Environmental Justice Internships
Interns learn and practice food justice and security at Cowell coffee shop on the UCSC campus.
Garden Internship
Listing also found in the Agroecology and Plants and Public Policy tab.
Contact: Michelle Glowa, michelle.glowa@gmail.com; (301) 908-0641
In this internship students will work with the Beach Flats Community Garden in several capacities. The garden, which has flourished for over 21 years, is located in Santa Cruz in the historically Latino community of Beach Flats lying at the base of the Santa Cruz Boardwalk. It is a space of food production for local consumption contributing to food security and continuation of agroecological traditions and passing along of knowledges from gardeners who have immigrated from Mexico and El Salvador. In addition the garden provides .44 acres of green space in the most densely populated neighborhood of Santa Cruz. Students will work to host events with the gardeners such as movie showings, educational days, and planting/harvest celebrations. Spanish is required.
Rural West Internship Program
Listing also found in the Public Policy tab.
Contact: Gisela, Gisela@calruralhousing.org
The Internship Program is a one-year paid Internship designed to increase the staff diversity within the Affordable Housing and Community Development field, and assist in meeting the diverse needs of the communities served throughout the rural West, including its emerging areas. This includes recruiting, training and retaining ethnically diverse students who may not otherwise know about the field. We specifically target underrepresented People of Color, who come from low-income rural backgrounds and reflect rural West’s diverse cultural and linguistic demographics. We give high priority to students completing their junior year or entering their last academic year at four year universities so that upon graduating from college, they may be able to be employed in entry level professional positions in the field
WE HIGHLY RECOMMEND YOU VISIT OUR WEBSITE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PROGRAM AND CURRENT INTERNS BEFORE SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATION!
CALPIRG
Contact: Sander Kushen, akushen@calpirgstudents.org (949)456-2853
CALPIRG interns take on leadership on one or more of our campaigns and receive support and training from a team of experienced organizers and student leaders. Our internship program gives students the opportunity to take their education out of the classroom, do hands-on work, learn important skills, and make an impact.
350.org
Also Under Public Policy
Contact: Pauline Seales, paulineseales120@gmail.com
Tasks include
- Organizing local events, preparing flyers, posters, website materials and community outreach.
- Assisting with education projects in schools, after school programs and events such as “Welcome Back Monarchs” Festival.
- Helping set up web site on “Word Press”
- General social media help
- Contacting local media about possible articles on current student projects
Environmental Policy Internship
Also Under Public Policy
Contact: Haakon Williams, h.williams@
committeetobridgethegap.org Committee to Bridge the Gap is a non-profit environmental and nuclear policy organization focusing on issues of environmental justice, government transparency, superfund site remediation, and nuclear decommissioning, disarmament, safety and waste disposal. For over half a century, Committee to Bridge the Gap has been fighting—and winning—
environmental battles that have local, national and international impact.
Our work is aimed at exposing and correcting the shortcuts taken by polluters and the government agencies which oversee them, and the unholy alliance which exists between them.
Students will engage in hands-on research in teams with experienced environmental policy staff. Collaboration between CBG and other organizations, policymakers, and established journalists is frequent. Students will learn the nitty-gritty of actually affecting environmental policy and make real contributions to the environment.
Current projects include research and policy work on behalf of environmental justice communities in San Francisco and Los Angeles that are burdened with toxic contamination, and research and advocacy work on federal issues relating to high-level nuclear waste. This internship is remote, with occasional opportunities for in-person group work sessions. Learn more about us here.
Eat for the Earth Internship
Listing also found under Public Policy
Contact Person: Beth, (831) 466-3405, admin@eatfortheearth.org
Eat for the Earth makes it easier for people to eat more plants and less animal products to sustain all life on Earth. Many people are becoming aware that dietary choices impact the environment by contributing to the climate crisis, biodiversity loss, ocean dead zones, desertification, and many other challenges. A growing body of research demonstrates that a shift in global diets is a necessary component of any effective solution to the complete breakdown of the biosphere. Simultaneously, diet-caused chronic conditions such as diabetes and heart disease lead to disability and early death for the majority of people in the US. The food on our forks affects all groups, but some groups more than others. Factors such as racism and the colonization of indigenous diets create additional obstacles to good health for many marginalized groups. Eat for the Earth addresses all these concerns by working at the intersections of environmental advocacy, human health, and food justice—advocating for healthy plant-based diets that have tremendous benefits in all these areas and more.
