Education and Outreach Assistant – Sierra Nevada AmeriCorps Partnership, Mother Lode Chapter of the Sierra Club

Service Commitment:

SNAP AmeriCorps members are passionate and committed to the mission of the Sierra Nevada Alliance, SNAP, and AmeriCorps. Members make a year-long, full-time commitment to serve a nonprofit organization or public agency in the Sierra Nevada. The SNAP Term of Service is from Nov 1, 2024, to September 30, 2025. The service schedule is typically 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., with some nights and weekends required.

Number of Member Positions at this Site: 1 full-term

Site Supervisor’s Name(s) and Title(s):

• Rebecca Williams, Sierra Nevada AmeriCorps Partnership Program Director
• Lynne Paulson, Sierra Club Executive Committee Secretary

Organizational Backgrounds:

Sierra Club: This AmeriCorps position will be shared between the Mother Lode Chapter of the Sierra Club and the Sierra Nevada Alliance, and the members will serve some of California’s most precious watersheds.

The Mother Lode Chapter, with more than 20,000 members, stretches from Stanislaus County and Tuolumne County in the south to the Oregon border in the north and from the western side of the Central Valley to the California/Nevada border in the east. Due to its large geography, the chapter is split into eleven local Sierra Club groups. The Tahoe Area Group (TAG) is so important because Lake Tahoe is in two states: Nevada and California. The TAG is also part of the Nevada Sierra Club Toiyabe Chapter. Lake Tahoe is designated as an Outstanding National Resource Water(ONRW). There are only two in California, Mono and Lake Tahoe, and only a few across the country.

We are one Sierra Club and nationally. We know actions speak louder than words. That’s why we’ve built a national community of volunteers, advocates, and grassroots activists who show up when and where it counts. Our supporters have the tools and resources to make themselves heard in nearly every district in every state across the country. From securing protection for 439 parks and monuments to winning passage of the Clean Air and Endangered Species Acts, to putting over 281 coal plants on the path to replacement with clean energy, to securing the right of every kid in America to visit a national park.

Sierra Nevada Alliance: The Sierra Nevada Alliance exists to elevate and support Sierra ecosystems and communities. The Alliance empowers and elevates the conservation community throughout the Sierra through workforce development, capacity building, on-the-ground work, and resource sharing to ensure that the Sierra is protected holistically.

The Sierra Nevada AmeriCorps Partnership places AmeriCorps members with partner conservation organizations throughout the Sierra Nevada. During their terms of service, members restore and monitor impaired Sierra watersheds, educate and outreach to Sierra residents and visitors on environmental issues, and recruit and manage volunteers for a variety of programs. SNAP members gain skills and technical training, are mentored by outstanding environmental leaders, and provide a meaningful impact on the communities of the Sierra Nevada. A living allowance, loan forbearance, and health care benefits are provided during the term of service, as well as an end-of-service education award.

Position Description Sierra Club: 76% of member service time, aprox 30 hrs week

While serving with the Tahoe Area Group (TAG) of the Mother Lode Chapter of the Sierra Club, the member will increase the engagement of existing membership in local environmental issues. The member will collaborate with our Environmental Justice in Tobacco Control Project staff and our Young Adult Advocacy Board, engagement, and retention program. Environmental conservation is essential in rural communities, given the devastating impact that tobacco cultivation, harvest, manufacturing, and use is having on the environment; environmental organizations need to work together with young people in solutions that benefit both groups.

Activities can include:

• Organize member/outreach meetings that include a speaker, or film, or slides
• Organize park clean-up event: The Tobacco Team has materials to put together these events.
• Utilize social media tools to engage and update Sierra Club members and engagement of new volunteers
• Assist with additional strategies to engage members and support
• Review background material of proposed projects
• Research the latest data and events.
• Train on Salesforce/Marketing Cloud to send emails and create event pages.
• Develop and aid TAG in the meaningful outreach to Native American Tribes that will create a solid relationship that can outlast us all.
• Develop and execute an outreach plan to engage and retain college-age students to create their own conservation agenda within the Sierra Club Group.
• Assist in planning special events.
• Participate in TAG Ex-Comm meetings and provide updates on service plan items.
• Attend selected Mother Lode Chapter and Toiyabe Chapter conservation meetings and serve with both chapters to include TAG in specified issues.
• Attend selected agency meetings.
• Participate in Tahoe Area Group Conservation Committee meetings and discussions on strategy.
• Plan campaigns to energize members to participate in environmental issues in the Tahoe basin.
• Serve with our EJ in Tobacco Control staff on our state efforts and Young Adult Advisory Board and it’s committees.

The member will also conduct outreach to native tribes in the Sierra Nevada region, including the Washoe Tribe, and encourage incorporating native perspectives in education and outreach. The member will seek the synergy of the Tribes’ priorities and Sierra Club’s efforts while also encouraging Sierra Club members to participate in tribal efforts and in turn, invite the Tribal members to participate in SNA and TAG initiatives and activities when appropriate.

Desired Qualifications:

A passionate and motivated individual ready to take the initiative and ignite our communities to engage and educate constituents to make environmental issues their priorities. We want a person who wants to see our communities developed with our environment and human beings in mind, not corporations. It is especially important that our member centers our key principles of equity, justice, and inclusion in every aspect of their service. The Sierra Club aims to transform ourselves and build a healthy, welcoming, and sustainable community that celebrates people from all walks of life. Membership in a Native American Tribe or experience with native perspectives is valued experience for this position.

