Apply to Join Our 2026 – 2027 Youth Council!

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Seeking Applicants for 2026 – 2027 Youth Council

Project Unloaded works to prevent gun violence by educating, engaging, and empowering teens through cultural campaigns and community partnerships that share a simple message: guns make us less safe. We sit at the intersection of public health, youth engagement, social marketing and culture. Through large-scale, data-backed social media campaigns, teen-facing local programs, and an inspiring youth council, we combine young people’s love of social media with a gun violence prevention message that can reduce gun use and save lives.

As a Youth Council member, you will:

  • Create videos for Project Unloaded’s social media accounts.
  • Advise on graphic social media content for Project Unloaded’s social accounts.
  • Support Project Unloaded’s content creator partners by replying to comments and sharing their content. 
  • Advise on upcoming campaigns, partnerships, and strategies to help spread the message that we’re safer unarmed.
  • Manage and lead projects related to inspiring young people to decide against gun use and ownership.
  • Speak out in support of a future with fewer guns with peers, press, and supporters.
  • Collaborate and build leadership skills while working alongside other youth leaders on strategic initiatives.
  • Attend monthly meetings on Zoom and a required (and fun!) in-person retreat on November 6-8 in Chicago, with expenses paid by Project Unloaded
  • Get PAID—receive a $500 stipend for your contributions!

Expected meetings and travel 

  • The Youth Council will meet virtually once per month to weigh in on Project Unloaded campaigns, report on projects, and brainstorm new initiatives. In addition, Youth Council members may be asked to join ad hoc meetings for projects they’re supporting.
  • The council will have one required in-person meeting, which will take place November 6-8 in Chicago, with travel expenses paid by Project Unloaded. This retreat will be a chance to collaborate, receive training, and help shape upcoming campaigns.
  • In between monthly meetings, members can expect to hear from Project Unloaded staff bi-weekly over email or chat, with requests such as:
    – Providing feedback on upcoming campaigns or strategies.
    – Creating video social media content, and engaging with Project Unloaded’s content
    – Collaborating on projects or brainstorming ideas with the Project Unloaded team.

Time Commitment

Members should expect to dedicate 2-5 hours per month to meetings, content creation, or engagement activities. Members are expected to be responsive to emails, text, and/or group messages.

Public-facing responsibilities 

Youth Council members will all have some public-facing responsibilities as part of their role. 

  • In support of Project Unloaded’s Community Partner Program, council members may be asked to join local programming.
  • Youth Council members will use the Project Unloaded toolkit to host local programming in their community.
  • Youth Council members are expected to create short form video, and occasionally graphic, text based, social media content at least once each month in support of Project Unloaded’s mission
  • Members may also speak to reporters or be quoted on behalf of Project Unloaded. Prior to any media engagements, all members will receive media training.

Youth Council Term

Youth Council members are selected annually with the expectation of serving a one-year term, from August 2026 to July 2027. Current Youth Council members may choose to apply for a second Youth Council term. 

Payment 

Youth Council members will receive a $500 stipend for their contributions.

 To get the full experience and stipend, members should: 

  • Attend monthly meetings and participate in discussions.
  • Engage in projects, content creation, and campaign efforts.
  • Collaborate & communicate with the team via chat, video, and email.

The stipend will be paid in two installments.

How to Apply

Applications will be accepted until April 26, 2026. Interviews will take place throughout April and May, with selection decisions made in June.  

 Applicants must be between 15-20 years old. Minors must have parental permission to apply.

Privacy Notice 

All applications and all interaction with participants and parents will be subject to the privacy practices disclosed in our Participant Privacy Notice.

Overview

Project Unloaded is seeking Community Partner Program Facilitators for Summer 2026. The role will support Project Unloaded’s in-person Social Media for Safer Communities program for teens in Chicago this summer. Facilitators will lead in-person sessions with high schoolers with the goal of educating teens about the risks that come with using and owning guns, and empowering them with the tools they need to leverage social media to spread that message to their peers. 

 

About Project Unloaded 

Project Unloaded works to prevent gun violence in all its forms by educating, engaging, and empowering teens through cultural campaigns and community partnerships that share a simple message: guns make us less safe. Through our Social Media for Safer Communities community programs, teens learn the facts about why they’re safer unarmed and create social media campaigns and content that spreads that message to their peers.

