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CivicSpark Fellow
Local Government Commission / Throughout California
Posted on: May 6, 2019
Application Deadline: June 1, 2019
Job Description
What does it mean to be a CivicSpark Fellow?
Fellows are matched with a host partner agency and are given at least one project, which benefits at least one local government agency. Projects are spread throughout regions across California, including the Central Coast, San Joaquin Valley, Greater Los Angeles, San Diego area, Inland Empire, Sacramento area, Sierra Nevada, and San Francisco Bay area. Through project work, Fellows will gain hands-on experience tackling the most urgent environmental and social equity problems facing communities today, while growing their professional, technical and leadership skills, and building a strong network of resilience professionals.
For a list of projects for the upcoming 2019-20 service year, visit “Our Projects” page.
While each project is unique, all CivicSpark Fellows provide support to local government agencies through a common four-step approach designed to help Fellows make meaningful use of their time within their projects, agencies, and communities:
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Gap Assessments: In order to understand their agency’s resiliency needs and goals, at the start of the service year, Fellows interview their agency’s staff and review key documents and then work with their Site Supervisor and our staff to finalize their project goals, and a project scope they can implement over the service year.
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Service Projects: Fellows spend roughly 80% of their service year implementing a specific research, planning, or implementation project based on the gap assessment results. Research projects involve analyzing and evaluating community issues, needs and potential solutions (e.g. inventorying current and projected greenhouse gas emissions or surveying affordable housing needs); planning projects involve developing a specific action plan for a target audience (e.g. bicycle / pedestrian plans or stormwater management plans); and implementation projects involve launching projects with measurable outcomes (e.g. monitoring broadband access or piloting a free transit pass program).
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Volunteer Engagement: Fellows have the opportunity to foster community engagement and address community needs by establishing new volunteer programs or enhancing existing programs within or related to their service work.
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Transitioning Expertise: To wrap up the service year, Fellows share their findings, summary of work and next steps. These take the form of a transitional report, and presentations or trainings with staff and stakeholders.
Across all projects, CivicSpark Fellows will get exceptional real-world experience, spending their service year working alongside regional leaders and coordinators to implement cutting-edge resiliency projects for forward-looking communities. All Fellows will leave the service year with a better understanding of work within local governments, experience working on critical emerging environmental and social equity issues, and the ability to work successfully in a team office setting. Benefits include:
- Mentorship and supervision.
- Training on sector-specific tools and techniques.
- Statewide networking with local, regional and state leaders.
- An outcome-driven project management experience in growing and critically important fields.
- Stipend, student loan deferral, health care, and child care support, if needed.
Required Experience / Skills / Education
CivicSpark Fellows must have completed at least a 4-year degree and ideally have relevant experience in a related field. An ideal candidate will have the following characteristics:
AmeriCorps Requirements
- Be a citizen, national, or lawful permanent resident alien 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 Requirements
- A 4-year degree (i.e. BA/BS) 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
Desirable
- Experience with local government operations and structures
- 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.
Application Instructions
Apply here! CivicSpark is a Governor’s Initiative AmeriCorps program dedicated to building capacity for local governments to address community resilience issues such as climate change, water, housing, and mobility. CivicSpark is recruiting 90 Fellows for the 2019-20 Service Year. You can view the projects for the upcoming service by visiting Our Projects page.
Please see our Fellow FAQ page if you have any questions.
NOTE for those interested in the North Coast: We may not have projects available in this region for the upcoming year. You may still select this as a region of interest in the application, and if you move on in the process and a project is approved within the North Coast, you may be considered for that project.
We are an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.