Fellowship Duration: June 17th to August 16th 2013

Hours:  40 hours/week during the summer program.

Compensation: The position may be eligible for financial support or a stipend from Grand Aspirations. Program Planners will support Program Participants in acquiring internship or independent study credit or doing grassroots fundraising for the position.

What is Summer of Solutions?

Summer of Solutions is a program of the national non-profit Grand Aspirations. Through the four gateway values of prosperity, justice, community and sustainability, Summer of Solutions addresses the economic and environmental crises.  Projects in the program use social entrepreneurship and community development tools to create models for change that are replicable, sustainable and meet community needs.  Past projects of Summer of Solutions have included starting a home weatherization team, increasing bike access, and developing urban agriculture.  Sixteen programs will be held in summer 2011 across the country.  Locations and full program descriptions can be found here: http://grandaspirations.org/summer-of-solutions/about.

The role of Program Participants

Program Planners work through the winter and spring to plan local programs.  Participants apply in the spring for a summer-long position.  Participants are expected to fully engage in the projects of the Summer of Solutions and the team-building and leadership development activities that occur during the program.  Participants take an active role in leading projects and shaping the outcomes of the program.

Fellowship expectations:

Full-time participants work at least 40 hours a week and record those hours in the Grand Aspirations hours-tracking system.  However this is not a 9-5 desk job.  These hours will be made up of meetings, hands-on project work, team building activities, community events and more. Part-time volunteer positions are available as well.

Program participants are expected to actively engage in the following areas:

Projects:

Participants will fuel and guide the project work of Summer of Solutions.  This work will vary by project but will include a team launch process, goal setting and timelines, meeting with community partners and implementing the project plan.  Summer of Solutions projects train emerging leaders, create tangible solutions, and create models that guide the future.  Projects are developed during the spring and continue after the summer program has ended.

Resources:

Program Leaders generate a baseline of program resources that are augmented by the team effort. Participants are expected to take an active role in generating the resources to support the program and themselves.  Program leaders will support participants in learning about social enterprise and other ways to generate resources.

Leadership Development:

A one-week training week begins the program, which full-time participants are required to attend.  Dates will differ for each local program.  Leadership development begins in this week and continues throughout the summer with further training sessions, personal transformation activities and one-on-one mentorship.

Anti-Oppression:

All participants will engage in discussion and training on Anti-Oppression for Collective Liberation and actively confront oppression in their program work.  The local team will look at issues of oppression in their area and how their projects are addressing these systems.  Participants are expected to engage in these discussions, think critically about how Summer of Solutions can confront oppression and take action.

Additional areas in which participants are encouraged to engage:

Media:

Participants may contribute to telling the story of the program through both traditional and new media.  Learning social media skills such as blogging, as well as traditional forms such as local newspapers and radio shows will be integrated into the program.

National Community:

Participants are encouraged to attend the Grand Aspirations National Gathering in August (dates and location TBD) to meet participants and program leaders from across the country to share ideas, new skills and craft the vision for GA’s future.

To apply:

Complete the online application here: http://grandaspirations.org/apply2sos

Contact Matt (matt.kazinka@grandaspirations.org) for a hard-copy of the application.

The priority deadline for full-time applicants is Sunday, March 13th at midnight PST. If you apply by this deadline, we will respond to you by Monday March 28th.
The final deadline for full-time applicants is Sunday April 17th at midnight PST. If you apply by this deadline, we will respond to you by Monday May 2nd.