Internship and Volunteer Opportunities

The Illinois Alliance for Parents and Children is a newly formed nonpartisan public interest group with a mission to protect and promote parental involvement and autonomy across all segments of society where children are impacted. IAPC promotes unique programs and policy initiatives through research, advocacy and outreach activities, and through the creation of materials which seek to educate policymakers, academics and concerned community groups throughout Illinois.

We seek to protect parental involvement and autonomy by building strategic relationships, monitoring potential threats, mobilizing constituents, and advocating for protection of family autonomy. IAPC seeks to establish and enhance a substantive Family Policy that is driven by a more empathic human context.

Advantages of an IAPC Internship:

Great networking, resume-building, and work experience opportunities;
Flexible work schedule--negotiable hours;
Possibility of earning college credit hours;
Opportunities for professional development and training;
IAPC's mission speaks for itself: To strengthen and support the position of parents and children as key stakeholders throughout the community;

General Requirements:

You have a passion for social change--especially as it relates to pro-family initiatives;
You possess a rapid learning curve;
You hate when things are not done as well as they could be; you are enthusiastic and love team work;
You know how to have fun and be creative;
You know how to get things done; you are supremely organized; you are intensely curious and always learning;
You know how to work independently off-site and collaborative effectively with others;
You require minimal supervision, work well under pressure, demonstrate initiative, organized and detail oriented;
Reliable, punctual, and strong administrative skills (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint).

Parameters:

IAPC Internships last for approximately 8-13 weeks and can be evaluated for class credit;
Hours: Varied, approx 5-15 hours per week;
Interns must be a junior or senior majoring in designated field of internship or recent grads;
Unless otherwise noted, internships are unpaid, but may be done via telecommuting and on flexible hours;
Prospective interns must be able to meet with internal stakeholders and other interns on a bi-weekly or monthly basis, depending on project milestones or other requirements;
Must be at least 18 years of age; ability to work as a team member in a changing environment, maintain motivation and focus, ability to be self-directed and a strong work ethic will be paramount for success;
Most of our internship opportunities require that you have your own computer, software, and reliable access to the Internet. Some internships may offer a stipend, as well as meet the needs for college internship credit to be received;

Interview Process and Selection:

An IAPC Director will make the final selection of the successful candidate. Phone interviews may be accepted.

Supervision:

Direct supervision of interns will come from an organizational director;

Evaluation and Feedback:

It is expected that feedback will be ongoing and timely due to the team nature of our organization;
Formal evaluations will be scheduled for the middle and end of the internship period; paperwork required by an outside organization for the successful completion of the internship will be the responsibility of the intern or their direct supervisor;

For consideration, please send letters of interest and text resume (no attachments, please) to IAPC President Michael Burns at: info(at)illinoisparentsandchildren.org

The following Internships are posted as of January 20, 2008.

Non-profit Management Intern

IAPC is looking for a highly motivated Management Intern who can thrive in a flexible work arrangement and function as a virtual component of the IAPC Management team, playing an important role in helping us connect sound management principles with important programs and policy initiatives that protect parental involvement and autonomy.

Primary duties and responsibilities: This is an exciting hands-on learning opportunity for an individual interested in nonprofit management, outreach, advocacy and resource protection. The Management Intern will work directly with staff and volunteer committees of IAPC--assisting with all aspects of managing this small nonprofit organization.

Responsibilities include:

Business Plan Development;
Liaise and assist with IAPC Directors and Intern/Volunteer organizing;
Assist in areas relating to management, marketing, strategic planning;
Facilitate communication with interns and volunteers;
Staff events to recruit new interns and volunteers;
Membership development (coordinate member mailings, track volunteers and members, manage member database);
Event planning (coordinate planning for meetings and events; identify, develop, and/or plan events to involve/attract organization members and the community);
Office administration (fill information requests, prepare meeting materials)

Other responsibilities: dependent on interest, experience, and need:

Education - currently enrolled in or recently completed a bachelor or graduate degree with a major or coursework in public policy, business (nonprofit management), communications or related field;
Experience - although not required, prior experience in nonprofit administrative support, volunteer organizing, membership development, environmental outreach and/or advocacy a plus;
Skills - computer proficiency required (MS Office, Word, Excel) and demonstrated ability to learn database management. Strong written and verbal communication skills and ability to problem solve. Proven organizational skills and attention to detail. Must be reliable, self-motivated and able to work independently.

Solid communication and business acumen skills are essential as the Management intern must work proactively across various functional areas in the organization, including operations, marketing and finance. An interest or understanding of current trends concerning parental involvement, parental rights, and other pro-family concerns is also a big plus.

Family Policy Internships

IAPC is seeking a highly motivated Public Policy Intern(s) to work with us on a part-time/virtual basis concerning pro-family initiatives designed to enhance parental involvement and autonomy. Our work focuses on local, state and federal initiatives.

This unique internship will provide an opportunity to gain experience in lobbying for issues which impact the vital role of parents. The selected internship candidate will assist with public policy research and development, member outreach and organizing, and work on other government affairs related tasks as assigned. Additional opportunities may include attending legislative meetings, and providing a supporting role in our work with academics, like-minded community groups, and elected officials. Family Policy Interns will gain hands-on experience in municipal and state government and have an opportunity to work directly on issues which impact families locally and throughout the state. They may participate in several project areas, including advocacy and community outreach, as well writing public policy drafts and presentations.

