It's the first year of the Youth Views program at P.O.V. and we're very excited to have the opportunity to work with youth around the country to get this project started. If you believe that independent film can be a powerful storytelling medium that can get people thinking and talking, we want YOU! Here's what you need to know:

What is the Youth Views program?
Youth Views is a youth outreach program designed to encourage young people to use documentaries as a tool for civic engagement in their own communities. Participants in the Youth Views Advisory Board will assist in the development of a youth outreach campaign (from choosing the P.O.V. documentary to providing input on the creation of companion materials to developing the skills to organize their own screening events).

What is P.O.V.?
P.O.V. (a cinematic term for "point of view") is the award-winning PBS series that brings powerful, thought-provoking and often controversial nonfiction independent films into the living rooms of a wide national audience. For more than a decade, the organization has combined provocative independent non-fiction programming with innovative models that experiment with the role that television can play in public life. Through innovative collaborations with storytellers, viewers, and community-based organizations, P.O.V. serves as a catalyst to build awareness, engage audiences and provide a forum for dialogue about issues of significant social concern.

What are the goals of the Youth Views program?
Youth Views will a) give voice to the rarely heard youth perspective in media; b) demonstrate how young producers might use their films as civic engagement tools; and c) train youth participating in community-based organizations to begin thinking about how to use media as a springboard to foster issue-based dialogue among their constituencies.

How does the Youth Views program work?
Six to eight applicants from around the country will be chosen to participate in the Youth Views Advisory Board. They will be required to participate in weekly discussions via e-mail and/or telephone conferences between February 2001 and June 2001. Participants will be obliged to review and discuss selected documentaries with other Board members to determine their value in inspiring dialogue and community action, as well as providing input and feedback on the development of a companion outreach toolkit. Board members may also be required to attend a members' meeting in New York City. All participants in the Youth Views program will also be required to participate in an evaluation process. You will need to dedicate 2-4hours per week to this project. All Advisory Board members will receive a small stipend for their participation.

Who can apply to be a member of the Youth Views Advisory Board?
Young people with an interest in documentaries or social issues and between the ages of 14-22 years are invited to apply. We especially encourage youth media makers, youth activists, youth organizers, and youth leaders to get involved. In addition, organizations or teachers can nominate up to two young people to the Youth Views Advisory Board.

How to apply:
Submit the attached Application Form. If you are nominated by an organization or teacher, your application MUST be accompanied by a Recommendation Form, completed by the person that nominated you. Send to: Irene Villasenor, Youth Views Coordinator, P.O.V./American Documentary, Inc., 220 West 19th Street, 11th Floor, NY, NY 10011 or fax: 212-989-8230 or e-mail: hitvdept@pov.org.

Any questions? Contact Irene Villasenor via phone: 212-989-8121 x315 or e-mail: hitvdept@pov.org.

Application Deadline: Monday, January 22, 2001.

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