Opportunity for GC Students: CUNY Climate Assembly Project (CCAP) Small Group Facilitators
Deadline
February 2, 2026
at 11:59 PM
The CUNY Climate Assembly Project (CCAP) on Waste at Hunter College is a new democratic initiative for Hunter students to develop waste management solutions at vertical urban campuses, like Hunter. We are currently seeking applications from CUNY Graduate Center doctoral and master’s students for 8 Small Group Facilitators to support student assembly delegates’ deliberations during the democratic problem-solving process.
- Deadline to Apply: February 2nd
- Interview Timeline: February 11-20th
- Eligibility: CUNY Graduate Center Doctoral and Master’s Students
- Compensation: $1,400
- Hours: ~ 65 total hours
- Dates & Duration: March 2026 – June 2026
- Training: March 13th, (10 am – 3 pm)
- Phase 1: April 1st & 2nd (10 am – 5 pm)
- Phase 2: April 24th, May 1st 8th, & 15th (12 – 2 pm)
- Phase 3: June 2nd, 3rd, & 4th (10 am – 5 pm)
Note: If you are a Hunter student looking for the CCAP Student Delegate position, can find it here.
Initiative Overview
At the heart of this initiative is a climate assembly. From April – June 2026, 30-45 students will convene for five full days and four 2-hour workshops to learn from a diverse range of experts, weigh the opportunities and challenges of various waste management solutions, and collectively generate evidence-based recommendations for the campus community. Students and faculty outside the assembly will engage through classroom curriculum, public forums, and other events and programs. In Fall 2026 and Spring 2027, 9-12 post-assembly fellows will work with campus leadership to advance any subsequent learning, planning, adaptation, and/or implementation of the recommendations.
Climate Assemblies are an innovative method for civic problem-solving, with over 700 examples worldwide, but Hunter College will lead the nation as the first university-convened climate assembly in the US. Hunter will serve as a model, expanding universities as true schools for democracy, equipping the next generation of civic leaders with skills in facilitation, constructive dialogue, and democratic problem-solving. Learn more about CCAP and Climate Assemblies and join our mailing list on our website.
Supported by an Andrew W. Mellon seed grant, CCAP is led by the Center for the Humanities at the CUNY Graduate Center, Hunter College Office of the Provost, Hunter College Sustainability Council, The Center for Sustainable Cities, The Roosevelt House Institute for Public Policy, and the Institute for Research on the African Diaspora in the Americas and the Caribbean (IRADAC).
Position Overview: Small Group Facilitators
Small Group Facilitators will work directly with student assembly delegates to moderate discussions within groups of 6–8 participants. This role sits at the heart of the assembly’s democratic process to ensure that every participant, regardless of background or expertise, can contribute meaningfully to shaping waste management solutions. This size is intended to allow in-depth discussion and will enable Small Group Facilitators to foster meaningful dialogue while ensuring all participants have space to contribute.
Small Group Facilitators will play an active role in supporting participants’ learning and collaboration throughout the assembly process. This could include helping participants interpret expert presentations, weigh the opportunities and challenges of various strategies, and collectively move toward well-reasoned recommendations. Facilitators will be expected to maintain neutrality and help participants navigate differences in perspective with care and clarity.
The position will involve mandatory full-day or multi-hour in-person convenings between April and June, as well as a mandatory training session on March 13th prior to the assembly’s first meeting (Locations TBD, but will primarily take place at Hunter or the GC). You must be able to attend all the scheduled assembly meetings and trainings to be considered for this position. There will also be four 60-90 minute assembly debrief zoom calls for the small group facilitators that will be scheduled as a team. Small Group Facilitators will coordinate closely with each other and the CCAP team to ensure a consistent and equitable process across all groups.
- Training: March 13th, (10 am – 3 pm)
- Phase 1: April 1st & 2nd (10 am – 5 pm)
- Phase 2: April 24th, May 1st 8th, & 15th (12 – 2 pm)
- Phase 3: June 2nd, 3rd, & 4th (10 am – 5 pm)
Key Responsibilities:
- Guide small-group discussions during Climate Assembly sessions to ensure equitable participation and balanced dialogue among all CCAP delegates.
- Maintain an inclusive and respectful learning environment where all voices are heard and participants feel supported to share diverse viewpoints, experiences, and forms of knowledge.
- Assist groups in synthesizing ideas, identifying points of agreement and disagreement, and building toward well-reasoned, consensus-based recommendations.
- Document group discussions and decisions, either directly or through coordination with assigned note-takers.
- Manage group time effectively, keeping discussions focused, productive, and within session constraints.
- Remain neutral in all discussions while supporting rigorous, evidence-based, good-faith deliberation.
- Collaborate with other facilitators and CCAP staff to ensure consistency, accuracy, and fairness across all groups.
- Participate in all facilitator training sessions and debrief meetings.
Desired Knowledge and Attributes
- Experience facilitating group discussions, teaching, organizing, or leading community or academic initiatives that involve dialogue and collaboration.
- Commitment to democratic participation, civic engagement, and equity-based decision-making.
- Strong active listening, communication, and conflict-resolution skills.
- Ability to remain neutral and guide deliberative processes without imposing personal views.
- Cultural competency and demonstrated ability to work effectively across diverse communities and perspectives.
- Patience, flexibility, and comfort with ambiguity, particularly in group settings where opinions differ.
- Availability to participate in convenings that may take place on weekends or outside of standard working hours, depending on the assembly schedule.
How to Apply:
Deadline to Apply: Monday, February 2nd, 2026
To apply, click the button below to fill out the application form and upload your resume (2 pages), cover letter (1 page)
If you have any questions about the positions, please reach out to [email protected]
