We Want YOU to be a facilitator, speaker, and/or presenter at PowerShift 2012 in Ottawa.

We are contacting you to join us in educating, training and mobilizing our generation in the fight for climate justice. We are currently seeking panelists, speakers, workshop facilitators, and caucus facilitators for PowerShift 2012.  Scroll to bottom for direct links to application forms.

What is PowerShift?

From October 26-29, PowerShift 2012 Canada will bring 1500 youth (age 18-30) from diverse backgrounds together in Ottawa to build a movement for climate and environmental justice.

Through keynote speakers, workshops, caucuses, panel discussions, actions, and many other activities, participants will develop their understanding about the intersections between environmental and social justice issues, and build a range of skills for taking action, and gain the connections and confidence to mobilize in their communities.  For more information on PowerShift, visit our website at wearepowershift.ca.

If you are interested in attending PowerShift, and whether or not you intend to apply as a facilitator or speaker, you can follow us on our website, twitter, and facebook. Registration will be opening in late July.

If you are interesting in participating in PowerShift programming in another way that is not described below (ie. entertainment, art project, etc.) please email powershift.programming@gmail.com.

Why do we need you?

Your skills and experience could contribute to making PowerShift 2012 an engaging and effective learning, training, and networking opportunity. We are particularly looking for speakers and facilitators living on the frontlines of fossil fuel extraction and other climate injustices, folks from underrepresented communities, people with successful campaigning experience, and/or youth who are dedicated and ready to learn!  While PowerShift itself is focused on youth, we are not exclusively looking for youth speakers, presenters, and facilitators, and instead want to encourage intergenerational learning.

How do I sign-up?

We encourage anyone who is interested in sharing their skills, experience, or story to apply to speak or facilitate at PowerShift.  Much of the framework for our programming has already been created through consultations with dedicated volunteers and other community members, so we are mostly looking for speakers and facilitators who can offer workshops or presentations within what we are looking for.  That being said, PowerShift is going to be a huge gathering and we are looking for an incredibly broad range of different things!  Also, if you have something to offer that falls completely outside of the framework we are looking at, while it is less likely to get chosen for this particular event, it will definitely still be considered.

Below (scroll down) we describe the four different types of sessions we are looking for speakers and facilitators for – Skills-based workshops, speakers and panelists (both for “frontline” and “digging deeper”, issues-based panels), Issues-based workshops, and Caucuses (for caucuses we encourage suggestions from people who would prefer not to facilitate themselves as well).  Each of the four session types has a separate form for prospective facilitators and speakers to fill-out that can be found below.  The form shouldn’t take more than 20 minutes to fill out.  If interested, you are encouraged to apply for multiple session types or workshops / topics in the same type.  Please fill out a separate form for each application (with the exception of the speaker / panelist form, where you can list all topics you are comfortable speaking on).

Also, we have a minimal budget; however, we are willing to work with chosen speakers and facilitators who need help with funding their transportation.  Small honorariums will also be available for presenters and facilitators depending on need.

We are looking forward to your application(s)!

 

Skill-Based Workshop Facilitators:

Skill-based workshops will give participants the skills and confidence to step into new roles as strategizers, trainers, spokespeople, advocates, educators, media liaisons, action organizer, facilitators, and more. The skill-based workshops will also develop participants understanding of strategy, creative action, anti-oppression, and democratic and horizontal organizing. Here is a list of many of the workshops we are particularly looking for facilitators for (this list is by no means exhaustive).

 

We are looking for people with experience facilitating workshops related to social action skills or people with extensive experience with the particular skill itself who are willing to dedicate some time into planning an effective workshop. To be accepted, workshops must be engaging, accessible, and develop skills relevant to the vision of PowerShift.

 

If you are interested in facilitating a skills-based workshop please fill out this form.

 

Speakers and Panelists:

At PowerShift 2012 participants will learn more about issues facing our generation through engaging panels.

There will be “Frontline” panel discussions about the impacts of climate change and toxic development on communities that are directly impacted, as well as on how these communities and their allies are mobilizing in response. The panelists for these will come from communities directly impacted by climate change and/or toxic development.  Here is a list of “frontline” panel topics we are particularly looking for speakers for (this list is by no means exhaustive).

There will also be “Digging Deeper” panels will look at how different issues link and overlap with climate justice, current science and policy, real solutions to the climate crisis, and/or how we can mobilize internationally, nationally, and in our communities to make these solutions a reality. Here is a list of “digging deeper” panel topics we are particularly looking for speakers for (this list is by no means exhaustive).

 

Fill out this form if you are interested in speaking on a panel at PowerShift 2012.

 

Issue-Based Workshop Facilitators:

While most content related to specific issues will be delivered through panels, there will be some opportunities for issue-based workshops where participants will dig deeper into issues facing our generation (ie. climate change and agriculture or climate and migrant justice). Here is a list of issue-based workshop topics we are particularly looking for facilitators for (this list is by no means exhaustive).

 

If you are interested in facilitating an issue-based workshop please fill out this form.

 

Caucuses:

Caucuses are facilitated discussions or meet-ups based on particular topics, questions or identities. For example, Racialized Participant caucus; Safe(r) Spaces: Accountability and addressing violence in our movements caucus; LGBTQ+ meet and greet. We want to hear from what what caucuses you want to see at PowerShift 2012. Here is a list, that is by no means exhaustive, of some of the caucus ideas that the PowerShift programming team had.  For caucuses in particular, we encourage you to submit any other ideas that you have for caucuses (meaning caucuses that you would be interested in attending), whether they are on our list or not.

This form will let you indicate a caucus that you want to see at PowerShift 2012 and will let you indicate if you want to facilitate the caucus.

Links to all forms:

Skill-based workshops – http://tiny.cc/9hfyfw

Panelists and speakers – http://tiny.cc/6bfyfw

Issue-based workshops – http://tiny.cc/19eyfw

Caucuses – http://tiny.cc/fdfyfw

 

We look forward to working with you. PLEASE SHARE THIS CALL-OUT WIDELY.