Environmental Studies Impact Internship

This position will provide the opportunity to work with Ujima, learn more about philanthropy, and become more involved in the St. Louis community. Food justice, environmental stewardship and youth empowerment are Ujima’s foundations. As a non-profit, pay-what-you-can service provider, they provide equitable access to food, education, and employment to marginalized communities. Ujima cultivates community through food justice, environmental stewardship, and youth empowerment.

The Full-Time (260 hours) intern will provide support to George Washington Carver Farms (Ujima’s urban farm), produce donations, the Sunflower Institute Program, Be Well Cafe’s Farmer’s Market, Fairground neighborhood clean up efforts and additional programming support. An ideal candidate has some level of experience in grassroots and community philanthropy, urban agriculture, community engagement, social media management, fundraising, and/or data entry. Personal and reliable access to transportation is essential because we will meet at multiple sites.

Duties/Responsibilities:

• Access to reliable transportation is required
• Helping Founder with planning and executing special events
• Support staff to plan and manage social media content for Ujima’s Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts. 
• Support staff with farm and garden maintenance 
• Support staff with neighborhood clean up efforts and other special events
• Lead or co-lead tours and volunteer groups as needed
• Coordinate produce and meal donations as needed
• Developing an evaluation for participants in Ujima’s Sunflower Institute Program.
• Learn about Ujima, and issues in the St. Louis community by attending meetings with staff, board members, and other volunteers as needed
• Support planning and coordination of Ujimas Sunflower Institute Program workshops, field trips, and camping trips
• Ensure implementation of policies and practices during Sunflower Institute Program
• Monitor project budgets and track expenditures/transactions
• Keep all members of the team up-to-date with relevant project information
• Bi-Weekly check-ins will Founder to discuss Sunflower Institute Program progress
• Keep updated records of attendance and create reports as needed
• Create presentations, summaries and helping materials to ensure better communication for information sessions and board meetings

Skills/Qualifications:

• Access to reliable transportation is required.
• Efficient – able to complete tasks in a timely and effective manner
• Flexible – able to respond to a variety of tasks and needs; able to work some evenings and to attend community events on occasional weekends (work schedule adjusted to provide equal time off during the work day)
• Ability to work independently and with a team
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Strong computer skills
• Desire to learn more about philanthropy
• Desire to learn about community development, food justice, cooperative ownership, social enterprise, community wealth-building, and local economic development
• Desire to learn more about effective nonprofit practices, and what makes strong nonprofit and community groups
• Experience working or volunteering with diverse groups.
• For more information about Ujima, visit www.ujimastl.org.

The City of Clayton is recognized throughout the metropolitan area for an outstanding quality of life combining a bustling downtown with quiet, secure residential neighborhoods. Just west of the Washington University Danforth Campus, and the City of St. Louis, Clayton is the seat of St. Louis County. While 81% of Clayton’s land is dedicated to residential or park use, the City’s Central Business District combines 7,000,000 square feet of office space with the vitality of 1,000,000 square feet of retail space. For more information see: https://www.claytonmo.gov/government/about-clayton.

The Sustainability Advisory Committee (SAC) advises the Mayor, Board of Aldermen and City Manager with respect to the development and support of ecologically sound and sustainable programs and practices within Clayton’s municipal government, the community and metropolitan St. Louis Region.

Start & End Date: End of May 2025 to end of July/early August 2025 with the possibility of extending into Fall of 2025.

Hours & Schedule: Full time (260 total hours), hybrid, flexible work hours during the Summer of 2025. Specific hourly schedules are determined by each intern and their supervisor with availability Monday thru Friday. It is also hoped that Interns will attend the SAC monthly meetings (third Tuesday of the month between 4:30 and 5:30pm) in person at Clayton City Hall

Brief Description of Internship Deliverable: The Intern will focus on various projects within the plans developed by the Sustainability Advisory Committee which may include (1) the City’s Building Efficiency program, (2) Storm Water Management, (3) Urban Dark Sky recognition, (4) Strategic Partnership Development, (5) Recycling and Waste reduction and (6) Communications (the “Projects”). 

