Move from navigating health systems to shaping them.
A 10-week virtual fellowship for high school students interested in health equity, mental health advocacy, and civic engagement, with a particular emphasis on advocating for disabled and chronically ill youth.
The Bodymind Coalition Youth Compass Fellowship is a 10-week virtual program for high school students interested in health equity, mental health advocacy, and/or civic engagement, with a particular emphasis on advocating for disabled and chronically ill youth.
Across weekly live sessions, asynchronous work, and other ways to get involved with the Coalition, each cohort will leave strongly equipped to educate others on topics surrounding disability justice and health equity, facilitate meaningful peer conversation based on principles of co-design, and apply their skills to future health advocacy projects.
If you're thinking about a future career related to policy, healthcare, social work, community building, and/or justice, this is the perfect opportunity to engage with real-world issues and build important skills that will help you pursue future advocacy work!
- Format: virtual, free to participate
- Cohort: Summer 2026, with 10 weekly Saturday sessions from June 14 to August 16, 2026
- Time commitment: 2–4 hours per week (1 hour live session, 1 hour mandatory asynchronous work, plus optional ways to get involved)
- Cohort size: 10–15 fellows
- Eligibility: high school students ages 13–18, based in the US
- Recognition: up to 50 volunteer hours on a certificate of completion
Ready to apply?
Applications for the inaugural cohort are due Sunday, July 5th at 11:59 PM EST.
What fellows learn.
Phase 1
Systems
Weeks 1–3
Sociology, disability justice, and the history of US healthcare.
Learning goal
Apply the bodymind framework to analyze how systems shape disabled and chronically ill young people's lives.
Phase 2
Skills
Weeks 4–7
Health policy, peer support, and communication.
Learning goal
Practice trauma-informed active listening and provide peer support grounded in cultural competence.
Phase 3
Synthesis
Weeks 8–10
Advocacy, storytelling, and presentation.
Learning goal
Move from passively navigating health systems to actively shaping them, using lived experience as evidence.
FAQ
Do I need to be disabled or chronically ill to apply?
No. While we strongly encourage disabled and chronically ill youth to apply, the application is open to all high schoolers who care about health equity, disability justice, and civic engagement. We invite you to share any relevant lived experiences in the application if you are comfortable and/or need to plan for accommodations, but disclosure is not mandatory.
Do I need a background in policy or advocacy?
No. While we would love to hear about any past experiences and welcome your enthusiasm, the goal of this fellowship is to build literacy in disability justice and civic engagement from the ground up. We want to welcome all backgrounds and support you at any point in your advocacy journey.
What can I expect after completing the fellowship?
You'll leave with a certificate of completion documenting the effort you have put into this program (up to 50 volunteer hours), a completion gift card, and the skills to educate others on disability justice and health equity, facilitate peer conversation rooted in co-design. As we support you to lead your own advocacy projects, we stay connected with fellows after the program and share ways to keep building with the Coalition.
Can I participate if I am in college?
Not at this time. We're currently focused on high school students ages 13–18. That said, we love the enthusiasm! If you're in college and want to get involved, email jaansi@thebodymindcoalition.org to chat about joining the executive team and/or other ways to contribute.
What time zone are sessions in, and what if I can't make a live session?
While the sessions will be every Saturday, the session slots are tentative and timings will be finalized to maximize participation across all accepted fellows (applicants are asked to indicate their time zone and availability). Exceptions can certainly be made for excused absences and we are always happy to chat further about specific needs or extenuating circumstances, but the general expectation is full attendance.
Do I need to be based in the US?
Since the program is entirely virtual, there are no strict geographic restrictions to participation. However, please note that the final session timings will be centered around US time zones. Our discussions on health policy will also largely focus on the American healthcare system, though the general takeaways from this part of the curriculum and the training in thinking critically about equity will be universally applicable across all health contexts.