The National Refugee Leadership and Lived Experiences Council (NRLLEC) program serves refugees, asylees, and other ORR-eligible newcomers to build and deepen their leadership skills and capacity, and positively impact their community. NRLLEC is led by Refugee Congress, in partnership with Refugee Council USA, Every Campus A Refuge, Church World Service, and USA Hello, and is a federal initiative of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR).
Members of the 2025 Council and Staff
National Young Adult Leadership Council (NYALC)
The National Young Adult Leadership Council (NYALC) is an annual NRLLEC Council that offers robust leadership development to refugees, asylees with granted asylum status, and all other ORR-eligible populations who are between the ages of 18 and 24 and have lived in the United States for less than 5 years.
Welcoming our 2026 Cohorts of the NYALC!
After receiving nearly 140 applications for the 2026 NYALC, Refugee Congress and NRLLEC program partners are thrilled to welcome 36 new Council Members! This includes 17 Council Members joining the NYALC Experienced Leaders Cohort, and 19 Council Members joining the NYALC Emerging Leaders Cohort.
The 2026 NYALC Council Members are newcomers representing 8 countries: Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, and Ukraine. They reside across 20 different states: Arkansas, Alabama, California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, North Carolina, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, and Wisconsin!
Over 10 months, NYALC Council Members will gain and deepen skills in community leadership, civic engagement, narrative development, public speaking, and more, while being supported to use these skills to design and implement a project benefitting their local community. Council Members will also gather in person for a three-day meeting in Washington, DC. After the Council Term, NYALC Members will have the opportunity to continue their development through the NRLLEC Alumni Network.
Stay Tuned for Future Councils
Interested in applying for NYALC in the future? Check back on the Refugee Congress website and social media in October 2026 for the next application window.
