Youth Leadership Roles

One way young people lead in Amnesty is by leading their student groups as Student Group Coordinators (SGCs). By starting or joining a campus chapter you help educate your community about current human rights issues and take action, which is the crux of Amnesty’s human rights work! As a Student Group Coordinator, you will be building Amnesty’s movement for human rights, developing leadership, facilitation and organizing skills, and getting more involved with human rights activism. SGC are supported by experienced Amnesty organizers and work directly with Member Leaders and staff.

Youth Leadership in Activism (YLA) is a volunteer leadership program at AIUSA encompassing four member leader roles: Peer Trainers, Student Activist Coordinators (SAC), Slack Community Managers, and Social Media Managers. Through these roles, youth leaders provide AIUSA student groups and activists with peer-to-peer coaching, training, resource-sharing, and engagement opportunities, strengthening our collective ability to protect and defend human rights.

The Youth Collective (YoCo) is a national youth leadership body that provides thought leadership, strategy, consultation, and guidance to AIUSA. YoCo is a group of young people aged from 15-24 from across the country who act as champions for youth engagement, inclusion, and participation, in order to build a bigger, bolder, and more inclusive human rights movement. Applications for the Youth Collective open in March each year, and includes a written application, group interview, and individual interview with current Youth Collective members and Youth & Student Program staff. Applicants should have one year experience with Amnesty International (one school year is sufficient). The YoCo term is for one year, beginning in June each year and running through the academic year.

Member Leaders are the backbone of AIUSA’s grassroots work to protect and defend human rights. In addition to the youth-specific roles listed above, there are many roles that may be a great fit for you. Many experienced Amnesty activists lead the organization as lobbying experts, issue and country experts, and more!