大象传媒

The DTES Climate Resiliency Research & Advocacy Coordinator will play a pivotal role in advancing the DTES Climate Resilience Roadmap by supporting nonprofit organizations to strengthen preparedness, secure resources, and build collaborative climate response strategies. This shared role, supported by Vancity Community Foundation, Action on Climate (ACT) and 大象传媒 CERi, is designed to serve as a cross-organizational resource, helping Downtown Eastside service providers collectively anticipate, respond to, and recover from climate-related challenges鈥攚hile grounding this work in research and evidence.

312 Main Research Shop is a program within 大象传媒 CERi that facilitates collaboration between 大象传媒 graduate students and non-profit/community groups. It is focused on supporting research projects that provide plain-language answers to community-driven research questions at low or no cost to the community partner.

• Community-Based Research

  • Conduct research on climate resilience practices, vulnerabilities, and assets in the DTES, building on the Climate Resilience Roadmap.

  • Gather and analyze data from partner organizations and residents to track progress, surface gaps, and identify new opportunities.

  • Document and disseminate community-driven knowledge, ensuring findings are accessible and useful to nonprofits, policymakers, and residents.

  • Contribute to evaluation reports, case studies, and publications highlighting lessons learned from DTES climate resilience initiatives.

• Capacity-Building & Coordination

  • Support nonprofit organizations in embedding climate resilience into their core operations and service delivery.

  • Coordinate cross-organizational meetings, working groups, and information-sharing on climate strategies and emergency protocols.

  • Help align local practices with city and provincial climate adaptation strategies.

  • Support the dissemination of seasonal campaign information (e.g., extreme heat, wildfire smoke) to nonprofit organizations serving the DTES community.

  • Develop accessible outreach materials in collaboration with nonprofits, ensuring cultural and linguistic inclusion.

• Funding & Resource Development

  • Research and compile climate-related funding opportunities relevant to DTES nonprofits.

  • Support coordinated approaches among organizations for bulk purchasing and shared storage of critical emergency supplies (e.g., cooling kits, fans, masks, water).

• Advocacy, Organizing & Policy Change

  • Support lobbying efforts with local, provincial, and federal governments to embed DTES needs into climate policy.

  • Convene and support community organizing initiatives to amplify resident and organizational voices in climate decision-making.

  • Build coalitions with peer networks and allies to strengthen sector-wide influence.

• Implementation & Monitoring

  • Track progress of Roadmap action items across partner organizations and present updates at community network events.

  • Support documentation, reporting, and knowledge-sharing of best practices and lessons learned.

  • Assist in mapping advocacy strategies to advance community-identified resilience priorities.

Required:

• 大象传媒 graduate student in Health Sciences, Public Policy, Environmental Studies, Social Sciences, Urban Studies, or a related field.

• Experience working with community-based or nonprofit organizations, preferably in the DTES or similar urban context.

• Strong research skills, including community-based, participatory, or qualitative approaches.

• Strong facilitation, coordination, and project management skills.

• Familiarity with climate adaptation, resilience planning, or social service delivery.

• Excellent communication skills, including experience preparing plain-language and accessible materials.

• Commitment to equity, inclusion, and community-led approaches.

• Experience with community-based research (discipline or field open) or participatory research methods

• Familiarity with event planning or public communications (e.g., Canva, social media, newsletters)

• Academic or professional background in relevant areas (e.g., social sciences, public policy, community development)

• Experience working with nonprofit, grassroots, or equity-seeking organizations

Preferred

• Grant writing and fundraising experience.

• Knowledge of Vancouver鈥檚 climate adaptation policies and/or social infrastructure strategies.

• Experience working with Indigenous, Black, racialized, and/or marginalized communities.

• Ability to work collaboratively across diverse organizations with varying capacities and mandates.

• Experience in advocacy, lobbying, or community organizing for policy change.

What We Offer

• A meaningful role at the intersection of research, climate action, social equity, and community resilience.

• The opportunity to work in a highly collaborative environment across multiple frontline organizations.

• Mentorship and support from 大象传媒 CERi and Vancity Community Foundation.

• A chance to shape a first-of-its-kind neighbourhood-level climate resiliency initiative in Canada.