OntheWilderSide

FOR Seeks National Youth and Militarism Co-Coordinator

The Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR) is seeking an energetic, creative person to serve on FOR’s national program team as co-coordinator of our work on Youth and Militarism. The person will work primarily with a staff counterpart youth and militarism co-coordinator, and will report directly to FOR’s executive director. This position is a full-time, non-exempt salaried position.

FOR (www.forusa.org) is a national, interfaith, peace and justice organization, and has a long history of supporting young people who oppose militarism. This has manifested both as support for individual conscientious objectors, and support for youth and youth allies who educate to change the culture and organize to change the policies of militarism. The Nonviolent Youth Collective, a relational network which will support the development of FOR’s new work on youth and militarism, offers youth and youth allies experiences to: (1) build analysis and skills to address oppression and privilege and use positional power; (2) use art as a tool for personal and community empowerment; and (3) prioritize and practice spiritually based self-care. Please see more information on organizational and program histories at www.forusa.org and www.youth.forusa.org.

Responsibilities:

Collaborate with co-coordinator, FOR staff, FOR youth and youth ally membership, networks, ally organizations, and others to develop a national program which supports youth-led campaigns to demilitarize youth, students, and schools. This work will include extensive program design and evaluation as we continue to shape and build a new program. Typical work includes the following, coordinated with staff counterpart:

• Co-coordinate ongoing program planning, reporting, and evaluation;
• Co-coordinate, with support from FOR administrative staff, ongoing fundraising, budgeting, and media/publicity outreach;
• Co-develop FOR’s capacity to offer strategic leadership in the national movement to end the militarization of youth, including exploring the feasibility of a pilot campus chapter network;
• Co-develop and work to engage a national FOR Youth and Militarism task force;
• Contribute to the FOR’s national program team collaboration through the Grassroots Civilian Diplomacy trainings and campaigns, including a current campaign to ban military aid to Colombia;
• Lead coordination of Not Your Soldier (NYS) field organizing in selected locations, chosen with partner organizations Ruckus and War Resisters League (WRL), and based on FOR’s Grassroots Civilian Diplomacy geographic focus areas;
• Build collaborative partnership with organizations and networks including WRL, Ruckus, AFSC, IVAW, CCW, CCCO, NNOMY, CAMS, STORY, NYSPC, and other national and local groups;
• Supervise and support local Not Your Soldier organizers/interns, including supporting the local coordination of school district specific campaign work, community campaign work, skills share and strategy sessions, and other face to face, telephone, and internet based opportunities to bring together local collaborators around youth and militarism issues;
• Coordinate numerous annual trainings for youth and/or youth allies in nonviolence, anti-oppression, mutual mentorship, interfaith/spiritual collaboration, and organizing skills, including overseeing coordination of the Peacemaker Training Institute;
• Maintain the I Will Not Kill network’s materials and web site, with support from FOR communications, as a resource for local organizers and potential conscientious objectors;
• Co-develop the Nonviolent Youth Collective as a network of artists, organizers, and facilitators to support and resource youth-led counter-militarism work, including work to concretize and standardize the Peacemaker Training Institute and other Nonviolent Youth Collective training curriculum;
• Seek and invite collaborative relationships with FOR’s networks and bodies, including the FOR National Council, the International FOR, FOR Local Groups, and Religious Peace Fellowships, including developing partnerships with organizations such as SmartMeme, Training for Change, Be Present, and Groundwork to provide training and support in anti-oppression, environmental retreat, and strategic movement building.

Qualifications:

• Experience in national and community organizing;
• Experience supporting youth-led counter-military recruitment;
• Excellent writing, communication, public speaking, and interpersonal skills;
• Personal commitment to nonviolence and anti-oppression;
• Experience working in coalition and making decisions by consensus;
• Ability to supervise contracts, interns, and volunteers; 
• Ability to juggle multiple tasks;
• Flexibility, patience and creativity;
• Capacity to work both independently and in a team setting;
• Ability to use web-based tools for grassroots organizing desired;
• Spanish and English fluency preferred;
• Willingness to travel at least 25% time;
• Willingness to work from St. Paul, MN, San Francisco, CA, or Nyack, NY preferred. 

Salary/Benefits: $36,000-40,000. Generous benefit package includes health insurance, paid holidays, four weeks paid vacation, pension, social security, worker’s compensation, disability, and flexible work environment.

Start date: Flexible start between November 1-15, 2007

To apply: Please send a cover letter, resume, writing sample, and three professional references to: Maryrose Dolezal; 1050 Selby Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 or pti@forusa.org.

Application Deadline: Closing date for applications is October 15, 2007.

FOR is an equal opportunity employer. People of color, women, LBGTQ candidates are encouraged to apply. FOR requires that all candidates fill out an affirmative action supplement form, which will be mailed to you upon receipt of your application