Get Involved!

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Environmental Educator

The Brother Brennan Environmental Education Centre is looking for an enthusiastic and energetic person to help deliver their fall environmental education programs. Experience working with children and a knowledge of Newfoundland’s nature are an asset. A valid first-aid certificate and police record check are needed and own transport is preferred. There will normally be 24 or 48 hours work each week at $14 hour. For more information go to www.brotherbrennancentre.ca

Please email a resume and cover letter to helenspencer@esdnl.ca by Thursday September 6, 2012

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Join the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup this September

Join the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup this September

No Matter How it Comes, Litter Puts us at Risk

 

What do a payphone, wedding dress, and false teeth all have in common? These unusual items, along with plastic bags, bottle caps, and other debris were all found on Canadian shorelines! To make our rivers and lakes cleaner and healthier for everyone, the Vancouver Aquarium and WWF are asking you to sign up for the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup, presented by Loblaw Companies Limited.

No matter what form it comes in, shoreline litter puts wildlife and people at risk. The Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup is a great opportunity for Canadians to get outside and transform their community into a litter-free environment.  A few hours removing litter from your favourite shoreline really can make a difference.

Our program runs from September 15-23rd, 2012, sign up today.

Last year, the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup cleared more than one hundred forty-three thousand kilograms of litter – the approximate weight of seventy-two Steller sea lions – from over three thousand kilometers of shorelines. This year, we’re hoping to accomplish even more.

Register today at ShorelineCleanup.ca

 

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Sign up to organize in your community: Help bring PowerShift and build the climate movement in NL

Power Shift 2012 aims to build an environmental and climate justice movement that can transform our society, so that our future can be enjoyed by everyone, not only those who can afford it. Power Shift is organized by youth for youth and aims to mobilize passionate youth from affected communities and various sectors of civil society  to explore multiple  ways of taking action and work to develop each other’s capacity and abilities.

To make PowerShift 2012 a success, we need dedicated, passionate leaders from across the country to act as Local or Regional Outreach Coordinators. You could volunteer for being an outreach coordinator for a region (i.e. Newfoundland  or Labrador) or for a city, town, campus or other community (i.e. your university campus or the city of Halifax). If you join our team of coordinators you will become part of a diverse team of volunteers working to organize PowerShift 2012 and bring people to Ottawa from every corner of Canada. As a coordinator you will spread the word about PowerShift 2012 and recruit young people from your community or region to attend. This will involve connecting with and supporting local organizations and groups in your community or region that are interested in climate justice and helping to facilitate the participation of youth from your community or region in PowerShift 2012.

As a Local or Regional Outreach Coordinator, you won’t be working alone – there will be a Regional Volunteer Coordinator in your region (Western Canada, Central Canada, Eastern Canada and Francophone) to support you. They will provide you with any additional support you may need including when contacting local organizations, asking for assistance or fundraising. As a Local or Regional Outreach Coordinator, you will also be supported by the PowerShift 2012 organizing committee, made up of 8 working groups and over 60 volunteers.

What will you get out of the experience? You’ll get to know movers and shakers in your community and region, build useful organizing skills, create relationships with other passionate youth, and contribute to building a national climate justice movement.

If this dynamic and diverse opportunity sounds like something you want to take on, please fill out this form so we can get to know you a little bit. If you have any questions, please email powershift.vol@gmail.com

Powershift 2012 welcomes the contributions that individuals from marginalized communities bring to our organization, and invites Indigenous/First Nations people, people of colour, women, gays, lesbians, bisexuals, queer-oriented people, transgendered/gender-variant people, single parents, members of ethnic minorities, immigrants and people with disabilities to apply.

 

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Looking for facilitators and presenters impacted by climate injustice and/or working for social change (APPLY BY JULY 15, 2012)

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.

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The Osprey (Summer 2012 issue) — seeking submissions

The Osprey and Nature NL would like to extend an invitation to authors for submissions for the Summer 2012 issue.

Articles, stories, research, information or opinions regarding nature and the environment in Newfoundland and Labrador are all welcome! Topics may include native or invasive species, citizen science, environment and industry, youth nature activities and more.

Submissions can be sent to osprey@naturenl.ca. Deadline for submissions for the Summer 2012 issue is June 30, 2012.

For more information, or to see previous issues, visit us at www.naturenl.ca.

Cheers,

Justin So
Co-Editor
The Osprey

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St. John's Farmers' Market seeks volunteers

We’re looking for volunteers every Saturday from 9am until 12pm or 1pm until 3pm. Duties would vary and include helping with set up or tear down, aiding market vendors, washing cups, serving coffee, etc.

If you’re interested in volunteering, contact the market manager at sjfm.volunteer@gmail.com

The first farmers’ market of the season is Saturday, June 2nd from 9am until 2pm.

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MUN Campus Food Strategy Group Coordinator

[UPDATE: THIS POSITION HAS BEEN FILLED!]

