to further understand intersections of reproductive rights and sexual health

Council Members will:

• Receive a stipend for their work on the council as well as financial coverage for all council related travel and lodging

• Identify and collect at least 3-5 abortion stories for the 1 in 3 website

• Participate in any of Healthy and Free TN’s or 1 in 3 actions (Week of action in October 2018 and April 2019)

• Organize one large scale campus-wide event to raise awareness about and/or mobilize support for abortion access, legislation related to reproductive freedom (HIV Decriminalization, LGBT Rights, Comprehensive Sex Ed, or the campaign itself; this can be part of the 1 in 3 week of action)

• Collect 50 signatures in support of abortion access for the 1 in 3 campaign

• Participate in monthly conference calls and one-on-one check-ins with Healthy and Free TN staff

• Curate media content regularly (at least once a week); this includes op-eds, letter-to-the-editor, Facebook posts/live events, Instagram posts, videos, pictures, and media interviews

• Submit end of the year report summarizing work to Healthy and Free TN staff