The Local Government Commission is proud to join California Volunteers as an Implementing Partner of the
2021-22 Service Year Fellow Applications OPEN NOW!
Climate Action Corps – Fellows
Join us in this first-of-its kind effort for California by helping engage Californians in climate action through a unique professional development opportunity.
Projects for the 2021-22 Service Year will be added to the website mid-April 2021, but you can explore some of our projects and Host Partners for the current 2020-21 service year to see the kind of projects CAC Fellows are leading!
What is AmeriCorps?
AmeriCorps is a national civil society program created to address the needs of local communities. AmeriCorps engages 75,000 Members annually who complete intensive service to meet community needs in education, health, public safety, security, and the environment. Since 1994, AmeriCorps Members have served over 1.4 billion hours for their communities. CivicSpark Climate Action Corps Fellows are AmeriCorps Members, serving full time, completing at least 1,700 hours over 11 months and working to support local communities, while gaining valuable experience and training. For more information about AmeriCorps, visit www.nationalservice.gov. AmeriCorps is administered by CaliforniaVolunteers and sponsored by the Corporation for National and Community Service.
What does it mean to be a California Climate Action Corps Fellow?
Climate Action Corps is dedicated to mobilizing climate actions designed to engage community members, empower change, and leave a lasting impact. Selected Fellows will spend 11 months supporting community climate action projects through CivicSpark, a program of the Local Government Commission (LGC) implemented in partnership with California Volunteers.
Fellows will be placed in teams of 2 with Host Partner organizations. Most of the placements will be in 5 target Cities and surrounding regions: Fresno, Stockton, San Jose, Los Angeles, and Redlands.
Through project-based service work, Fellows will have
- A chance to learn real-world climate action skills through community action projects.
- An opportunity to serve in a local government or nonprofit committed to taking action on climate change where you will be provided access to and support for the implementation of your service projects.
Participating in Climate Action Corps will provide Fellows with an opportunity to be part of this unique inaugural cohort, a community, and statewide force of emerging leaders while also being connected to the well-established CivicSpark network of leaders and alumni.
While each placement will be unique, all CivicSpark Climate Action Corps Fellows provide support through a common four-step approach designed to help Fellows make meaningful use of their time within their projects, agencies, and communities:
Day-to-day, Fellows can expect to serve in an “office” role (either on site or remotely), with tasks ranging from data collection and analysis to project management, to plan or policy development, to stakeholder engagement and community outreach. The particular office environment, workplace or remote setup, and balance of tasks are dependent on the host partner and project.
Across all projects, Fellows will get exceptional real-world experience, spending their service term working alongside regional leaders and coordinators to implement community climate projects. All Fellows will leave the service year with a better understanding of and experience with community climate action and engagement.
Growth opportunities include:
- An exceptional outcome-driven project management experience.
- Mentorship and project level support.
- Training on the project related tools and techniques.
- Statewide networking with local, regional and state leaders.
Benefits
CivicSpark Fellows will receive the following benefits during their service term:
- $22,000 Living Allowance (before taxes) spread evenly over 11 months
- $6,345 Segal Education Award (at the completion of service)
- SNAP (Food Stamps) – for those eligible
- Forbearance on existing qualifying student loans and payment of interest accrued during service
- Health Insurance
- Childcare assistance to qualifying Fellows, paid to an eligible provider of your choice
How is the Climate Action Corps Different from Other CivicSpark Fellowships?
California Climate Action Corps is being implemented in a similar fashion to the CivicSpark program, but has some important differences.
- All projects will focus on climate action through direct community engagement.
- The volunteer engagement component of the Fellowship will be more substantial.
- Projects will be more closely coordinated with state leadership (through California Volunteers).
Project Types
Fellows will work on a range of climate action projects such as
Urban Tree Planting
Edible Food Recovery
Protecting High-risk Communities from Wildfires
Qualifications
AmeriCorps Requirements
- Be a citizen, national, or lawful permanent resident of the United States*
- Ability to pass FBI, CA Department of Justice, out-of-state (if applicable), and National Sex Offender Public Registry background checks prior to service
CivicSpark Climate Action Corps Requirements
- A minimum of a 2-year degree (i.e. AA) from an accredited college or university
- Commitment to the full term of service (11 months, 1,700+ hours)
- Capability to work in a professional office setting
- Strong communication (both verbal and written) and teamwork skills
Strongly preferred
- A degree in a related field
- One year of relevant experience
- Past service experience (e.g., volunteering, community service, etc.)
- Experience with, or training in, outreach, facilitation and/or education
- Being local to the community you will serve in.
Desirable
- Experience with project implementation
- Comfort with quantitative work, including data collection and analysis
This is an equal opportunity position and we prefer to place candidates who already live in the communities they will serve.
*At this time, we are unfortunately unable to accept applicants with student visas (such as F1 or F2 student visas, J1 or J2 exchange visitor visas, G series visas, etc.), or those with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status.
Calendar
Questions?
CivicSpark helped me build more confidence in my skills as a professional. Working in a local government office full time really taught me crucial professional skills that I did not learn in school. I also grew as a person and am able to better represent myself in professional situations. CivicSpark was the step I needed to get into my current position as a UNEP intern, something I've dreamed about for a long time.
CivicSpark provided me an unbelievable opportunity to work with experts & professionals in the Climate Change and Transportation Planning fields. I got top notch training and mentorship from leaders in both Sacramento and the Central Valley in sustainable transportation and California climate initiatives. The CivicSpark experience helped me seamlessly get a position as a Transportation Planner with the State of California after graduation.
From CivicSpark, I was instilled with an ethic of service and justice that will be omnipresent in my work. I learned a lot about how our state of California addresses its challenges in water management, and also about what it means to be a changemaker in a professional capacity. Those first few months of work made a big impression on me, and I'm so happy I was able to spend my early professional career in such a dynamic, collaborative and learning-focused environment.