Speak Creek/Bilingual Nature Internships: We are currently reviewing applications

4/26/21 We are currently reviewing applications not accepting applications at this time

Do you believe that everyone should have equal access to natural areas and the environmental education opportunities they hold? Are you interested in gaining job skills relevant to environmental restoration and education, nonprofit operations, and event planning and outreach?

Johnson Creek Watershed Council (JCWC) is seeking two multilingual interns with a passion for environmental stewardship and social or environmental justice! Our staff will provide you with mentorship and professional guidance geared towards a career path in the environmental and non-profit sectors. Apply today and join the JCWC team in discovering how the power of your language can serve to connect members of your community with nature as well as open opportunities in education. 

Internship Title: Bilingual Nature Intern

We are looking for Vietnamese and Mandarin speaking youth for this Spring 2021 Internship Season. Youth= 16-29 years old

Reports To: Community Outreach Coordinator

Duration: 4-6 months

Hours: Approximately 4-10 hours/week; weekday work schedule is flexible, especially for academic or other work commitments. Minimum 2 weekend days required. Part time.

Start Date: Flexible,  Start to mid: May 2021

Compensation: $15/hour up to 134 hours.

Application Due Date: April 20th 2021 but open until filled. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Organization Description

JCWC was founded in 1995 by community members with the mission to promote restoration and stewardship of a healthy Johnson Creek watershed through sound science and community engagement. We run successful programs in ecological restoration and monitoring, volunteer stewardship, environmental education, community outreach, and regional land use advocacy. With over 180,000 people living in the Johnson Creek watershed, we aim to broaden and deepen the awareness of and appreciation for the ecological, cultural, economic, and recreational value of the watershed. We accomplish much of our community engagement through our riparian stewardship and community science programs. See jcwc.org for more information.

Internship Description

As a Bilingual Nature Intern, you will work with JCWC staff and your language community to ensure that our mission and activities across the watershed progress with equity, inclusivity, and cultural relevance. You will plan a project or nature-based event (may be virtual) for a multilingual, refugee, immigrant, and/or culturally-specific community within the watershed, and  translate JCWC outreach materials for your project or event. Centered on your community’s native language, your outreach and education programming will engage members of your language community in environmental education and outdoor access. The event theme you choose to focus on will depend on the community’s interest. Events from past interns have included a Spanish-English garden workshop about bees, a Vietnamese-English led tree planting event, and a Zomi Burmese-English guided nature walk. With COVID-19 some events may be virtual or projects can involve community members remotely for safety during this pandemic (See COVID information later in this document*).

Your time will be divided between working on a computer, participating in meetings, assisting in occasional fieldwork or wildlife monitoring, implementing outreach, and attending community events. You will also spend time hosting your planned project and completing follow-up work (e.g., volunteer surveys and event information tracking). Through this internship, you will gain highly transferable job skills, network with members of your community and professional field, and lay the groundwork for a successful career in the environmental field. You—the project leader—will do most of the event planning to make this event one that is both meaningful and memorable! Many meetings and events will be virtual but some work will also be in person with COVID safety protocols in place (See COVID information later in this document*).

General Responsibilities (to include, but not limited to)

  • Attend orientation and a tour of three parks and natural areas in the watershed.
  • Plan, coordinate, and host a multilingual nature-based project with your language community in the watershed. 
    • Plan all aspects of a project, event, tour or restoration project (e.g., location, date and time, theme, activities, and outreach strategies); maintain logistics spreadsheets and schedules; create registration and event pages for the JCWC website and Facebook page. Projects and events can be virtual and online as well due to COVID-19. 
    • Coordinate with partner organizations and/or streamside landowners of your event site, solicit and secure in-kind contributions from new and continuing community partners, organize transportation, and invite community members and other organizations through online, phone, and in-person communications.
    • Host your event/project with the support of JCWC staff/interns/volunteers, transport educational materials or restoration tools, arrange for catering, and carry out your lesson plan while providing a safe space. (Events can be virtual). 
  • Translate JCWC outreach materials to the native language of your community.
    • Includes existing JCWC materials (e.g., brochures, maps, wildlife/plant brochure guides, and volunteer surveys) and creating flyers, social media and other outreach posts, and handouts related to your event.
  • Publish a multilingual blog post and social media posts for the JCWC website and other online platforms.
  • Maintain a well-kept journal of hours and all weekly activities and accomplishments. 
  • Collect and manage data from your event.
    • Send a follow-up survey to your event guests; input volunteer registration information into email and contact database.

You will get assistance on these tasks above and mentorship from JCWC staff and organizational partner members. 

Requirements

  • Must be at least 16 years old.
  • Some level of fluency in spoken and written English and a second language.

o Vietnamese and Mandarin–speaking interns are especially sought for Spring

  • Proficiency in basic computer skills, including Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint).
  • Desire to build and foster community-oriented opportunities.
  • Punctual, responsible, organized, friendly, and self-motivated.
  • Able to work well independently and on a team.
  • Initiative to seek out new resources and contacts.
  • Willingness to speak in front of large groups and work well with people of diverse backgrounds.

Benefits

  • Develop leadership and community outreach skills.
  • Educate and interact deeply with your community.
  • Build relationships with JCWC and local environmental professionals.
  • Gain experience with event planning and coordination.
  • Build an understanding of environmental restoration and stewardship.
  • Become familiar with the workings of a dynamic, conservation-oriented nonprofit.
  • Build a writing portfolio that includes blogs, social media posts, and translated material.
  • Letters of reference, feedback on cover letters and resumes, and professional reference contacts.
  • Exposure to different software, applications, and programs including Canva, Gmail, Google Drive, Eventbrite, Facebook, Instagram, Salesforce, Twitter, Vertical Response, and WordPress.

Where: JCWC office, 4033 SE Woodstock Blvd, Portland, OR 97202. The JCWC office is located near Trimet bus lines #19 and #75, and we can provide you with bus passes if needed. Other locations determined as needed. Due to COVID-19 some work will also be done virtually.  

*Due to COVID-19 many meetings and computer work has been moved to working remotely, any work around others will be in compliance with COVID-19 safety protocols. COVID-19 Safety protocols include but are not limited to: outdoor only events, no food sharing, small group numbers for in person gatherings, masks required at all times both in outdoor and indoor settings. Limited in office time, most meetings will be remote. A loaner laptop computer will be provided if needed for remote work, we will also work with you to ensure internet access availability. Limited in person work will still occur outdoors with masks following regulations in Multnomah County for a safe working environment.

Application closed at this time- Please email questions regarding upcoming internship positions to the Community Outreach Coordinator Tiffany Mancillas at Tiffany@jcwc.org.

Johnson Creek Watershed Council is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We value the diverse communities that grace the Johnson Creek watershed, and wish to make ALL feel welcome and safe. BIPOC, alternatively-abled, veteran, immigrant, refugee, and LGBTQI candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

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