Native Youth Community Adaptation Leadership Congress Application

Preview and Directions

Thank you for your interest in NYCALC 2025! The online application should be filled out individually by each student. Single community teams composed of a minimum of 3 to a maximum of 5 students and one mentor will be accepted. Below is a preview of the application questions.

DOWNLOAD APPLICATION PREVIEW

Part 1

Must be completed
individually.

Parts 2-3

Must be completed
individually by the student

Part 4

Will be completed by
the mentor with student input

All sections will be scored.

WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE TO REVIEW AND WRITE/PLAN YOUR ANSWERS PRIOR TO OPENING THE APPLICATION.
YOU CAN COPY AND PASTE YOUR PRE-WRITTEN ANSWERS INTO THE APPLICATION.

- Step 1 of 4

Part 1

Please select: *

Mentor
Student

Name *

First

Last

Nickname

Birthday *

Gender *

What are your pronouns?

Optional

Email (one you can access year-round, after graduation) *

Confirm Email

Tribe *

Mentor Name *

Community Affiliation/Group *

Town *

State *

Phone Number *

Have you traveled before? How do you cope or plan to cope with homesickness? *

Part 2

Student Insight:

Please choose THREE of the following questions to answer to help us learn more about you. You may answer the questions in either written format (500-800 words), or other media of your choice, for example: artwork, video, or voice recording of a song or poem. For videos and recordings, please upload to YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, etc. and embed link in your application or use the provided fields below.

For photographic images (.pdf, .jpg, .tiff, .gif, .png, .heic) upload below.

1. Tell us a story about yourself:
Here are some suggestions to get you started:
• Have you ever used your story to inspire change, why or why not?
• What was one of the biggest challenges you had to face and how do you face that challenge?
• How do you want to create change and give back to your community?

Tell is a story about yourself

2. Tell us about your community or culture:
Here are some suggestions to get you started:
• What are some things that you want people to know about your community, tribe, or culture?
• How has your culture or community shaped you?
• What is one of the biggest misconceptions about your culture or community you want to change?

Tell us about your community or culture

3. Tell us your thoughts on leadership:
Here are some suggestions to get you started:
• What do you think are important skills indigenous leaders should have to address current and future issues affecting your community?
• Who is a leader that inspires you and why
• What skills do you want to develop as a leader to create change in your community?
• What past or current leadership roles have you stepped into and why do you think it is important to grow as a leader?

Tell us your thoughts on leadership

4. Tell us how climate change affects you and ideas you have to become climate resilient:
Background: The increase impacts of climate change from frequent drought, storms, wildfires, heat waves, rising sea levels, and melting glaciers has caused severe damage to habitats, ecosystems, and communities, especially Indigenous communities.
• What climate change issues directly affect you, your family, and community?
• How is climate change impacting the health and well-being of people in your community?
• What are the ways youth can lead in building stronger Indigenous communities to address the effects of climate change?
• What are some indigenous understandings, values, or practices you would like to see western or non-indigenous societies adapt to address climate change?

Tell us how climate change affects you and ideas you have to become climate resilient:

5. What do you hope to gain from NYCALC?
Here are some suggestions to get you started:
• How will the experience benefit you and/or your community?
• How does NYCALC align with your goals?

What do you hope to gain from NYCALC?

File Upload

Click or drag files to this area to upload. You can upload up to 5 files.

Accepted files types: .pdf, .jpg, .tiff, .gif, .png, .doc, .heic (Please keep file sizes under 10MB each)

YouTube

TikTok

Instagram

Other Website / URL

Please click 'next' to continue

Part 3

Short Answer Info:

Provide short answers to the following questions. These questions are designed to gain insight into how involved you are in your community and school life. Please fill out this short answer section as completely as possible in the space provided. Please write anything within your lifetime you find relevant.

1. Extracurricular activities, school clubs or organizations you currently participate or have previously participated in (ex: spiritual groups, sports, activism, recreational activities, performances). What are important to you (family, school, culture, sports,)?

2. Volunteer experience (ex: food bank, donation drives, community clean-ups, etc.):

3. Accomplishments or awards you have received and what year/semester:

4. Other strengths, qualifications, and/or obstacles you have overcome you would like the application reviewers to consider.

5. Describe how you see yourself in your community. Do you have a strong tie to your culture or community; or are you seeking to grow that tie? What does being Indigenous mean to you?

I acknowledge that by applying to the Native Youth Climate Leadership Adaptation Leadership Congress, that I will provide input to my mentor about developing a project. *

I acknowledge

Please click 'next' to continue

4. Project Information – This should be ONLY be completed by the mentor with student input.

Project outline:

This portion should be a preliminary project idea that will be developed throughout the Congress. By participating in NYCALC, you have the opportunity to potentially earn a mini grant to help put your project idea into action upon return from the Congress.

Answers should be complete sentences. When brainstorming a conservation-based project consider your passions, skill sets, and your community's needs. Please outline your/your groups idea with the following format. You may use this same format to apply for the mini-grant opportunity following NYCALC.

1. Project Goal and Summary

2. Who is your audience? Why are they important?

3. How would you implement this project, and what tools would you need to be successful?

4. Would you need additional support (ex: volunteers, other schools, professionals, neighboring communities)?

5. When would your project be completed? Is it a one-time project or ongoing over many years into the future?

Mentor Agreements

I accept responsibility for assisting interested student groups in the application process, clarifying application requirements for those individuals, and providing both students and parents notice of acceptance/non-acceptance. *

I agree

I will coordinate the delivery and receipt of all required forms and documentation, attend pre-Congress informational webinars, communicate with the travel coordinator in ensuring travel is in place for students, and distribute needed information to all students and guardians. *

I agree

I will attend webinars/online training to review roles and responsibilities, the agenda, staffing plans, and receive cultural/generational training before the Congress. These meetings will be provided by NCTC and NYCALC staff, will give mentors necessary information and tools for the Congress, and serve as an opportunity for questions and guidance. *

I agree

Please read through and check all individual boxes. Refer to the manual for questions. During the Congress, I will.....

Greet the students and help orient them to NCTC *

Greet the students and help orient them to NCTC

Attend daily staff meetings *

Attend daily staff meetings

Engage with all participants and visitors to create a strong network *

Engage with all participants and visitors to create a strong network

Facilitate OST sessions as needed *

Facilitate OST sessions as needed

Provide guidance and support to JR Faculty and students *

Provide guidance and support to JR Faculty and students

Assist in curfew enforcement as needed *

Assist in curfew enforcement as needed

Please read through all and agree by selecting each task. After the Congress I will...

Ensure students arrive home safely *

Ensure students arrive home safely

Provide aid and encouragement to submit their grant proposals *

Provide aid and encouragement to submit their grant proposals

Provide students with assistance and ongoing mentorship throughout the implementation of projects *

Provide students with assistance and ongoing mentorship throughout the implementation of projects