Become a Trainer: UC Student Institute For Sustainability Leadership Program
The trainers’ training program invites the UC community to scale the Summer Institute for Sustainability Leadership (SISL) Level 1 program across all ten campuses, in line with the goals of the Student Engagement working group of the UC President’s Global Climate Leadership Council.
Developed by UCI, SISL Level 1 is a three-day residential program that provides incoming freshmen and transfer students with a meaningful introduction to their campuses’ carbon neutrality and sustainability community, as well as to the many ways that sustainability scholarship and practice at the UC address critical resource, environment, climate, justice and health challenges in California and around the globe. It also introduces students to leadership modalities that develop awareness of the interdependence of all life, interdisciplinarity, collaborative problem solving, and systems thinking.
SISL Level 1 helps trainees to understand the opportunities available to them in terms of engagement in sustainability and climate neutrality on campus as they enter student life and to develop a plan for the next steps of their involvement.
Many alumni of this program have gone on to become engaged in sustainability both on-campus and beyond. In the last cohort of students at UCI, 44 out of 48 participants surveyed indicated the highest level of satisfaction when asked about their overall level of satisfaction with the program and unanimously agreed that they would recommend the experience to fellow students.
SISL Trainers’ Training
The trainers’ training will prepare a core group of interested staff and faculty from each UC to conduct one full cycle of SISL Level 1 on their campus in 2017-18.
The training will be held in two parts, with each part taking place during a 2.5 day residential retreat. Part 1 enables trainees to experience SISL 1 as a participant cohort while engaging in a discussion on the pedagogy and theory of change. Part 2 enables the trainees to practice multiple teaching modules, tailor the material for their campus, and innovate with their colleagues. Trainees will receive a curriculum with multiple teaching modules and all handouts, notes and resources required to run a SISL program on their campus.
Training Dates
| Training | Start Date and Time | End Date and Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Training Part 1 | Tuesday, March 14, 2:00 p.m. | Thursday, March 16, 5:00 p.m. | Ben Lomond Quaker Center, Ben Lomond, CA |
| Training Part 2 | Tuesday, April 11, 2:00 p.m. | Thursday, April 13, 5:00 p.m. | Camp Stevens, Julian, C |
Funding
The training program covers the following expenses for trainees:
- overnight accommodation and food for both training sessions;
- professional development fees to SERES;
- individualized coaching on program design during trainings as desired;
- and coordination of peer coaching on program design in preparation for campus roll out of SISL.
Trainees will need to cover their own transportation to and from both training sessions.
Program funding:
Upon completion of both training sessions and the development and scheduling of a campus’ pilot SISL program, the following funding will be provided
- $5,000 to cover SISL event costs per campus,
- $200 stipend to each trainee in recognition of becoming a campus facilitator of SISL, and;
- $500 per campus towards the cost of hosting a campus forum or networking event for participants of the pilot SISL program.
Desired Outcomes of the Trainers’ Training
- Two trainers on each campus are highly skilled in transformational co-curricular sustainability leadership program delivery;
- Each campus hosts a pilot SISL Level 1 program by summer 2018 using Carbon Neutrality Student Fellows as mentors and training a minimum of 25 select incoming student leaders (per campus) who emerge prepared to be active contributors in campus sustainability and the Presidential Initatives;
- A minimum of 10% of trainees apply to be Carbon Neutrality Student Fellows during the following fellowship cycle;
How to Apply
Eligibility:
- Current UC staff or faculty
- Basic understanding of sustainability concepts
- Demonstrated ability to facilitate large groups of students
- Supervisor/Department support for training and SISL pilot
- Ability to commit to attending both training sessions and organize and facilitate a pilot SISL program on your campus
Apply here by February 15th.
Timeline
February 15, 2017: Applications due
February 22, 2017: Selected trainees notified
March 14-16, 2017: Part 1 training at Ben Lomond Quaker Center, Ben Lomond, CA
April 11-13, 2017: Part 2 training at Camp Stevens, Julian, CA
March-May 2017: Trainees design their pilot Summer Institute for Sustainability Leadership program with the support of Trainers’ Training staff.
Three months prior to pilot campus SISL date: Trainees launch application portal for freshman and transfer students to apply
Within three months after pilot campus SISL date: Trainees host a follow up community forum or networking event with SISL students
By October 1, 2018: Campuses have completed pilot SISL programs
By January 15, 2019: Trainees have submitted their comments, evaluations, and recommendations to training team
By March 15, 2019: Training team completes post-project review with innovation recommendations
Important Information for Trainees
This trainers’ training is hosted by the UCI Global Sustainability Resource Center in partnership with a sustainability leadership training program called SERES. The trainers’ training is a project of the Student Engagement Work Group of the UC President’s Global Climate Leadership Council. We aim to train two faculty members or staff from each UC campus as described above.
