The CHEJ Leadership Training Academy

Transcription

1 The CHEJ Leadership Training Academy A Program of the Center for Health, Environment & Justice To create the systemic policy changes we need to bring justice to communities and protect the planet and its people, we must intentionally and patiently invest in grassroots base-building and infrastructure. Lois M. Gibbs, Founder & Executive Director

2 The CHEJ Leadership Training Academy From the Beginning Launched by the woman who came to be known as the Mother of the Superfund for her victory at Love Canal in Niagara Falls, New York 36 years ago, the Center for Health, Environment & Justice (CHEJ) has become a trusted and recognized leader in the environmental health movement. Over the years, CHEJ has developed the knowhow to support environmental health leaders on the frontlines and on the Hill. We have developed the capability to mobilize a national network of partners and allies in order to effect real change. A Record of Change CHEJ is not only a pioneer in grassroots environmental health and justice, CHEJ has a long and growing record of local, state and national victories. Whether tackling toxins, fracking, mountain top removal, superfund sites, PCBs, nuclear expansion, PVCs, toxic air emissions, or any other threat to our environment and health, CHEJ has been instrumental in obtaining key legislative and regulatory victories, locally and nationally. Because of our leadership: Not one new commercial hazardous waste dumpsite has been built since Federal Right-to-Know law was passed, providing citizens with access to information about the toxins stored and disposed of in their neighborhoods. McDonald s no longer uses Styrofoam packaging and Crabtree & Evelyn, Target, Sears/Kmart, Microsoft, J.C. Penney, Best Buy and others agreed to phase out PVC in products and/or packaging. New York State created a Pollution Prevention Institute to assist government and corporations to reduce or eliminate their pollution and also adopted a Green Purchasing Policy, estimated at $9 billion market shift. Thirteen states have thus far passed precautionary-based chemical policy reforms. A new federal Toxic Toys Law phasing out PVCs, phthalates and BPA in products and packaging was passed. Working with Non-Traditional Leaders and Those Most at Risk Low-income, working class, rural, isolated, and marginalized communities continue to be most atrisk to environmental harm. The role of big money increasingly dominates the environmental policymaking process and easily shuts down the voices of those hardest hit by environmental injustice. These characteristics represent the communities we have worked with over the years. Unlike more traditional environmental organizations, over 80% of the groups CHEJ works with are led by women who have families, go to work, and lead busy lives. Typically, these women come from low-wealth or working class communities and have little or no organizing experience and yet suddenly they face a serious environmental health threat, an unresponsive government, and limited understanding of how to begin to resolve the problem. Exposure to environmental chemicals has unique impacts on the well-being of women. Chemicals can affect women s reproductive health resulting in infertility, breast cancer, and cause birth defects in their children. Women of childbearing age also have higher levels of chemicals in their bodies, such as phthalates, which are passed on to their unborn children. Stepping out of their traditional roles is frightening for women but CHEJ s training builds their leadership skills and helps women develop effective strategies to address environmental health risks, while helping them cope with societal barriers like racism, sexism, and inequality. 2

