Another Year of Youth Council Grants!

Posted on September 29, 2021 by - Vermont Youth Project, Youth Voice

Vermont Afterschool, Inc. is pleased to announce that we are able to offer Youth Council Grants to four programs in Chittenden, Washington, and Orange counties for the 2021-2022 school year. These grants are offered to programs to help start or expand a youth council, as well as create a participatory budgeting process for youth driven projects in the community.

Background

With the support of a statewide Vermont Youth Council, Vermont Afterschool designed the grant program with the goal of inspiring youth-initiated projects that will benefit Vermont’s young people, families & communities. The grant program has funded many proposals across Vermont that address various needs identified by youth and promote a wide array of rights identified in the Youth Declaration of Rights, which was written in Fall 2017 exclusively by youth ages 9-22.

Eligibility

Third space programs (those operating in the out-of-school time hours) serving middle/high school students in Chittenden, Washington, and Orange counties.

Grant Requirements

  • Facilitate a youth council that meets twice a month (mandatory workshops hosted by Vermont Afterschool count towards meeting time)
  • Participate in five mandatory workshops hosted by Vermont Afterschool
  • Complete participatory budgeting & community voting processes with youth council
  • Collect photos and stories of youth-led projects 
  • Evaluation of participatory budget process and report outcomes

What you get

  • $5000 to operate and support participation in the youth council. This funding can be used for stipends for youth, staff time and youth council operation costs.
  • Mandatory workshops to support skill development in assessing community needs, leadership skills and using a participatory budget process. See below.
  • Optional workshops and support available upon request supporting further leadership skill and youth council development.
  • Professional development and training for adults.
  • Personalized coaching for your youth council from Vermont Afterschool.

Attendance to:

  • Introduction & Orientation Meeting: October 27, 2021
  • Determining Youth Grant Focus Areas: November 18, 2021
  • Idea Development & Action Planning: January 12, 2022
  • Youth Project Community Voting: January 26, 2022
  • Celebration Event: May 2022

Deadline
Grant applications must be submitted by October 13, 2021. 

APPLY TODAY!

https://www.cognitoforms.com/VermontAfterschool/YouthCouncilSiteApplication20212022