The Young Organizers Survival Corps
Not a fellowship. Not a conference. An organizing school.
The Young Organizers Survival Corps is a 7-month experience connecting you with fellow activists, organizers, and young people who are hungry to get organized for the long haul and resist authoritarianism.
The Young Organizers Survival Corps brings together student organizers across the country to:
- Master the skills: nonviolent direct action, base-building, strategic campaigns
- Learn from the lineage: homeless unions, farm and domestic workers, welfare rights, student movements, disability justice, today’s encampments and more
- Build local power while preparing for national mobilizations
- Organize with the Johnnie Tillmon model – led by those most impacted, independent from politicians
- Practice hands-on skills in art, culture, and ritual with leading cultural organizers
From housing justice to immigrant defense to campus organizing – if you’re ready to build power where you are and move when we need to, apply.
JOIN AN INFO SESSION:
Frequently Asked Questions
Who We’re Looking For:
- Young leaders (18+) ready to organize—or already organizing—their campuses or communities.
- While not required, we encourage groups of people from the same community or organization to apply.
Time and Commitment
- 7 months (January 2026-July 2026)
- 4-day Young Organizers Survival Bootcamp in the eastern U.S. in mid-January, 2026 (more details provided upon acceptance to the program)
- Monthly political education sessions and regional base group check-ins
- Engaging in local organizing throughout the year, including a commitment to a summer action
What You’ll Gain:
- Deep grounding in the radical legacy of poor people’s movements
- Training in nonviolent resistance and grassroots, multiracial organizing
- Tools to reclaim the power of our moral and religious traditions
- Lessons from the rich history of youth-led political action
- Hands-on skills in art, culture, and ritual from leading cultural organizers
- A national network of organizers and movement partners
Questions? Reach out to students@kairoscenter.org.