Editor’s note: This commentary is by Allie Cashel, of Burlington, who is the institute co-chair of New Leaders Council – Vermont, a free progressive leadership training program for millenials.
When I told people that I was moving from New York City to Vermont as a 28-year-old professional, a lot of people looked at me like I was crazy. “But you’re leaving behind so much opportunity in New York,” they would say. “What will you do when you get there?”
People living in the tri-state area have a tendency to think of New York City as the center of the universe — moving anywhere can be considered crazy — but there was something about my move to Vermont in particular that seemed to make some of them nervous. It’s no secret, I suppose, that Vermont is an old state (and getting older every year). They may have heard that young people are leaving Vermont, and wondered why my husband and I were the ones who were going.
Despite a few raised eyebrows, we made our move in August of 2018 and haven’t looked back. We both work remotely for nonprofits, and I’m still relishing taking conference calls by the lake or finishing up work for the week and waking up the next morning to a nearby hike or day on the slopes.
One challenge I knew we might face as a remote workers in Vermont was finding and building community. While I felt the benefits of my lifestyle change on Day One, I worried that connecting with like-minded people my age and building a supportive professional network might be more difficult.
Thankfully, I had the honor of participating in the inaugural cohort of New Leaders Council – Vermont. NLC Vermont works to recruit, train and promote Vermont’s next generation of progressive leaders. Over the course of our free, six-month fellowship, we experienced trainings and workshops on everything from diversity, equity and inclusion, to fundraising and communications, giving us the hard skills we need to support and strengthen our communities and create positive change in Vermont and beyond. But perhaps most importantly, NLC Vermont welcomed me into a community of like-minded young people doing impactful and important work around the state. Through NLC, I’ve been able to build genuine, collaborative relationships with a group of people who encourage each other to push and fight the kind of future we want to live in every day.
This is an organization that empowers its fellows to build a professional network with the organizations, businesses, and individuals that make Vermont the vibrant, creative, and progressive state that it is. This fellowship gives its young professionals across sectors the skills they need to build a life and career in Vermont, and one that establishes a culture of lifting others up along the way.
I’m now serving as the 2020 institute co-chair of New Leaders Council – Vermont, and, having experienced the personal benefit of this program, I am excited about the potential impact this organization can have as we make our way into our second year. We’re now accepting applications for the 2020 fellowship, and need your help to bring the next cohort of Vermont leaders together.
If you are someone who knows a young person who would benefit from this type of training and network, please nominate them! Your endorsement and encouragement can help someone take a step they may be nervous to take on their own. Your nomination could make a tangible difference in someone’s life and career. So, put your thinking cap on and nominate a young person in your life here: www.newleaderscouncil.org/nominate
And if you are a young person looking to get more involved with your community — today is the day to throw your hat in the ring. We are working to build up a diverse class of people from all over the state and we want to hear from you. Visit www.newleaderscouncil.org/apply to begin your application today. (If you need help with the $30 application fee, just let us know and we will work with you.)
Stand with us as we elevate the voices of the next generation of leaders, working to create a progressive, sustainable, and welcoming Vermont.
