CHICAGO – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is committed to actively involving youth in preparedness-related activities through the Youth Preparedness Council (YPC) and is seeking applicants for 2021.
YPC members are students in grades 8 through 11 who are selected to support disaster preparedness and make a positive impact on their communities. The 2021 YPC is now open for applications. The YPC is an opportunity for young leaders to engage with FEMA and provide their perspectives, feedback, and opinions related to preparedness, to grow their leadership skills, and to support the resilience of their communities.
YPC members are selected for two-year terms and are chosen based on their passion for preparedness and helping others, their involvement in their community, and their aptitude for working in a team and as a leader.
Students from Region 5 states who apply for the National Youth Preparedness Council will also be considered for a place on the Region 5 Youth Preparedness Council (Region 5 YPC). The Region 5 YPC is an additional service and leadership opportunity for high school students living in the states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin.
“FEMA’s Youth Preparedness Council empowers young people to not only participate in disaster readiness within their families and communities but also be the leaders to affect positive change,” said Kevin M. Sligh, acting regional administrator, FEMA Region 5. “By applying to and joining the council, youth will have the opportunity to build preparedness and become change agents in their community.”
The online application opened on January 18, 2021, and students must complete their applications by March 7, 2021, 11:59 p.m. PST to be considered. Selected candidates will be notified in May 2021. Interested students can apply online at https://community.fema.gov/PreparednessCommunity/s/apply-to-ypc.
For more information about the Youth Preparedness Council or other youth-focused preparedness initiatives contact us at FEMA-Prepare@fema.dhs.gov.
FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters.