We’re Hiring! Youth Organizer

by | May 19, 2022 | Job Postings

Position: Youth Organizer
Reports to: Organizing Director
Classification: 1.0 FTE (40 hours / week)
Priority deadline: 10:00am June 15, 2022 but applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the position is filled.
Ideal start date: July 1, 2022
Location: Seattle, WA (temporarily remote due to COVID-19)

Please submit cover letter, resume and three references to: 

Email: [email protected]
Subject: Youth Organizer (FULL NAME)
No phone calls please.

FEEST is an Equal Opportunity Employer. People of color, queer, gay, lesbian and/or bisexual people, transgender, genderqueer and/or non-binary folks are encouraged to apply. Work is performed in a remote environment until it is safe to return to the office. Some heavy lifting and physical labor is required during special events. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this job.

FEEST’s Vision for Society: 

We envision a society where working-class youth and families of color are thriving in vibrant, politically powerful communities. We see this society built on values that include, but are not limited to:

  • Interdependence and collective care for our people and planet
  • Transformative economic, racial, and environmental justice
  • Self-determination
  • Collective liberation
  • Creativity and radical joy!
FEEST’s Vision Statement for Schools:

We envision a today where youth of color and working-class youth exercise their power to change systems that serve them so that they can thrive physically, mentally, and emotionally. In our vision, schools are vibrant learning centers that reflect the students they serve and support the long-term growth and holistic wellness of students and our communities.

Mission Statement:

FEEST trains youth of color and working-class youth to build collective power and organize for transformative and systemic change in their schools.

About FEEST:

FEEST trains youth of color and working-class youth to build collective power and organize for transformative and systemic change in their schools. Our power comes from building a strong base, developing youth leaders, and running dynamic, radically joyful campaigns for systemic material change. Our work is both youth-led and multigenerational.

Our roots started in food justice and through that, we have won systemic improvements in school food in Highline and Seattle Public Schools. Since the 2020 campaign to remove police from Seattle Public Schools, we have expanded our campaign goals to include a wide range of systemic solutions that improve student wellness at school.

Primary Job Responsibilities:

Train youth fellows to organize, build power, and win policy changes in their school district. Manage youth base building, leadership development, and execution of powerful campaigns to increase pressure on decision-makers and win tangible improvements in South Seattle and South King County.

Basebuilding (30%) –

Build a 10% student base and a 10% teacher base at each school through consistent 1:1s 

  • Create clear monthly recruitment goals and outreach system to increase membership 
  • Train youth to recruit new members at their schools through 1:1s and a diverse, creative range of outreach activities that agitate the base and connect to their self-interest
  • Support, evaluate progress, and hold youth accountable for carrying out outreach plan
  • Plan and executing basebuilding events with youth leaders
    • Both virtual and in-person (safety permitting)
    • Buying and coordinating supplies, volunteers, and food needed
  • Cultivate deep relationships with students community partners, and staff at each school to increase knowledge of schools and be responsive to youth and staff needs
  • Steward school and district relationships. This includes prompt communication and relationship management with Decision Makers, school staff, allies, community partners
    Youth Leadership Development (30%) –

    Youth leaders are trained to organize engaging and effective campaigns

    • Design and facilitate dynamic and energizing organizing programming and skill building with youth leaders; plan youth skill building and development each quarter
    • Train youth to:
      • Build a 10% base of students and teachers at their school through 1:1s 
      • Identify problems and solutions that are widely felt and deeply felt at their school and in their district
      • Build engaging campaigns for tangible solutions in their school district; execute tactics that build the base or increase pressure on decision makers
      • Facilitate and agitate their peers in basebuilding events, New Member Orientation
      • Run meetings with Decision Makers
      • Lead workshops and present externally about FEEST’s campaign goals 
    • Coordinate and facilitate 2-4 youth leader meetings a week in person and online
      • Collaboratively create each week’s all-district meeting agenda and curriculum plan
      • Independently create individual district meeting agenda; adapting curriculum to meet the needs of your team and school district’s political landscape
    • Create leadership development plan for youth with clear goals and leadership roles
    • Co-design and facilitate a two week youth organizing summer camp for incoming leaders. Responsibilities include: Developing curriculum on youth organizing, food justice, skill-building, and leadership development; managing new partnerships, guest speakers, and volunteers; coordinating food and transportation logistics
    Executing Campaigns for Systemic Change (30%) –

    Youth Leaders and Youth Organizer run campaigns with clear solutions directed at a decision maker 

    • Support youth campaign research by running engaging strategies to collect community feedback, researching policies, elected officials, campaign tactics
    • Support youth leaders in developing comprehensive organizing strategy, power mapping, and executing tactics to put pressure on Decision Makers
    • Adapt strategy and tactics to decision-makers and youth in your team and district 
    • Consistently evaluate goals, give feedback, and ensure the success of a campaign in your district 
    Build the Organization and Movement (5%) –
    • Engage in collective visioning with staff and youth to create FEEST’s organizing strategy 
    • Participate in assessments regarding the overall health of our organization and member participation
    • Regularly assess the political landscape to explore new relationships to build our power and organizing skills
    • Build trust and solidarity with other organizations doing similar organizing work locally and nationally
    • Explore strategic risks for building greater power
    Admin & Org – Wide (5%) –

    Campaign planning is efficient, all team events are supported with a collaborative spirit

    • Create efficient and proactive work plan to execute strategic program outcome goals 
    • Meticulously track member attendance, time sheets, program budgeting
    • Coordinate outreach and orientation of new members
    • Participate in team-wide fundraising activities including phone-banking and individual asks
    Qualifications:
    • Unapologetically rooted in social justice, and equity and committed to applying racial, gender, and economic justice lenses in both personal and workplace context
    • Lived experience or demonstrated professional skills working with racially and economically diverse individuals and communities, including working class, immigrant/refugees, communities of color, and LGBTQ+ populations
    • Ability to manage competing priorities and self-direct to meet strict deadlines
    • Strong verbal and written communication skills
    • Ability to facilitate and build relationships with an intergenerational audience including youth and young adults
    • Strategic critical thinking
    • Clear and kind communicator
    • Meticulousness and strong work ethic
    • Ability to build strong interpersonal relationships
    • Takes initiative
    • Assertive & adaptable
    Additional Information:
    • Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this is currently a partially remote-work position but candidates should be prepared to work in the office once it is safe to do so. FEEST is unable to provide relocation assistance.
    • Access to a vehicle is highly recommended. Our program sites are far-reaching across White Center, South Seattle, Rainier Beach and Sea-Tac and our office is not very accessible by transit.
    • Salary: $60,000
    • We provide full medical, dental, and vision benefits, generous paid time off, temporary work from home stipends, and access to professional development each year.
    • We follow COVID-19 guidelines provided by our school partners and funders in our current contracts, which requires all staff to present documentation confirming they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or have a medical exemption. 

    Please submit a cover letter, resume, and three references to: 

    Email: [email protected]
    Subject: Youth Organizer (FULL NAME)
    No phone calls, please.