Toxic Free NC - Get Involved

Ambassadors & Activists - Enjoy speaking truth to power? Feel strongly about fighting pesticide pollution in NC? Want to help bring your friends and neighbors into the pesticide-free fold? Become an ambassador or activist with Toxic Free NC by contacting and meeting with your elected representatives, writing letters to the editor, bringing a Toxic Free NC staff person to speak at your workplace/church/school/club/etc. ...there are lots of possibilities!

Translation Volunteers - Help translate our various articles, factsheets and other publications into Spanish. Can be done from anyplace with an Internet connection.

Outreach Assistants - Help out at Toxic Free NC's information and activity booth, or at our special events and house parties during one of approximately 35 events we attend each year, mostly in the Spring and Fall. Outgoing personality, Spanish skills and/or experience working with kids would all be helpful, though not necessary.

YouTube Video Producers - Great project for a high school student, or a service or environmental club at a high school. Produce a short, funny and empowering video for high school students about NC's school pesticide law and what they can do to keep pesticides out of their school. Circulate the video via high school environmental clubs, YouTube, and social networking sites.

Office Work Party Volunteers - Work in a group to help Toxic Free NC look up legislators, do data entry, make cards, and do other odd jobs around the office that are more fun with friends. Two or three times per year.

Office Management Volunteers - Help out with the smooth running of Toxic Free NC's office. Functions may include data entry and maintenance, coordination and preparation for special events, website maintenance, or other supporting roles, depending on the volunteer's skills and interests.

Pesticide Bloggers - Write for Fair Ground, Toxic Free NC's news and events blog. Write once, or a bunch of times; write pesticide stories that you come up with, or that we assign, or both. Very flexible, ongoing. You could do this from our office, or from anyplace with internet.

Researchers and Writers - Help to research and write new Toxic Free NC factsheets, Action Alerts, or articles for the Toxic Free Newsletter. You can do this on your own time, from our office or anyplace with internet.

Photos from top to bottom:

Local artists Paul Friedrich (foreground) and Amy Sawyer (background) compete in the final round of the LOVE BUG fundraiser for Toxic Free NC, summer 2009.
Outreach volunteer Eric Andrew Smith helps two young ladies to make veggie paintings at the Kuumba Festival in Laurinburg, NC, Fall 2009.
Outreach volunteers Kate (left) and Robin (center) and Toxic Free Kids Intern Jean Strandberg (right) with melon-heads at Toxic Free NC's booth during the Eastern Carolina Cantaloupe Festival, Summer 2008.
Outreach volunteers Jasmine (center) and Ben (right) work at Toxic Free NC's info and activity booth, helping a young woman make a "veggie painting." Fayetteville Dogwood Festival, Spring 2007.
Envelope stuffers Maggie Davis-Bausch and Robyn Beckford at Toxic Free NC's fall envelope stuffing party. Nov, 2007.

Call (919-833-1123) or email our Volunteer Coordinator if you're interested in one of these opportunities, or to discuss other volunteer possibilities!

To apply for one of the internship positions described below, please send a one-page cover letter that clearly states your reasons for interest in the position, along with your resume (if you have one) and three references not related to you. Please send your references' names and contact information only - letters of reference are not necessary.

Send all materials (print on both sides, please!) to:
Internship Coordinator, Toxic Free NC
- or - 206 New Bern Place, Raleigh, NC 27601

Special Event Coordinator (a.k.a Love Bug Intern)
Summer 2010, unpaid, 20 - 40 hours per week
Location: Our office in Raleigh

Project Description: Work with a committee of staff and volunteers to put on Toxic Free NC's second annual Love Bug fundraiser in downtown Raleigh on First Friday in August. More about last year's Love Bug. Your roles will depend to some extent on your interests, but generally you can expect to be working to put together the logistics of the event, including collecting donated prizes and supplies from local businesses, doing publicity and promotions, helping to hang the exhibit, setting up the space for the competition, and more!

Qualifications: Must be highly organized and detail-oriented, and enjoy working in a big (and awesome) team. Helpful prior experiences might include: organizing fundraisers, parties or other big events, and familiarity with the local art scene. Knowledge and comfort with Facebook and/or other social media a plus.