Bike Smart
Contact: Tawn Kennedy, tawn.kennedy@ecoact.org (831) 428-5109
Bike Smart! Youth Bicycle Safety Program conducts bicycle safety trainings for Santa Cruz and Monterey County youth. We offer classroom Presentations, hands on bicycle skills Obstacle Courses (aka "Rodeos") and Community Rides (on street training), as well as bicycle safety Education Outreach Booths. Our programs are carried out at schools, community centers and events. Bike Smart! is a Safe Routes to School program of Ecology Action, a local non-profit dedicated to promoting and providing sustainable transportation services to Santa Cruz County residents and businesses. Its other programs include: Bike to Work/School, Bike Week, Active4Me, Walk Smart and Zero Interest Bike Loan Program.
Check out the website.
The Ecological Farming Association
Under Public Policy
Contact: Andy Fisher; info@eco-farm.org; (831)763-2112
EFA is looking for a Program Intern to assist EFA’s Program Coordinator. The ideal candidate will be able to juggle multiple projects at once and to meet high standards of accuracy and timeliness. This position is tasked in particular with coordinating Scholarships and Fellowships for the EcoFarm Conference, but will have a hand in many other aspects of the conference planning as well. EcoFarm is the oldest and largest agricultural event in the West. The position will be involved in organizing and helping to shape various aspects of this year’s Conference, including but not limited to: assisting with outreach and follow-up by phone and/or email, creating and entering into databases, and other special project support for the conference. Hours are flexible, but preference will be given to someone who can commit to 10-15 hours per week, and who is able to adjust their hours according to the need to meet EFA deadlines.
Visit our website for more information.
Cultivating a Daily Revolution Internship
Also Under Campus and Agroecology and Plants tabs
Contact: focan@ucsc.edu
This internship is a student-based & facilitated program designed to engage, provide experience, and educate participating students in various topics pertaining to communities on and around our campus. This internship will strive to foster a student community that is aware of the importance of gender, economic, and social justice issues within our food and commodity chains. The 2-unit internship will be hosted by the Friends of the Community AgroEcology Network (FoCAN), an on-campus student organization that promotes campus and communal involvement in food awareness, social justice, fair trade, agroecological approaches, and more.
Food Chain Radio
Listing also found in Agroecology and Plants andand Public Policy tab.
Contact: Michael Olson; mo@ksco.com; (831)566-4209
Food Chain Radio, for those who are interested in environmental journalism, is a nationally-syndicated newstalk program that brings the issues of agriculture, food and environment to the table for discussion. Having broadcast over 750 shows, the Food Chain has established a dedicated audience of interested listeners throughout the world.
For more information please visit the website.
Global Environmental Justice Journal
Listing also found in Environmental Education Tab
Contact: globalej@ucsc.edu & (831) 459 - 4158
This internship seeks 5-10 editiors to help produce a peer reviewed global environmental justice journal. Responsibilities include reviewing and editing student papers, commisioning book reviews, and collecting global environmental news to assemble into a cohesive journal.
Social Media Intern
Listing also found in Alternative Energy and Public Policy tab.
Contact: Allie Willson, volunteer@habitatmontereybay.org
Habitat for Humanity Monterey Bay operates ReStore Santa Cruz, located on the Westside of Santa Cruz on Swift St. ReStores are retail outlets that sell donated furniture, appliances and building materials. The store is open to the public and all proceeds help build affordable homes in Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties. We are looking for someone to continue to bring customers and donors into the store and increase exposure throughout Santa Cruz County.
Homeless Garden Project Internship
Listing also found under Agroecology and Plants
Contact: Omar Guzman, Volunteer Coordinator - omarg@homelessgardenproject.
org Contact: Brian Sweeney, Director of Operations - brians@
homelessgardenproject.org The Homeless Garden Project provides job training on a 2.5 acre organic farm and its enterprises, to homeless individuals in the Santa Cruz area. Interns are encouraged to set their own goals and create a project that will leave a lasting impression on the organization, with unlimited access to the knowledge of the farm workers and agency staff as well as other agencies we work closely with. Tasks can include, but are not limited to: everyday farm maintenance activities – bed clearing, planting out, greenhouse propagation, irrigation, etc.; planning and teaching a workshop to crew and public participants; fundraising/grant writing; administrative assistance; cooking.
