want a new economy? Build one! JOB.

[Alyson Hayes]

Hi folks, I know nothing about this group but the idea is very cool. This job posting was listed today on Idealist.org. Right up occupy's alley. I thought someone here might be interested. - Alyson

Community Organizer, Jamaica Plain New Economy Transition
Posted on: December 17, 2012
Posted by: Institute for Policy Studies, New England office
Description
Institute for Policy Studies – New England Office
Community Organizer | Job Description
Overview
Jamaica Plain New Economy Transition (JP NET) brings together neighborhood residents to address the ongoing challenges of a hurting economy, climate change, and the rising costs of healthcare, food, and energy. JP NET aims to create a local economy that works for everyone in harmony with the planet.
JP NET is a project of the Institute for Policy Studies, based out of our New England office in Boston. (See below for more information about IPS.)
Position
JP NET seeks to hire a dynamic and creative organizer to engage a diverse set of communities within JP and promote the transition to a new economy. The Community Organizer will conduct outreach to Jamaica Plain residents, coordinate neighborhood events, supervise youth interns, liaise with community-based groups, connect with the full diversity of Jamaica Plain, mobilize JP NET participants and support leadership development for volunteer-led initiatives. This is a full-time, salaried position with benefits. The Community Organizer will work out of the Boston office and report to the New England NET Director.
Responsibilities
Community Engagement
Organize monthly potlucks featuring local examples of New Economy Transition projects and entrepreneurs (e.g., past events featured Forest Hills Housing Cooperative, Red Sun Press -a union and cooperative printer in Jamaica Plain, Dorchester Food Community Co-Op, JP Green House, Egleston Community Orchard, Festival Garden, Bootstrap Compost, Plaza Meat Market, New Lands Farm in Worcester, MA, among many others).
Organize monthly film screenings and discussions on New Economy Transition topics (e.g., previous film nights screened The Economics of Happiness, Gasland, Growth Busters, and Fixing the Future).
Coordinate joint events with the Jamaica Plain Forum on New Economy Transition themes – bringing in big name speakers such as Annie Leonard and Bill McKibben, as well as featuring local leaders and activists.
Participate in the core organizing team for the State of Our Neighborhood annual community forum, bringing together more than 250 neighbors and the JP elected representatives in state and city government for visioning discussions on the future of the neighborhood.
Engage in additional activities such as flyering, door-knocking, blog posts, calendar updates, email newsletters, photos, website updates, other outreach, and general project support as needed.
Leadership Development
Identify and engage community members as volunteers and partners through one-to-one meetings, supporting new volunteers in their efforts to build community resilience and catalyze new initiatives.
Provide support and coaching to community residents who want to start new initiatives.
Identify and inspire residents to take action and become involved in a variety of ways in JP NET and related efforts.
Partnership / Alliance Building
Identify, build relationships, and liaise with existing neighborhood organizations and community-based group.
Represent JP NET at neighborhood events and meetings and build partnerships as appropriate.
Program Development and New Initiatives
There is potential for growth in this position, involving greater engagement in the development, support, and management of new initiatives. New efforts include:
Wealth Building and Enterprise Strategies: linking volunteer-led initiatives, entrepreneurs and seed funds to support development of sustainable livelihoods in the New Economy.
Community Land Trust: cultivating neighborhood leaders who would join a coalition to create a land trust for urban agriculture, commercial space, and affordable residential units.
JP Bike Tour and Youth Engagement: supporting a younger generation to engage with the New Economy Transition while raising awareness of the interconnections that already exist within the neighborhood.
Boston Bean: Developing a local currency to support independent locally owned businesses in JP and throughout Boston.
Neighborhood Transition Center: organizing cultural events and connecting local initiatives to a local New Economy neighborhood hub.
Regional Hub: outreach to other community resilience efforts throughout New England, sharing lessons, and being part of regional leadership
Qualifications
The ideal applicant will have the following characteristics and experience:
Passion for building community resilience and a proactive, solutions-oriented approach towards deepening ecological and economic challenges
Familiarity with Jamaica Plain community and Boston organizations
Minimum two years experience working as an organizer in diverse, urban communities
Excellent interpersonal skills (one-on-one and in a group format), cultural competency, strong listening skills, patience, and humor
Experience organizing successful events involving multiple constituencies
Ability to work individually and as part of a team in a fast-paced work environment
Bi-lingual Spanish/English fluency (spoken and written)
Self-motivated, resourceful, and creative
Strong follow-through and attention to detail
Capacity to think strategically and analytically about social, economic, cultural, and political issues affecting a community
Demonstrated capacity to inspire others to engage in community issues
Strong collaborator, able to adapt quickly to changing situations
Ability to work nights and weekends as needed
Experience updating and maintaining websites, using databases, sending out electronic newsletters, creating flyers and utilizing social media
Applicants should have a demonstrated passion for social justice
Compensation and Benefits
This is a full-time position that will begin in February 2013. Yearly compensation is $35-40,000, commensurate with experience. IPS offers excellent benefits, including generous vacation time, 403(b) plan upon hire, fully paid dependent health insurance, fully paid life insurance, fully paid long-term disability, optional short-term disability, and flex time.
To apply: Please send a cover letter, resume, and three references to Samantha Wechsler at jobs...@gmail.com by January 15, 2013. Be sure to include "Organizer" in the email's subject line. Qualified candidates will be contacted for an interview.
Please complete the IPS demographic survey at SurveyMonkey.com.
Click link: https:www.surveymonkey.com/s/JPNETorganizer2013
IPS is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer and encourages applications from people of color, women, and other groups that have historically been subject to discrimination.
Institute for Policy Studies
IPS is a community of public scholars and organizers linking peace, justice, and the environment in the U.S. and globally. We work with social movements to promote true democracy and challenge concentrated wealth, corporate influence, and military power.
As Washington's first progressive multi-issue think tank, the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS) has served as a policy and research resource for visionary social justice movements for over four decades — from the anti-war and civil rights movements in the 1960s to the peace and global justice movements of the last decade. Some of the greatest progressive minds of the 20th and 21st centuries have found a home at IPS, starting with the organization's founders, Richard Barnet and Marcus Raskin. IPS scholars have included such luminaries as Arthur Waskow, Gar Alperovitz, Saul Landau, Bob Moses, Rita Mae Brown, Barbara Ehrenreich, Roger Wilkins and Orlando Letelier.
How to apply
To apply: Please send a cover letter, resume, and three references to Samantha Wechsler at jobs...@gmail.com by January 15, 2013. Be sure to include "Organizer" in the email's subject line. Qualified candidates will be contacted for an interview.
Please complete the IPS demographic survey at SurveyMonkey.com.
Click link: https:www.surveymonkey.com/s/JPNETorganizer2013
LocationDetailsStart dateFebruary 6, 2013January 15, 2013No requirementLanguages neededEnglish, SpanishEmployment typeFull timeProfessional levelNone specified35,000 - 40,000Job functionCommunications, Event planningJobs Organizations Volunteer Opportunities Internships Events Programs Resources People