Internship Duties that Will Result in Deliverable: Sustainability Advisory Intern will sequentially work on the type of projects outlined below, as capacity and project progress allow:

1. Regularly attend SAC meetings, planning sessions and participate in the engagement process with community businesses and residents .

2. Finalize the application submitted in spring of 2025 for Urban Dark Sky place designation by International Dark Sky

3. Assist with the development of Clayton’s Building Energy Efficiency rollout effort.

4. Assist with a storm water management plan.

5. Assist with projects required by City’s long term strategic plan and livable communities plan.

6. Assist with data collection, interpretation, and application in connection with each of the four program tasks as well as crafting presentation materials.

Preferred Qualifications:

1. Appropriate for environmental sciences, business or engineering undergraduate or graduate student.

2. Strong interpersonal skills

3. Strong oral and written communication skills and organization/attention to detail

4. Tech proficiency (Microsoft Office, Google Drive, and video chat software)

5. Experience with data analysis using Excel or other software.

6. Ability to work professionally in virtual setting using zoom technology as a communication tool.

Location: The North County Agriculture Education Center, 4521 Hamilton Ave, St. Louis, MO 63120 & A Red Circle’s office, 6439 Plymouth Ave Suite W130, St. Louis, MO 63133

Duration: May- August 2025 

Hours: Full time (260 hours), Schedule TBD (weekend availability required occasionally) 

North St. Louis County’s economy can be traced to racist laws and public policies. A Red Circle’s vision is to restore North County to a safe, vibrant, sustainable, and economically viable community that remains diverse, and in doing so, help heal racial strife. Located in The Promise Zone, A Red Circle programming includes education, community wellness, and the arts.  

Food and Justice Intern will develop skills and experience in Equity & Justice, Urban Farming & Education, and Community Engagement.  

This position will be performed in person – with some time spent at A Red Circle’s office in Wellston, Missouri, near the Wellston Metrolink Station, and some time spent in the garden or at the urban farm.  

Internship Activities (Below are expected percentages of duties spread out across the duration of the internship. Weekly responsibilities will vary depending on events.) 

• 25% – Assist in preparing food curriculum, creating documents, monitoring attendance, administering an evaluation survey, and more.  
• 25% – Work on A Red Circle’s urban farm and community garden.  
• Harvesting with volunteers  
• 25% – Support with preparation and execution of outreach events. Mostly weekends.  
• Good Food Friday – every week during the growing season  
• Pass out vegetables and boxes to people  
• Early May
• Healthy Community Market – last Saturdays of the month 
• City of Dellwood having a Juneteenth Celebration Tabling  
• 25% – Assist with preparing Outreach materials and other miscellaneous tasks.  

Experience and requirements 

• Passion for social and environmental justice 
• Ability to prioritize and meet deadlines to effectively reach goals. 
• Self-motivated, flexible, and independent worker 
• Experience living, working, or volunteering in North St Louis County preferred (not required) 
• Means of personal transportation. 
• Personal phone and laptop preferred (not required). 

Site Supervisor: Erin Tyus, Director of Community Wellness, erin@aredcircle.org and Caitlin Ung, Outreach and Media Specialist, caitlin@aredcircle.org 

Resources: 

 • Events page: https://www.aredcircle.org/events/ 

• Staff Page: https://www.aredcircle.org/about-us/ 

Host Site/Location: Northside Workshop 1306 St. Louis Avenue, 63106 

Brief Description of Organization: Northside Workshop (NSW) is an art nonprofit located in Old North St. Louis offering programs that focus on the importance of bees and pollinators to our communities. Our art studio, chemical-free teaching garden, and bee sanctuary aim to inspire self-expression, environmental stewardship, and community building. Our workshops and curriculums are rooted in experiential learning, collaboration, and radical empathy with the urban ecosystem. 

For more information see www.northsideworkshop.org
Native Bees Stewardship Network https://vimeo.com/827074818
Growing Safe Spaces https://youtu.be/eDpAR4RhCvI?feature=shared

Intern Role To work alongside Artist and Director, Juan WIlliam Chávez and Master Gardener, Director of Sustainability & Programming, Kiersten Torrez. Interns will help maintain the teaching garden and native bee sanctuary, support projects, workshops, and events.

