What is the VSPN Freedom School Action Camp?
FSAC is a free, six-week-long, transformational leadership development opportunity for young people who are working to shift power on, or around, campus. Through political education, campaign planning, and peer-to-peer mentorship, those who participate will explore power, organizing praxis, and basebuilding tools. This program will be primarily virtual, with some opportunities for in-person engagement.
By applying for this program you’ll join fellow campers in structured study, social investigation, and shared meaning-making, and contribute to our upcoming publication on freedom/ civic engagement.
We highly encourage former VSPN Freedom School fellows who are currently students to apply to this program as a part of a pod.
Our Freedom School Action Camp (FSAC) is a summer-long, youth organizing cohort focused on transformative leadership development.
This program is designed to guide organizers to…
surface material conditions & contradictions across Virginia;
catalyze campaign development; and
amplify youth mandates and emergent issue priorities
We are prioritizing applicants who
Are current students at George Mason University, University of Mary Washington, Virginia Tech, Virginia Commonwealth University, University of Richmond, University of Virginia, James Madison University, Norfolk State, Virginia State
AND
are currently in active organizations or who have an interest in student power organization on their campus; and,
Have decision-making power in their organization, group, or coalition
Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous, and/or People Of Color led organizations and collectives
Apply as a “pod” in a pair or trio with other comrades from their organization or coalition
WHO should apply to FSAC?
This year’s theme is “maroonage.” Over six weeks, we’ll use maroon technologies —such as Terrain, Navigation, and Kinship—as analytical lenses to explore issues impacting youth in so-called Virginia.
During this program you can expect to:
🏕️ Contribute to community-building spaces (such as training sessions, cohort communications, and 1:1s).
🏕️ Engage in political reflection and synthesis,
🏕️ Produce written and creative work for VSPN’s civic engagement publication , and
🏕️ Take part in an evaluation of the overall project (including providing feedback that can will be used to develop our next steps and data reporting).
VSPN is excited to onboard 4-8 paid coordinators to help put on the latest iteration of our summer organizing program. Coordinators will work closely with the VSPN Staff team to execute a 6-week-long political organizing camp.
CALL FOR PAID VSPN FSAC COORDINATORS!
2026 FSAC PAID COORDINATORS:
Please fill out our 2026 VSPN FSAC Coordinator Application by Sunday, June 7th, 2026 at 11:59pm (EST) to indicate your interest in working with VSPN this summer.
ASK QUESTIONS. Reach out to vastudentpower@gmail.com with any questions that you have during the application process