Background and Purpose
Hannah Botts is a civic leader who has worked with the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Made by Us, and 18by Vote. Selected as 1 of 11 youth service leaders, Hannah received a $25,000 youth service grant from The Allstate Foundation. The service grants empower service leaders to bolster their efforts in community service, enabling them to expand their reach and deepen their impact on communities across the country. Hannah’s project (below) will be fully managed by her with mentorship, fiscal sponsorship, and technical support from Campus Compact staff. The Rural Youth Voices project’s goal is to empower rural youth to better serve their communities and reshape narrative change about rural youth engagement, and empower rural-serving organizations to center youth voices.
Student-Led Program Outcome
- Each Fellow produces a project (a video series highlighting youth voices, an art piece or community project bringing together rural youth in their community, a volunteer program focused on bringing rural youth together, etc.) that highlights rural youth voices and what they wish others knew about rural youth and civic engagement.
- In addition, each Fellow will serve as an advisor in the creation of a report (authored by Hannah and the Fellows) on the state of rural youth civic engagement, including how organizations can best support rural youth.
Benefits for Student Fellows
- Each Fellow receives $500 to support a narrative change or civic engagement project during the course of the program and a $500 personal stipend for their time.
- Fellows are a member of a cohort of 15 meeting biweekly to build community, share resources, and engage in personal and professional development.
- Fellows will gain an opportunity to amplify their voices and their community.
Who Should Apply?
- Youth ages 18-22 with lived experience in a rural community, across the United States and its territories.
- Preference will be given to youth who are doing organized work alongside other young people (ages 16-24)
- The ideal applicant may not have extensive resume experience with civic and community engagement, but is a promising young leader who has a passion for service and the elevation of rural youth voices.