The core focus of your internship, in addition to your hours with the host, is to design and present a Climate Action Project. The focus of this project is your own choice, and will develop and evolve out of your own interests and work within your other MACAL courses, and in conversations with your internship host. You may draw on assignments from other courses, specifically from your portfolio, to craft the specifics of your project. Be mindful not to duplicate or plagiarize your previous work. For assignment 2 you work with your academic supervisor to complete the project outline and submit an REB application (assignment 3) as relevant to your project.
The purpose of this assignment is for you to place a spotlight on a key challenge or ‘wicked problem’ that is relevant to the context of your internship in combination with climate action leadership. This means that your climate action project might be in support of the work that your internship host does, on their behalf, or resulting out of a barrier or opportunity that comes out of the context within which your internship organisation operates. Pick a concrete focus or theme that enables you to showcase both the knowledge of your academic coursework and which you can substantiate further with the experiences and insights gained from your internship. Your goal is to demonstrate climate action leadership and forward thinking.
Projects can focus on advocacy, policy and strategy, concrete action, dissemination of climate related information or public initiatives and campaigns. Projects can be focused at the local or global level, within a community or organisation, engage governments or groups, generate public awareness or specifically targeted awareness campaigns. The key components for a successful project are climate action orientation that enables you to demonstrate leadership skills.
A project outline must include the following:
- Ask a concrete question or challenge to be addressed through a climate action lens
- State the purpose and relevance to host and intern, stakeholders and beneficiaries
- Outline the rationale and feasibility of the project
- Situate the project in a multidisciplinary and worldview approach, drawing on existing literature and established concepts, and existing projects or initiatives as applicable
- Specify delivery format and suitability to target audience and specific purpose
- Engage in reflective practice by outlining anticipated output, impact, dissemination, and knowledge mobilisation
Written, up to 3000 words; or multi-media presentation 15 – 20 minutes. Submitted to Moodle. Standard APA formatting and copyright regulations apply.
Weight: 40% of final grade, due within the first 80 – 100 internship contact hours.
You will be assessed on your ability to identify and frame concrete challenges facing your field, to critically reflect and engage with diverse concepts, to combine theory and practice, and to demonstrate understanding, critical analysis, and/or ability to frame potential future implications.
Submit: to Assignment 2: Climate Action Project Outline (Individual) in Moodle.