We sit at the intersection of public health, youth engagement, social marketing and culture. Through large-scale, data-backed social media campaigns, original research, teen-facing local programs, and inspiring youth leaders, we combine young people’s social media know-how with a gun violence prevention message that can reduce gun use and save lives. 

                                                                                                                                                         

Responsibilities and Tasks 

  • Support the day-to-day implementation of the Summer 2026 curriculum, leading classroom sessions with teens onsite 
  • Prepare materials and adapt teaching methods to meet teens’ varying needs and interests 
  • Ensure teens complete daily assignments
  • Communicate with Project Unloaded and partners on teens’ progress, occasionally participating in planning calls with the team
  • Provide technical support for teens during the program period
  • Troubleshoot and communicate behavioral, technical and programmatic concerns to Project Unloaded and partner teams  
  • Administer surveys and other materials accurately and efficiently to monitor student progress
  • Attend a mandatory in person training session
  • Attend weekly meetings with Project Unloaded staff to review past week programming and plan for following week
  • Comply with Project Unloaded’s Minor Protection Policy
  • Pass a mandatory background check

 

Preferred Qualifications

  • Experience working with high school-age students 
  • Commitment to gun violence prevention 
  • Knowledge of social media trends and best practices, specifically on Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, and TikTok
  • Comfortable creating exemplar social media content while supporting teens with navigating platforms that may be unfamiliar to them

 

Compensation

The contractor will be paid $22 – 28/hour, depending on experience

 

Schedule

Hours per week: Up to 16 hours/week for 6 weeks

Program Dates: June 22 – July 31, 2026

**In addition, 4-5 hours of in-person training and prep time is required during the week of June 8 and a virtual 1 hour debrief meeting will be held during the week of August 3.

 

How to Apply 

Submit your qualifications, including your resume as a PDF or Word attachment alongside a brief email about why this role interests you to: info@projectunloaded.org. Please reference “Community Partner Program Facilitator” in the subject line.

Please note that only those individuals whose qualifications match the current needs of this posting will receive responses. We’re currently seeking applicants for confirmed and pending sites. We will accept applications until all positions are filled.

Thank you for your interest.

Location: Fully remote 

Reports to: Managing Director

Status: Hourly, non-exempt; Temporary 

Hours per week: Up to 35 hours/week for 8 weeks

 

Position Summary  

Project Unloaded is hiring a Marketing and Advertising Intern for Summer 2025. The intern will support and help create content for Project Unloaded’s Gen Z-facing advertising campaigns. The intern will also support education and outreach work on Project Unloaded’s campaigns and theory of change. Eligible applicants will be incoming or current college students. 

 

About Project Unloaded 

Project Unloaded works to prevent gun violence by educating, engaging, and empowering teens through cultural campaigns and community partnerships that share a simple message: guns make us less safe. We sit at the intersection of public health, youth engagement, social marketing and culture. Through large-scale, data-backed social media campaigns that have reached a quarter of 13-17-year-olds nationwide, teen-facing local programs, and an inspiring youth council, we combine young people’s love of social media with a gun violence prevention message that can reduce gun use and save lives.                                                                         

Responsibilities and Tasks 

  • Using brand guidelines provided by Project Unloaded, create content for Project Unloaded’s teen-facing campaigns
  • Use Canva to edit and create short videos and graphics
  • Draft ad content and work with teens and young adults in Project Unloaded’s network to bring them to life
  • Analyze campaign data and provide recommendations for content optimizations  
  • Develop marketing materials such as pitches, releases, social media posts and emails to supporters
  • Monitor press stories related to gun violence and culture change for social media posting and/or sharing with the Project Unloaded team

 

Compensation and Benefits 

Salary: $15/hour 

Benefits are not available for this position.  

 

How to Apply 

E-mail your resume and cover letter as PDF or Word attachments to: info@projectunloaded.org. 

Please reference the exact title of the job you are applying for in the subject line. This announcement will remain posted until the position is filled. 

Please note that only those individuals whose qualifications match the current needs of this position will be considered applicants and will receive responses. 

Thank you for your interest. 

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