Spring & Summer Internships with AppleSeed Permaculture

3-6 month action trainings in positive systemic world-change

In a Nutshell – Three to six-month internships with AppleSeed Permaculture, with a cutting edge ecological design firm in the mid-Hudson River Valley. Internships run 2-3 days per week from March 1^st to May 31^st and June 1^st to August 31^st, case and fall into two categories: Regenerative Media and Permaculture Design. Interns must be self-directed and self-sufficient, organize their own accommodations, and provide their own transportation. Internships cost $100 per month and provide the intern with high-quality mentoring and guidance on professional permaculture design and regenerative media projects. Application period November 1^st – December 1^st, 2009. Please submit a letter of introduction with goals and interests and a 1-2 page resume to ethan@appleseedpermaculture.com. See below for full details.

Who – Self-directed, motivated permaculture designer committed to creating positive ecological and social change in the world. Must have completed a Permaculture Design Certification Course. Computer skills and computer (ideally a mac) are necessary.

What – Action learning internship with AppleSeed Permaculture, a cutting edge ecological design firm combining disciplines of sustainability to integrate humans into the landscape by designing productive ecosystems for homes, businesses, and communities. Internships are a mix of research and hands-on project-based learning. Interns will learn about all aspects of running a small business while collaborating with professionals in the fields of activism, international aid and development, architecture, design, and engineering. Skills learned include communication and high tech digital design combined with low-tech methodology in the field. The program is flexible, seeking to achieve the learning goals of the intern while meeting the needs of the firm.

Internship Sessions & Topic Areas

Interns may apply for one or two internship sessions in either of the below topic areas. Session 1 runs from March 1^st to May 31^st, 2010 and Session 2 runs from June 1^st to August 31^st, 2010.

• Regenerative Media – Action documentation of ecological, economic, and social solutions to global climate change & financial collapse (e.g. small explanatory youtube videos like the one below). Interns will also work on ecosystemic business management & development, focusing on collaboration, marketing, web and social media networking. [Skillsets developed: Digital Video + Audio, Web 2.0, wikis, blogs, eco-social networking, Digital organization]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWj7R4u4Ptw]

• Permaculture Design – Communities require local food security to thrive in the coming years. The intern would help build community through integrative farm & agriculture research. For example, a current client is a residential developer-gone-green, for whom I am designing 120 acres of farm & community gardens integrated housing & community spaces. Design and research for international development with Permaculture Across Borders is also available.

Where – The internship will take place in the northeastern United States, mostly in the mid-Hudson River Valley bioregion (Primarily Kingston & New Paltz, NY). Intern is responsible for making housing arrangements.

When – 2-3 days per week during one or both internship sessions: Session 1 runs from March 1^st to May 31^st, 2010 and Session 2 runs from June 1^st to August 31^st, 2010. Application period November 1^st – December 1^st, 2009. Internships will be awarded on December 15^th, 2009.

Why – In sustainable work we must seek leverage points for positive change that work fast and affect large numbers of people. This internship is a training in systems-thinking that prepares and empowers the intern for real world action.

How – A mixture of self-directed and collaborative project work. Direct mentoring empowers intern to take on and lead their own projects.

Your Next Steps – If you are interested in the position, please submit a letter of introduction with goals and interests and a 1-2 page resume to ethan@appleseedpermaculture.com during the application period from November 1^st – December 1^st, 2009.

Download this announcement here.