Host: Building Decarbonization Coalition
Openings: 1
Project Focus: Climate Mitigation, Energy Efficiency, Public Health
Skills Needed: Project Management, Relationship Management, Community Outreach, Volunteer Management,

Remote or On-Site Placement

Hybrid – BDC is a completely remote organization. All BDC team meetings are conducted online via Zoom. However, this role requires the Fellow to be in-field at community events and occasional external meetings on-site.

Service Needs & Plans

Building Decarbonization Coalition’s consumer inspiration campaign, The Switch Is On, has over 200 community ambassadors throughout California that represent us at community events, promoting home electrification and helping residents get started and go through the challenging process of swapping out their gas appliances for efficient electric alternatives. Our ambassadors speak 10 languages and have represented us in over 100 events across the state, often working in tandem with local governments and CBOs to augment existing touchpoints. With nearly $1 billion of rebates rolling out, a large portion of which are earmarked for low- and middle-income (LMI) households, now is a critical time to be spreading the word about the benefits of electrification, new rebate programs, and career opportunities in the budding building electrification industry.

This position will focus on San Diego County, and be responsible for leading community outreach events, coordinating and supporting volunteers, and expanding the ambassador program. The core focus on this outreach is educating people on the environmental, social equity, economic, and public health benefits of building electrification. One of the primary reasons we want to bring on a Fellow is to deepen our outreach to residents of affordable housing and non-English speaking residents.

Project Description

The overarching goals of the project are to increase awareness about the benefits of electrification, new rebate programs, and career opportunities in the budding building electrification industry — with a particular focus on LMI households and disadvantaged communities.

The Switch Is On has multiple partners from the nonprofit sector and local/state government spaces that leverage our Ambassador program to implement and amplify their community outreach goals and initiatives. Our network of ambassadors is rapidly growing, as is our request for support from partners and agencies. As The Switch Is On ambassador program expands throughout the state and beyond, the need for additional regional support to SIO’s existing Ambassador Associate is critical.

The role of the Fellow in the project are as follow:
1- Coordinate community ambassador program in the San Diego County region. This includes facilitating onboarding, training, and tracking registration metrics.
2- Coordinate community outreach projects that include recruiting community ambassadors to facilitate presentations, media opportunities, event tabling, cooking demonstrations, and other outreach activities as needed.
3- Connect with local community nonprofit leaders and government officials to amplify home electrification in their communities and recruit more community ambassadors.

The desired project outcomes are for the fellow to:
1- Recruit and onboard a diverse set of 80 community ambassadors in San Diego County that can effectively promote home electrification in their communities. 40% of recruited Ambassadors should be in LMI communities.
2- Grow our community footprint and partnerships throughout San Diego County by facilitating and ensuring Ambassadors are involved in 40 community events, ensuring 40% of those events are in LMI neighborhoods and disadvantaged communities, ensuring SIO equity goals are met.
3- Ensure 80% of their work week is spent in the field networking with local CBOs and facilitating community outreach events and activities.
4- Develop content and outreach activities based on the community needs.

We understand that the voice of neighbors, friends, and family are more trusted than the voices coming from agencies and government officials, which is why the ambassador program is vital to creating a healthier and sustainable future. Our ambassadors are trusted and trained community leaders that have the platform to promote and educate their communities on home electrification and its benefits.
In order to maintain a voice of trust with the communities we serve, our partners, and our ambassadors, the need for regional support is necessary to maintain positive relationships and absolute focus. This rapidly growing program requires the need for additional support, where staff can focus their time and energy on specific regions instead of several.

Government agencies are not equipped to build, train, nurture and support volunteer networks, which is why they rely on BDC’s program. Also, because BDC works across jurisdictional boundaries, we often have ambassadors that volunteer at events in neighboring cities. For instance, ambassadors may live in La Jolla but they volunteer at events in Chula Vista.

Desired Skills

The Building Decarbonization Coalition values self-motivated, adaptable critical thinkers to fit well with our supportive culture. The ideal Fellow will have a community outreach background, strong interpersonal and communication skills, and be motivated by climate change and community health, and maintaining strong professional relationships.

Organization & Workplace Highlights

The BDC is a 501c3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to decarbonize the U.S. building sector. As a remote workplace, we meet virtually every Monday as an all-staff team to connect with each other on a personal and professional level. We operate in 90-day sprints to institute an agile process of “reflection, planning, and doing”. Project teams meet in person every three-six months for an extended half- or full-day of reflection and planning. We have found that this cadence ensures we all stay connected, but also do not “over plan”.

Our commitment to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion is embedded in every aspect of our work. We know that to achieve equitable policy outcomes the policy development process must be inclusive. Toward this end, we work collaboratively with labor, environmental justice and environmental advocates, as well as key industry stakeholders like appliance manufacturers, energy providers, and the design and construction industry.

A fellowship with the BDC will be a valuable experience for any young professional seeking a career in climate-related community outreach and volunteer programming. Our organization is committed to advancing the learning and development of our staff. Supervisors meet with employees to coach them in developing a learning and development plan. The plan is revisited twice during the fellow’s tenure to assess progress towards achieving professional goals. In addition to personal development, Fellows will experience the broad range of work required to pass impactful and equitable policy, the way that history impacts today’s policy landscape, and how important building relationships with diverse stakeholders is to advancing a cause like building decarbonization.

Community Highlights

San Diego County boasts a rich culture and diverse neighborhoods, encompassing a wide range of incomes, ethnicities, and life experiences. San Diego County is also a bastion for clean energy, climate action, and environmentalism. However, the demographics of people who participate in clean energy and climate action are often not reflective of the county’s diverse communities. Furthermore, beyond adopting the clean energy technologies, career opportunities in the clean energy industry are often not well marketed to low-income residents, non-English-speaking, and communities of color. The disconnect between who lives in San Diego County and who benefits from clean energy deployment creates a rich opportunity for the Fellow. The Fellow will promote sustainability across various communities, ensuring that people from all walks of life can live healthier and more sustainable lives–and find gainful employment in the growing building electrification industry. With its vibrant cultural scene and forward-thinking communities, the Fellow will have a unique opportunity to make a positive impact on the environment and residents that are often left out of other clean energy programs.