Join us

Join the founding newsroom

Now accepting applications

Lead a desk, edit or write for a real publication. It's experience that stands out on college applications and CVs in politics, international relations and journalism. Open to all high school students and teenagers, wherever you live, and every staff writer applicant is accepted.

Leadership from day oneOur first leaders build their desks and teams from the ground up, with more leadership roles opening as we grow.

Your name on published workEvery piece runs under your byline after it's edited and fact-checked.

From wherever you areWe work online, across time zones, with writers in the U.S. and abroad.

Open roles

Leadership role

U.S. Politics Desk Lead

Oversees our coverage of U.S. politics: the White House, elections, Congress, the courts and more. Helps plan stories, works with writers and editors, and keeps the desk on schedule.

Leadership role

International Relations Desk Lead

Oversees our coverage of international relations: what's happening around the world, and how U.S. foreign policy is shaping it. Helps plan stories, works with writers and editors, and keeps the desk on schedule.

Leadership role

Outreach Lead

Recruits staff writers, guest writers and op-ed contributors, and gets Youth Outsider in front of more readers.

Open

Editors

Fact-check every claim, proofread and edit for style. The final check on quality before anything runs, and a hand in running the journal day to day.

Open

Staff writers

Pitch ideas and write articles for both the U.S. Politics and International Relations desks. Staff writers can also write op-eds.

Always open · Not on staff

Guest writers

Write a single article or op-ed without joining the staff, using the separate guest application at the bottom of this page.

Coming soon

More leadership roles

New positions will open as Youth Outsider grows.

Staff writersEveryone who applies is accepted.

Apply as a staff writer and you're on the team. As the newsroom grows, more leadership roles will open to you.

Leadership and editorsNot selected? You still have a place.

If you apply for a leadership or editor role and aren't chosen, you can join as a staff writer. We'll note your interest in leadership, so you're considered first as new roles open.

How to apply

ApplyChoose a position in the form below, and add a writing sample if you have one.

Get startedMeet the team, start on your first article, and help grow Youth Outsider.

Staff application

Leadership · Editors · Staff writers

Name

GradeAny system works: grade, year or form.

City and country

Email or Instagram

Position

Desk preferenceStaff writers aren't assigned to a desk and can write for both. This just helps us keep a balance between the two.

Link to a writing sampleIf it's a Google Doc, click Share and set General access to Anyone with the link, or we won't be able to open it.

Any experience in this area?No experience is completely fine. Just write N/A.

Why you, and what you'd like to doA few sentences is plenty. Don't worry, you're not obligated to stick to this. Once you're a member, you can write about anything you'd like.

A bit about yourself (optional)Two or three sentences, written in the third person. With some editing, this becomes your author bio, shown with your name at the end of your articles and on our team page.
You can leave it blank for now.

Every application is read by our editors.

Guest application

One article or op-ed · No staff commitment

Written an article or an op-ed on U.S. politics or international relations? Send us the link and tell us what it's about. Guest pieces are edited and fact-checked like everything else, op-eds are clearly labeled as opinion, and strong guest writers are invited to join the staff.