Overview

GSA is the only organization with a focus on the health of the marine environment of the entire region of the Strait of Georgia (the northern arm of the Salish Sea). Our focus is on building awareness of the fragility, complexity and importance of the natural world in this region, and working with others to advocate for its protection. Our mission connects the health of the natural environment with the health of the people who live here, building power in diverse communities so that this rich environment supports everyone for generations to come.

GSA’s work is built on principles of collaboration, using the best available science and being solutions oriented. We strive to collaborate with communities to identify threats to the region, develop solutions to those threats, and work over the longer term with others to mitigate these threats. The spirit of ‘alliances’ that our founders nurtured is still present within GSA and in the way we work to protect this region.

As a primarily white-led organization, we are committed to change, to recognizing our responsibility to challenge and address harmful patterns in our work, and create a more diverse and equitable organization, as we have fallen short in the past. We are committed to embedding our work in equity, diversity and inclusion and ensuring that our mission is one that is inclusive of all communities and people, and we look forward to the Clean Marine BC Assistant joining us on this journey and bringing their unique perspective to our team.

Working closely with our two Community Organizers, you will be coached to take on the role of team leader, helping coordinate a small team of volunteers (about 5) to carry out outreach activities on behalf of the organization, such as door-knocking, tabling, social media posting, etc. Additionally, you and your team will be using a tracking tool to document your activities, and will be encouraged to suggest and implement any engagement methods, or visit any locations that may help increase the reach or impact of our work.

With our support, you will carry out two main areas of work:

• Run engagement activities: visiting and being out in neighbourhoods, community hubs, public spaces and events to establish conversations based on materials such as Community Climate Impact survey, and document the answers and comments of community members, and
• Recruit, coordinate and work together with a small group of volunteers to carry out this work as a team.

You will do great in this position if you are interested in topics such as climate change, community engagement, inclusivity and diversity, and are able to take initiative, particularly in starting and maintaining conversations with folks. Having a keen sense of working as part of a team, and attention to detail when taking notes is also a must. As long as you have energy, a positive attitude, and eagerness to talk to people about important issues, you would be a great addition to this project!

Experience and Qualifications:

We understand that not all experience looks the same, and encourage applicants to share how their experiences relate to any and all the qualities below:

• Talking to people in a variety of ways, including in person, by phone, email, etc.
• Following talking points or a basic script to remain focused and on-topic in conversations
• Developing an effective pitch to recruit support or sign-ups based on campaign materials
• Ability to engage and connect with folks of diverse backgrounds
• Taking on a team leader role, particularly in supporting a canvassing campaign (e.g. map out and designate where team members will go, compile talking points and reference materials, spend time at a public space and take initiative in talking to people, etc.)
• Helping with digital campaigns, such as publishing posts on social media, answering emails/social media comments, etc.
• Data gathering (e.g. filling out surveys as you have conversations with folks, taking detailed notes), and data entry (e.g. transferring paper questionnaires to a spreadsheet or digital database)
• Ability to plan and organize public events