Organizing Internship, Our Water Activist Program

The Michigan League of Conservation Voters (LCV) is seeking interns for the Our Water Activist Program within our Advocacy & Outreach department. The Our Water Activist (OWA) program is a hybrid training and engagement program through which interns gain experience in community organizing and political advocacy around issues impacting Michigan’s land, air, water, climate, and democracy. The Fall Cycle of OWA begins with an onboarding weekend the evening of Sept. 11th through Sept. 13th, and ends on Friday, Nov. 20th.

Responsibilities

• Working with the Advocacy & Outreach team to recruit and grow a strong, sustainable team of volunteers advocating for stronger protections for our air, land, water, democracy, and public health.
• Assisting in creating, organizing, and implementing a steady drumbeat of advocacy opportunities that further or fit into Michigan LCV’s issue, accountability, electoral, or public education campaigns.
• Attending community organizing and professional development training and performing community organizing tasks such as phone banking, canvassing, leading training, and building volunteer leadership.
• Utilizing a variety of database systems, including the Voter Activation Network (VAN).

Qualifications

The ideal participants will be interested in learning more about community organizing, building leadership in communities, and creating lasting environmental change. Prior experience in community organizing is not required. 

• A positive attitude and willingness to inspire action and build a team.
• A belief that who we elect matters and that the protection of Michigan’s land, air, and water should be a political priority.
• Passion for learning organizing principles, working under the environmental justice framework, and creating systemic change.
• Cultural Competence:
  • Demonstrated awareness of one’s own cultural identity and the ability to learn and build on varying community norms.
  • Commitment to equity and inclusion as organizational practice and culture.
  • Understanding of how environmental issues intersect with racism, economic and social inequality in the U.S. and has a passion for working to dismantle these systems.

Incentives

Compensation for this program is in the form of a $2,400 stipend, awarded in two installments of $1,200 each at the beginning and midway through the program. OWAs receive two days off from Zoom seminars and/or check-ins as well as a paid shutdown week Wednesday, Nov. 4th through Tuesday, Nov. 10th.