United Students Against Sweatshops (USAS) is hiring 12 Regional Organizers (2 per region), to start sometime before this coming Fall semester.  Please fill out and return the Regional Organizer application below, to Tom Cogswell (lamarvannoy77@hotmail.com), and Trina Tocco (talkalot83@hotmail.com) by July 5th.  Decisions will be made by July 12th, and you will be notified accordingly. People of color, women, working class, and queer people are highly encouraged to apply.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me also at (989) 906-2701.

 

Regional Organizer Description

 

The Regional Organizer (RO) position is a part time USAS staff position, and exists in all six of our regions (Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, South, West, and California).  Each region will have two Regional Organizers, to be paid no less than a $500 stipend individually each fall and spring semester ($1000 total).  RO’s will also be responsible for fundraising any additional part of a stipend.   The RO internship is approximately 20-30 hours per week, on average.  (Cell phones are highly suggested) Students can also arrange for college credit as an internship, or for work-study hours from your university. RO’s are also encouraged to seek out ‘in-kind’ office space to share with an organization.  For example, last year United Steelworkers of America (USWA) offered office space for use to any regional organizer that had a USWA local in their city or campus. 

 

As a Regional Organizer (RO), you will be responsible for:

 

·        Maintaining databases and contact information for individuals, groups, and organizations in your region and state (s).

·        Working with staff and USAS leadership to organize a regional conference in the fall or spring semester.

·        Working with other RO’s and staff to develop monthly work plans.

·        Outreaching to new students and schools, focusing on womens’ colleges, and city and community colleges.

·        Focusing on development of new leadership in your region.

·        Making weekly contact with campus contacts in your region, being available to answer questions, offer advice, and establishing contact between campus groups working on similar issues.

·        Fundraising money for conferences and events in your region.

·        Working with USAS leadership to organize an anti-racism/challenging white supremacy training in your region.

·        Networking and staying in contact with other RO’s, coordinating committee members, Workers Rights Consortium Board Representatives, and other student leaders in your region.

·        Having up to date knowledge on the various types of national campaigns within USAS.

·        Helping to create campaign resources for use in local USAS chapters.

·        Being able to help work on national USAS campaigns.

·        Building contacts and alliances with other organizations at a regional level.

 

You must be:

 

·        Willing to take direction as well as provide leadership.

·        A good communicator- 99% of this internship is working with people.

·        Open to working with a broad scope of people from diverse backgrounds.

·        Willing to learn from personal mistakes, and from others.

 

Able to attend the USAS National Conference in Boston, August 8-11th (attendance strongly suggested).

 

Good, but not essential:  At least one semester or summer of working with USAS or with your local campus progressive groups.

 

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Regional Organizer Internship Application

 

Name:

School:

Major, Minor, interests:

Summer Address:

Summer Phone:

Email:

Expected graduation date:

-Are you available to attend the USAS Summer Conference in Boston, August 8-11th?

-What will your class load be in the upcoming school year?

-Do you identify as a woman, person of color, working class, or queer person (optional)?

 

1.  Why do you want to be a regional organizer?

2.  What do you see as the particular organizing needs of your specific region?

3.  Based on your answer above, list at least one major (but realistic) goal you would like to see accomplished regularly by USAS during the academic year.  Briefly state how you, as a regional organizer, would take the initiative to accomplish this goal.

4.  How do race, class, gender, and sexual identity figure into your and USASs’ priorities in the coming year?

5.  Briefly describe your campus organizing experience and one campaign/event you and your organization learned from.

6.  What other organizing experience will you bring to the internship?

7.  Have you ever planned or helped to plan a conference or larger event?  Describe your experience.

8.  Do you have any skills in web design, fundraising, media, or anything else that would aid you in this position?  Please list any.

9.  If not selected would you consider running for a seat on the USAS Coordinating Committee?