Civic Leaders Program

 

Not accepting any more applications. Stay tuned for future opportunities with our Civic Leaders program.

Background: 

New Jersey Citizen Action is a statewide non-profit organization that empowers low- and moderate-income people and communities of color through direct counseling and services, public policy research and advocacy, community education and training on public policy issues important to working families.  Our goals are to promote economic and racial equity, to empower underserved communities, and to build strong communities. NJCA provides education and research on issue campaigns that advance the interests of working families, including in health care, financial justice, workplace protections, anti-poverty, tax fairness, and democracy. We work in coalition with partners around the state and have built a network of community leaders and activists. 

New Jersey Citizen Action has a long history of successfully fighting for critical policies and legislation to improve the lives of low to middle income families. We pushed federal and state lawmakers to enact the Affordable Care Act (ACA), expand Medicaid in New Jersey, create our state’s health insurance marketplace, and expand coverage for all children regardless of their documentation status with Cover All Kids. We successfully advocated for enacting and improving NJ’s paid family leave and mandatory sick day laws. We have also enacted consumer financial justice reforms to protect people from debt and deceptive lending practices.  

Program Overview:  

The Civic Leaders program will offer participants the opportunity to learn about current social and political issues, and how community members can effectively advocate to improve their communities. Program participants must attend a weekly class and engage in group discussions. Participants will gain valuable skills including public speaking, working with the media, how to create digital content, and more. This program is intended to empower and inspire participants to be community leaders.  

Responsibilities: 

  • Program attendance: participants must attend a weekly in-person training at the Newark Public Library every Wednesday evening March 20th – May 1st 
  • Contribute to group discussions, with ideas and personal experiences.  

Qualifications: 

  • Essex County resident  
  • Desire to make a difference in their community and commitment to under-served communities 
  • Candidates must be dependable and have transportation means to the Newark Public Library Wednesday evenings 

Location: Newark Library (5 Washington St, Newark, NJ 07102 

Program Duration: 

Begins Wednesday March 20th, 2024 and ends by May 1st 

Schedule: Must be available on Wednesday evenings from 6PM – 7:30PM to attend weekly training sessions in-person at the Newark Public Library for 7 weeks. Must attend a Saturday civic engagement workshop on March 23rd (Location TBD). 

Compensation: $100 per week stipend with additional paid opportunities, attendance and participation in discussions required  

Deadline to Apply: Interviews will be on a rolling basis so apply as soon as possible! Applications will be accepted through Tuesday, March 12th.