Host: Audubon CA
Region: Southern California
Openings: 1
Project Focus: Climate Adaptation, Ecosystem / Habitat Conservation
Skills Needed: Facilitation, Project Management, Community Outreach, Environmental Justice, Communication, Self-Motivated

Service Needs & Plans

Audubon CA is seeking an individual to help develop the inaugural Coastal Leadership Program. This individual will help assist the Sr. Coastal Program Manager with curriculum development, recruitment, communications, coordination, and facilitation of the Leadership Program. The fellow will help create curriculum that provides participants the skills to advocate about coastal issues to their state representative and the Coastal Commission. This pilot project will be based in Southern California focusing on San Diego, Orange and LA County.

To help increase capacity within the Coastal Program at Audubon CA, the fellow will assist in the communications of the leadership program from social media to blog posts. They will assist in the outreach and recruitment to colleges, community organizations, and Audubon campus and local chapters. They will help develop the application, coordinate interviews, and help select the first cohort of Coastal Advocates. They will then work with other Audubon staff members to develop the program curriculum and materials. Lastly, the fellow will help coordinate and implement the program alongside Audubon staff, volunteers, and partners.
This program will address coastal issues such as sea-level rise, endangered species, coastal access, habitat restoration, and climate change impacts birds and people are facing along the coast. In addition to traditional coastal topics, this program will also provide bird identification skills, discuss incorporating Traditional Ecological Knowledge into restoration projects, and environmental justice issues, all topics the fellow will research and learn about to include in the curriculum.

Project Description

The goal is to create a pilot Coastal Leadership Program that provides participants skills focused on advocacy, leadership, storytelling, community building, and bird identification. The target audience is to engage a young and diverse audience from Audubon Campus Chapter Members, volunteers invovled with local Audubon Chapters that are seeking leadership roles, and young professionals that want to gain more experience in coastal advocacy work and create a safe space to build community within the cohort. Having a recent graduate will help ensure that this program is relevant to it’s audience and can help make sure the program is a success.

The Fellow would help the Sr. Coastal Program manager develop curriculum for the project, assist in recruitment, coordinate with participants, and assist in the implementation of the program. The fellow would play a key role in creating this new program. They will also have support from several Audubon staff members and will work closely with the Advisory Committee to ensure that developing this program is a collaborative effort.

This will be a pilot project that we hope can be replicated. We hope to develop a curriculum that can be applied to other regions throughout the state and possibly throughout the county. We also hope to create a pre and post survey to track how impactful the program was. If time allows, we hope to create materials or a zine that participants can use as they gain skills to be coastal advocates.

This program will help provide skills to the next generation of climate advocates. We hope to build a sense of community and instill confidence in these emerging leaders to advocate to their state representatives and ensure that they take bold action to address the impacts the coast and communities connected to it are facing every day. The program will commence with a call to action. The participants will either participate in an Advocacy Day in Sacramento or organize a bird walk with their state representative and discuss an issue that they feel passionate about. They will also learn about local restoration projects Audubon CA is engaged in and how they can make their voice heard.

Desired Skills

For this program, we have the desire to work with one fellow who has experience in communications, community organizing, public policy, advocacy, and/or environmental science, biology, ornithology, or a similar science background. Interest or knowledge of the coast is not required, but will make the work more enjoyable. The fellow will help with communications and create materials for social media and our website. They will help create materials for the program, assist in the recruitment, and help develop the curriculum. Skills in curriculum development, project management, and facilitation is also desired.

Organization & Community Highlights

Audubon CA was established in 1996 as a field office for the National Audubon Society, which was established in 1905. Given its long history in the conservation world, Audubon has several resources and opportunties the selected candidate can engage in. Given that the Audubon Society has been a historically predominately white organization, Audubon CA is working to ensure that our field office reflects the diversity found within our state. We work to create an inclusive, safe, and welcoming environment for everyone we engage with. This specific program is aimed to help create that inclusive atmosphere and make young and diverse bird enthusiast feel a sense of community and belonging here at Audubon. From selecting participants in the program to recruiting facilitators, we will make sure that a diverse group of people are brought together to share our unique experiences and stories to help make positive change for people and birds. The participant will also be able to work out of the Audubon Center at Debs Park, which is a lively community space where diverse people and birds come together and thrive.

Remote or On-Site Placement

Hybrid