The Young Candidates Academy

Mission

The Young Candidates Academy is a program designed to bring young people back into the political arena as candidates and campaign organizers. The program has three primary goals:

• Help young people understand what it takes to run a successful political campaign in a non-partisan environment;
• Allow political motivated young people to interact and network with others with similar interests;
• To stimulate dialogue and reasoned discussion about the nature of political campaigns in the 21st century.

What Is It?

The YCA is a two-day campaign training boot camp open to anyone under the age of 30 that has an interest in running for office or helping others run for office. You will work with experts (see their bios here) to discover what it takes to generate an effective message, target your voters, how to raise money, develop staff, wade through the regulations, and a wide variety of other skills. The program is designed to give you the basic training you need to run for political office at the local or state level. While we cannot guarantee success, we can guarantee you will walk away with a new set of skills and tools to help you on your way. (Click here for a more detailed agenda.)

When, Where & How Much?

The camp will be held for two days, June 13th and 14th, on the campus of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. The campus is located in west-central Wisconsin, about seventy miles east of Minneapolis (click here for a distance map).

The camp is non-partisan and FREE for everyone that is accepted to the program. Thanks to generous gifts from the Bremer Foundation and the UW-Eau Claire Foundation, we are able to provide this at no charge whatsoever for those accepted to the program. The covered costs include all materials, housing, and food for the time you are at the camp. We also have additional funding available to assist you with travel costs as needed.

How Do I Apply?

Applications are completed on-line. You will need to provide some basic information about yourself, contact information for two references, and ways we can reach you. All applications must be submitted no later than May 22nd for full consideration for the program. All applicants will be informed of the results by e-mail no later than May27th. To apply, click HERE.