Sign Up for SEAT!
We are currently accepting participants for Summer and Fall 2023!
Our program is open to middle, high school, and undergraduate students in the Sacramento region. Use our Interest Form to sign up or to let us know if you would like more information.
Invite fellow students, family, and friends to apply by directing them to this page: 350sacramento.org/seat
For any questions, comments, and/or concerns, please contact Katie McCammon.
Session Information
Summer Session will run for eight weeks from June 26th until August 10th with sessions on Mondays and Thursdays from 4 to 5:30 pm.
Fall Session will run for eight weeks from September 13th to November 4th with sessions on Wednesdays from 5 to 6:30 pm and Saturdays from 3 to 4:30 pm.
You can sign up early for either session or let us know you're interested in learning more by filling out the Interest Form.
Guest speakers TBA.
What is the Student Environmental Activist Training Program?
The Student Environmental Activist Training (SEAT) is a free program open to middle, high school, and undergraduate students in the Sacramento area. SEAT consists of a 10-unit curriculum designed and offered by 350 Sacramento, a local, grassroots environmental non-profit.
Key Goals of the SEAT Program
- Provide education and training around key civic, leadership, social justice, activist, and community organizing skills and concepts that aren’t traditionally covered in schools.
- Connect students across the region and create a network of support for students to create and collaborate across environmental, climate, and social justice clubs at their schools.
- Connect students to opportunities: volunteer opportunities, workforce development programs, and exposure to local groups working to advance environmental, climate, or social justice. Students will have a chance to hear from guest speakers including other nonprofits, community and social justice advocates and organizations, and green workforce development programs in the Sacramento area.
In the past, 350 Sacramento has hosted an in-person Youth Camp For Climate Action over the summer to connect students with a shared interest in learning about environmental activism across Sacramento. We hope this program can provide students an opportunity to learn and connect with one another, and go on to create activities in their own communities.
How does the program work?
Each unit consists of 2 educational modules, with varying formats including presentations, discussions, and workshops. This program doesn't require homework. We just ask for active participation - this is an interactive learning space to empower, not overburden.
Each unit also includes 1 community module, with varying formats including community-building activities, guest speakers from our partner organizations, networking spaces, and local events.
The SEAT program is offered as both an after-school program and a summer program. The frequency and structure of modules may vary with each full session (10 units) of the program.
Partner Organizations
- GRID Alternatives:
GRID is a leading voice in low-income solar policy and the nation’s largest nonprofit solar installer, having trained over 44,000 participants in solar installation and serving families throughout California, Colorado, the Mid-Atlantic region, and tribal communities nationwide. https://gridalternatives.org/ - Sunrise Movement Sacramento:
A youth-led group of environmental activists in association with the national Sunrise Movement. https://sites.google.com/view/sacsunrise/home - Fridays For Future Sacramento:
A group of young environmental activists founded in the spirit of the international Fridays For Future movement. https://fridaysforfuturesac.org/ - Resources for Independent Living:
Promotes the socio-economic independence of persons with disabilities by providing peer-supported, consumer-directed independent living services and advocacy. https://www.ril-sacramento.org/ - Social Justice PolitiCorps Sacramento:
Crowdsourcing politics, a collection of social justice advocates and organizations that track, report on, and mobilize around local government happenings. https://www.socialjusticesac.org/ - Showing Up For Racial Justice Sacramento:
SURJ Sacramento mobilizes white people to show up in solidarity with Black, Indigenous, and People of Color-led movements in Sacramento in ways that are helpful to those movements. https://surjsacramento.org/
Check out these videos to hear a little more about the SEAT program!
Hear from a Program Coordinator and one of our SEAT graduates!
We gave a presentation about SEAT to the Sac Youth Commission!
Example Program Curriculum (Subject to Change)
| Unit | Educational Module A | Educational Module B | Community Module |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1: Baseline, introductions and climate change | 1A. Introductions, housekeeping and communal expectations, science of climate change | 1B. Social/political drivers of climate change, introduction to environmental justice | 1C. Ice breaker activity |
| 2: Environmental and social justice concepts | 2A. Environmental justice as it relates to waste, pollution, extractive economic model | 2B. Sustainability, energy, reciprocity, the history of environmentalism, equity and anti-oppression | 2C. Creating anti-oppressive spaces |
| 3: Approaches to change | 3A. Frames of individual action and collective action | 3B. Local agencies, utilities, and opportunities to affect local change | 3C. Guest speaker: Resources for Independent Living (RIL) - The social model of disability |
| 4: Local political processes | 4A. City government processes and methods of engagement | 4B. County government processes and methods of engagement | 4C. Guest speaker: Social Justice PolitiCorps (SJPC) - Crowdsourcing local politics |
| 5: Civic skills | 5A. News and media literacy | 5B. Public comment, office visits, and engaging with elected officials | 5C. Guest speaker: GRID Alternatives - Solar workforce development |
| 6: Activist skills | 6A. Power mapping, community building, and equitable base building | 6B. Facilitation, effective communication, clarity, structure, and security culture | 6C. Club recruitment and networking workshop |
| 7: Building a movement, not a moment | 7A. Burnout, information overload, and sustainable organizing | 7B. Transparency, democratic leadership, and shared decision making | 7C. Developing a club constitution workshop |
| 8: Campaigns | 8A. Goal setting, campaign development, targeting focus | 8B. Event planning, long term strategy, evaluating success | 8C. Documentary screening |
| 9: Engaging the public | 9A. Storytelling, sharing experiences, and creating a narrative | 9B. Social media and online activism | 9C. Guest speaker: Sunrise Movement Sacramento - Accessible graphic design for organizing |
| 10: Press, brand, and perception | 10A. Engaging with journalism | 10B. Media pressure tactics and strategies | 10C. Celebratory event |
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