Washington – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is seeking nominations for participants in the Agency’s Youth Preparedness Council (YPC).

The Youth Preparedness Council provides an opportunity for young leaders to serve as a member of a distinguished national council; to complete a youth preparedness project of their choosing; to learn about youth disaster preparedness from the leadership at FEMA and other national organizations dedicated to youth preparedness; to voice their opinions, experiences, and share innovative ideas and solutions; and to participate in the Youth Preparedness Council Summit where the council meets with emergency management leadership to discuss steps to strengthen the nation’s resiliency against all types of disasters.

Participants are expected to represent the youth perspective on emergency preparedness and relay information within their communities. Each council member is expected to develop and complete one preparedness-related project specific to his/her region and interests. In addition to attending the Summit in the summer of 2013, council members will potentially participate in national, regional, state, tribal and local preparedness meetings and present their work. It is expected that members will meet with FEMA on a regular basis via conference call to provide ongoing input on strategies, initiatives and projects throughout the duration of their term.

Anyone between the ages of 12 and 17, who is engaged in individual and community preparedness, is encouraged to apply or be nominated to serve on the Youth Preparedness Council. An individual may apply on his/her own behalf, or can be nominated by an adult familiar with his/her youth preparedness activities. Individuals interested in applying must submit a completed application form, a narrative, and a letter of recommendation. The letter of recommendation can be from any adult, including a parent, guardian, community first responder, or teacher. Applications that do not include a letter of recommendation will not be reviewed. Individuals interested in nominating a young leader to the council should complete the application form and narrative, but a letter of recommendation is not mandatory. Specific information about completing and submitting the application and attachments can be found on the application.

All applications and supporting materials must be received no later than 11:59 E.D.T. on April 19, 2013 in order to be eligible.

Council members will be selected based on vacancies and announced in May 2013. Once selected, members serve on the Council for one year, with the option to extend for an additional year, based on a formal request by FEMA.

For more information about the Youth Preparedness Council and FEMA’s work on youth preparedness, and to access the application materials, please visit www.ready.gov/youth-preparedness.

If you have any further questions, please contact Citizen Corps at (202) 786-9550 or CitizenCorps@dhs.gov .