For more information, please visit the Homeless Garden Project website.
CSA Intern
Listing also found under Agroecology and Plants
Contact: Omar Guzman, Volunteer Coordinator - omarg@homelessgardenproject.
org CSA members provide crucial support to HGP by investing in the farm by making a commitment to buy produce from HGP each week during the harvest season and paying in advance for the produce. Their commitment to sustainable agriculture and transitional jobs enhances HGP's planning and financial stability and creates a community of people who are deeply committed to HGP's success. In return, we seek to provide CSA members with quality and diverse organic produce, tips and recipes for using the produce, and news and stories about the farm, trainees and our programs that enhance their community experience. HGP also operates its Feed 2 Birds program which donates CSA shares to local agencies serving individuals who may not otherwise have access to fresh organic produce.
Schedule: 20 hours per week, from May 20, 2023 to October 21, 2023 Salary: This is a volunteer, unpaid internship. If you are using this internship to gain course credit or seek out grants with your college, please include this information in your cover letter. To apply: Along with your resume, please send us a brief cover letter highlighting why you’re interested in the program. Send your materials to omarg@homelessgardenproject.org and include the internship position you’re applying for in the subject line. Applications accepted on a rolling basis until the position is filled.
For more information, please visit the Homeless Garden Project website.
Planning Internship
Listing also found under Public Policy
Contact: Nancy Faulstich and Eloy Ortiz at nancy@regenerationpajarovalley.org eloy@regenerationpajarovalley.org
Role of Intern: Assist with the administrative processes and social media for a two-year planning grant centered in the Pajaro Valley; edit online website, forms, and spreadsheets; send reminders to participants; grow list of e-news subscribers and followers. Depending on the candidate, may assist with content development. Students who are multilingual in Spanish and/or Mixteco are encouraged to apply.
Objectives for one quarter internship:
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- Assist in the development of online administrative documents using Google Suite (Docs, Forms, Sheets)
- Develop and Post 2-3 times a week on social media (Facebook and Instagram) Increase number of social media followers in one quarter by 50
- Assist with documentation and meeting reminder phone calls and texts
- Take photos, video, and record testimonials at events and post on website and social media
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Right Livelihood College
The listing also found under the Campus tab.
Contact: David Shaw, daveshaw@ucsc.edu
ABOUT RIGHT LIVELIHOOD CENTER:
The mission of the Right Livelihood Center at UC Santa Cruz is to connect activism and
academia. We connect students at 10 Right Livelihood College affiliates worldwide with winners
of the prestigious Right Livelihood Award - known as the ‘Alternative Nobel Prize’ – such as
Greta Thunberg, Vandana Shiva, Bryan Stevenson, and Amy Goodman in order to amplify
solutions to global problems. Our activism is both on the ground here in our region and
internationally. Visit https://rightlivelihoohttps://rightlivelihood.org/d.ucsc.edu for details on the program at UC Santa Cruz
and visit https://rightlivelihood.org for global details. See the recent UCSC news article about
our program at https://news.ucsc.edu/2023/07/right-livelihood-college-global-
secretariat.html?utm_source=07-11-2023
ABOUT THE INTERNSHIP:
The role of a community organizer is to unite people to work together to solve social problems and
make the world a better place. This year we will work with a strong team of 20 student community
organizers with the goal of “rocking the vote” for the 2024 spring UCSC elections in order to pass a
Right Livelihood student fee measure. The fee measure itself is aimed at providing resources for
student-led social change via the Right Livelihood Center. Organizers will learn valuable skills,
serve their community, and reach at least 50% of undergraduate students throughout the year.
Students can earn internship credit if interested.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. Grassroots Member Recruitment of students including: recruit new members through door-
to-door outreach, personal visits, phoning; organize house meetings; plan membership
activities; and build an effective, ongoing organization by increasing members’ involvement
and investment.