Start & End Date: End of May 2025 to end of July/early August 2025 with the possibility of extending into Fall of 2025.

Hours & Schedule: Full time (260 total hours), hybrid, flexible work hours during the Summer of 2025.

Brief Description of Internship Deliverables
● Practice growing techniques that incorporate Permaculture and chemical-free gardening using native plants to create habitat for pollinators and other wildlife. 

● Assist in development of educational materials and experiential learning workshops related to native bees and plants. 

● Use Social Practice Art to address environmental issues. 

Internship Duties that Will Result in Deliverables 

Intern will sequentially work on the type of projects outlined below, as capacity and project progress allow: 

● Assist with maintaining our teaching garden. 

● Support projects, programs, and events by preparing materials, organizing supplies, and reviewing documents and presentations. 

● Communicating and interacting with community members, volunteers, and partners in a professional manner as a representative for NSW. 

● Assist with keeping the building and grounds orderly and accessible for the public.

● Conduct research and administrative tasks. 

● Assist with social media posts and website. 

Required Qualifications 

● Be responsible, punctual, motivated, and communicative. 

● Have a reliable form of transportation. 

● Comfortable working outside. 

● Able to conduct research and administrative tasks independently in a timely manner. 

Preferred Qualifications 

● Have an interest in sustainable growing practices, native plants, and pollinators. ● Have an interest in the arts, education, and community building. 

● Have an interest in environmental justice, environmental racism, environmental stewardship, and Native/Decolonization issues related to St. Louis. 

Prospective interns must provide their resume, course schedule, and cover letter describing their interest and qualifications for the position. Application can be found here.

The City of St. Louis was the first jurisdiction in the Midwest and 4th in the nation to pass its Building Energy Awareness Ordinance, its benchmarking law in the year 2017. It requires large buildings over 50,00 square feet to submit energy and water usage to the City’s Office of Building Performance on an annual basis. In 2020, the city adopted the Building Energy Performance Standards (BEPS) ordinance, following similar policies in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Washington State. This policy outlines BEPS energy targets by building type, which building owners are required to meet. Benchmarking and BEPS policies are aimed to accelerate energy efficiency in the buildings to achieve a city-wide Sustainability plan to decarbonize by the year 2050. The year 2024 is the last year of the first BEPS cycle for most of the buildings, where all benchmarking data will be analyzed in the year 2025.The city continues to be a front-runner in energy efficiency and participates in the Department of Energy’s Better Buildings Challenge to improve energy efficiency in municipal buildings. 

Start & End Date:

January 16, 2025, through May 2025 with the possibility of extending into Summer/Fall 2025.

Hours & Schedule:

Hybrid work, Flexible. But only PART-TIME (130 total hours) during the Spring of 2025.

Specific hourly schedules are determined by each intern and their supervisor. Initial orientation will be at City Hall, 1200 Market St., Room 422. 

Brief Description of Internship Deliverable:

Interns will initially focus on updating the City’s energy benchmarking project as part of the White House’s Better Buildings Challenge through the Office Building Performance and participate in Supporting Equitable Building Performance (SEBP) Standards meetings.  Once this work is complete, the interns may assist the City of St. Louis with the following: reviewing and updating communication materials and procedures, reviewing stlbenchmarking.com and making suggestions to improve user experience, participating in fieldwork and analyzing buildings energy efficiency performance.   

Internship Duties that Will Result in Deliverable Sustainability Action Intern will sequentially work on the type of projects outlined below, as capacity and project progress allow:

• Benchmark City buildings through EPA’s website Energy Star Portfolio Management
• Review and update Office of Building Performance communication materials and procedures where needed.
• Review Office of Building Performance’s website stlbenchmarking.com and recommend changes
• Join SEBP meetings to observe and experience the co-governance design process
• Shadow Office of Building Performance’s staff during meetings with building owners, stakeholders and other government agencies.
• Possible fieldwork measuring gross floor area for selected city buildings.
• Analyze and evaluate buildings’ energy efficiency performance.

