Climate Summer is coming back!

After taking a hiatus, we are excited to announce that Climate Summer will be back in Summer 2017! We have a devoted team of Climate Summer alumnae working hard to make Climate Summer 2017 better than ever, bringing new and creative ideas to the table.

Climate Summer is a summer internship program for young people ages 18-25 who are passionate about social justice and climate change. Climate Summer riders travel exclusively by bicycle across Massachusetts, campaigning to stop natural gas expansion in the state. While in each town, riders connect with community leaders who are actively addressing society’s addiction to fossil fuels. Our community partners are fighting new fossil fuel infrastructure and crafting local solutions that strengthen communities. Riders bring with them a movement-building perspective, sharing skills with and learning from those they meet and helping to highlight the important work of local organizations in the media and through our own social media work.

Projects and tasks of Climate Summer riders throughout the summer are incredibly varied, as the program is designed to deliver a wide range of experiences and skills, and to help develop flexibility and adaptability to unknown situations. Riders can expect the following during their summer:

  • Bicycling a significant distance (30-60 miles) one day per week from one community to the next, and six days working in each community
  • Hosting educational presentations, community meetings, potlucks, and events to plug people into the climate movement
  • Planning and executing direct actions and other creative events against fossil fuel infrastructure
  • Attending community meetings, potlucks, and other events that are important to the community
  • Meeting with legislators, community leaders, religious leaders, local organizers and activists, and other stakeholders
  • Volunteering in communities and canvassing/tabling at farmers markets
  • Speaking on radio and television news shows
  • Planning for weeks ahead in your role as Team Leader, Outreach Coordinator, Traditional Media Coordinator, Digital Coordinator, or Video Coordinator
  • Playing games, cooking delicious meals, sleeping on floors in sleeping bags, being silly, and living simply with your teammates
  • And more!

Climate Summer is not a traditional internship.

Climate Summer is a leadership development program that is also designed to support and enhance the work already underway in communities. Riders will have a basic job description and responsibilities. Staff will provide training and ongoing support and coaching, but we will not dictate tasks. Rather, riders will be working with a group of peers to develop a team agenda to work with community leaders, setting the team’s schedule with minimal direction from staff, organizing local events and workshops, conducting volunteer work and other activities and meetings at the team’s discretion. Staff will support the riders’ work with contacts for community partners and some pre-scheduled events and meetings, but what participants accomplish during this program is up to each team of riders.

For questions, please email climatesummerprogram@gmail.com