Program Overview - Solar Living Institute

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Welcome to the Internship Program!

Program Overview

Interns are an integral part of the success of the Solar Living Institute on a daily basis and the key to the organization's on-going mission of promoting sustainability through inspirational environmental education. Under a work-trade agreement, interns assist staff and participate in all programs operated by the Institute. This includes: helping to coordinate and host our workshops; assisting with the maintenance and construction of our facilities; caring for our garden; tending to our landscape; supporting the planning of events; giving tours to school groups; marketing, helping around the office; staffing special events; and much, much more!

Internships are dedicated to the support of the Institute and are very demanding - however, with the right combination of positivity, high-energy, and determination, interns are able to reap the benefits of a living and working experience at a dynamic and cutting-edge organization committed to creating a better world for all individuals.

Interns come from around the nation and world to participate in the daily life and work of the Institute. Previous interns have come from throughout the United States, as well as Bermuda, Czech Republic, South Africa, Chile, Costa Rica, Israel, Thailand and more. The Institute makes a strong effort to create as diverse of an intern community as possible. Regardless of defining characteristics, the internship program is open to all individuals who share a passion for learning about sustainability and working hard to create a better world.

Internships last nine months and all are unpaid. During their time at the Institute, interns are required to work a total of 32 hours per week in the direct support of a staff member and/or a specific program. In exchange for their time and energy, the Institute provides interns with free access to workshops, simple accommodations on-site, a weekly food stipend, and the opportunity to experience the benefits of being part of the Solar Living Institute family. Interns are also expected to help maintain and develop the Institute's garden on a weekly basis, as it is a food source for the intern community.

Interns live closely with each other in our intern village. Our village features cooking and eating facilities, common space, a library, wireless and desktop internet access, indoor and outdoor showers, a wood-fired oven, fire-circle and much more. Interns live indoors during their time at the Institute and housing is communal and coed. Individual interns are expected to participate in the communal nature of the intern living arrangements - assisting with cooking, cleaning, community meetings, and other activities as necessary.

We are currently accepting applications for 2010. The 2010 internship period will be from March 1st to November 19th, 2010.

To apply, please click here

General Schedule:

interns work 32 hours per week under the direct supervision of a staff member within a particular area;
intern schedules may vary on a week-to-week basis to best meet the needs of the Institute and is created by the intern's supervisor. However, the Institute makes a strong effort to create consistent schedules well in advance;
interns work with targeted, but at-times limited, supervision from staff and are expected to be self-starters and excellent communicators;
and interns are expected to cooperatively share chores associated with caring for the Institute's garden (planting, watering, harvesting, etc) and Intern Village outside of their daily work hours.

Work-Trade Agreement

the internship program is built up on a work-trade agreement in which interns receive simple, on-site accommodations, a weekly food stipend, free access to Institute hosted workshops, participation in Institute events, access to on-site food (gardens, chickens, etc), Real Goods discount, and networking opportunities in exchange for 32 hours of work per week;
interns are expected to be professional during their working hours, adhering to a set of Institute expectations;
and interns may attend workshops offered by the Solar Living Institute on a space-available basis at the discretion of the Workshop Department during and after their time at the Institute.

Intern Lifestyle:

Interns share a communal living space (30-foot diameter yurt). The Yurt houses a kitchen and dining area and is part of the Intern Village. The Village also includes a cob fire circle, greywater recycling system, shower house (indoor and outdoor showers), chicken coop, developing garden space, two 3-person housing units and more;
interns receive a weekly food allowance as well as full access to all produce generated from the garden and chicken coop. Generally intern food allowance is pooled and interns conduct a weekly group food shopping trip to a local cooperative market;
interns should expect to participate in group and individual meals on a regular basis, sharing the chores of cooking and cleaning equally;
interns are housed cooperatively and are expected to live harmoniously with each other during their time at the Institute;
interns are able to camp onsite during their internship if they so desire - they must provide their own tent and sleeping supplies;
and interns should expect to participate in democratic or consensus decision-making and conflict resolution within the intern group - open, mature, and positive communication is strongly encouraged and expected.

Internship Focus Areas:

The following descriptions are illustrative of the types of internships positions available at the Institute. Every intern is expected to remain flexible, and could be asked to assist in any program area, on an as-needed basis.

Site

The two Site Interns will work closely with the Site Manager to assist in maintenance and design of the 12-acre demonstration site, with the intention of establishing both an aesthetically pleasing and functional learning tool in support of the Solar Living Institute’s educational programs and public demonstration. The intern’s physical assistance and knowledge is important in maintaining the landscape and facilities on a daily basis. This ultimately will promote the long-term health of both the living and built environments at the Solar Living Center, thus ensuring an enjoyable, inspiring, and educational experience for the visiting public.

Tasks could include: natural building planning and construction; solar panel maintenance; educational displays construction and maintenance...(read more details.)

Renewable Energy Workshop

The Renewable Energy Workshop Intern will assist the Workshop Operations Manager in coordinating a wide range of renewable energy workshop priorities, including curriculum preparation, workshop hosting, and instructor support for hands-on activities.

Tasks could include but are not limited to the following: preparing equipment and materials, creating and distributing promotional materials, helping to write press releases and maintain our web presence, workshop setup, hospitality and cleanup, administrative/ office support (data entry, file mgmt, photocopying), customer service (responding to inquiries and helping resolve problems), and, depending on skills, helping with solar panel and electrical repair & maintenance onsite as well as tool and equipment upkeep....(read more details)

Sustainable Living Workshop

The Sustainable Living Workshop Intern will assist the Workshop Operations Manager coordinating a wide range of workshop priorities, including curriculum preparation, workshop hosting and coordination, instructor support, support for hands-on activities, curriculum revisions and promotion in support of sustainable living workshops.

Tasks could include but are not limited to the following: preparing equipment and materials, creating and distributing promotional materials, helping to write press releases and maintain our web presence, workshop setup, hospitality and cleanup, training volunteer hosts, administrative/ office support (data entry, file management, photocopying, etc), customer service (responding to inquiries, directing students to appropriate workshops, and helping to answer queries and resolve problems)...(read more).

Communications

The Communication Intern will work closely with events, marketing and production staff, and other interns to assist with the production of in-house and outside events and outreach. The intern will assist with various aspects of planning and implementing events related to renewable energy and sustainable living education and career development. The intern will also assist in developing a quality, well-coordinated marketing strategy for ongoing workshops and special events such as conferences, PV manufacture trainings, and Moondance (or other fundraisers).

Tasks could include but are not limited to the following: event planning and program development; logistical preparation and materials development; children’s and adult education programming; venue planning and coordination; purchasing and merchandising; volunteer coordination and management; marketing SLI programs...(read more)

To apply, please click here