African Queer Youth Initiative (AQYI) was formed by a dedicated group of LGBTI youth in the region during the 2015 Changing Faces, Changing Spaces conference in Kenya. AQYI is committed to advocating for the sexual health, rights and general wellbeing of LGBTI youth in the African continent. We do this through networking, advocating, knowledge generation and information sharing, capacity development, building partnerships and training youth in the community. We strive to ensure meaningful participation of LGBTI youth in decision making processes and spaces that affect our lives.
We are currently looking for young people in the African continent who are passionate about the sexual health, rights and wellbeing of LGBTI youth in the region. Most of the work of the AQYI is conducted online through; skype calls, google docs, doodle polls and emails. We rely on an active volunteer membership to achieve our goals and objectives.
To be a member, you must be between the ages of 18 and 35, be a member of the LGBTI community and commit to achieving the goals and objectives of the AQYI. We accept members from different backgrounds, with various skills and expertise. Our current working language is English, which means members must possess sufficient understanding, speaking, reading and writing English skills. Members are required to commit a minimum of 8 hours a week to AQYI activities, which includes contributing meaningfully to conversations, responding to emails and taking part in planned activities.
We specially encourage trans, gender queer and intersex individuals to apply. We also strongly encourage applications from individuals in underrepresented countries in Africa.
Desirable skills and experience includes:
• Human rights background;
• Movement building;
• Strong leadership skills;
• Experience in fundraising;
• Writing and research experience;
• Communications skills (new media, social media, graphic design, etc.);
• Experience with advocacy;
• Experience and/or involvement with local, regional or international volunteer organizations;
• Facilitation and public speaking skills;
• Experience with policy analysis;
If you meet the criteria above, please complete and submit your application on or before the 16th October 2017. Incomplete applications or applications received after the deadline will not be considered.
Applications can be submitted HERE.