Sealaska is partnering with the Alaska Fellows Program on a new temporary position: The Rural Youth Engagement Fellow.

The Rural Youth Engagement Fellow will work alongside Sealaska’s Director of Youth and Community Development to build mentorship programs that promote positive relationships and habits in partner communities. The Fellow will engage directly with young people in rural communities across Southeast Alaska, as well as in Anchorage and Seattle, through programs that build leadership and career-planning skills for our youth.

The Fellow will meet with shareholders, teachers, mentors, coaches, and other community members across Southeast Alaska and the Pacific Northwest. The Fellow will solicit ideas from community members about programming that would benefit the community and incorporate this feedback to develop and implement workshops, camps, and speaking engagements at schools and communities.

“We are looking for someone who enjoys engaging with others and building community relationships. The ability to step into multiple environments and relate to different audiences is required,” Damen said. “Someone who is passionate, caring, honest, straight forward and goal orientated. Someone who will consistently search for solutions to problems. Ultimately, we need a doer!”

The Fellow will have the opportunity to visit 15 communities throughout Southeast Alaska along with Anchorage and Seattle, working with school districts, local corporations, and tribes. This role will work directly with the communities, shareholders, and youth.

Specific responsibilities include coordinating travel to communities, school visits, and meetings with community members; leading camps and workshops in partner communities; and sharing education, vocational training, and internship opportunities with partner communities.