MHC Fellow - Friends of Rouge Park - Cohort 4

About the site:
For 24 years, Friends of Rouge Park (FORP) has served as the official steward of Rouge Park, Detroit's largest city park, working to protect, restore, and activate its 1,122 acres for the benefit of all. As Rouge Park enters a new era with the City’s completion of its first comprehensive Master Plan, FORP is leading efforts to increase public understanding of the park's climate resilience benefits—including stormwater management, urban heat mitigation, habitat protection, carbon sequestration, and equitable access to nature—while engaging residents, volunteers, and partners to promote long-term stewardship and build community support for implementation of the Master Plan.

Dates of Service: 1/13/2027 – 8/20/2027

Position Type: Hybrid: 2-3 days remote and 1-2 at rouge park or community location

Hours of Operation: Monday-Friday 8:30am - 5pm (some weekends and evenings required)

Site Location: Office Space: St Suzanne's 19321 W Chicago St, Detroit, MI 48228; Rouge Park: 21860 Joy Rd, Detroit, MI 48228

MHC Fellow Role and Responsibilities:

• Conduct baseline research documenting Rouge Park's climate resilience benefits, ecosystem services, recreational assets, and public health value.
• Develop fact sheets, presentations, story maps, and digital communications explaining how Rouge Park contributes to flood mitigation, urban cooling, biodiversity, public health, and neighborhood resilience.
• Support community engagement activities, including neighborhood meetings, guided park walks, pop-up outreach events, volunteer activities, and presentations.
• Support the development and launch of a public education and advocacy campaign positioning Rouge Park as critical climate infrastructure deserving sustained public investment.
• Empower the community to access climate resources by planning meetings educational programs, and/or other activities to consistently share information.
• Participate in MHC Fellows development shared learning and collaboration activities including two MHC Fellow in-person convenings and MHC Fellows monthly virtual trainings (training calendar will be provided).