Host: Climate Democracy Initiative
Region: Colorado
Openings: 1
Project Focus: Climate Adaptation (e.g., sea level rise planning, environmental justice, climate migration planning), Urban Planning, Community Organizing
Skills Needed: Community Engagement, Project Management, Data Analysis, Stakeholder Engagement,

Remote or On-Site Placement

Hybrid – Our team meets at least once a week for in-person working sessions. On remote working days, we have regular calls and check-ins.

Service Needs & Plans

Although we may partner with government agencies during this project, they are not the primary beneficiaries. Rural Colorado educators, students, and communities are the target audiences for the CREATE program, and we seek to provide learning and engagement opportunities for climate literacy and democratic community development. Organizational capacity needs may include scheduling, curricula development assistance, supporting local organizing capacity, securing support/relationships for experiential learning opportunities, report writing, data management, and other project monitoring and evaluation tools management.

This project will address environmental challenges such as increased vulnerability to climate change impacts, including extreme weather events and resource scarcity, by equipping youth with the knowledge and skills to organize around these issues locally. Additionally, it will tackle various social equity challenges including access to technology, access to robust education programs, persistent poverty, and others by empowering and providing resources to underrepresented rural youth to take active roles in community development.

Project Description

Project Description: The CREATE program will activate the critical nexus of climate change, democracy, youth education, and rural communities by empowering young people to become catalysts for democratically-informed, sustainable change in their hometowns. Through a comprehensive approach that integrates teacher training, hyper-local educational content, experiential learning opportunities, and deep community engagement led by youth, the CREATE program seeks to cultivate a new generation of civically engaged leaders. By partnering with local schools, communities, industry leaders, and higher education institutions, the program will co-create tailored teacher workshops, facilitate community projects, and provide leadership development opportunities for young people, fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and resilience in rural areas. Through a multi-phase process, the CREATE program aims to inspire and support youth-led initiatives that contribute to the sustainable development of rural communities while fostering local collaboration and civic engagement capacity.

Overarching Goals:
– Develop and implement a comprehensive teacher workshop on climate change and democracy.
– Support high school teachers in classroom engagement and student-led community projects.
– Extend networks and resources to rural counties that are underserved or missing from current landscape of Colorado programs.

Role of the Fellow:
– Support the co-design and facilitation of the teacher workshop by engaging in field research, coordinating planning logistics with various partners, and providing post-workshop support/evaluation.
– Assist teachers in lesson plan implementation and resource/partner identification, and assist in the active mentorship and leadership development of students on community project development.
– Support in the development and coordination of Colorado non-profit, industry, and education partner networks.

Desired Project Outcomes
– A detailed workshop curriculum and pre-workshop materials.
– An online platform for ongoing collaboration among teachers.
– A repository of lesson plans, classroom activities, and project documentation.
– Student-led community projects and networks across the state that address local challenges.
– Projects reports and monitoring/evaluation documents.
– Strategy plan for long-term build out.

These resources will serve as the proof point for the first iteration of this project, ultimately allowing our organization to extend its reach across the state of Colorado and beyond.

Desired Skills

We are seeking a Fellow who possess a strong passion for environmental sustainability, youth empowerment, and community engagement. An ideal candidate would have excellent communication skills, strong creativity, and a collaborative spirit. As our organization is still fairly new, the Fellow should be adaptable, open-minded, and eager to learn with the team as we continue to grow. They should have the ability to work independently and in collaboration with diverse groups of people, including high school students, teachers, community leaders, and industry professionals. Additionally, proficiency or experience in project management, event planning, and data collection/analysis would be beneficial for this project.

Organization & Workplace Highlights

The Climate Democracy Initiative (CDI) team is comprised of passionate individuals from diverse backgrounds who are united by a shared commitment to addressing climate change through democratic engagement and youth empowerment. We prioritize a flexible and supportive work environment, open communication, mutual respect, and continuous learning within our organization. As exemplified by the CREATE project, our programs and initiatives are designed to be inclusive, ensuring that individuals from all backgrounds have the opportunity to participate and contribute meaningfully in climate and democracy work. We actively seek out partnerships with organizations and individuals that share our values of social justice and environmental sustainability. As a new organization, working with CDI offers a unique professional development opportunity to gain meaningful experience in a variety of areas including hands-on project management and community engagement. Team members regularly work with experts in climate science, education, and public policy, gaining valuable insights and exposure into the intersection of environmental issues and civic engagement. Moreover, the CDI team is small, but mighty! We provide a supportive and collaborative work environment where your ideas and contributions are valued and actually implemented. We continuously work with staff to explore their interests and career goals in order to better coordinate projects, networking opportunities, and more.

Community Highlights

Our organization is based in Denver, Colorado, a vibrant and diverse city nestled against the backdrop of the Rocky Mountains. Living in Denver means you have easy access to outdoor recreational opportunities, cultural attractions, and an ever-growing community of young people. While Denver is our home base, our organization works across the entire state of Colorado. From the bustling urban centers along the Front Range to the remote rural towns dotting the Western Slope, Colorado offers a diverse array of environments, cultures, and engagement opportunities. Additionally, the state’s commitment to sustainability, environmental conservation, and social justice aligns closely with our organization’s mission and values, and we hope that it will prove to be a fun and values-aligned place for a Fellow to live.