Join the Shameless Youth Advisory Board!

February 20th, 2018     by Sheila Sampath     Comments

Illustration: Erin McPhee

It’s pretty simple: This is your magazine. We want your feedback, input and insight to drive its content. We want to include more youth voices, foster youth leadership, and work together to create the content that you want to read! And, we want to give you the space and opportunity to create projects and events to engage your fellow young people in the city!

Job description

We are looking to fill 10-12 youth advisory board positions.

The advisory board will:

  • meet once a month (e.g., first Saturday of every month) for two hours in person at The Public Studio (58 Lansdowne Ave. in Toronto) and several times via Google Hangout in small groups between in-person meetings
  • review print issues after they are released to provide feedback on what worked, and what didn’t
  • brainstorm future issue ideas: themes, story-ideas and approaches
  • document this process through blog entries on shamelessmag.com
  • work on three self-determined projects over the year in each of the following subjects: arts, outreach and facilitation

We are looking for board members who:

  • are 13–19 years old
  • identify as teen girls or trans* youth
  • live in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) or are comfortable commuting once a month for in-person meetings at The Public
  • can commit to a one- or two-year term on the board
  • are familiar with Shameless magazine or shamelessmag.com *have a passion for media and social justice *are shameless!

By joining the board, you’ll get:

  • experience for your resume
  • a letter of participation
  • an opportunity to be part of the editorial direction of a national magazine
  • journalism and media literacy skills
  • writing and editorial experience
  • project planning and execution experience
  • the opportunity to connect with like-minded folks to share ideas, build community and have fun
  • a free subscription to Shameless magazine
  • paid
  • TTC tokens
  • snacks

Please note that this a paid position. All members of the youth advisory board are paid $15/h for meeting attendance and board participation.

Application instructions (how to apply/tips on CV)

Please send a resume and 1-page (double-spaced) letter of interest, telling us a little bit about yourself (if you think it’s important, then we will too!), why you’re interested in joining the Youth Advisory Board and answering the question, What does being Shameless mean to you? It’s important to us to work with a diversity of youth, so feel free to self-identify (eg. queer, person of colour, etc.), if you are comfortable!

What to include on your resume?

If you’ve never put together a resume until now, don’t worry about. Here are some ideas to get you started. List out:

  • Your extra curricular activities like drama club, student council, environmental club etc.
  • Community activities within your, community centre, local library, place of worship etc.
  • Any creative projects you are involved with like painting, photography, a band, spoken word etc.
  • Under each listing provide a one-to-two line description on your involvement.

Check out the links we’ve provided below for more tips on resume writing:

APPLICATION DEADLINE: March 10, 2018

Please send your letter of interest and resume to: talkingback@shamelessmag.com and include “Youth Advisory Board” in the subject of your email. Questions? Email us or tweet @shamelessmag

Frequently asked questions

Do I need my parent or guardian’s permission to apply? No! But if you want to talk to your parents or guardians about working with us, and if they have any questions, they are more than welcome to contact us.

How long are the meetings and where will they take place? Meetings will be two-three hours in length and will include snacks and breaks!

Where will the meetings take place? What about accessibility needs? The meetings will take place in the downtown core in a wheelchair accessible venue. We’ll check in with folks about specific access requirements (eg. ASL interpretation, scent-free policies) prior to the first meeting and will do our best to accommodate!

I have dietary restrictions. Will there be food for me? Yes! We’ll check in with folks about dietary needs (eg. vegan, vegetarian, religious restrictions, allergies, etc.) and will be sure to accommodate!

I’ve never participated in a group like this before. What if I don’t fit in? A part of our orientation session, we will work together to establish a respect agreement for a “safer space”. This means coming up with ways of interacting, boundaries and ground rules to make sure everybody in the group feels welcomed and respected. It also means coming up with guidelines for dealing with conflict in respectful ways.

How will I get paid? Do I need a bank account? We will pay you in cash at the end of each meeting. We’ll need your signature to confirm receipt, but that’s it!

I’ve applied. Now what? After the closing date (March 10th), we’ll review all the applications and contact folks for interviews. We can conduct the interviews over Google hangout, Skype or in-person depending on availability. The interviews will be short, and just a way for us to get to know each other, so we can assemble a board that works well together, and brings a diversity of experiences and skills to the table!

Tags: shameless, youth

« Shameless is looking for a new reviews editor!

Oscar Movie Roundup! Lady Bird »