Apply to the PAYA Youth Council—a Paid Leadership Development Opportunity! – YOA

Deadline: April 23, 2026

Are you a present or former youth apprentice? Interested in ensuring different younger individuals can take part in apprenticeships? Eager to develop your advocacy and management expertise? If so, think about making use of to the PAYA Youth Council 2026—a paid management growth alternative just for youth apprentices!

The Partnership to Advance Youth Apprenticeship (PAYA) Youth Council is a bunch of present and former youth apprentices who collaborate over a yr-long run to develop youth-led tasks that unfold the phrase about the worth of youth apprenticeship and enhance it for different younger individuals round the nation.

In addition to designing and main their very own tasks, Council members:

• Build connections with different youth apprentices from round the nation
• Develop advocacy and management expertise to construct assist for apprenticeship
• Learn how to plan and lead month-to-month cohort conferences
• Receive mentoring from a Youth Council alumnus
• Occasionally take part in panels, interviews, focus teams, or different talking alternatives on behalf of PAYA

Benefits

• The Council’s work will culminate in a free journey to Washington, DC, for an in-particular person summit in June 2027. Council members obtain a $1,650 stipend for his or her service.

Eligibility

You are eligible to apply in case you are…

• At least 16 years previous however not but 24 as of June 1, 2026.
• Currently enrolled in or a current graduate of a youth apprenticeship program in the PAYA Network.
• Able to journey to, attend, and actively take part in the in-particular person summit in Washington, DC, in June 2027. (PAYA will cowl journey bills for every participant and, for contributors underneath 18 or in highschool, for one grownup chaperone.)
• Able to attend and actively take part in at the very least 10 out of 12 digital conferences, held as soon as a month on weekday evenings by way of Zoom for 2 hours (typically 6-8 pm Eastern time). Meetings will run from June 2026 by July 2027.

Selection Criteria

No earlier expertise in advocacy or management is critical to serve on the Council. They hope to recruit candidates who carry numerous backgrounds and views. While there’s nobody mannequin of a perfect applicant, profitable Council members typically embody the following qualities:

• Collaborative: Interested in and in a position to companion with friends and grownup leaders to implement their tasks and lead month-to-month Council conferences. Is a dependable teammate.
• Enthusiastic: Excited to take part in a group of youth advocates and to develop their management and advocacy expertise.
• Curious: Eager to study from their friends, ask questions, develop new data and expertise—even when it requires stepping out of their consolation zone.
• Respectful: Able to conduct themselves professionally as an envoy of their apprenticeship program, employer, and faculty. Fosters an inclusive and welcoming tradition and treats fellow Council members with respect.
• Committed: Has the time and vitality to serve on the Council for the complete yr of service. Able to attend month-to-month conferences, work on tasks, carry out different Council duties exterior of month-to-month conferences, and talk proactively.

Application

You will want to full a three-part application course of by Thursday, April 23, 2026 at 11:59 PM Pacific time. Only full and on-time purposes might be thought-about.

Click here to apply

For extra data, go to PAYA Youth Council.