Civic Service Fellowship
The purpose of the Civic Service Fellowship is to improve our communities, spread big ideas, and train leaders to increase civic participation. At a time of mass polarization, we build bridges, create spaces for healing, and forge paths for young leaders to make a tangible impact. Teams of Fellows are supported to lead local Youth Voice Campaigns in the fall and voter education drives in the spring. Additionally, Fellows receive support to build local Community Empowerment Events around the inclusive, nonviolent, nonpartisan ideas they are most passionate about. Early examples of these events include teaching democracy to local elementary school students, establishing mindfulness periods, hosting financial literacy events, developing wildfire prevention and education campaigns, advocating for more eco-friendly campuses, facilitating public transit panels, providing care for youth in hospitals, hosting Know Your Period tabling events, facilitating gun violence prevention conversations with local city council following the loss of a close friend, and more. Whatever Fellows are most passionate about, we're built to support their efforts.
“Rhizome offers free, research-based civic education communities to promote youth leadership and student voice…Rhizome has created an inspiring, student-led, and high-impact approach to civic engagement.”
- Peter Levine, Associate Dean of Tufts University and Former Director of CIRCLE
APPLY IN 10 MINUTES!
Fellowship applications take just 10 minutes to complete. Apply online today to begin your journey to changing your community!
Post-Fellowship Opportunities
Though students' lives are transient, our group-based leadership approach enables us to engage with emerging leaders for many years, even as they relocate to college, work new jobs, or move. Those who have completed the Fellowship often continue to develop their leadership capacities by getting connected with our local partners, by plugging into national opportunities, or by getting involved with Rhizome through paid work as a Community Organizer, a Regional Organizer, a Strategic Coordinator, or a Social Media Coordinator. For Fellows who want to continue with Rhizome, the next step is to apply to become a Community Organizer who will lead the local Fellowship Chapter in your hometown.
Community Organizer Positions
Community Organizers lead city-based Chapters of the Civic Service Fellowship. Preference is given to leaders who completed the Civic Service Fellowship.
Apply Here!Collaborators
Fellows are invited to collaborate with our national network and to establish projects alongside nonpartisan organizations in their communities. We act as a bridge between school systems and civic spaces so that young leaders can continue their leadership journeys after high school. We are grateful to collaborate with all the lovely organizations who enable leadership pipelines to flow from Rhizome into the broader civic ecosystem.
Who Are We Looking For?
We value the intrinsic worth and insight of each person, no matter how old or young, no matter where they are from, no matter their background.
The Civic Service Fellowship is proven to help young people live more meaningful, confident, and closely connected lives. It is open to all high school students who want to boost civic engagement, empower other young people, and help their peers feel a sense of belonging in their communities.
No prior leadership experience is required, as we have built the Fellowship to provide healthy early exposures to civic life and put students on paths to lifelong leadership. We invite high school students to join us in building leadership skills, practicing civic habits, and improving conditions in your local community.
Local Chapters
We know that each school is different, and that one-size-fits-all does not work. We’ve built the Civic Service Fellowship to be adaptable to the specific needs of each community. We meet emerging leaders where they are and allow them to coordinate action in local networks rather than taking action in isolation.
Our institution-based model also offers long-term sustainability, so that we don’t abide by cyclical patterns or redesign our systems each year. Rather, we empower Fellows to build student-led civic spaces that have staying power and that evolve quickly as we learn together. As William James wrote over 100 years ago, nearly all human growth happens in spots.
We’re working to build a culture of “yes.” Whatever Civic Service Fellows want to take action around to improve their local communities - as long as it is nonviolent, nonpartisan, and inclusive - we’ll provide support to lead action around it because we prioritize the agency of Fellows.
THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATOR CHAMPIONS
Teacher Champions support Rhizome by connecting their compassionate and engaged students to the Civic Service Fellowship. We offer resources through weekly after school trainings, so educators can be as hands off as they see fit after connecting students to the fellowship!
*In our experience, students grades 9-11 tend to be the most enthusiastic and engaged.
3 WAYS FELLOWS CAN WORK WITH RHIZOME
- Create a new civic service club in their school
- Integrate the Fellowship with another club (NHS, Key Club, Student Gov)
- Lead local actions without creating a formal club
WHAT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY?
Our ask of Educators is to share our Fellowship with students and support them if and how you see fit. Once Fellows join us, we will provide all the support they need so teachers can be hands off!
To Become an Educator Champion, Forward Our Fellowship Application to students who would be interested and/or use the map on our home page to contact your local organizer!
Sign Up Now
Educators, please share this sign-up link with your high school students who'd be interested in joining the Fellowship!