NHMU Critical Action Lab Fellowship
Eager to help develop a cool, new teen program with the Natural History Museum of Utah (NHMU)?
Curious what it takes to bring good ideas to life?
If so, come work side-by-side with NHMU staff from September 2024 through June 2025 to co-design and prototype a new teen-focused program, the Critical Action Lab (CAL), that aims to provide teens, like you, with meaningful – and fun! – ways to build the skills and make the connections they need to engage with issues that matter.
What is the Critical Action Lab?
It’s a program idea! We’ve been working with teen leaders, our CAL Fellows, over the last few years to better understand what they care about and how they would like to engage with important issues like climate change and climate action. With support from NHMU, our CAL Fellows are developing fun and meaningful activities designed to engage a broad group of teens in this important issue. This year, those activities will include things like a climate-oriented game night in January 2025, a Youth Climate Summit in early June 2025, and several other activities in between. In addition, we are working with four partner organizations who will be doing the same thing at their museums. Through virtual meetings, workshops, and committee work we will be learning together and supporting one another through this year of program prototyping.
What will I do as a Critical Action Lab Fellow?
You and the other NHMU CAL Fellows will be working collaboratively with NHMU staff and partners to design, plan, and implement three activities developed for your peers, other high school students. You will engage in three key phases:
- Designing & Planning: Spend the fall learning tons about each other and this work through several workshops all designed to support your work planning projects for NHMU’s Critical Action Lab. Plus, you will, also, be meeting and working with other amazing CAL Fellows at our partner sites to build the CAL Network in ways that are most interesting and meaningful to you.
- Activity Implementation: In early 2025, you and the other Fellows will launch the activities you designed for engaging other teens interested in climate change and climate action.
- Reflecting & Recommending: Wrap up the year thinking about what you learned and making suggestions for how NHMU (and the Critical Action Lab partners) can improve the program for the following year's CAL Fellows.
Why should I become a Critical Action Lab Fellow at NHMU?
- You’ll get to meet many awesome people and build friendships.
- You’ll learn new skills, grow as a person, and contribute to the development of something that can benefit many other teens and our community.
- This fellowship will be an outstanding addition to your resume and expand your personal network.
Who should apply?
Eligible candidates are high school students between the ages of 14 and 18 who are curious, mature, open-minded, and collaborative critical thinkers. Apply if you are excited to learn more about climate action, program development, and community building.
What is the time commitment?
| Total Hours | Anticipate up to 100 total hours |
| Timeframe | September 19, 2024 – June 30, 2025 |
| Monthly Time Commitment | Approximately 10–12 hours per month |
| Program Structure | In-person group meetings every other Thursday from 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.; September - November In-person group meetings on the first Thursday of the month from 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.; December - June Zoom-based group meetings on all other Thursdays of the month from 4:30 p.m.–5:30 p.m.; September – June Monthly two to three hour-long professional development workshops and/or CAL Network committee work; October–April Design and implement three activities (likely two to eight hours each in duration) designed to engage teen audiences in climate action; January–June Participate in a several CAL Network-wide Fellows' meetings including a kick-off meeting in the fall, a mid-point check-in and a year-end debrief; each two hours in length; September–June Approximately two independent (at home) work hours per month which includes Network committee work, monitoring emails, creating and/or reviewing material, recruiting teens to participate in designed activities, communicating with other Fellows, and planning related tasks; October–June |
| *Workshops, activities, and other partner-related meetings will be scheduled in advance and accommodate each team member's schedule as mindfully as possible. |
NHMU Critical Action Lab Fellows will be paid hourly wages starting at $13.00/hr. Fellows may elect to participate as a volunteer.
As museum staff, NHMU Critical Action Lab Fellows will have the ability to ride all UTA transportation for free for the duration of their fellowship.
How do I apply?
Applications for the 24-25 Fellowship are open. Click on the link below to submit your application. Once you complete your application you will receive a confirmation email. Please submit your application before August 23rd to be considered.
What should I expect after I apply?
A selection committee will review all applications received and contact select candidates for a Zoom-based interview during the week of September 3rd, 2024.
Questions?
Please email us to learn more or call 801-587-5702 with questions.
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