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For Engineering Professionals, Health Practitioners, Self-Initiating Students, Renewable Energy Technicians, and Socially Responsible Citizens...
Purpose:
- To further Green Empowerment’s mission by placing
self-initiating students, engineering professionals, health practitioners, renewable energy technicians, and socially responsible citizens with appropriate skill-sets overseas to work on,
expand, and improve projects as Volunteers, Interns, or Fellows.
- To respond to the needs of our local partners by placing a
person overseas who brings a specific added value to projects.
- To develop international environmental leaders focused in
rural development, regional planning, water issues, renewable energy, and
watershed restoration.
Countries: Nicaragua,
Ecuador, Peru, the Philippines,
Thailand, and Mexico
Target: People who have experience in international
development and/or renewable energy/environmental sciences. Engineers,
technicians, health professionals, scientists, planners, and/or highly
motivated students or recent graduates. Highly competent and mature
person with experience overseas. Ideally, participants are able to
speak/read/write the local language (not mandatory).
Time Commitment:
- Ideal commitment is 6-12 months for students or fresh graduates
- For students, three month summer commitments are available
- Short
term placements can be developed for seasoned professional engineers,
health professionals, renewable energy technicians, or socially
responsible citizens who work full-time and have limited vacation days
- Brief orientation in Green Empowerment’s Portland office
- May be asked to complete a full NGO Skills Training/Internship before International Placement -- always an option!
Benefits to Participant: Real world job training in a highly
competitive field, with a highly reputable and unique international
organization. This program may be conducted concurrently with
existing academic work such as a Master’s or Ph.D.; Reference and summary of
accomplishments will be provided by Green Empowerment to track portfolio of
work for future jobs.
Selection criteria:
- Applicant’s skill-set/experience
- Applicant’s objectives
- Needs of local NGO partner
- Needs of Green Empowerment
- Available resources
- Status of country’s internal issues
Costs to participant: Costs depend on country of placement ~
up to $15,000 for a 12 month commitment ~ inclusive of Portland training, cost of living while with
overseas NGO, international airfare, and evaluation. Proof of health
insurance and medical evacuation insurance needed. Liability waiver
required. For Fundraising Tips, click here.
Note: In the past, GE has helped individuals obtain funding from external
sources – foundations, universities, local Rotary, religious organizations, and
local businesses. We are pursuing these leads actively, but students should
also be seeking out such sources. And while this is not guaranteed, we will do
everything within our power to help place qualified applicants in meaningful,
productive positions.
Green Empowerment will assist in providing all necessary paperwork if applying
for University or Foundation grants. If you are trying to incorporate this
program as part of your Master’s thesis or Ph.D. dissertation, Green
Empowerment will assist in meeting requirements of your university.
Application Process: (Rolling admission until positions filled; apply by Feb.
for summer placement)
- Email CV and letter of inquiry to Jason Selwitz:
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- Jason will contact you over email or by phone to provide
more detailed information about the specific country of interest.
- Formal Application submitted and interview will be
scheduled.
- If both parties decide to move forward, then if possible,
dates are arranged for the self-initiating individual to attend an Orientation
in our Portland office and/or serve as an Intern
with us in Portland.
- Once a mutually beneficial course of service is agreed upon,
Jason will send a Letter of Verification and a preliminary budget so that
individuals may begin raising funds to support their International Placements.
- Work Plan is drafted in coordination with the individual,
Green Empowerment, and the overseas partner organization.
- Liability Release, Health Form, and Code of Conduct read and signed.
Sample Work Plan:
- Work on the installation of a renewable energy, water, or watershed restoration project
- Work with rural farmers and indigenous groups to develop
their plans and capacities to install, operate, and maintain renewable
energy/water systems
- Help with the design and planning of renewable energy/water
systems
- Work alongside staff of partner NGO to develop and write
rural electrification feasibility studies, surveys, and project reports
- Help with development and delivery of health assessments
- Co-develop and facilitate a watershed management
plan
- Facilitate a site appropriate sanitation
education program
- Help staff evaluate individual project sites
post-installation
- Assist with the development of regional planning to deliver
clean energy and water to rural villages
- Write monthly reports to Green Empowerment’s Director of
Service Learning
- Serve as Green Empowerment point-person in the field for
trouble-shooting, research, and information gathering
- Build capacity in local NGO administrative procedures
- Assist in development and maintenance of website
- Assist in reporting to existing donors
- Study local language and culture
- In general, assist the Director of the partner NGO with
organizing rural communities to manage the finances of their projects with
transparency
If interested, please contact the Director of Service
Learning, Jason Selwitz:
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