College Civic Engagement (Y.A.L.L.)
ADVOCATES
LEADERSHIP
LAB
VOTER
EDUCATION
Whether we are rich or poor, native-born or newcomer, Spirit-filled or agnostic, we know that young voters can create a better democracy with voting. But some people in power make it harder for us to vote, and some of our peers tell us that our vote doesn’t matter–that elections don’t matter. But we know that when we come together, we can make a power movement to secure the freedoms we need to thrive in a multiracial, multi-faith, and inclusive democracy: affordable health care, livable wages, accessible housing, and a healthy climate. We’ve come together before to influence the future of our democracy, and we can do it again.
WE ARE Y.A.L.L.
Young leaders are working on Christian campuses across the country to stamp out the inequities in who participates in elections in their community with voter registration drives and nonpartisan electoral education and engagement. Analysis of the 2022 midterm elections showed lower voter turnout amongst young voters, especially Black and Brown voters, and overrepresentation of white youth voters. “This can lead to them being underrepresented in the electorate relative to their share of the population, which prevents us from having a truly equitable and inclusive democracy.” (Circle)
LORD, WE WERE BORN FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS. A TIME TO BE AGENTS TO MAKE YOUR CREATION MORE JUST AND LOVING.
The colors in our logo center the importance of racial and climate justice in the lives of today’s young people and represent Y.A.L.L.’s mission to continue NETWORK’s 50+ years of political ministry.
The Y.A.L.L. Program
Young Advocates Leadership Lab (Y.A.L.L.) students are beneficiaries of the Sister Carol Coston, OP, Fellowship. An Adrian Dominican Sister, Sr. Carol was one of NETWORK’s 47 foundresses and the organization’s first Executive Director. Sr. Carol’s legacy endures through the paid opportunity for students to participate in NETWORK’S advocacy at the federal level (through the Y.A.L.L. program) as we work to achieve an inclusive, multiracial, multi-faith democracy. Coston Fellows are part of the learning community of faithful, young justice-seekers for one academic year. Fellows in the Y.A.L.L. program:
- Lead Y.A.L.L. chapters on their campuses
- Learn to articulate policy agendas
- Are issue-based canvassers
- Earn $25 per hour for five hours of work a week each semester
- Are current freshman, sophomore, and junior undergraduate students
- And more!
Graduate students with at least one full academic year of study remaining are also welcome to apply. Sr. Carol Coston, OP Fellowship recipients will build their personal and professional networks in their local communities and in Washington, D.C. Click here to apply and learn more.
The inaugural 10 Y.A.L.L. students were selected from universities in Michigan, New York, Wisconsin, California, Florida, Ohio, and Pennsylvania to provide nonpartisan electoral education and engagement opportunities to college-aged voters. Weekly training equipped the undergraduate and graduate leaders to serve as peer civic educators on their campuses to reach Gen Z Catholics and other faithful justice seekers. Actions and organizing on social justice, included:
- Organizing multi-issue voter workshop
- Holding voter registration drives and GOTV efforts this election year
- Learning social media outreach tactics and strategies to appeal to young Catholics
- Dialoguing with their communities to identify white Christian nationalism
- Joining intergenerational advocacy efforts with NETWORK’s established Advocate Teams
Students in the inaugural 2024 Y.A.L.L. cohort came from ten campuses: Pepperdine University, Malibu, CA; Mount Mary University, Milwaukee, WI; Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI; Xavier University, Cincinnati, OH; University of Dayton, Dayton, OH; Saint Vincent College, Latrobe, PA; University of Detroit Mercy, Detroit, MI; St. Joseph’s University, Philadelphia, PA; University of Mount Saint Vincent, Bronx, NY; and Barry University, Miami Shores, FL.
Y.A.L.L. Program Coordinator
Chelsea Puckett (she/her) is NETWORK’s Grassroots Mobilization Outreach and Education Specialist and serves as the Y.A.L.L. coordinator. The program runs for thirteen weeks during the spring semester and thirteen weeks in the fall semester with an intentional summer hiatus. Please send her an email with any questions.