This summer – Dig in – to food on campus!

Your opportunity to make a difference: We’re looking for students to work with us for the
summer. All projects will have a real impact on the future of food on campus – expect no
photocopying, paper filing, or coffee fetching in this job!

As a coordinator for the Campus Food Strategy Group, you’ll be getting hands on, field experience
with your campus food supply, from farm to plate. Really! You will meet farmers and food
processors, tour distributors’ warehouses, and work with food service directors and chefs. You’ll be
identifying sources of local and sustainable food, and figuring out how to get them into your campus
cafeterias. You’ll also be working with professors to help set up research courses to continue this work
in the fall, and be networking with students on campuses across the country who are tackling the same
issues on their campuses. You’ll be identifying sources of local and sustainable food for your campus
and you’ll be working with professors to help set up research courses to do similar work in the fall.
You’ll also be networking regularly with students on campuses across the country doing similar work. If
you’re up for a challenge, and want to gain tremendous summer work experience, this is the
opportunity for you!

Coordinators will work from a distance with a team of coordinators on campuses across Canada, and
will be in regular contact with the Campus Food Systems Project staff, located in Ottawa and Toronto.
We are excited to be offering this opportunity to benefit the future of food on your campus’ food
supply, from farm to plate.

For more details about specific projects for the summer, please check out:
http://studentfood.ca/summer-opportunities

Desired Attributes:
· Knowledge of food issues
· Excellent interpersonal, self-management and organizational skills
· Excellent communication skills
· Ability to take initiative and engage in active learning
– Openness to new perspectives and desire to do solutions-focused work with a diverse group of
stakeholders

This position is available immediately – it has been funded by Canada Summer Jobs for 245 hours
(approx. 7 weeks at 35 hrs/wks – adjustable to 10 weeks at 25 hrs/wk). This position is only available
for students who were enrolled full time in the 2011-12 academic year, and also plan to enroll full
time the 2012-13 academic year. Applicants must be Canadian citizens between the ages of 18-30.
Course credits for your work and time may be able to be arranged.

Interested?! Get in touch today with Dana: food@syc-cjs.org, or Caitlin:Caitlin@mealexchange.com

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Project Manager (Canadian Environment Network)

EMPLOYMENT / CONTRACT OPPORTUNITY

International Project Manager(s) United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF)
UNFF Major Group Initiative Forest Workshop
May 2012 – September 2012

Deadline for application: May 9, 12 pm, EDT
Position: International Project Manager(s)
Project: United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF) — UNFF Major Group Initiative Forest Workshop
Organization: The Canadian Environmental Network (RCEN)
Location: anywhere in Canada (from home or at our office in Ottawa)

Contract dates: May 2012 — September 2012
Deadline: May 9, 2012, 12:00 EDT.

The Canadian Environmental Network (RCEN) is seeking to contract a Project Manager to manage all activities related to the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF) Project, “Intensifying Major Groups Involvement in the Implementation of UNFF Decisions,” on behalf of the RCEN. The RCEN is the lead organising NGO for the Project. There is potential for this work to be split into two contracts based on pre- and post-event activities (lead-up work done in Canada and activities done in Brazil and followup).

The UNFF Major Groups (MG) (see: http://www.mgi-forests.org/home) are hosting a preparatory workshop for UNFF 10 (Turkey 2013). The workshop will take place in Teresópolis, Brazil between 13-17 June 2012, at the same time as RIO+20. The theme for the workshop is “Forests and Economic Development: Positioning Forests to Contribute to Green Economy.” The workshop will bring together approximately 100 participants from the Major Groups. The required outcomes are (1) draft recommendations to UNFF 10, (2) draft inputs for MG paper to UNFF 10, and (3) implementation of a side event at RIO+20.

The upcoming Rio+20 Earth Summit will have two major themes: Green Economy; and an Institutional Framework for Sustainable Development. While the Green Economy theme focuses on sustainable development in the context of poverty eradication, the theme of Institutional Framework for Sustainable Development will address global governance issues.

The contract will run from early May through 30 September 2012. The contractor(s) will be under the direction of the RCEN. Contract value up to $20,000, depending upon qualifications.

All applicants please respond to Maggie Paquet, Acting Chair, RCEN at actingchair @rcen.ca*
Deadline: May 9, 2012, 12:00 EDT.

Qualifications:
• Administrative experience, including budgeting and financial record-keeping
• Working knowledge of the RCEN
• Familiarity with forest issues
• Project leadership and coordination
• International experience
• Consensus building ability
• Facilitation experience
• Writing ability
• Ability to act independently, but maintain regular communications with RCEN
• Event management
• Website management

Related tasks include:
1. Administrative — ensure accommodations and travel, coordination of participants travel and accommodation, reporting, budget management.
2. Event Management — determine flow of event, coordinate presenters, liaise with venue to ensure all necessary materials for successful event are on site, transportation for participants to and from hotel to venue.
3. Documents – expected that up to three draft documents (including concrete recommendations for UNFF 10 and inputs for joint Major Groups paper for UNFF 10) are to be produced with input and guidance from the UNFF Major Groups Steering Committee and with oversight by the RCEN.

