Rural Youth Organizing Fellow
Sierra Club
Portland, ME, USA
Posted on May 24, 2025
Job Title: Rural Youth Organizing Fellow (Part-time, Temporary)
Department: Maine Chapter
Location: Remote in rural Maine (Located in Washington, Hancock, Penobscot, Franklin, Kennebec, Oxford, Somerset, Aroostook, or Piscataquis County)
Reports to: Maine Chapter Director
Duration: Up to 20 hr/week for 10 weeks
Context: At the Sierra Club, we believe in the power of togetherness. Together, we remain committed to the fight for a healthy climate built on a foundation of environmental, racial, economic, and gender justice – a future where all people benefit from a healthy, thriving planet and a direct connection to nature. As the climate crisis and deeply entrenched systemic racism all fuel inequity, we will continue to fight for a bold, transformational agenda that recognizes the interconnectedness between our planet, our humanity, and our democracy. By recognizing that our destinies are tied, we continue to name that all things are fundamentally connected, and the overlap between ecology, race, gender, and representative government will move to either advance our collective humanity or to oppress it.
Sierra Club is comprised of staff across the country and a network of volunteer leaders and local chapters that support our grassroots engagement. We are also proud to be a unionized employer, with two labor unions representing more than half of our employees.
This internship is in partnership with JustME for JustUS (JMJU). JMJU is a youth-led and rural-led 501(c)3 organization ensuring that young people in rural Maine have their voices heard throughout our state about the issues impacting the places they live and their local communities. They intentionally collaborate with rural youth (ages 15-30) across all political backgrounds to advocate for our communities.
Scope: In partnership with JustME for JustUS (JMJU), Sierra Club Maine is looking for Rural Youth Organizing Interns who live in rural Maine and will lead projects in their communities that encourage youth participation in climate justice work. No experience in professional organizing or community work is necessary, but a willingness and openness to learn and grow through community projects is!
Job activities include but are not limited to:
- Attend weekly JMJU and Sierra Club Maine team meetings and regular individual check-in meetings with the JMJU Director and Sierra Club Legislative and Political Strategist. Meetings will be held virtually and can be flexible depending on individuals’ schedules.
- Build an understanding of climate justice and intersectional organizing principles. By the end of this fellowship, you will have the knowledge and skills to lead inclusive dialogues, facilitate organizing meetings that make others feel welcome and heard, and effectively build diverse coalitions.
- Build out JMJU and Sierra Club Maine’s network in their county and identify areas for collaboration with other organizations, town officials, and individuals with shared goals.
- Collaborate across political differences to find shared values around land, place, and community.
- Assist in the facilitation of projects that encourage climate justice thinking. These can include:
- Community Conversations: lead community stakeholders in climate conversations, with a focus on bringing in young folks with a diverse array of viewpoints, identities, and values that have been traditionally alienated from the climate movement
- Storytelling
- Civic forums/teach ins
- Additional projects that align with JMJU and Sierra Club Maine’s missions and are of interest to the intern based on their community’s needs.
The successful candidate must demonstrate the following skills, experience and competencies:
- Experiences holding respectful and thoughtful conversations with people across differences, including political identity, race, class, ability, and education
- The belief that all people, particularly youth, should have a voice in the political process
- Eagerness to work collaboratively with a team and with community partners
- Ability to organize and manage multiple project deadlines and community connections.
- Ability to identify and amplify local community needs and local organizers, as well as design projects aimed at addressing those needs (with support from staff at JMJU and the Sierra Club Maine Chapter).
- Familiarity with youth (defined as ages 15-30 years old) communities.
- Equity Analysis and Practice. You are aware of your group identities and how they have shaped your life and experiences at work. You have an analysis of how racism and other forms of oppression in society impact relationships, systems and culture. You bring experience and skills for working effectively with colleagues across group identities and position/role.
To Apply
The Sierra Club provides equal employment and advancement opportunities to all staff members. Employment decisions are based on merit, qualifications, lived experience and skills. The Sierra Club does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, immigration status, socioeconomic status, ancestry, age, size, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, familial status, veteran status, disability, AIDS/HIV status, medical condition, prior conviction, arrest history, traits historically associated with race, including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles, or any other characteristic protected by law.
The Sierra Club values applicants who are people that identify as Black, Indigenous, and other minoritized groups; women; queer, transgender, gender non-conforming, and gender fluid people.
Explore, enjoy and protect the planet.