Cherryfield Riverwalk Committee Fellow

Are you passionate about addressing social justice and sustainability issues through public service? If you are, then you should become a Maine Service Fellow!

Maine Service Fellows helps rural communities tackle their most critical needs, with a focus on building climate resilience. The program increases the opportunities for recent college graduates to devote a year of service, use their skills to make a difference, and strengthen civic engagement and community resilience through engaging community residents in volunteer-based solutions. Maine Service Fellows recruits individuals within 5 years of their higher education degree, so apply today if you want to make a meaningful difference in a small-town community’s fight against climate change!

You will receive:

• Living Allowance of ~$28,000 per term
• Educational Award for Student Loans of ~$5,600
• Full Health Care Coverage
• Paid Time Off

Maine Service Fellows is a Maine Climate Corps Network program contributing to the goals of Maine Won’t Wait. This program is part of the American Climate Corps. 

About You

The Cherryfield Riverwalk Committee is seeking a Maine Service Fellow to develop a community science program and a variety of educational tools to help connect more people – especially youth - with the natural systems and cultural heritage of the Narraguagus River.  
Building community resilience to changing conditions is important to the future of Cherryfield’s village center.  The historic village is bisected by a 1-mile section of the Narraguagus River and is situated at the head-of-the-tide, six miles north of Narraguagus Bay.  As severe storms become more common, Cherryfield residents want to improve the resilience of the downtown infrastructure against flooding and erosion and to engage their community in protecting and promoting the cultural and natural heritage of the Narraguagus River.

The Cherryfield Riverwalk Community Engagement Fellow will: 

• Develop and share outreach and educational tools about Cherryfield Riverwalk initiatives with residents of all ages.
• Develop a community science program in partnership with area education, recreation, and conservation organizations.
• Develop interpretive tools about the cultural and natural history of the Narraguagus River, in partnership with area historic and conservation organizations.
• Organize and lead volunteer work days and other community engagement activities.
• Work with community members to assess the health of the river and learn about its ecological and cultural significance

The Fellow will also support the Riverwalk Committee in grant reporting, writing, and research.  Strong applicants will enjoy and have relevant experience in: 

• Engaging in projects with people, especially children and larger groups of people.
• Being outside on and near the river
• Designing graphic and written outreach materials, such as fliers, brochures, social media posts, and newsletters.
• Building relationships with community members.
• Working independently for periods of time; being self-directed and taking initiative.

To be a Maine Service Fellow, you must…

• Be at least 20 years of age and hold a college degree (associates, bachelors, or graduate) by the start of their service term in January.
• Be eligible to work in the United States and pass a background check that includes a criminal history record check.
• Live in the community impacted by your project.

How to Apply

Start Date: Early February, 2025

To apply for this or any other service assignment, complete the online application using this link:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Q769SQJ 

Applicants will need to upload a cover letter, resume, and copy of the post-secondary degree completion (diploma) as part of the application process.

For more information, contact Volunteer Maine at service.commission@maine.gov or Lucy Martin at lucy.martin@maine.gov 

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis with a priority on applications received before January 6th. 

Maine Service Fellows welcomes applicants, participants, and partners of all backgrounds including diverse race, color, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity, physical or mental disability, religion, age, ancestry, national origin, familial status or genetics. Reasonable accommodations are provided to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request.