Creating and empowering the next generation of Environmental Justice advocates.
The Environmental Justice Outreach Program (EJOP) is a collaborative effort between Pre-College University and the U.S. Department of Energy to provide a foundation for those students wanting to become involved in monitoring, repairing, and advocating for the environment. The long-term goal of the EJOP is to increase the number of individuals who participate in environmental justice advocacy and/or major in an environmental science or related disciplines.
The EJOP was developed initially as week-long summer sessions for middle and high school students interested in Environmental Science, Environmental Justice, or other US Department of Energy, Legacy Management related disciplines. As the need arose, PCU began developing theme-based on-line courses for individuals interested in becoming more aware of, educated and involved in, environmental justice issues. This enhancement allows for individuals, no matter the geographical location, to benefit from our Environmental Justice trainings.
Program Components
- Environmental focused coursework
- Community exploration and engagement
- Case studies
- Mini social media based campaign development
- Capstone Project
The EJOP develops and offers Environmental Justice focused trainings through Pre-College University’s virtual platform:
Environmental Justice (EJ) themed trainings are offered through the PCU EJ Academy, where individuals can choose from various EJ issues of interest. PCU utilizes a combination of its online training platform, video calls, and it’s virtual EJ Club to facilitate learning about and/or exposure to EJ advocacy, understanding the multiple disciplines that comprise EJ, and case studies based on targeted Environmental Justice issues. Finally, participants will be expected to develop a mini campaign based on highlighting an environmental injustice in their community, to include a call to action.
Upon enrolling in the training program, individuals will be connected to a community of EJ advocates from all stages and walks of life. The ultimate goal of the EJOP is to build synergies and offer a support system for those who are interested in becoming engaged in environmental and climate justice.