Program Summary
SLIC is a remote, 6-month service learning internship program that aims to provide capacity-building experience to BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) interested in entering the solar industry, offering opportunities for jobs, entrepreneurship, leadership, and helping planetary survival. Interns in the SLIC program will simultaneously receive training and work remotely to support community-based organizations (CBOs) that are building capacity to implement community-owned solar projects.
Training is both synchronous (in real-time) and asynchronous (on your own time, at your own pace) and begins with an overview of community-owned solar (COS). Additional training sessions will occur over 6 months, along with staff check-ins.
Training Topics
SLIC training topics include:
- What is community-owned solar? Why is it important?
- Energy as a critical human right in the context of race, poverty, and power
- The growing movement for energy democracy and energy sovereignty
- U.S. energy grid and infrastructure
- U.S. energy policy and ethics
- Introduction to the basic financial models for COS
- Tips on nonprofit and cooperative organizational development
Compensation: $16 per hour
Location: Remote
Tasks can include:
> Community outreach and engagement (e.g., creating visual materials, managing newsletters and social media, researching venue prices)> Resource development> Research (e.g., state and federal policy, funding opportunities, project development best practices)
Expectations
All participants in SLIC are expected to maintain:
- A strong interest in learning about community-owned solar, community organizing, and their benefits
- Commitment to working 10 hours per week, including:
> Bi-weekly check-ins with the Program Coordinator
> Weekly check-ins with CBO Representative
> 4-5 hours per week in either self-guided or synchronous learning
> 4-5 hours per week of support to assigned CBO
> 1 hour per month of virtual group meetings with other interns - Active participation
- Engagement for the full 6 month term
Reports to: CBSC Program Coordinator*
*SLIC is the “sister program” of our Communities of Color Building Solar Capacity (CBSC) program, which supports community-based organizations. You can find more information about CBSC here.