3 Since the beginning, CHEJ has been the go to place for those who did not hold the title of leader but exemplified all the characteristics of a leader. CHEJ is proud to have worked with dozens of campaigns and hundreds of coalitions, the majority of which were led by women. CHEJ is Unique CHEJ is different from other environmental organizations in that we not only advocate for environmental health policies and regulations, we also: Work directly with local leaders and communities to develop their capacity to mobilize their neighbors and enlist allies to achieve local solutions. Offer training on grassroots organizing strategies, media outreach, communication via social media, and successful fundraising strategies among other topics. Mentor groups on specific issues or needs relevant to their communities and their organizing goals. Offer technical assistance to decipher technical reports and reviews, guide communities through the maze of technical information, and translate jargon into plain language. Were it not for this service, working class and low-income communities who cannot afford these services would be unable to obtain the irrefutable science they need to make their case. CHEJ has worked with more than 12,000 groups in cities and towns across the country and collaborated with groups in Canada, Australia, Mexico, France, Africa, and the United Kingdom. CHEJ Campaigns and Programs Preventing Fracking Harm Supports and trains local groups working on hydro-fracturing issues to become stronger and linked together across geographic lines to build a coherent movement to impact safeguards on a larger scale. This form of natural gas extraction may pose significant risks to local water, air, and soil and adversely affect public health. Climate Crisis cannot be remedied through hydraulic-fracturing for gas which adds methane and other chemicals to our atmosphere. Limiting the export of natural gas through constructing Liquate Natural Gas Terminals is also our focus to ensure U.S. energy resources benefit all Americans, not just pad corporate profits. Children s Environmental Health A national comprehensive program that works to protect children from toxic exposure where they live, learn, and play. Our efforts focus on assisting communities that are faced with environmental chemicals in the air, water or soil to build strong community groups to force government or corporations to take action to protect children. Additionally, these efforts focus on schools, where children spend most of their time to ensure that they are built in safe environments on non-contaminated land, and that they promote non-toxic pest management and healthy indoor air quality, use of least toxic cleaning products and procedures, and more. In schools built before 1980, our goal is to identify schools that have not updated their lighting and may have PCB-contaminated light fixtures and help replace the lights at no or low cost to school systems. Green Flags Program A national awards program for students and teachers that recognizes schools that identify potential environmental health and safety issues, find solutions and advocate for school-wide reforms. Leadership building within the student population is critical to this effort. Classroom curriculum is available along with fact sheets, activities and plans for students grades K-12th. Every school that participates receives a flag and awards based upon their efforts. 3

4 The CHEJ Leadership Training Academy The Environmental Health Imperative Every year CHEJ receives hundreds of calls for help from everyday folks or groups of concerned community members. Many times they don t know what they need, but they know the air doesn t smell right, the water isn t clean, or the ground is shaking and their children and family are ill for no apparent reasons. They don t have the resources to hire someone to investigate the causes or to explain the scientific reports in plain language. In some cases they may not be getting the whole story. As the pace of environmental assaults continues to rise, so does the threat to the livelihoods and health of people and communities across the country. The alarming increase of natural gas wells is one such example. In Pennsylvania for example, in 2007 there were 20 natural gas wells, by 2010 there were 4,272. While the grassroots network of environmental health and justice groups has matured over the past three decades and new grassroots groups continue to emerge, many of the helper or builder organizations have closed their doors, leaving grassroots groups to fend for themselves. Building the Base For 33 years CHEJ has helped groups troubleshoot organizing strategies, utilize scientific data to make their case, implement effective media outreach to get their message out, and much more. The keys to CHEJ s success in building the base has been its ability to meet communities where they re at, address the issues they care about, and move leaders through an educational training and development phase. After many years of trial and error helping grassroots groups and communities organize and win environmental health victories, CHEJ has developed the knowledge and experience to establish a Leadership Training Academy for and about grassroots leaders. CHEJ Leadership Training Academy The goal of the CHEJ Leadership Training Academy is to proactively strengthen the capacity, infrastructure, and effectiveness of groups and emerging grassroots leaders by applying our founder s decades of experience and knowledge to strategically mentor, train, and engage the next generation of grassroots leaders. The Leadership Training Academy will be staffed by a seasoned team of grassroots trainers and organizers who are also experienced organizational leaders. The team includes a Director, several Organizers/Trainers, a Coordinator, and a Science Associate. Many volunteers and interns will provide technical and administrative support, participate in training and research activities, or assist with publications and other Leadership Training Academy-related activities. The Leadership Training Academy staff will work closely with CHEJ core program and campaign staff so that Training Academy participants can benefit from the knowledge and experience of veteran organizers. By fully integrating local and regional 4

