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Call for Applications – NACC’s National Advisory Council on Children’s Legal Representation

Friday March 17, 2023

What is the National Association of Counsel for Children, or NACC?  

The National Association of Counsel for Children (NACC) is a nonprofit advocacy and membership association that supports and trains attorneys who represent children, parents, and social service agencies in child welfare cases.  NACC advances children’s and parents’ rights by supporting a diverse, inclusive community of child welfare lawyers to provide zealous legal representation and by advocating for equitable, anti-racist solutions co-designed by people with lived experience. 

NACC provides programs and resources that improve the quality of legal representation for children, parents and social service agencies; supports a national community of legal professionals; helps attract and retain diverse talent in the child welfare legal profession; and advocates for policies that advance children’s and parents’ rights, including the right to counsel. NACC works to #PromoteExcellence #BuildCommunity and #AdvanceJustice. 

What is NACC’s National Advisory Council on Children’s Legal Representation?  

The NACCLR is a group of young (18-30 year old) professionals, advocates and leaders, representing a diverse population across the country, who have lived experience in the child welfare system. They advise NACC’s staff and Board of Directors regarding projects, policies, and partnerships to help achieve our mission and amplify the voices of lived experience experts. 

The NACCLR works with staff to advocate for the rights of children in the child welfare system, especially the right to effective assistance of counsel, educates lawyers and judges on high-quality legal representation, contributes to written publications, and engages in a wide variety of other committees with NACC’s staff and Board of Directors.  NACCLR members receive advocacy training, professional development opportunities, and financial compensation for their time and travel expenses.   

If selected, NACCLR members commit to: 

  • Fulfilling a 2-year NACCLR membership term. 
  • Attending the first meeting of the NACCLR by videoconference and/or in-person at NACC’s 46th Annual Child Welfare Law Conference on August 10-12, 2023 in Minneapolis, MN, with travel, lodging, and conference registration paid for by NACC.  
  • Participating in a monthly 2-hour NACCLR phone call or virtual training/meeting. NACC staff will work with Council members to set the meeting schedule.  
  • Participating in quarterly one-on-one meetings with NACC’s Youth Engagement Manager 
  • Participating in at least one committee, staff department meeting, or workgroup in addition to attending monthly meetings. 
  • Maintaining professional conduct throughout their term representing NACC and interacting constructively with peers in a group setting.

    In exchange for their service, NACC will provide:  

    • Compensation: competitive hourly rate for monthly meetings that includes meeting preparation, reports, and attendance, as well as additional work on special projects.  The current rate is $50/hour.  Members that write articles for NACC’s publication The Guardian “Learning From Lived Expertise” section, will receive $250.  
    • Training on effective advocacy, adult learning, and policy development.  
    • An opportunity to network with lived experience experts and other professionals from other states and at the federal level. 
    • If appropriate, recommendation letters for other educational or professional development opportunities.  
    • All travel costs associated with participating in NACC’s annual conference or other required meetings or trainings.  

      ELIGIBILITY  

      All members must:  

      • Be at least 18-30 years of age at the start of their service.  
      • Have lived experience in the foster care system (including all out-of-home placements, facilities, kinship placements, shelters, etc.)  
      • Definition: “Lived experience” refers to the personal knowledge and exposure to specific circumstances and events, such as the involvement with the child welfare system and/or placement in foster care.  Specifically, individuals who were in foster care may be able to use their voice and share their unique experience to inform policy decisions for the benefit of children and families. 
      • Demonstrate the capacity to participate in advocacy or leadership involving child welfare policy, for example through recent or current volunteer positions, related employment, and/or by pursuing education in the legal, child welfare or social work fields.   
      • Demonstrate responsibility, self-drive and require minimal supervision.  

          APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS  

          Complete application on NACC’s website by April 21st, 2023.  This requires: 

          1. Complete online form; https://forms.gle/ZwGPJVanFp9gSf427 
          1. Upload resume into the form above; 
          1. Upload one letter of recommendation into the form above. This letter can be written by a supervisor of a paid or volunteer position or by a teacher.  Please let us know if you need additional time to obtain the letter of recommendation after the application deadline. 

          If you have any questions, please contact: [email protected]  

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