Indigenous Civic Leadership:
Uniting Community & Igniting Change
Program Summary
The Indigenous Civic Leadership (ICL) Program is a three-week, grant-funded workforce and civic leadership program operated by NPAC.
The program prepares Native college-aged emerging professionals (18+) for careers through structured training and supervised learning placements.
Indigenous Civic Leaders are …
Program participants of NPAC
Receive stipends through NPAC
Participants can expect:
Workforce and leadership development workshops
Professional mentorship
Supervised job shadowing within a municipal government office
A final presentation and graduation ceremony
This is an opportunity for participants in our Albuquerque and Gallup locations to gain work experience that can open doors to new careers. Municipal placements function as applied learning environments that introduce participants to city systems, professional standards, and public service employment pathways.
Summer 2026 Program Interest Forms are Now Available!
All Applicants will need to be enrolled in NPAC’s program to participate in the cohort. Please see the program eligibility requirements for more details.
Worksites interested in supporting this initiative are also available. Please complete the brief contact form and a member of our team will reach out with more information.
Worksite Summary
Why Worksites Matter
The Indigenous Civic Leadership (ICL) Program is a workforce and civic leadership initiative grounded in relationship-building between municipal institutions and Native communities. Rather than focusing solely on representation, ICL creates structured pathways for Native emerging professionals to understand, navigate, and contribute to municipal systems in ways that honor Tribal sovereignty and community-rooted leadership traditions.
By hosting ICL participants, departments engage in a relational workforce model that recognizes Native leadership not as diversity inclusion, but as intergovernmental responsibility and shared civic stewardship. The program strengthens long-term connections between the City and Tribal communities, expands future hiring pathways, and builds municipal capacity through leaders who understand both local government systems and Native community realities. ICL offers a structured, low-risk opportunity to cultivate talent through mentorship, practical exposure, and mutual learning.
Worksite Responsibilities
- Identify a supervisor or in-office point of contact
- Participate in a job site orientation and training
- Provide professional exposure to interns with meetings, introductions, observation opportunities, and more
- Conduct check-ins and supervisor oversight
- Complete program evaluations
- Participate/support the program graduation ceremony
- Worksites do not need to manage payroll or HR functions.
- ICL participants are not employees of the city
- ICL participants are not placed on municipal payroll
- ICL participants are not eligible for municipal employment benefits
The placement is an educational workforce development experience, not an employment relationship. NPAC remains responsible for participant supervision and performance management.
Program Structure
The Indigenous Civic Leadership program seeks to inspire the next generation of Indigenous leaders, elevate Indigenous voices and visibility in civic spaces, and create pathways for community empowerment.
Orientation
Each participant will attend a two-day orientation before the start of the program. Building community, clarifying expectations, and grounding participants in Indigenous leadership values.
Work Experience
Each participant will complete 32 hours of on-site work experience with a municipal employee. This experience is designed to deepen participants' understanding of how municipal governments function and make decisions, work with tribal governments, and engage with Native communities.
Workshops
Each participant will attend eight 90-minute workshops focused on Foundations of Indigenous Rights and Contemporary Issues, Smart Civic Engagement, and Financial Empowerment. Workshops are designed to introduce participants to concepts that will better prepare them for careers in public services.
Duration: 3 consecutive weeks
Estimated In-Office Time: Approximately 30 hours total
Estimated supervisor time commitment: approximately 7–8 hours total across 3 weeks.
Forecasted In-Office Schedule
Week 1
- Monday–Thursday (afternoon half-days)
Week 2
- Tuesday & Thursday (full days – approximately 6 hours each)
Week 3
- Tuesday & Thursday (afternoon half-days)
Worksites interested in supporting this initiative are asked to complete the brief contact form below to have a member of our team reach out with more information.