5 campaigns into CHEJ core programs and vice versa, more people, voices and relationships will be brought forth into the environmental health and justice movement for change. Strengthening the Infrastructure The CHEJ Leadership Training Academy consists of a four-prong approach to building and supporting grassroots leaders and movements. This approach includes recruitment, training, movement building, and capacity building. It is an ongoing and cyclical process that encourages continuous improvement and expansion. 1. Recruitment actively recruit and assess existing and emerging groups and their potential for becoming established organizations or strengthening their organizational capability if already established. 2. Training offer introductory and advanced trainings on organizing fundamentals and campaign strategy planning and coalition building around key issues. Trainings will range from one to up to three days and offered in local communities throughout the country. 3. Mentoring mentor Leadership Training Academy alumnae to promote organizational and leadership development, movement building by connecting with other groups, and engaging in issue campaigns and policy reform efforts. 4. Grants extend grants ranging in $2,500 to $5,000 to Leadership Training Academy alumnae to build the capacity of grassroots groups to take their campaigns from theory to reality, build stronger coalitions, get their message out, and more effectively advocate for change. 5

6 The CHEJ Leadership Training Academy CHEJ Leadership Training Academy Training Curriculum The training curriculum is guided by 33 years of grassroots training and organizing experience. It is designed to meet the diverse and unique needs of grassroots leaders and communities. As the Training Academy evolves, training modules and mentoring can be led by former trainees and alumnae so that a train-the-trainer model develops organically and is strengthened from within. Organizing Fundamentals Track Organizing to Win Module Basics of Organizing Developing a Campaign Strategy Advocacy Tactics & Plans Mobilizing Your Membership Creating & Building Coalitions Education and Publicity Module Messaging & Framing Media Events & Outreach Social Media & On-line Organizing Publicity Campaigns Media & Educational Events Organizational Development Module Organizational & Board Development Member, Donor & Events Fundraising Creating Budgets & Fundraising Plans Youth Leadership Development Diversity Leadership Development Strategic Planning Organizational Campaign Strategy Track Protecting Children s Health Module Seek action on schools and educational institutions impacted by indoor air pollution, pesticides, nearby toxic sites and toxic air emissions. Building a Green Economy Module Support healthy and safe products, green marketplace, chemical policy reform, sustainable industry, pollution prevention and corporate responsibility. Promoting Safe and Clean Energy Module Support campaigns opposed to hydro-fracking, mountain top removal, coal plans, nuclear reactors, biomass facilities, waste-to-energy plants and climate change, and support safe and clean energy. Supporting Health Protective Cleanups Module Seek action on toxic waste, Superfund, brownfield, nuclear and solid waste sites; air polluting facilities, such as chemical plants and incinerators; and facilities discharging hazardous waste to waterways. To learn more about the CHEJ Leadership Training Academy or to make a donation, please contact Lois Gibbs at or her at info@chej.org. 6

7 Thirty-five years of grassroots organizing for environmental health justice Shifting retailers and manufacturers toward more sustainable products doesn t happen without sustained pressure from consumers. CHEJ s staff knows how to organize, work with coalitions and how to pull the right levers to swing corporate policies toward sustainability. Ken Geiser, Lowell Center for Sustainable Production, MA A small group of citizens formed our group in an effort to retake our community from the polluters. CHEJ s trained us to use our meager resources to tell our story of hope for a safe and healthy place to raise our families a story our community believed was possible as attitudes changed.. Daniel Parshley, Glynn Environmental Coalition, GA Communities facing environmental health threats often have to confront corporate interests that overwhelm them with scientific data. CHEJ has scientific expertise as well as organizing savvy. We need both to level the playing field between communities and corporate polluters. Richard Clapp, Professor of Environmental Health, Boston University, MA If there is not a strong and strategic grassroots component, you don t win. To achieve environmental health protection, it s absolutely essential to have a grassroots organizing component, and that s why CHEJ is so essential to the work being done in communities around the nation. EPA Region 2 Administrator Judith Enck, NY CHEJ s vision Our vision is to build a sustainable grassroots movement by continuing to build the base, strengthening the infrastructure, and developing and supporting the next generation of grassroots leaders so they can take their agenda from the statehouse to the White House and from a local platform to a national platform and create systemic and responsible policy changes.