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Exhibit Curator Intern (a.k.a. Love Bug Curator Intern)
Summer 2010, unpaid, 5 - 10 hours per week
Location: Raleigh

Project Description: Work with our staff & volunteer team to coordinate artist submissions for Toxic Free NC's second annual Love Bug fundraiser in downtown Raleigh on First Friday in August. More about last year's Love Bug. Your role will include coordinating the call for artists, working with artists on their submissions, hanging the exhibit, making sure the artists are well-taken care of and happy during the Love Bug event and more!

Qualifications: Must be highly organized, detail-oriented and enjoy working in a big (and awesome) team. Must be comfortable and capable using Facebook and other social media. Helpful prior experiences might include: organizing contests and/or parties, coursework or professional experience in the world of art & design. Familiarity with the local art scene a plus.

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Farmworker Documentary Intern
Unpaid, 5 - 10 hours per week, summer and fall 2010
Location: Raleigh with possibility for some in-state travel

Project Description: Toxic Free NC is collecting farmworker stories to bring their voices into our work and into public policy decisions that affect them. We are looking for interns to assist with farm worker interviews, photo and video, and with processing and compiling all the material gathered into web videos. More about our farm worker documentary program.

Qualifications: The intern should be a professional or student in communications, Spanish, documentary work, journalism, public health, social work, or a related field. Previous experience with documentary work is not necessary. The intern must be bilingual Spanish-English; native speakers of Spanish strongly preferred. The intern must have their own car and a valid driver's license. All related expenses will be reimbursed.

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Action Parties Intern
Summer or Fall 2010, unpaid, 5 - 10 hours per week
Location: Triangle & other major metro-areas in NC

Project Description: Toxic Free NC is doing a series of Action Parties around this state this year, with a focus on meeting new people, connecting them to our organization and to each other, and taking action together on a pressing pesticide issue - be it local, state-level or federal. All this in a party format that is short, sweet and a lot of fun! Some parties will focus on children's health - for those we expect lots of children in attendance! - and others will focus on justice for farm workers. The Action Parties Intern will play a vital support role for these parties, helping staff and volunteers to plan and carry out successful action parties.

Qualifications: A great Action Party intern would be someone who loves a good party and has some experience throwing them successfully. The little details of putting together a great party aren't overwhelming to you - they're fun! You might have a particular interest in working with children - especially doing art projects with children! - or you might have a particular interest in farm worker issues. We'll give preference to parents and/or people with experience in child care, and to people with some experience in community organizing. Having your own transportation would be a big plus.

Pesticide Researcher
Summer 2010, unpaid, 10 - 15 hours per week
Can work from our office or from home/campus.

Project Description: Toxic Free NC advocates for alternatives to toxic pesticides in North Carolina. We are looking for an student to undertake a research project to identify "Bad actor" pesticides in North Carolina using data that are publicly available.

Qualifications: Advanced undergraduate or a graduate student with a background in environmental science or toxicology. Good research and writing skills are required. Should be able to work independently, and have a strong interest in environmental justice.

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Campus & Church Organizer
Fall 2010, unpaid, 5 - 10 hours per week
Location: anyplace in NC

Project Description: Help Toxic Free NC recruit student groups and church groups to take part in a statewide campaign to improve farmworkers' lives. We need interns who are studying at colleges in the eastern, central and western parts of the state.

Qualifications: Undergrads who are already involved in campus organizations and/or a local church, good at networking, and who have good public speaking skills. No previous experience or specific field of study is required, however applicants should have a strong commitment to social justice and community activism.

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YouTube Outreach Coordinator
Unpaid, 5 - 15 hours per week, Summer or Fall 2009
Location: Raleigh, NC

Project Description: Thanks to the NC School Children's Health Act, parents and teachers now have the right to be notified in advance if any pesticides will be sprayed at their school. Furthermore, public schools in our state are required to switch over from chemical-intensive pest control to least-toxic methods by 2011. These are both really important changes, since exposure to pesticides - even at very low levels - can trigger asthma attacks, cause headaches or make it difficult to concentrate, and may increase the risk for serious diseases later on, such as infertility or cancer. These health risks are the most serious for young children in lower grades, people who already have asthma, and any student or staff member who is pregnant or thinking about starting a family, but they affect everyone who spends their days in a school.

