Sustainable CT

Fellow

June - August 2021 • Waterbury, CT

What I liked

Overall, I enjoyed this fellowship and the range of what my work looked like! I learned a lot about the many daily operations of local governments and the role of Councils of Governments in Connecticut. It was a great professional experience to have been granted the trust to represent SCT and provide guidance to towns while still being in college. I feel more confident in my presentation skills. It was nice to be able to work with my hometown on this initiative as well, and I feel more connected to the region I live in and the different types of towns in Connecticut as a whole. It was also nice to have opportunities from SCT to provide feedback on improving the program, connect with an equity coach, meet the Board of Directors, meet some other fellows in person, and connect with a board member.

What I wish was different

Some more guidance from SCT in the beginning of the fellowship on example starting tasks would be helpful, since the first week was a bit confusing for how to get started on work.

Advice

My advice for a future fellow would be to be sure to skim through the Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD) and websites of each town you are working or planning to work with. They can tell you a lot about the town’s character and what their priorities are, which will better prepare you for having personalized conversations on what you think would be good action choices for the town. I kept a bookmark on the Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments' website (the COG which I was placed at) and visited the page often in order to pull up a town’s POCD, municipal profile/demographics, and housing profile.

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