FALL Environmental Justice Intern - Unpaid

Commonwealth of Massachusetts • Boston, MA

1d

About The Position

The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resource’s (MDAR) mission is to cultivate a robust and equitable agricultural economy, promote a safe and resilient food system, and preserve a healthy environment for Massachusetts farmers, animals, and consumers. In 2021, the Executive Office of Energy& Environmental Affairs (EEA) Environmental (EJ) Justice Policy directed all EEA agencies to develop a document outlining EJ Strategies. MDAR’s Strategy outlines actions for promoting and integrating EJ considerations across MDAR's programs, policies, and activities to ensure the equal access and meaningful involvement of all people residing in the Commonwealth with respect to agricultural economic and environmental sustainability and the equitable development, implementation, and accessibility to information and resources. The Environmental Justice Internship will work to support MDAR’s Environmental Justice Team in implementing the EJ Strategy, with particular projects focusing on farmer support, engagement, language access, and communication to ensure meaningful access to MDAR programs and services.

Requirements

• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate information clearly to a variety of audiences.
• Strong interpersonal, organizational, and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team.
• Ability to research, analyze, organize, and present information in a clear, engaging, and accessible manner for agency staff, farmers, and community stakeholders.
• Experience creating outreach materials, educational resources, presentations, or other public-facing communications.
• Interest in Environmental Justice, agriculture, food systems, public policy, sustainability, community engagement, language access, or related fields.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint); familiarity with Microsoft Lists, Canva, Adobe Creative Suite, or similar design and collaboration tools is a plus.
• Experience with graphic design, photography, video production, social media, or other digital communications is preferred but not required.
• Multilingual skills are welcome but not required.
• This internship is unpaid and designed to support students or recent graduates seeking practical experience in the field. Interns may be eligible to earn academic credit through their college or university

Responsibilities

• Develop program and outreach materials, educational resources, presentations, and other public-facing content with guidance from MDAR's EJ Team.
• Support community and farmer engagement efforts by assisting with outreach activities, workshops, public meetings, agricultural and cultural events, and other community engagement initiatives.
• Collaborate with MDAR's Language Access Coordinator to develop resources that improve public understanding of MDAR's Language Access Services, including preparing multilingual materials for workshops, events, grant programs, and funding opportunities.
• Assist in the development of "MDAR 101" educational materials that help farmers and community members navigate MDAR programs and services, including support for multilingual captioning, translation, and video accessibility.
• Collaborate with MDAR's EJ Outreach Coordinator to create outreach materials that highlight the diversity of Massachusetts farmers, food systems, agricultural practices, and Environmental Justice initiatives.
• Support the development of Public Involvement Plans (PIPs) by conducting research, drafting materials, and assisting with strategies that promote meaningful public participation in agency programs and initiatives.
• Organize, maintain, and improve stakeholder databases, community partner information, grant inventories, and other program resources to strengthen outreach and engagement.
• Conduct research and support outreach efforts related to culturally relevant local food systems, community partnerships, and equitable access to MDAR programs, services, and resources.
• Assist with special projects, meeting coordination, note-taking, event logistics, and other EJ initiatives as assigned.

Benefits

• Comprehensive Benefits
• outstanding suite of employee benefits that add to the overall value of your compensation package
• work experience that supports you, your loved ones, and your future

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed