Get Involved

Volunteer/Activist Opportunities

Volunteer with Sierra Club Redwood Chapter Make a Difference for the Future of Our Communities and Our Planet

Our work includes keeping an eye on local government to encourage sustainable development and agriculture practices, environmentally friendly transportation initiatives, preservation and conservation of natural resources, access to the outdoors and protection of wildlands and fragile ecosystems. We rely on volunteers to be active and engaged in many aspects of community life.

Most volunteer positions don’t require more than a few hours of work per week and can be done from home.

If you love the outdoors, if you want to protect your community, if you want to see the planet remain healthy for future generations, roll up your sleeves and join us!

See below for Redwood Chapter opportunities. Use the links on the main menu for Local Group opportunities.

Redwood Chapter

The following represent chapterwide positions, which involve coordinating among all Groups within the chapter.

Please contact Victoria Brandon vbrandon95457@gmail.com for more information about any of these volunteer opportunities.

Chapter Secretary

Purpose of Position: The secretary has the overall responsibility of maintaining the records of the chapter The secretary can function best in a close working relationship with the chair, including advising on meeting agendas and assisting with the conduct of executive committee meetings. This includes maintaining a basic familiarity with Robert’s Rules and/or other basic meeting operating procedures.

Responsibilities

Minutes: Record the minutes in an accurate, understandable manner, reflecting the essence of discussion. Motions are recorded verbatim, and results of votes are noted exactly. The wording of complex and/or critical motions should be read back to those present before the vote to assure they are recorded correctly and reflect the intent of the maker of the motion.
Ideally, a preliminary draft of the minutes of each meeting should be sent to the chair within a week for review and correction. A revised draft should be sent to each executive committee member in advance of the next meeting, and formal approval of the previous meeting’s minutes should be an action item on each meeting’s agenda. After any additional corrections identified during the approval process are made, a correct copy should be filed.
Email votes: Track and record executive committee email votes, announce the results at the conclusion of the voting period, compile in a consent calendar for the next executive committee meeting, and maintain a permanent record.
Meetings: Secure/reserve meeting locations; coordinate with the newsletter editor and webmaster for publication of meeting dates and locations.
Elections: Receive and maintain secure the ballots returned in an election, delivering them to the elections committee for counting, and retaining them after counting until instructed to dispose of them by the executive committee.
Records: Maintain a permanent file of bylaws, minutes, policy resolutions, chapter or group papers, reports and correspondence, and pass the file on to your successor.
Before leaving office, train a replacement.

Estimated time commitment: 10 hours per month

Outings Chair

Provide leadership, direction and oversight to the chapter outings program, as well as the outings programs of all local Groups. Work to make outdoor activities an integrated and vital element of chapter efforts. Qualifications include familiarity with the Outings Leader Training and national and local Club outings policies and procedures.

Responsibilities Include:

Ensuring that all chapter and Group outings follow Club policies and procedures.
Managing and minimizing the risks of local outings programs.
Maintaining training and first aid certification requirements for outings leaders, and ensuring active leaders meet these requirements.
Maintaining communication with Group Outings Chairs.
Coordinating scheduling, planning, and publication requirements of all outings within the Chapter.
Working with leaders to integrate conservation issues into the outings program whenever possible.
Maintaining records as required by the Chapter and national outing program.

Knowledge, Skills and Education required:

Experience working or recreating in the outdoors.
Excellent written and oral communication skills.
Second language a plus.
Good public speaking, training and presentation skills.
Proficient computer skills: word processing, spreadsheet, Internet.

Estimated Time Commitment: 10 hours a month.

Membership Engagement Chair

Be the friendly face that introduces new members and volunteers to Sierra Club Redwood Chapter. This is a key position within the Chapter to help it grow and maintain an engaged and active member and volunteer base.

Create a calendar for member engagement activities
Carry out two to three social events for members and volunteers a year, including new member parties.
Recruit and lead a member engagement team to help plan events and activities throughout the chapter.
Welcome new members with a welcome letter or phone call.
Track attendance at events and meetings and report to chapter/group leaders.
Track new member sign-ups and report to chapter/group leaders.
Recruit new members through social media, newsletters, engaging with other groups and attending events to promote Sierra Club membership.
Maintain a volunteer “wish list” to help direct new members into suitable volunteer roles.
Assist Group Membership Chairs as needed

Knowledge and Skills:

Ability to interact effectively and pleasantly with volunteers and the public.

Experience in managing people and project/program development.
Strong organizational skills.
Strong written and oral communication skills.

Estimated Time Commitment: 10 hours a month.

Water Chair

Oversees all chapter activity dealing with water issues. Coordinates water-related activities with Groups. This is a position for someone who has a passion and knowledge about water issues in Northern California, including groundwater management, agricultural irrigation, streams and rivers, lakes and reservoirs, storm runoff and flood management.

Responsibilities Include:

Maintaining communication with chapter leaders on water issues affecting the chapter’s region.
Coordinating with other organizations to stand up to threats to clean water and healthy waterways.
Recruiting and leading a water committee that includes members from all Groups within the chapter.
Providing leadership and direction on all Sierra Club issues and communications regarding water.

Estimated Time Commitment: 5 hours a month.

Transportation Liaison

Responsibilities Include:

Keeping notes on transit experiences to share with the group and writing a short summary of conditions each month.
Keeping track of volunteer shuttle services and local car-share arrangements.
Representing the Sierra Club at local government meetings that address transportation issues.
Working with other groups as a Sierra Club liaison to address transportation issues and improvements within communities.

Estimated time commitment: 4 hours a month.

Editorial Assistant:

Assist the Communications Coordinator in producing the quarterly print newsletter.

Regular communication with the chapter and group chairs (or their representatives) is critical. Contacts should also be established with the leaders of various committees or activities, keeping an eye out for newsworthy items. Coordination with the outing chair is important, so that the schedule of trips may be published in each issue.

Tasks:

Update mailing list as subscribe and unsubscribe requests are received.
Coordinate with the printer to submit newsletter in timely manner to reach members by the publication date.
Download mailing label list from the Sierra Club database and send to printer.
Coordinate with advertisers, send invoices and record payments.
Mark up each issue to determine the proportion eligible for Foundation funding and send information to Chapter Treasurer.
Other tasks as needed.

Estimated Time Commitment: 3-5 hours every quarter.

Outings Volunteer Coordinator:

Work with Group and Chapter Outings Chairs to design an outings program that supports chapter movement building, conservation and equity goals.
Assist in identifying, training and supporting outings leaders to carry out outings in the Redwood Chapter. Assume primary responsibility for publicizing outings.

Job Activities:

Develop an outings leader recruitment and training program.
Identify a list of regional partner groups to cosponsor outings leader trainings and to help recruit possible participants.
Plan and carry out Outings Leader Training sessions regularly.
Work with newly trained outings leaders to plan, publicize and carry out outings.
Follow up with outings participants on conservation issues and encourage participants to become outings leaders themselves.
Develop opportunities for current and new volunteers to learn and advance their skills in conservation, culturally relevant outings, risk management, social and economic justice, Sierra Club priorities, conservation campaign work, and other topics, as needed.

Knowledge and Skills:

Experience working or recreating in the outdoors.
Excellent written and oral communication skills.
Second language a plus.
Good public speaking, training and presentation skills.
Proficient computer skills: word processing, spreadsheet, Internet.

Estimated Time Commitment: 10-15 hours a month.
Contact: vbrandon@lakelive.info

Chapter Transportation Committee Members

We are looking for people who use public and/or paratransit transportation systems in their communities and around the North Bay.

Ideally, members will represent all geographic areas within the Chapter’s boundaries and provide a network to report to the Chapter on transit service quality, efficiency and cost.

Responsibilities Include:

Keeping notes on transit experiences to share with the group and writing a short summary of conditions each month.
Keeping track of volunteer shuttle services and local car-share arrangements.
Representing the Sierra Club at local government meetings that address transportation issues.
Working with other groups as a Sierra Club liaison to address transportation issues and improvements within communities.

Estimated time commitment: 4 hours a month.
Contact: vbrandon@lakelive.info

More Ways to Get Involved

Redwood Chapter is working on a number of important Issues. YOU can make a difference.
Meet-up with fellow hikers Find additional hikes and outdoor activities on our Outings page.
Join/Renew Your Membership. Add your voice to the growing Movement.
Donate to the Redwood Chapter and your donation will fund local environmental efforts.
Attend a Meeting or Club Event and meet others who share your interest in the environment.