Commonwealth Corps: Outreach and Education Specialist

The mission of the Commonwealth Corps service internship program is to engage Massachusetts residents of all ages, backgrounds, and identities in direct service to strengthen communities, address critical needs, and increase volunteerism. Through hands-on experience, Commonwealth Corps members gain professional skills and valuable knowledge while positively impacting diverse communities in our state.   

 The Massachusetts Service Alliance (MSA) is a private, nonprofit agency that oversees the program and supports host site partners and members to find success throughout the program year. The two Commonwealth Corps members with Whale & Dolphin Conservation will serve 10 months in a full-time capacity. They will join a diverse corps of members across Massachusetts who share a common desire to discover their passion and build their network in service to their communities and the Commonwealth. 

 The mission of Whale & Dolphin Conservation (WDC) is to amaze people with the wonder of whales and dolphins and inspire global action to protect them. WDC will host two full-time Commonwealth Corps members who will serve as Education Specialist to educate people of different ages, backgrounds and abilities in Massachusetts. Through their service, members will help increase conservation literacy of marine mammals by increasing our number of individual contacts, seek and build strategic relationships with schools, teachers and community partners, and develop high-quality, inquiry-based lessons and activities that will continue to be utilized for years to come. In addition, they will leverage six volunteers that will be engaged in education & outreach.  

What You'll Do:

Essential Responsibilities: 

• Complete a minimum of 1500 hours of service, serving through June 22, 2024. 
• Attend a minimum of 6 Commonwealth Corps trainings and service events held by MSA post orientation. 
• Participate in a minimum of 1 hour of MSA-related activities each week. This include filling out timesheets, completing a bi-monthly reflection or check-in, or other MSA-related tasks or activities.  
• Facilitate education programs for schools and communities 
• Seek and build relationships with schools, teachers, and community partners to implement various WDC education programs 
• Develop creative lesson plans connected to Next Generation Science Standards 
• Respond to calls and provide outreach to the community on marine mammals and strandings 
• Develop and complete a project by completion of the service term 

Marginal Responsibilities: 

• Train & mentor WDC volunteers- host a “new volunteer onboarding training” including an introduction to WDC, volunteering policies and procedures, and an overview of volunteer roles. 
• Attend community events – including festivals, libraries and community centers, and STEM events 
• Be a part of the greater Commonwealth Corps community, including participating in cross-site learning groups, writing a short profile for the CC newsletter, connecting with other members on our online platforms, and attending optional social/service events.  

Who You Are:

You must be: 

• A Massachusetts resident (see guidelines here) with legal authorization to work in the U.S. 
• 18 years of age at minimum (member age range is 18 – 70+ years old) 
• Excited to give back to your community and interested in developing your skills and gaining new professional experiences 
• Able to balance service internship commitments with personal commitments in a sustainable way 
• Experience with Microsoft office 
• Enjoy interacting with children, diverse audiences and teams 
• Able to drive a vehicle & pass a background check 
• Able to lift or move heavy objects and comfortable outside in adverse weather conditions 
• Fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by the start date 

It would also be great if you: 

• Are eager to dive into new experiences and enjoy having a variety of tasks to work on 
• Are comfortable with public speaking 
• Speak a second language in addition to English – multi-lingual candidates encouraged to apply