Other information:
1. Successful candidate will be required to travel to Brazil.
2. Draft documents are required to be completed and submitted by September 15, 2012.

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Environmental Educator Summer Student – Ducks Unlimited Canada

Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) is seeking an energetic individual for summer employment in Corner Brook, NL.

Duties

The Environmental Educator will work as part of a team to deliver Ducks Unlimited Canada “Project Webfoot” field trips to about 440 grade 4 students and deliver educational activities and events.

 

Reporting to the Conservation Programs Specialist, responsibilities will include:

• Delivering outdoor field trips

• Facilitating wetland education activities and events

• Compiling teacher feedback

• Preparing final report and recommendations

• Assisting with field work

• Other duties as requested

 

Qualifications

• Possess valid first aid and CPR training

• Be willing to complete a security clearance

• Have experience working with youth

• Have experience with outdoor education programs

• Possess excellent communication and organization skills

• Have enthusiasm for the outdoors, wildlife and conservation

• Be energetic and love working with children and the public

• Knowledge of wildlife/wetland biology an asset

• Fluency in French an asset

• Must be a youth and student returning to full time studies in fall of 2012

 

 

Details

• Term of employment is at least 3 weeks and potentially up to 8 weeks, depending on receipt of additional funding.

• Anticipated start date is May 29, 2012.

• Rate of pay is $12.00/hr based on a 35-hour week.

• Some evening and weekend work and travel may be required.

• Work closely with the Conservation Programs Specialist and the public.

 

How to Apply

If you are qualified and interested in this opportunity, please submit (email preferred) your cover letter, resumé and the names of three references for confidential consideration by May 10, 2012 to the attention of:

 

Danielle Fequet

Ducks Unlimited Canada

c/o CBPP Woodlands Department

P.O. Box 2001, Corner Brook, NL

A2H 6J4

Fax: 709-637-3469

Email: d_fequet@ducks.ca

 

 

Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) is the leader in wetland conservation. A registered charity, DUC partners with government, industry, non-profit organizations and landowners to conserve wetlands that are critical to waterfowl, wildlife and the environment.

 

While DUC would like to thank all applicants, only those considered for an interview will be contacted.

 

 

 

 

 

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Join the PowerShift organizing team as a Volunteer Coordinator!

JOIN THE POWERSHIFT ORGANIZING TEAM AS A VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR!

Volunteer Position: National Volunteer Coordinator(s)
Location: Across Canada
Duration: 10 hrs/week from May-October, increasing as we get closer to Powershift
Closing date for applications: May 11, 2012

Powershift Canada is a gathering for and by youth that will bring 1500 people from diverse backgrounds together to build a movement for climate and environmental justice. It will be taking place from October 26th to October 29th in Ottawa and will look at the intersections between environmental and social justice issues, build skills for collective action, and be a space for engaged youth to network and learn from each other.

If you want to be a part of building a Canadian climate justice movement, this is an incredible opportunity for youth from across the country to come together, mobilize, and learn, to ultimately go back to their own communities and affect change.

We’re well into the organizing process and looking for a few enthusiastic and organized individuals from across the country to coordinate our volunteers.

Your responsibilities will include:

  • refining our volunteer engagement strategy;
  • working with working group bottomliners to identify gaps and needs;
  • recruiting volunteers with specific skillsets to fill gaps and needs in the organizing process;
  • working with working group bottomliners to orient new volunteers;
  • developing materials and trainings to support volunteers.


If you:

  • are able to work on a team and to work independently;
  • are approachable, enthusiastic, supportive, patient with others;
  • are comfortable delegating and sharing responsibility;
  • are able to deal with ambiguity and effectively cope with changing situations;
  • are a clear communicator who can maintain dialogue with others about their needs;
  • have a good understanding of group dynamics;
  • have excellent interpersonal skills;
  • have previous experience working with youth between the ages of 15-30;
  • have proven skills in recruiting, engaging, and organizing volunteers;
  • have a demonstrated commitment to climate justice,


Then we’d love for you to apply to coordinate volunteers at Powershift Canada!

Powershift Canada welcomes the contributions that individuals from marginalized communities bring to our organization, and invites Indigenous/First Nations people, people of colour, women, gays, lesbians, bisexuals, queer-oriented people, transgendered/gender-variant people, single parents, members of ethnic minorities, immigrants and people with disabilities to apply.

For more information: Contact Amara or Tasha at powershift.vol@gmail.com.

To apply: Send 300 words, describing why you would like to coordinate volunteers and what skills and experience you bring to the position, to powershift.vol@gmail.com by Friday, May 11 2012.