Preferred Qualifications:

1. Appropriate for environmental sciences, business or engineering undergraduate or graduate student
2. Strong interpersonal skills
3. Strong oral and written communication skills and organization/attention to detail
4. Tech proficiency (Microsoft Office, Google Drive, and video chat software)
5. Creative design skills using (MS Powerpoint, Adobe Acrobat or Canva)
6. Experience with data analysis using Excel or other software.
7. Ability to work professionally in a virtual setting using Zoom or Google Meet technology as a communication tool.

The Community Energy Engagement and Policy Intern will support  Cabanne District CDC in promoting and implementing electrification, energy efficiency, and EV charging network initiatives. This role will engage community members in understanding the benefits of electrification, “Solar for All” programs, and other state and federal energy efficiency resources and tools. Additionally, the intern will assist in developing an accessible EV charging network plan for the community. Responsibilities include creating a community newsletter, participating in regional and Midwest energy efficiency and decarbonization initiatives, and helping shape policies and strategies to support local energy transition goals. The intern will also assist with youth energy efficiency education and support faith based energy access initiatives through workshops and outreach.

Key Responsibilities:

• Educate and engage community members on electrification, energy efficiency, and EV charging network resources, including “Solar for All” programs.
• Develop and distribute a community newsletter covering energy efficiency, electrification, and EV charging network updates and resources.
• Participate in regional and Midwest energy efficiency and decarbonization meetings to support Cabanne District CDC’s goals.
• Assist in designing a community focused EV charging network plan in alignment with local and state energy transition priorities.
• Contribute to formulating energy efficiency and electrification policies and strategies for practical application.
• Support youth focused energy efficiency initiatives and faith based workshops, helping increase energy access and understanding across communities.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to align with state and federal energy and sustainability goals.

Qualifications:

• Current enrollment in an environmental studies, public policy, urban planning, or related field.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to engage with diverse community groups.
• Interest in renewable energy, energy efficiency, EV infrastructure, and community development.
• Experience or interest in policy development, outreach, and program implementation.
• Proficient in digital tools for newsletter creation and social media engagement

The Restorative Justice Movement Center is a community resource in The Ville neighborhood for formerly incarcerated individuals or those facing drug addiction to re-integrate into the community. The RJM Center hosts support group meetings, sober events, and community outreach events to reach this goal. They also have a community garden to host educational events and help provide fresh produce in a food desert.

The Outreach & Garden Intern will help develop an outline for seasonal maintenance of the the RJM Center’s community garden, along with tending the garden, planting, and harvesting. In addition to community garden work, Intern will research Restorative Justice methodology and practices, manage documents and databases for compiled data and research, and help organize two fundraising events. There is ample opportunity for interns to gain experience related to nonprofit administration, events coordination, and to get to know community members. Past interns have assisted the RJM Center with initiatives like hosting health clinics, hosting Narcan trainings, and becoming a food pantry outreach site with the St. Louis Food Bank.

Internship Duties: 

• the intern will research RJM methodology, outreach, and grant information
• track data using developmental programs outlined by grant requirements
• maintain a database for community resources
• facilitate workshops and relations with WashU organizations and professors
• keep up with community garden maintenance
• and assist with event planning for the center. 

Required Qualifications:

• Commitment to environmental justice and anti-racism work
• Desire to work with people who are unhoused, recovering from addiction, formerly incarcerated, or otherwise marginalized.
• Strong verbal and written communication
• Strong sense of initiative and independent problem-solving
• Patience and a go-with-the-flow attitude
• Highly organized and detail oriented

Preferred Qualifications:

• Proficiency in Excel, Microsoft Office Suite, and Google Applications
• Experience working with people who are unhoused, recovering from addiction, formerly incarcerated, or otherwise marginalized.

Location: This internship will take place at the Restorative Justice Movement Center, located at 2401 Annie Malone Dr at the Antioch Baptist Church in The Ville neighborhood of St. Louis.