Does your organization need assistance with its climate-related goals? Apply for a PICS intern!
The PICS Climate Internship Program helps organizations in British Columbia reach their climate goals while giving university students in climate-related fields a chance to hone their skills and acquire relevant work experience.
Through an annual competitive process, the program offers up to $15,000 to eligible organizations to hire a student to assist with a climate action project in your organization/community.
B.C. organizations that can apply for internship funding:
- Non-government organizations (registered non-profits)
- First Nations and Indigenous organizations
- Provincial government agencies and Crown corporations
- Local governments
- Cooperatives & social enterprises
- Private companies
Are you a PICS university student seeking an internship opportunity?
Watch our Careers page for internship job opportunities, which will be posted between late February and April of 2025.
PICS will prioritize funding for internship projects that:
- provide direct climate value or benefit to organizations and communities in British Columbia (communities can include groups living in common areas and/or groups with common interests)
- provide an excellent early career development opportunity for a university student in a climate-related field
- are likely to generate or inspire further climate actions/policies in other organizations/communities
Applications are now closed.
The next uptake for this program will be in the Fall of 2025.
Please review the Frequently Asked Questions below before you complete your application.
FAQs
Who can I contact with questions about the application process?
Please email us at picsintern@uvic.ca. We’re here to help.
What kinds of climate action projects are suitable for an intern?
PICS Climate Internship projects can address a wide range of climate action issues. Internship projects are most effective when they are well-defined, practical, and will help your community or organization meet a climate action goal.
What kind of things can a PICS intern do?
Interns can help your organization with many activities, depending on their knowledge, experience and skills. Some examples of internship tasks include:
- undertake reviews and assessments of relevant literature, resources, research, and/or policies;
- coordinate or support with meetings, events, and/or engagement activities;
- conduct field-based or desktop data collection and analysis;
- develop new guidance or informational resources; and
- prepare draft reports, plans, recommendations, and/or presentations.
What are some examples of previously funded internships?
Read about the 2024 PICS interns and their experiences.
The 2024 Climate Internship Program enabled 25 B.C. organizations to host student interns to assist in achieving employers’ climate action goals.
| Host organization | Project |
| Better Environmentally Sound Transportation Association (BEST) | EcoVoyage: Sustainable Journeys for All |
| British Columbia Centre for Disease Control | Community science and wildfire smoke mitigation at care facilities in BC |
| CityHive Youth Engagement Society | Climate Conscious Communities: Supporting Youth Climate Action |
| City of Kelowna | Scaling Up Heat Pump Adoption in Kelowna’s Climate |
| City of Nelson | Equity and climate adaptation through nature-based solutions in Nelson BC |
| Chuzghun Resources Corporation | Adaptative Silviculture for Climate Change (ASCC) Research Intern |
| Community Social Planning Council (CSPC) | Climate Equity by Design (CEbD) |
| District of Sechelt | Climate change awareness and Wildfire policy development |
| Emergency Planning Secretariat (housed within LFFA) | Bridging Landscape, Flood, & Climate Resilience for Mainland Coast Salish |
| Gorge Waterway Action Society | Climate Change Interpretive Program Development Project |
| Island Health | Developing a Shared Path: Power of Communities in Climate Health Action |
| BC Lung Foundation | DIY Air Cleaner Project- Building Community Resilience to Climate Change |
| Living Lakes Canada | Columbia Basin Water Monitoring Framework |
| City of Maple Ridge | Resiliency@Home (Retrofit Resiliency) |
| B.C. Ministry of Transportation & Infrastructure | Active Transportation Corridor Mapping |
| Ministry of Water, Lands & Resource Stewardship | Drinking Water Supply System Data Enhancement |
| Northern Health Authority | Climate Resilient Health Facilities for Northern Health |
| North Shore Emergency Management | North Shore Resilience Strategy: Baseline assessment |
| Okanagan Collaborative Conservation Program (OCCP) | Integrative Climate Action through Ecosystem Services Assessment |
| Provincial Health Services Authority, Health Emergency Management | Climate-ready health systems: mitigating and adapting to seasonal hazards |
| Raincoast Conservation Foundation | CDF carbon monitoring project |
| Skidegate Band Council | Community adaptation to climate-induced ocean change on Haida Gwaii |
| Squamish Nation | Climate Action Strategy Project |
| Tsleil-Waututh Nation | Tsleil-Waututh Nation Climate Change Resilience Plan Progress Report |
| West Coast Climate Action Network | BC Climate Action Groups Capacity Building Project |
How does funding work?
PICS will contribute up to $15,000 towards the cost of employing your intern. The host organization is responsible for any contributions to support the internship above this amount. Recommended hourly rates for student research assistants and for co-op salaries provide some guidance on fair wages for your intern. Funds are available for intern salaries and employment-related costs only. Ineligible expenses include indirect cost recovery, overhead/administration, and capital purchases (e.g., computers, equipment, furniture). All funds must be used by Dec. 31, 2025.
How are applications evaluated?
The project evaluation and decision-making process will be managed by PICS staff, who will complete an assessment of each application using the criteria and associated scoring that is included in the application form (and outlined below). Supplemental input will be provided by external technical experts who will be invited to review relevant applications and offer feedback to help guide the final project selection.
Each application will be evaluated using the following criteria and scoring:
- Project provides direct climate value or benefit to communities/sectors (1 to 5 points)
- Project has a clear purpose, approach, and intended outputs (1 to 5 points)
- Project has potential for broader climate impacts through knowledge mobilization (1 to 5 points)
- Project clearly defines student role/responsibilities (satisfactory or not satisfactory)
- Project is rooted in principles of JEDI and reconciliation (1 to 5 points)
When will we know if we are funded?
Organizations will be notified of decisions in mid-January 2025.
When will internship projects occur?
To align with the university calendar cycle, internship projects should be undertaken between late May and late August 2025. We ask that your student be hired no later than April 30th, so that they may participate in a launch workshop. There may be flexibility to support/extend internships (without additional funding from PICS) that last beyond late August, with agreement from the student and PICS.
What does my organization need to do if it is chosen for funding?
PICS staff will follow up with an email (award letter) that outlines the details we require to make the grant payment. Your organization will be responsible for choosing and hiring your intern. A guide/resources will be provided to assist you with recruiting and hiring a student from one of the PICS universities (UBC, UNBC, SFU, or UVIC). Other program expectations and opportunities will be outlined with the award letter. The program is delivered with a “cohort model” that creates chances for sharing and learning for the participating organizations and students.
What is knowledge mobilization and how can I integrate it into my internship plan?
Knowledge mobilization is the process of adapting and disseminating knowledge to increase reach, impact, and inform decision-making. PICS encourages internship hosts to create ripples, and aim to maximize climate impact and benefits after the project is concluded.
Here are some knowledge mobilization resources:
A Guide to Setting Your Knowledge Mobilization Goals
Knowledge Mobilization Planning Template
Resources from Simon Fraser University’s Knowledge Mobilization Hub
Looking for resources on reconciliation, Indigenous knowledges and leadership, and climate change?
B.C. First Nations Climate Strategy and Action Plan (BCAFN)
Environmental Protection and Climate Action (Assembly of First Nations)
Indigenous knowledges and climate change (Climate Atlas of Canada)
10 principles of Reconciliation (Selkirk College)
Looking for some resources on climate justice?
Climate Emergency Climate Justice Lens (UBC)
Six pillars of Climate Justice (University of California Centre for Climate Justice)
Climate Internship Application Form
Applications are now closed. The next uptake for this program will be in the Fall of 2025.