Apply Today: National Youth Preparedness Council Application

Published on January 24, 2023

Starting on Jan. 23, teens with a passion for preparedness can apply to join FEMA’s Youth Preparedness Council (YPC)! The YPC offers an opportunity for teens to share their ideas and feedback with FEMA, improve their leadership skills, and develop preparedness projects. YPC members also participate in an annual youth summit in Washington, D.C. with FEMA leaders and preparedness professionals to network and learn more about the field of emergency management.

FEMA created the YPC in 2012 to bring together young leaders from across the country who are excited about emergency preparedness and making a difference in their communities. Since then, hundreds of young people have served on both the FEMA National YPC and FEMA Regional YPCs. Throughout the years, YPC members have started preparedness clubs at their schools, hosted fairs and events in their communities, led Teen Community Emergency Response Teams (Teen CERTs), and developed a variety of preparedness materials, from children’s books to informative videos.

Applicants can apply through either a written or video response. They must provide two letters of recommendation and a list of extracurricular activities and trainings. To showcase their qualifications, applicants can also add optional supplemental materials, such as links to news stories, awards, blog posts, and more.

Once applications are evaluated, FEMA staff will conduct interviews with selected semi-finalists. Successful applicants highlight their preparedness, service and leadership experience and provide a well-rounded overview of their qualifications. FEMA will notify selected candidates in May. Interested students can apply online at https://community.fema.gov/PreparednessCommunity/s/apply-to-ypc. The application period begins Jan. 23, 2023 and closes March 6, 2023.

Join an Upcoming Information Session

Save the dates! FEMA will host two webinars for potential applicants to learn more about the YPC application process and to ask FEMA staff questions about the application.