Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana
Why did you look to Serve Louisiana to help grow your organization’s capacity?
Our mission is to drive bold, science-based action to restore coastal Louisiana. This is a generational effort, so we’ve worked with AmeriCorps members several years in a row because it provides a simple, cost-effective way for the organization to put smart, energized young minds to work on the challenges we’re tackling. We also hope to provide them an avenue to grow this work into their ongoing career.
What kinds of work have Serve Louisiana members done for you?
To date, members have served as Habitat Restoration Program Assistant, Oyster Shell Recycling Program Assistant, Outreach Assistant and Science Program Assistant. Every position required a different set of duties, and ranged from out-of-office field work with volunteers, to conducting outreach and social research with residents of coastal communities, to working primarily in the office in a STEM-focused capacity.
The members have been a delight to work with and very helpful. It’s great to incorporate fresh minds, perspectives and passions into our day-to-day operations, and we’ve been fortunate enough to employ a few of them after their service ended.
What did you gain from being a partner? What were the biggest benefits?
Overall, we have had great success matching Serve Louisiana members to the roles we need. Of course, the learning curve for each member is different because each comes to us with different skills and knowledge. Over the service year, however, we’re able to gain a better sense of a member’s strengths and play to them, identify areas where they wish to grow and seek opportunities that align, and offer new experiences so they can see first-hand what a career in this field might offer.
Serve Louisiana members have helped expand our capacity to pursue both old and new programs and projects. Our most recent member used her GIS experience to work on a project presented to a large audience of coastal professionals at our State of the Coast conference. This work will help us watchdog and advocate for restoration in new ways and has provided her with an opportunity to grow a skillset that will likely be very useful in her career.
Learn more about the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana.