Hey changemakers! Are you ready to bring your voice to the forefront and amplify the voices of other young people?

Join the Youth Engaged 4 Change (YE4C) Editorial Board and help shape strategy and content that truly matters to you and your peers.

What is YE4C?

Youth Engaged 4 Change (YE4C) is an extension of youth.gov and is a space for young people to lead and project their voice. YE4C’s mission is to provide resources and opportunities that inspire and empower young people to make a difference in their lives and in the world around them by improving their knowledge and leadership skills. Explore content FOR youth BY youth on the YE4C website, YE4C Instagram, and YE4C Radio.

The YE4C Editorial Board: Your Platform for Leadership 

The YE4C Editorial Board is a group of passionate young people between the ages of 16 and 24 who are eager to expand their knowledge and empower youth and young adults. Joining the board gives you the opportunity to create meaningful content, refine your leadership skills, collaborate with the federal Interagency Working Group on Youth Programs (the Working Group), and be an ambassador to your peers.  

This 12-18-month virtual opportunity is paid and connects you with other changemakers and federal staff who are doing interesting work, fostering lasting connections. The group is structured to accommodate geographical diversity, giving members the opportunity to learn how to collaborate effectively across time zones using different communication methods (like email, Zoom meetings, and messaging).

Launched in February 2020, the Editorial Board continues to evolve with input from past members to create a dynamic experience. Since it started, dozens of young people have actively engaged with YE4C and each other to be positive agents of change. We are excited to be recruiting our FIFTH cohort! 

Your Role on the YE4C Editorial Board 

Guide and Create the YE4C Content Strategy: Work with other members to set the direction, goals, and objectives — shaping the narrative that drives the YE4C platform forward. Ensure content remains relevant and responsive to the needs of teens and young adults (ages 16-24) and aligned with the Working Group.  

Build Your Leadership Skills: Develop your leadership skills by planning, creating, and curating content for the YE4C platform. Make decisions about content topics, format, and messaging. Communicate your ideas clearly and tailor your messages to reach youth and young adult audiences. Collaborate with fellow board members and with federal members of the Working Group. Give and receive constructive feedback. Hone your creativity while finding new ways to communicate complex topics. Strengthen your time management and problem-solving skills while developing content. Improve your presentation skills by sharing your ideas with the Working Group.  

Test Innovative Youth-Adult Partnerships: Pave the way for meaningful collaborations between young people and adults at the federal level. Explore new approaches to youth-adult partnerships and content development for platforms like YE4C, youth.gov, and beyond. 

Be an Ambassador to Your Peers: Stay informed about the concerns and perspectives of young people nationwide by engaging your peers. Share YE4C content and opportunities with youth and young adults in your network, amplifying the reach on social media. 

We Celebrate YOU! 

YE4C embraces diversity. Bring your interests, skills, and life experiences — everything that makes YOU unique — to make the Editorial Board richer and more impactful.  

We encourage young people of all races, ethnicities, gender identities, sexual orientations, geographic areas, religious backgrounds, physical abilities, mental abilities, socioeconomic statuses, academic backgrounds, and life experiences to apply. You are encouraged to draw on your interests, skills, and life experiences to shape YE4C content and drive positive change.  

Hear What Former Members Say!  

“Memorable”  

“This is one of the best groups I’ve ever been a part of in my life… I love working with the [editorial board] and getting mentoring one on one. I really enjoyed the editing process. I’ve never done that before… I’ll have so many memories that will come with me.”  – Apeksha, Cohorts 3 & 4 

“Empowering” 

“… because it empowers you to utilize your skills in a way that can make a difference and lead to positive change on a larger scale, and work with others to expand this influence.”  – Elizabeth, Cohort 1 

“Validating” 

“For me, it’s validating, because it not only, of course, validates my own experiences through people being willing to listen, to learn, but it validates this notion that the job is not done.”  – Isaac, Cohort 3 

“Insightful” 

“I had to be more insightful with the content I created, but I also was receiving a lot of insight from the other people on the EB and the advisors.”  – Maura, Cohorts 2 & 3 

Content Examples from Former Members 

Website Content 

• Blog: Reproductive Rights and Healthcare: Knowing Your Resources 
• Inspiring Story: Mentoring as a Vehicle for Empowerment 
• Podcast: Navigating Healthcare as a Young Person  
• Opportunity: 5 Scholarships for Underrepresented Students 

Social Media Content  

• Instagram Post: Sustainability 101: What is Sustainability?
• Instagram Reel: Shifting your Mindset, Part 1: Time Management 
• YE4C Radio: Shinning a Light on Invisible Disabilities  

Ready to Apply?

If you’re between the ages of 16 and 24, prepared to commit at least 20 hours per month, and passionate about empowering fellow young people, apply now! Your journey awaits, beginning in March 2024. Meetings are currently planned for the second and fourth Thursday of each month from 7:00 pm ET to 8:30 pm ET (if necessary, meeting times will be changed to meet the needs of the board). 

Board members must be United States residents or United States citizens living abroad. 

We are accepting applications through February 4, 2024, 11:59 pm PT.  

Download a copy of the Application to Join the YE4C Editorial Board: Cohort 5.