ReThink Citizens Seeks a Youth Coalition Program Manager
About ReThink Citizens
ReThink Citizens is a youth-led nonprofit with the mission of tackling cyberbullying and redefining digital social connection to be more kind and intentional. By equipping today’s youth with technology and educational resources that encourage them to rethink online hate – and offering them the tools and community that they need to build the digital world that they want to live in – ReThink Citizens is creating a more inclusive digital ecosystem in real time.
ReThink Citizens is led by responsible tech leader Trisha Prabhu, a 24-year-old anti-cyberbullying activist who first invented the globally acclaimed ReThink technology in 2013, when she was just 13 years old. ReThink Citizens was launched in 2023 as a non-profit vehicle to make the ReThink technology and other offerings accessible to historically underserved communities.
About the ReThink Citizens Youth Coalition
In May 2025, ReThink Citizens will launch the ReThink Citizens Youth Coalition (RCYC), a first-of-it-kind community that aims to incubate and empower young innovators (aged 10-17) with ideas to make the digital world a better place. Over a 6-week period, 20 innovators will participate in the “RCYC Innovator Academy,” which will offer them the crucial know-how they need to kickstart their innovation journey, e.g., teaching them how to develop a minimum viable product (MVP), how to pitch their solution, how to formally start a non-profit organization, etc. Innovators will also be connected to leading responsible technology experts and other crucial early-stage resources. At the end of the 6 weeks, innovators will then present their ideas – and the progress that they’ve made – at a local showcase.
The RCYC will focus on different cities across the US each year; our inaugural cohort will invite youth based in the Chicagoland area to apply to join the Coalition. The RCYC will also focus on different internet safety “challenges” each year; this year, applicants will be asked to submit their ideas to “realize a safe, ethical AI future.”
About The Position
Position Title: ReThink Citizens Youth Coalition Program Manager
Purpose: The Program Manager is tasked with researching, designing, and overseeing the Youth Coalition in (at least) its first year. The Program Manager will work closely with Founder and President Trisha Prabhu to craft a first-of-it-kind incubator program that will give young people with bold, innovative ideas the opportunity to take their idea to the next level.
Timeline: August 2024 – June 2025 (with the possibility of contract renewal)
Position Duties and Responsibilities
As Program Manager, you will be responsible for:
- Researching what information, resources, and other tools young responsible tech leaders need to effectively solution-build
- Developing the RCYC Innovator Academy’s content; researching, conducting outreach to, and securing expert speakers to deliver lectures on these themes/topics
- Researching, conducting outreach to, and securing expert mentors to support Innovators
- Researching and securing access to a slate of other tools and resources for Innovators to leverage
- Developing and disseminating an application for the inaugural RCYC cohort; selecting the 20 final Innovators
- Helping plan an in-person, end-of-program showcase in the Chicagoland area
- Handling logistics, both for any virtual programming and the in-person showcase
- Supporting Trisha in running the virtual RCYC Innovator Academy
- Attending the RCYC Innovator Showcase (travel stipend available)
Please note that this is a part-time position; program managers will be expected to work no more than 20 hours per week and no less than 10 hours. Note too that this position is compensated, with pay based on experience.
Required Qualifications
- Either currently pursuing or have received a 4-year Bachelor’s degree or 2-year Associate’s degree
- A track record (6 months minimum) of having worked in the responsible technology space, whether academically, professionally, or in a personal capacity
- Excellent communications skills – you can write a killer email
- Outstanding logistics skills, including careful planning and adaptability
- A self-starter, detail-oriented, persistent (you don’t give up easily!), and creative
Preferred Qualifications
(but seriously, if you don’t meet any of these, please apply anyway!)
- Experience working with youth, whether in an educational or extracurricular setting
- Based in the Chicagoland area
- Proximate to the youth we hope to serve, i.e, you yourself are 25 or younger
How To Apply
Interested candidates should email the following to jobs@rethinkcitizens.org:
- Resumé
- Responses to the following questions (no more than 150 words/question):
- You’ve been tasked with interviewing young responsible tech leaders to understand what early-stage information is crucial for successful solution-building. What kinds of questions would you ask, and why?
- Pitch 3 speakers that you would invite to deliver talks/lectures as part of the RCYC Innovator Academy.
- You’ve been tasked with conducting outreach to a prospective celebrity guest speaker, e.g., Taylor Swift! Describe your process (the “how”) for successfully contacting the speaker.
Please submit your resumé and responses by Tuesday, August 6th, 2024, at 11:59 PM ET.
Note that applicants will also be required to complete a 45-minute interview. Any questions about the application and/or application process should be directed to jobs@rethinkcitizens.org.