Are NC public schools following the new law and protecting their students and staff from pesticides? Middle and high school students are uniquely positioned to raise this important health and safety issue with their parents, and with their teachers and school administration.

This intern's job will be to work with student volunteers to create a short YouTube video that presents this issue and what students can do about it. It must be thought-provoking and engaging for teens, and can make use of art, music, poetry, dance, interviews, humor, photography, or any medium that the intern wants to use. He or she will then work with Toxic Free NC staff to get this video out to students statewide by sending it to environmental or volunteer clubs at different schools, school newspapers or other student publications, and out through social networking sites like YouTube and Facebook.

Qualifications: The intern should either be a teen themselves, or a student or professional with experience in fields such as middle or high school education, environmental education, television & film, or youth organizing. Regardless, this person must be self-motivated and passionate about health and sustainability, have access to video recording and editing equipment, and love working with teens. Being experienced and comfortable using YouTube, Facebook and other social networking sites is a big plus.

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Toxic Free Kids Zone Intern
Unpaid, 5 - 10 hours per week
Location: Triangle Area or telecommute

Project Description: Toxic Free NC promotes safer alternatives to pesticides in schools, childcare centers, and other environments where children are at risk. As a complement to our Toxic-Free Schools Campaign work with parents, teachers, schools and childcare proviers, we’re developing educational materials on environmental health and safe pest management for use by teachers and students at different grade levels. The Toxic Free Kids Zone Intern will work to develop fun and artful materials for pre-K or elementary school children, in partnership with our Program Coordinator and with other Toxic Free NC volunteers. This project can take the form of a storybook, a special Kids Zone section for our website, lesson plans for classroom teachers, or something else, depending on the intern's particular talents and expertise.

Qualifications: The intern could be student or professional in the fields of education, early childhood development, creative writing, art, design, or another related field. Experience teaching and/or working with young children strongly recommended. Demonstrated commitment to working on issues of health, justice, and sustainability also preferred.

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Outreach Coordinator
Unpaid, 5 - 10 hours per week
Location: Raleigh, NC or telecommute

Background: Toxic Free NC is a private, non-profit organization that has been working for health, justice and sustainability in NC for over 20 years. Toxic Free NC staff and volunteers attend community meetings, festivals and other special events throughout the year to distribute information about safer alternatives to pesticides, and to meet new people who are interested in subscribing to our publications, volunteering, supporting our work, or otherwise getting involved.

Function: The Outreach Coordinator will work under the supervision of our Program Coordinator, and will also work with other volunteers and interns at Toxic Free NC. The primary goals of this internship are to represent Toxic Free NC’s work to the public at a variety of outreach events, and to ensure that our booths and events are fun, educational and engaging for everyone involved.

Major Duties & Responsibilities:
1) Prepare educational materials, activities and displays in advance of outreach events, and make arrangements for any needed equipment and travel.
2) Assist in training and oversight of outreach volunteers, and follow up with those volunteers after events to thank them and request their feedback.
3) Staff Toxic Free NC’s booth or table at a variety of events around the state. Greet passers-by, introduce people to Toxic Free NC’s mission and work, answer questions and direct people to our resources, and administer children’s activities such as coloring and quiz games.
4) Follow up with new people who sign up at our booths by entering them into our contacts database, sending them a note to say thank you, and following up on specific questions they asked you.

Qualifications:
1) The intern should be a university student with a background in education, communications, environmental science, public health, sociology, grassroots organizing, or a closely related field. S/he should have a strong interest in environmental health, sustainable agriculture, and/or nonprofit communications.
2) Excellent verbal communication skills are required. Ability to speak Spanish is a plus. The intern should be friendly and outgoing, be comfortable and confident talking with strangers, and be able to communicate easily and effectively with people from diverse backgrounds.
3) The intern should be able to demonstrate that he or she can convey complex ideas in a way that is easy for the general public to understand. Experience as an educator, and/or a fondness for working with pre-school and elementary-aged children are strongly preferred.
4) The intern should be a highly organized person who enjoys coordinating details and having several things to work on at a time.
5) The intern must have a car and a driver’s license valid in NC.