Do You
Want to Become Part of a New Generation of Leaders?
 Are you interested in developing your leadership
skills while helping to get Sen. Barack Obama elected as president? If
the answer is yes, then you may be interested in becoming an Obama
Organizing Fellow.
The Obama campaign this summer is looking for students
and recent graduates who share the senator’s belief that real change
comes from the ground up.
Applications are due by midnight Thursday, May 15th,
Eastern Time. Fellows will be trained on the basics of organizing, and
campaign fundamentals. They also will be asked to commit to at least 30
hours weekly.
Specifically, Fellows will be trained in field
organizing, messaging and other activities; organize in a community,
working alongside grassroots leaders and campaign staff; and continue to
build the movement. Fellows will coordinate voter registration drives,
organize phone banks, plan canvasses, and help with campaign events.
Organizing Fellows might work out of a campaign office
or directly in the community, but will always be working with campaign
staffers and local Obama volunteer groups.
Although this is an unpaid position, Fellows can
expect the self-satisfaction that comes from "reviving democracy in
communities across the country," as Obama put it in a Web site video.
(Fellows who demonstrate exceptional organizing skills and want to
continue working with the campaign also get first dibs on paid positions
in the fall).
The Democratic presidential candidate also spoke of
his experience as a youthful organizer on Chicago’s south side.
"I was looking for an opportunity to work with
people to help them realize their power to make change in their own
community. People came together to solve problems together."
"It was the transformative experience of my career."
Likewise, the fellowship experience, Obama said, would
be intensive, rewarding and exciting. "And you will have a concrete
impact on this election too," Obama added.
The application asks for a resume, among other things,
so make sure yours is updated, polished and ready to go. It also asks
for three references. People with whom you have worked, professors with
whom you have close relationships, or anyone else whom can speak to your
skills as an organizer would make good references.
 Applicants must also answer three questions
essay-style about their motivation, any experience they may have as a
political or community organizer, and why they wish to be involved in
Obama’s campaign.
Stipends for food, transportation and shelter are not
available, although some campaign supporters may provide housing near
training and organizing sites. Some Fellows could receive training in
their own communities.
The Fellows program is for college students and
graduates who can commit to summer work. Fellows may have other jobs
during the summer as long as they do not conflict with their fellowship
work.
If you are a college student and your school lets out
shortly after June 5, you may still be eligible. It will be decided on a
case-by-case basis.
It is also possible that you can get college credit
for your work as an Obama Fellow. Check with your college or university.
REQUIREMENTS
The program is available to U.S. citizens only.
Applicants should hear from the campaign during the month of May.
Program participation will begin on June 5 and run through the end of
the summer.
This may be your chance to make a
difference, and help Obama make history!
For more information, click on
http://www.barackobama.com/index.php
(Click on Organizing Fellows in the center screen for more details.) |