Site-Specific Training Provided:

The Member can participate in Project Water Education for Teachers (WET) training and serve with the Education and Communication Director to learn Next Generation Science Standards, Educational Theory, The 5-E Model of Education, and curriculum writing. The Member will also be trained to use Zoom, social media, Salesforce/Marketing Cloud, and WordPress. Other training may be provided based on the member’s interests.

Position Description Sierra Nevada Alliance: 24% of member service time, approximately 10 hours a week

Goal: To support the Sierra Nevada AmeriCorps Partnership program in the development of tools, systems, resources,and partners to strengthen the recruitment of AmeriCorps members.

Position Overview: In an effort to strengthen the recruitment of AmeriCorps members to serve with the Sierra Nevada AmeriCorps Program, the Recruitment Capacity Member will be dedicated to building and expanding the capacity of the program and its partnering organizations to effectively recruit high quality members.

The Recruitment Capacity Member will help to expand community outreach, build social media presence, and promote the transformational impact of the program on the community they serve. With growth in efficiency and effectiveness of recruitment efforts, in tandem with increased community awareness, participant interest in volunteer and national service will be leveraged. This will lead to increased member enrollment and the development of new Partnerships.

Creating, refining, and executing effective recruitment strategies is a significant component of the Recruitment Capacity Member role. At the start of the service term, the Recruitment Capacity Member will work with the Sierra Nevada AmeriCorps Partnerships leadership to identify three targeted recruitment growth areas to focus on as highlighted in the program’s 2024-2025 AmeriCorps Recruitment Plan.

Member Activities & Essential Functions:

All member activities will aim to collectively raise the awareness of national service opportunities statewide as well as strengthen the ability of Sierra Nevada AmeriCorps Program to adequately serve their community by fully utilizing all member slots awarded to the AmeriCorps California program. Recruitment Capacity Member activities may include:

• Recruitment Strategy Development
  • In partnership with program staff, review the program’s Recruitment Plan to identify top 3 growth areas to focus on
  • Support in design and implementation of sustainable tools and processes for current and future recruitment efforts based on identified growth areas
  • Be well-versed on the program’s purpose and target outputs and outcomes, as well as member positions, activities, and benefits
  • Gather and maintain updated information on the application process and recruitment timelines for the program
  • Maintain awareness and be vigilant in identifying existing or potential recruitment challenges and potential barriers applicants may have to enrollment
  • Attend regular check-in meetings with program staff to set goals and check in on recruitment progress
  • Track and maintain data regarding progress towards achieving recruitment goals
  • Help develop marketing materials for recruitment purposes
• Outreach
  • Identify and locate target audience
  • Craft effective recruitment messaging
  • Leverage new contacts
  • Post physical flyers, posters, lawn signs/other signage for recruitment
  • Participate in in-person recruitment events including tabling events & presentations
  • Involve current members and alumni in recruitment
• Digital Outreach
  • Utilize program website for recruitment, ensuring website is up to date
  • Utilize California Volunteers website for recruitment, ensuring program information is up to date and of a high quality
  • Utilize social media for recruitment, develop social media plan to highlight recruitment, member experience, program’s transformational impacts to beneficiaries and the community, national days of service, partnering organizations, and calls to action, actively post on social media accounts, coordinating with partnering organizations for content, and tagging partnering organizations and California Volunteers as applicable
  • Utilize online opportunity boards for recruitment
• Applicant Engagement
  • Strengthen tools and processes for tracking potential and current applicants
  • Develop strategies/systems for and directly support keeping current applicants engaged
  • Support with timely follow up and information to potential or current applicants in the pipeline
  • Service Sites / Partner Involvement
  • Support Program Staff in identifying and fostering partnerships to increase outreach to potential AmeriCorps Members
  • Research potential partnerships with AmeriCorps Alumni, department chairs of colleges and universities, school and career counselors, and local businesses and foundations to build awareness and connections regarding AmeriCorps service opportunities
  • Coordinate with partnering organizations to identify recruitment needs or gaps
  • Support planning of recruitment events, collaborating with partnering organizations
• Recruitment Point-of-Contact with California Volunteers
  • Participate in California Volunteers’ recruitment initiatives
  • Attend and actively participate in California Volunteers’ recruitment meetings
  • Coordinate with other AmeriCorps programs to share best practices and resources

Site-Specific Training Provided:

On-the-job training will be provided to ensure that the member is comfortable with the job duties. Professional development training will be provided through the SNAP training program. Any additional training desired by the member will be supported when possible when brought to the supervisor for review and approval.

Things to Note:

This position requires significant office and desk work. The applicant must be organized, detail-oriented, flexible, have some experience with project management, and be open to feedback. The supervisor has an “open-door” policy and welcomes questions and new ideas. The position can primarily serve from home or in the SNA office and must be comfortable working with minimal supervision and reaching out for support.

Qualifications:

• Must be 18+ years of age and high school graduates or GED recipients (or minimum of 17 and working toward a high school diploma or GED); members must agree to obtain either a diploma or GED before using an education award; meeting full list of member eligibility requirements in 45 CFR §2522.200(a)
• Must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national or lawful permanent resident
• Must participate in a national criminal history background check pursuant to 45 CFR §2540.200-206
• Organized, responsible, motivated, professional
• Demonstrates initiative, follow-through, and reliability
• Strong communication, collaboration, and public speaking skills
• Interest or education in marketing or communications a plus

Benefits:

• Monthly stipend of $2,500 per month
• Standard health insurance
• Up to 170 hours of technical, ecological, and skills-development training
• Professional experience and networking- $500 Individual Training Budget
• AmeriCorps members that successfully complete a 1700-hour service term will earn a $10,000 combined Segal Educational Award and Cal for All Education Award for use on existing qualified student loans or future higher education expenses
• Student loan forbearance during service term if Member qualifies