Youth Design Team: Call for Applications
October 2, 2023
Apply to the…
Youth Design Team
Calling all high schoolers! Join the Youth Design Team to help shape the future of games, apps, and websites for young people around the world. Apply to join the Team if you want to…
| Make a difference.
We want games, websites, media, and apps to be better for kids and teens. And we need your help! |
Learn new skills.
Join online workshops with professional designers to share your ideas and insights about what the future of media should look like. |
Earn money.
10 people will be selected to join the Team and |
Join the Youth Design Team to help design interactive media for kids and youth,
and connect with teens like you in new ways. Youth participants in this program will have opportunities to work with the Well-Being by Design Fellowship program for mid-career designers.
- Jan 16 – March 31, 2024
- $250 stipend
- About 2-3 hours/month
The Team is for 14-17 year-olds who live in the U.S. and…
Submit your video application to join the Youth Design Team by October 31 at 11:59pm PDT:
https://bit.ly/youthdesignteam
How does the Youth Design Team work?
The Team meets online to help professional designers at digital media companies come up with new and exciting ways to design apps, websites, and interactive content for kids. In addition to an orientation meeting and a concluding meeting for just the Youth Design Team, we will participate in 3-4 design workshops with professional designers. During the workshops, you might…
- Share your perspective and insights into current digital trends
- Help designers brainstorm and design elements of products
- Test digital products and offer your feedback
How much time do I need to commit?
From January 16 to March 31, Team participants will…
- Attend a Team orientation (1.5 hr)
- Participate in 3-4 interactive brainstorming and feedback workshops with 2-3 professional designers (1 hr each)
- Attend a Team conclusion session, including a chance to learn about the impact of your feedback on products and engage in a Q&A with design professionals (1.5 hr)
Do I need to have any special experiences to be able to join?
Nope. We’re hoping to have a diverse group of teenagers join the Team. If you are in high school, have access to technology to join online meetings, want to make a difference, and can commit to working with us from January to the end of March… we want you to apply!
Can I see a preview of the application questions?
Yes! Take a look at the application questions here.
What if I have more questions?
Email us at cooney.center@sesame.org and we’ll get back to you!
How can I apply?
Applying should take 10-15 minutes. Submit an application before October 31 at 11:59pm PDT: https://bit.ly/youthdesignteam
About the Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop
Over 50 years ago, Joan Ganz Cooney came up with a crazy idea: what if we could use television to help children learn to read? At that time, families around the US were beginning to buy TVs for their homes, and kids were watching them. A lot. Kids were watching cartoons and commercials and whatever happened to be on.
But what if the things they were watching on TV could help them learn?
Inspired by this question, Joan Ganz Cooney wrote a research paper in 1966 called, “The Potential Uses of Television in Preschool Education.” Her ideas caught on, and a few years later the first episode of “Sesame Street” was broadcast on PBS.
Now it’s 2023, and technology is changing everything about how audiences watch, listen, and engage with media. We need your help to design the future of technology for kids.
