Basic Membership

1. Basic Membership  2. Program Area Participants  3. Executive Committee (EC)  4. Program Sponsorship Partners  5. Advisors and Friends  6. Sponsors

Even at the basic level, NYAC membership offers tremendous benefits to organizations and individuals. As the only national representative body of American youth, NYAC members will have unique access to programs, policies, and resources at the national level. These benefits include:

1. Voice and representation at the national level, through the National Youth Platform, National Youth Conventions, and the political outreach undertaken by the NYAC/Executive Committee.
2. Participation and a role in the development of NYAC/YIA programs, including the opportunity to partner with national organizations at a high level.
3. Access to media opportunities, political outreach, program information both from within the NYAC and otherwise, and funding opportunities.
4. A voice in NYAC decision making and policies through a voting process.
5. A chance for representation on the Executive Committee after two years of active membership (exceptions may be made during start-up phases by the Member Services Subcommittee of the EC).
6. The opportunity to network with similar organizations and individuals.
7. Increased visibility and exposure to other organizations, media outlets, political officials, and unaffiliated individuals.
8. A role in the creation of a national youth council with national and international recognition.
9. Access to a "Best Practices" guide for youth engagement.
10. Access to a "mini-guide" to financial and policy issues of interest and relevance to organizations in the nonprofit sector.
11. The opportunity to reach out to individuals who are not affiliated with any organizations (unaffiliated individuals will have the opportunity to build relationships with like-minded organizations).

Members of the National Youth Action Council must meet certain criteria. These are designed by the Executive Committee to ensure that the viability and potential of the Council are maximized and its resources utilized most fully. All NYAC members must:

1. Support and sign on to the mission of Youth in Action and the National Youth Action Council.
2. Promote Youth in Action/National Youth Action Council programs to their membership and/or in the community.
3. Promote the Executive Committee and opportunities for involvement therein.
4. Pay an annual membership fee - $100 for the first 100 organizations and $5 for all individuals.
5. Be organizations that serve youth aged 13 to 24, or in the case of individuals, be between the ages of 13 and 24.

Organizational NYAC members are asked, but not required, to:

1. Nominate one member from their organization to apply to the Executive Committee.
2. "Bring-a-friend" - recommend NYAC membership to other organization(s).
3. Send youth-adult teams to the National Youth Conventions.
4. Assist and/or contribute to resource-mapping efforts by the NYAC/EC.
5. Suggest and/or provide opportunities for NYAC/EC members to speak, conduct workshops, participate in events, or plan programs.

Individual NYAC members are asked, but not required, to:

1. "Bring-a-friend" - recommend NYAC membership to other individual(s).
2. Attend the National Youth Conventions (part or all of the expenses may be subsidized).
3. Assist and/or contribute to resource-mapping efforts by the NYAC/EC.
4. Suggest and/or provide opportunities for NYAC/EC members to speak, conduct workshops, participate in events, or plan programs.