2. Leadership Development / Training of grassroots leaders and members to develop skills,
including: recruitment, facilitation, public speaking, organizational development. Create
evolving roles for members and coordinate volunteers.
3. Political Education of grassroots leaders and members on our evolving Theory of
Change; develop activities to deepen understanding of the issues as well as the political
landscape surrounding our campaigns.
4. Direct Action Campaign Development and Implementation including: assist in
development of campaign strategy and tactical plans; coordinate campaign activities and
actions; represent and train grassroots leaders to represent the organization in
campaign meetings with student organizations and media.
5. Planning and Administration including: Plan outreach and organizing, rigorous tracking
and reporting of ongoing work and results, database maintenance and work planning.
6. Development of Organizing Materials: Including raps, fliers, newsletters, fact sheets,
pledge cards, etc.
7. Grassroots Fundraising through proposals to student governments and supporting and
developing leaders to raise funds.
Social & Ecological Justice Campaign
Listing also found in the Conservation and Environmental Education tab.
Contact: Juli Hazlewood, juli@rootsroutes.org
Roots & Routes IC's (Roots & Routes, R&R) mission is to facilitate sharing knowledge and compassion between diverse cultures en route to responsibly stewarding a flourishing living world. We are a network linking community-based Indigenous and Ancestral peoples’ environmental educational initiatives that teaches the world that we are worth more than the resources below our feet.We offer a remote internship program with youth from all over the world. The Youth Visionary Collective (YVC) contributes to environmental and social consciousness by offering the opportunity to hone professional and life skills, to learn how to strategize and grow an international and community-based NGO, and to join a community of like-minded youth across the world dedicated to environmental justice, Indigenous and ethnic self-determination, sovereignty, and decolonizing knowledge.We have six teams: the Social Media Team, who create Instagram content; the Podcast Team who are creating our new podcast; the Blog & Newsletter Team who write blogs and our newsletter; the Pluriversity team who strategize and build our educational platform; the Steering Committee who coordinate and facilitate the YVC; and the Spanish-speaking Rights of Nature team who create content for the Spanish Instagram account.The program is divided into four seasons per year, of around 10 weeks per season. Each season includes an orientation where new interns learn about Roots & Routes and the teams, and get started on the projects. During the next 10 weeks there will be weekly 1-2 hour meetings on Zoom with bi-weekly guest teachers, ranging from Indigenous leaders to scholar-activists. You will also meet weekly within the teams and spend a minimum of 6 hours per week on your projects.
Listing also found in Environmental Education
Santa Cruz County Office of Education’s Environmental Literacy for All Initiative
Contact: Amity Sandage, asandage@santacruzcoe.org
The County Office of Education leads a robust environmental literacy initiative that offers multiple options for UC interns.
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YOUTH FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION - The COE supports a unique countywide high school leadership group: Youth for Environmental Action (YEA). The goals of this program are to increase student voice and agency and to support high school students' environmental action and civic engagement around environmental issues they identify as important to them. Interns support the program by identifying potential resources and community partners; mentoring student leaders as they plan events and projects–including a countywide student-led environmental action summit; and documenting, promoting, and evaluating the program's impacts.
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GREEN WORKSPACE PROGRAM - The COE is launching an innovative Green Workspace program to build a culture of sustainability as an organization. Interns will support the promotion of the program, interview participants, and assist in tracking impacts on both people and the planet.
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TEACHER LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE FOR SUSTAINABILITY - The Teacher Leadership Institute for Sustainability is a TK 12 teacher training program that supports teachers in connecting classroom curriculum with student action projects at school and in their communities. Interns assist in preparations for workshops and events for this group.
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Beach Flats Community Garden
California Coalition for Rural Housing
CALPIRG
Climate Action Network
Committee to Bridge the Gap
Eat for the Earth
Ecology Action
Ecofarm
FoCAN
Food Chain Radio
Global Environmental Justice Journal
Habitat For Humanity ReStore
Homeless Garden Project
Regeneración: Pajaro Valley Climate Action
Right Livelihood College
Roots & Routes Intercultural Collaborations
Santa Cruz County Office of Education’s Environmental Literacy for All Initiative
