Join Our Governing Council–Applications Close April 20th!
Applications are still open for the NNOCCI’s Governing Council, a group of committees actively engaged in sustaining, deepening and expanding the work of this powerful network.
We are currently recruiting for a variety of volunteer positions to join our committees:
Communications
JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion)
Training
Science and Evaluation
Membership Engagement
Regional Leaders
Positions are open to all, with no previous NNOCCI training required (with the exception of Training & Regional Leader - see full descriptions in Council Position Description document below for preferred qualifications). Some specific skills and interests we’re looking for: social media analysis, WordPress, environmental and/or climate justice, and learning module design. Please share with colleagues who you think might be a good fit.
And did you also know that there are different types of humor intelligences--and these intelligences can be learned and used to communicate, connect, and lead more effectively? This is especially useful in tandem with strategic framing for climate communications right now!
Humor that Works recently released their research-backed Your Humor Competency Assessment. You can find out more and take it here. You’ll receive a free summary of your outcomes, with suggestions you can put into use immediately. If you want a full report, NNOCCI members receive a discount price of $27. Just use the discount code NNOCCI.
Interested in virtually Co-Facilitating one of our Summer & Fall 2026 offerings?
We are looking to fill volunteer positions for our upcoming Changing the Conversation Introductory Presentation! These opportunities are a great way to strengthen your climate communication and facilitation skills, dive deeper into the NNOCCI community, and get some great professional development experience. To find out more about these opportunities, and to apply, click below.
This Month's Featured Story: The Importance of Community in Informal Science Education
By Megan Ennes, Board Director, CAMZIE (Community of Aquarium, Museum, Zoo, and Informal Educators)
As members of NNOCCI, we all know about the importance of having a community to support our journey as educators. Having a professional community like NNOCCI is vital for our wellbeing and professional growth. A strong sense of community helps reduce isolation in roles that are often solo, temporary, or poorly defined. This can be particularly important when teaching about challenging subjects such as climate change. Being part of a community like NNOCCI can help strengthen professional identity in the field of informal education which often has fluid roles and career pathways. Community supports belonging and retention, especially for early-career and marginalized educators. Working together in community can build our collective capacity to share resources and advocate for the field. It also drives meaningful professional learning through shared practice and peer exchange. Which in turn improves learner experiences, as educator belonging enables more inclusive, confident practice.
As members of the NNOCCI community, we have been fortunate to have access to all of these benefits to our practice and well being. A couple of years ago, I conducted a study* with members of the original NNOCCI study circles from 2009-2011. What we found when talking with this group was the role NNOCCI played in career advancement, positive influences on their personal lives, and the importance of having access to a community of people who cared about and were engaged in the same kind of work. One of my favorite quotes was that joining the NNOCCI network was “like finding something I didn’t know I desperately needed.” The most common theme we heard was about the importance of community support and how NNOCCI allowed the members to collaborate with one another, build lifelong friendships, and find support from “other people who are pushing forward in the same sector.” One person said they were “so grateful to find my people.” Research shows that it’s not enough to know the content, we also need the support of community to cultivate hope and continue to improve our climate change interpretation.
I’ve been a member of NNOCCI since 2010 and am so grateful to all of you who make up this community and help support my practice. Unfortunately, not all informal educators have access to groups like ours. So to try to address this, I am helping to launch a new organization, the Community of Aquarium, Museum, Zoo, and Informal Educators, or CAMZIE. We’re building a new community to connect informal educators everywhere. This is where we can share ideas, swap stories, cheer each other on, and grow together. You’ll find a vibrant forum, a resource hub, skill building workshops, and a newsletter packed with opportunities. If you’re interested in growing your network in addition to the one we have with NNOCCI, I’d like to invite you to join CAMZIE. The website will be launching soon but in the meantime you can learn more about how to join here.
Professional learning communities like NNOCCI and CAMZIE are vital to supporting our practice, our career growth, and our sense of community. I hope you’ll reach out to me if you have any questions about our NNOCCI community research or how CAMZIE can support you.
*For more information on this study, ‘A retrospective study of a climate change communication train-the-trainer program’, or to reach out to Dr. Ennes, please contact her at megan.ennes@gmail.com
After a ranked choice vote last year, Members chose the colors and design of our first ever merchandise offerings. All shirts are eco-friendly and available in both short and long sleeve options, in various colors, for each image.
All proceeds go directly to NNOCCI, via our fiscal sponsor, The Marine Mammal Center.
New batches print every 15 days, and are shipped directly to the buyer, so expect 2-3 weeks between purchase and delivery. By ordering in batches, we prevent potential waste, and make the printing process more efficient.
Thank you to incredible artist Maris Wicks for lovingly creating these iconic NNOCCI images for us! Check out her new book, PUFFINS!, now on sale. Get your copy for some amazing art, awesome science education, and to see if you can spy some climate messaging.
We love climate policy! It’s even better when appreciated through multiple lenses. Explore this paper An Indigenous climate justice policy analysis tool for a new way to appreciate climate policy in effect and look to the future of working together for the best solutions! Justice must be at the heart of climate actions to ensure we don’t exacerbate social inequities.
COMING NEXT MONTH
Annual Membership Survey: Let us know how we can best support you!
Registration for June NNOCCI Presents Webinar on How to Empower Youth in Informal Education Spaces
You are receiving this email because you are an integral part of our NNOCCI network. Thank you for framing your climate communications as hopeful and solutions-oriented!
Our mailing address is: National Network for Ocean and Climate Change Interpretation 2000 Bunker Road The Marine Mammal Center Sausalito, CA 94965-2619
