Sunday, March 15-Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Washington, DC
YouthBuild USA is pleased to announce our 2009 YouthBuild USA Conference of Young Leaders at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City at Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia (5 minutes from Washington, DC) from Sunday, March 15-Wednesday, March 18, 2009.
Online Registration is closed as of February 25, 2009.
Who is eligible to attend?
YouthBuild AmeriCorps sites:
Funding for the Conference of Young Leaders comes to YouthBuild USA from the Corporation for National and Community Service. Funding for 1-2 students from each YB AMC site is available (max. is 80 students). Registration is first-come, first-serve, so register your students quickly to secure a space. There is a fee of $250 per student fee to help supplement the many activities of the 30th anniversary that students in the CoYL will participate in. All travel, hotel, meals, and programs are covered and made by YouthBuild USA.
Non-YouthBuild AmeriCorps sites:
There is also an option this year for non-YouthBuild AmeriCorps programs to send students. If you are not currently a YB AMC program, but are an Affiliated YB site, you may pay the full amount to send a student to the CoYL. There is a fee of $1,800 per student fee to help supplement the many activities of the 30th anniversary that students in the CoYL will participate in. All travel, hotel, meals, and programs are covered and made by YouthBuild USA.
Students must be at least 18 years of age by March 15, 2009.
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How do I register?
You may register up to two delegates who are at least 18 years old by March 15, 2009 to represent your YouthBuild program. We are able to accommodate on a first-come-first-serve basis only, space is limited to 80. Registration will be CLOSED when the limit of 80 is reached! By receiving your registration(s) quickly we can ensure the least expensive transportation fares for your delegates, plus meet the hotel deadlines. Students must sign and return the Delegate Conduct Form in order to complete registration. Travel for students will NOT be made until this FORM is received.
Pre-Event Conference Calls
In order to help acquaint students to the event and answer any questions they or YouthBuild program staff may have, there are a series of conference calls set up the week prior to the event. Students and a YouthBuild staff member responsible for bringing them to the airport on Sunday, March 15 MUST be on one of the conference calls in order to attend the COYL.
Can I change the student(s) I registered?
Changes, such as adding or having substitute candidates, are not permissible after registration is submitted. YouthBuild USA will cover all the hotel rooms, travel, and food for delegates at the event. The only fee YouthBuild programs need to pay is $250 per delegate for current YB AMC programs, $1,800 per delegate for non-YB AMC programs. If a student is no longer eligible to attend, due to program rules, the program is responsible for all costs incurred to change a student’s travel and other costs. If a student is sent home due to Code of Conduct violations, the YouthBuild program will be billed for those incurred costs.
There will be Capitol Hill Day following CoYL, where delegates visit their respective state legislators to learn about legislative processes as well as increase their knowledge of civic engagement and duties. Students must bring casual business attire for Hill meetings.
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Delegate Preparation
Delegates are chosen to participate in YouthBuild USA’s Conference of Young Leaders because they have demonstrated leadership, good judgment, and reliability. Attendance at the conference is a demonstration of the local program’s confidence in the delegate, and attendance is a reward for the significant contributions each delegate has made to the local program. The conference will allow them to further demonstrate their accomplishments. We look forward to their full participation and request your help in ensuring that all delegates recognize the seriousness of their commitment to this effort.
Our experience with delegates over the years has informed us that this trip is often our students’ first trip away from home. We recommend that you and your delegates have an open discussion about the conference, including what it means for them personally and for the program, as well as issues of fear and homesickness. Ensuring delegates have a good experience while attending the conference, and the overall success of this event, will largely depend on your thorough preparation of your delegates before their arrival at the conference.
We hope the following suggestions are helpful to you in your discussion with your delegate(s):
- Discuss the conference’s goal and its activities.
- Explore your delegate’s or delegates’ personal reasons for attending the conference (What do you hope to learn, what personal goals do you have and how are they related to your participation at the conference, how will you further help your community by going to this conference, etc?)
- Communicate your expectations of their conduct at the conference (including punctuality to event activities); review Delegate’s Conduct Form and have delegate(s) sign the Delegate’s Pledge.
- Share information about dress: this year for two events (evening of April 1 and Hill Day on April 2) delegates will need to be in professional dress: dark-colored sports coat or dress shirt, shirt and tie for men; a pant suit or knee-length skirt suit for women. Clothing should not be revealing. Delegates may not be permitted to participate without proper attire.
- Help your delegate(s) prepare for sharing information upon their return; give them a set of objectives and reporting goals for the conference.
- Talk to your delegate about the logistics of their travel, i.e. ideal arrival time at airport before departure, numbers to call in case of emergency or travel change, etc.
Your help in preparing your delegate(s) translates directly to the overall success of the conference.
In addition, YouthBuild USA will be conducting numerous pre-Conference calls which delegates must attend for more information to prepare for the event and to answer any final questions they have before attending.
Capitol Hill Day Preparation
CoYL students will be trained and prepared for Hill visits during the event. All delegates should begin to prepare for Capitol Hill Day by thinking about the following questions:
- Why did you join YouthBuild?
- How does YouthBuild strengthen you, your family, your community?
- What positive changes have you made in your life and in your community since joining YouthBuild?
- What do you plan to do when you graduate?
- What aspects of YouthBuild are most important to you or the other students in your program?
- How do you want to continue to support your local program after graduation?
You are required to bring appropriate business attire for our visit to Capitol Hill.
For example: a sports coat, shirt and tie for men; a pant suit or knee-length skirt suit for women. Clothing should not be revealing. The idea is to channel legislators’ attention to your voice and your message and not to distract them with appearance. Business-appropriate, yet comfortable, shoes should be worn. Remember. You will be walking to and from various buildings on Capitol Hill. Capitol Hill Day is a vital part of YouthBuild. It is a wonderful opportunity to educate legislators about the importance of YouthBuild to so many people and so many communities.
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Young Leaders Council Elections
During the CoYL are the annual elections for the Young Leaders Council (YLC), an elected body of YouthBuild participants and graduate leaders from across the country. Students must complete the Young Leaders Council Application Process, which includes a formal application, a letter of recommendation, and a 500 word written essay (preferably typed). All of which must be sent to YouthBuild USA prior to the Conference of Young Leaders. E-mailed or faxed applications must be received by March 2, 2009 and sent directly to Annette Goodrich, Graduate Coordinator at (617) 623-9900 or agoodrich@youthbuild.org. On-site YLC applications will NOT be accepted.
Once you have registered your 1-2 delegates for the event online, you will receive a confirmation letter with important details and more information about next steps. Do not make any arrangements for your students, YouthBuild USA makes all travel, hotel, and meal arrangements for your students, all you need to do is register!
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Important links and documents
For more information, contact: Michelle Quinn-Davidson, Director, Academy for Transformation, YouthBuild USA, 617.741.1256 or mquinn-davidson@youthbuild.org.
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