Paid Legislative & Field Organizing Internship

Position Summary:

Want to be part of a team of passionate and resourceful organizers who are building power to tackle our state’s biggest environmental issues? Does the idea of working for clean air, clean water, and equitable environmental legislation for all Washingtonians excite you? Come join our team!

Washington Conservation Voters (WCV) and Washington Environmental Council (WEC) are seeking three talented individuals who want to gain experience in environmental advocacy. Our Community Engagement & Legislative Interns will work as a team with our Field Organizers during the 2023 Washington State Legislative Session. Interns will support the Environmental Priorities Coalition (EPC) priorities and partnership agenda, working to pass policies on salmon and clean water, climate, voting justice, and more. This is a paid, part-time internship that will involve engaging with grassroots activists through outreach and engagement opportunities. Interns will also be responsible for helping plan and coordinate virtual textbanks, lobby days, and other events. These internships are a great opportunity for someone who is invested in protecting Washington’s environment and excited to gain experience in field organizing, environmental advocacy, the legislative process, and building grassroots power for the environment. If you are excited about meeting (virtually) and talking to and learning from new people, you will find this work extremely rewarding.

We are looking for interns based in Washington state. This internship will be predominantly online/remote, with opportunities for recommended but not required in person events and meetups. This internship will start the week of January 30th and run through May 19th (with one week off at your discretion). Interns will have weekly staff supervision meetings, trainings, professional development, and networking opportunities. Interns will receive grounding in racial justice principles and gain skills to successfully organize activists.

 

Washington Environmental Council drives positive change to solve our state’s most pressing environmental challenges. For almost 50 years, we have been at the forefront of environmental protection in the state, securing laws and policies that safeguard the health of our families and our environment.

Washington Conservation Voters is the statewide political voice for the environment. We work to elect environmentally responsible candidates to state and local offices. Working with allies in the community, we advocate for strong environmental policies and hold our elected officials accountable during the legislative session. Through our political work, we are strengthening laws that safeguard the health of our communities, the beauty of our state and our economic future.

We are committed to a diverse, socially just, and welcoming work environment. Young people, people of color, people with varying abilities, and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply. We seek to apply a social and racial justice lens to all of our work.

Internship Hours/Timeframe/Stipend: 

The Community Engagement & Advocacy Intern will work 15 hours per week starting the week of January 30th through May 19th, 2023. There will be one week off for spring break. Interns will work remotely, with possible in person meetings or events as scheduled with your supervisor. Interns will join 3-5 meetings per week via phone or video, including a weekly check in with their supervisor. Interns should be available for occasional evening shifts. Schedule is flexible and may vary weekly based on our field opportunities. This internship can count as course credit if approved by your institution. A $3,400 stipend will be provided. We offer a $100 wellness benefit and reimbursement for any work-related travel. We will also provide work-from-home technology such as a laptop, headset, etc. if needed.

RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Build power for the environmental movement by supporting our legislative work, including the Environmental Priorities Coalition and WCV’s Evergreen Future campaign
  • Recruit, train, and mobilize activists to lobby their elected officials through phone banks, legislative hearings, lobby days, and town halls (anticipating these will all be virtual)
  • Spend at least 2 hours per week on the phone recruiting volunteers and/or calling constituents to contact their legislators
  • Represent WEC & WCV at events (in-person events will be evaluated as public health information during the COVID-19 pandemic evolves, our first priority is safety)
  • Organizing and supporting event planning for Earth Day, Orca Month (June), and other events
  • Recruit and engage activists to take action in support of endorsed candidate campaigns for 2022 state legislative elections
  • Engage volunteers from existing member lists and implement innovative outreach techniques to grow our activist base
  • Maintain and organize data in various databases including Salesforce and the Voter Activation Network
  • Other tasks to support WEC and WCV’s field activities

Qualifications

Qualifications and Required skills 


Previous organizing experience is not required. Candidates should have:
•    Excellent interpersonal and communication skills in person, by phone, and over video conference
•    Ability to work well individually and as part of a team
•    Comfort with Microsoft Office applications, web searches, documents, and email 
•    Ability to multitask, meet deadlines, and make it to remote meetings in a timely manner
•    Enjoys talking with others, can shrug off cold responses easily while maintaining a professional and considerate demeanor
•    Positive attitude and has fun while working efficiently
•    Discretion and integrity to work with and maintain confidentiality of sensitive personal information
•    A passion for environmental and racial justice, voting rights, and legislative advocacy 
 

Desirable Skills
•    Experience with community organizing, including school/student organizing
•    Knowledge of Washington state environmental policy and politics
•    Bilingual English & Spanish

How to apply

Please submit a cover letter, resume and your typical availability here. Please submit applications by January 13th. 

WEC and WCV are an equal opportunity employer committed to dismantling structural racism and creating a welcoming work environment. WEC and WCV do not discriminate on the basis of age, race, creed, gender, religion, marital status, veteran’s status, national origin, disability, or sexual orientation. People of color, people with disabilities, and people of all gender identities are encouraged to apply.

 

Frequently Asked Questions:

  1. Do I need to live in Washington state?

Yes, but you can work virtually from anywhere within the state. We ask that candidates live in state so that we are in the same time zone and so that we are rooted in the communities and issues we are working with.  

  1. Do I need to have experience lobbying or working for a political campaign?

No! You do not need previous experience as an intern or volunteer for a legislator or political campaign. You will be a strong candidate if you have demonstrated interest through your actions in racial justice or politics previously, but this can look like student group involvement, attending rallies or demonstrations, and more.

  1. What kinds of candidates benefit most from this internship?

While we don’t have any age or education restrictions with this position, typically candidates who get the most out of this internship are getting their associate’s/undergraduate degree.  We find that individuals who are later in their career and/or obtaining their master’s degree already have a lot of the knowledge and skills that we teach in this internship (ex. Political background on the state legislature, learning how to recruit volunteers or facilitate a large meeting). This internship is a strong foundation for people who want to dive deeper into the field of advocacy at environmental nonprofits and state politics.

‹ VIEW ALL POSTINGS