About the Vote16MO Youth Advocacy Training Program:

We are excited to announce our new program to train youth advocates across the state. Our new Advocacy Training program is meant to engage youth from across the state of Missouri to learn about how to thrive as a youth advocate in their community. 

The training includes: ​​

1. Mastering the Media (Media Training)

   • A guide to working with reporters;​

   • Preparing for and conducting media interviews;

   • Crafting your key messages; 

   • Writing for the Media (writing Op-Eds, LOEs, blogs, and more);

   • Engaging the media (including how to write press releases and media advisories);

   • And so much more!​

2. ​ Influencing Decision Makers (Advocacy/Lobbying Training)

   • ​Meeting with decision-makers;​​

   • Conducting a successful meeting with a decision-maker;

   • The legislative process of state and local government; ​

   • Effective policy-making & evaluation; 

   • And so much more!

3.  Activating for Action (Action Planning)

   •  SMART Goal planning; 

   • Short and Long Term goal planning; 

   • Evaluating Impacts; 

   • Teaching others what you know;

   • And so much more!

4. Saying engaged with Vote16MO or paving your own journey in advocacy

Youth advocates who participate in our advocacy training are NOT required to continue to be engaged with or have prior engagement with the Vote16MO Campaign. All of the curriculum and content of the Vote16MO Youth Advocacy Training sessions are not exclusive to Vote16MO operations or the initiative itself. Youth civic engagement, in or out of the Vote16MO initiative, is part of the mere foundation of this campaign. This means that this effort is not simply at the direct benefit of the Campaign, but also at the benefit of promoting youth civic engagement. All youth advocates will be provided with information relating to the Vote16MO initiative along with opportunities to stay engaged, but it is not required. ​

With the information provided, youth advocates may choose to advocate along side Vote16MO or to begin (or continue) their own journey in advocacy-- or do both!

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Initial Rollout

Vote16MO is partnering with various community organizations to bring these trainings to your community. The Vote16MO Youth Advocacy Training sessions will initially be launched in three separate locations across the state of Missouri. Those being Kansas City, Columbia, and St. Louis. Any youth living within a 30 minute radius of these cities may apply, special exceptions can be considered by emailing info@vote16mo.org. As of current, dates for these training sessions have not yet been released. 

If your organization is interested in partnering for one or more of these training sessions, please visit www.vote16mo.org/training-sponsor or click the arrow below!

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Applying

We are selecting the 30 youth for each training session with high potential and interest in civic engagement to join us for this extensive work shop that engages youth in media training, influencing and informing decision makers, and planning to activate for action. This cohort of youth advocates will be introduced to a plethora of opportunities for personal and professional development in the advocacy field. 

The application must be filled out with a parent or guardian and will be available online. 

Interested youth advocates can apply at: www.vote16mo.org/training/

The following locations have applications open:

There are no applications available yet.

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Benefits

Each attendee will learn valuable information pertaining to the current political landscape and journey of a youth advocacy along with necessary information to be successful in this space.

 

Each member of the cohort will receive a 150+ page advocacy guidebook that they will be able to use to guide them on their advocacy journey with a wide range of information, resources, and tools that is necessary to being a successful advocate. 

 

Each advocate will be paid for their time at the workshop, so that no advocate has to choose between working and this opportunity. 

 

Transportation accommodations will be available.