Applicants should have excellent written and verbal communication skills, good problem-solving skills, and be self-starters. You should posess a 3.5 GPA (or higher) along with a demonstrated interest in public service, solid written and verbal communication skills, and strong character and leadership skills. Proficiency in MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) is highly desired, along with a minimum typing speed of 40 wpm.

PR/Marketing Intern

Gain valuable experience in marketing/public relations, special events and other promotions; intern candidates must be well-organized and possess good interpersonal and word processing skills; proficiency in MS Word required.

Learn about and assist in the development of evolving internal and external communications processes for the organization;
Provide exposure to working in the public sector, content and program enablement and PR/marketing demand generation concepts; will provide a major focus on targeted communication to a very niche' public sector audience;

Responsibilities:

Assist IAPC President and Board of Directors in the following areas:
Working with internal stakeholders, assess requirements, compile/create information for IAPC programs and initiatives;
Press relations: draft releases for local stories, events, etc.;
Collaborate in the development of PR-type communications; help implement promotions;
Post bulletins, pertinent PR releases;
Assess requirements, compile/create content for monthly newsletter to help drive awareness about the organization and various initiatives.
Maintain correspondence with public (ie: policy initiatives, speaking engagements, suggestions, etc.)
Maintain PR files (ie: updating bios, org history, etc.)
Field phone calls, coordinate meeting schedules as needed;
Handle stock photography needs
Compile/create content for monthly newsletter; will provide experience in creating compelling, action oriented communications as well as reviews of program plans etc. to gather content.

Knowledge, skills, abilities and experience should include:

Solid business acumen
High level of personal and professional necessity;
Communication skills (Verbal and Written)
Journalistic/Writing skills a big plus;
Assist in organizing events; Help implement programs to raise funds for IAPC;

Human Resources Manager Internship

This unique internship opportunity is for a qualified student or recent grad who is looking to obtain non-profit administrative or human resources related experience, including but not limited to performance management, training and employee development, recruitment, and may be tailored to fit the student’s needs.

Accountabilities:

Help with recruitment, hiring processes and management of interns and volunteers;
Attends to maintenance of relevant personnel files and employee records;
Assist with posting of available job and internship opportunities;
Design and implement a database that can be used to track skills and training;
Assist with Internship appreciation projects designed to heighten morale, collaboration, and productivity;
Work with other internal stakeholders to help maximize collaboration and productivity; collaborate on tasks related to strategic planning, safety & risk management as needed;
Support the organization’s efforts by performing research activities;
Creation of new hire packets;

Requirements:

3.5 GPA or higher with coursework in HR management or related field;
An interest in pro-family initiatives designed to champion parental involvement and autonomy, human resources or non-profit work;
A very positive, hard working team player;
Strong interpersonal communication, writing, editing, research and organizational skills.
Computer proficiency in Microsoft applications, internet research and e-mail;
Effective time management of multiple tasks to meet deadlines, while being attentive to detail;
Ability to maintain confidentiality of all aspects of job responsibilities;
Students in a program of human resource management, business, management, or other related program.

Interactive Project Manager Intern

The ideal candidate lives and breathes Interactive and gets their kicks learning about new technology concerning social media and other forms of collaborative technology.

Requirements:

Serves as Assistant Interactive Project Leader;
Manages relationships and expectations;
Work with internal stakeholders to provide deliverables;
Identify and steward objectives and needs;
Manage meeting logistics;
Maintain multiple projects on time and on budget;
Develop new project leads through new and existing relationships;
Partner with internal clients to provide strategic interactive solutions;
Guide strategic implementation of recommendations;
Enthusiastically represent strategy and creative;
Assist with RFP responses and proposal writing;

Other information:

Current student or recent graduate with a 3.0 or higher GPA, or volunteer with minimum 1-3 years of project management experience in interactive media or development;
Excellent analytic, presentation, and writing skills;
Excellent client-facing and internal communication skills;
Experience with budget management and cost control;
Understanding of Web development; knowledge of online marketing/PR a big plus, as well as current trends in project management and online collaboration;
MS Office, MS Project, and basic HTML skills;
InDesign, Visio, and Online Collaboration tools and program experience ; Portfolio with samples of past and/or current projects are also a big plus.

Knowledge Management Intern

The Knowledge Management Intern will be focused on providing streamlined resources to internal and external stakeholders for tasks as they relate to organizational management, marketing, advocacy, research, recruitment, as well as coordinating other KM efforts;

Will allow Knowledge Management Intern(s) to learn about and exploit a broad array of cutting-edge knowledge management issues, including content capture and exchange, technology trends, and benchmarking, as well as internal and external processes and shared knowledge bases necessary for IAPC to provide top-notch research, advocacy, and outreach. The KM intern can expect to work on or drive projects designed to enhance knowledge base content, technology, processes and systems that the KM team deploys to carry out its mission.
Will perform technical inquiries and web content related design and maintenance for IAPC Workgroups within an evolving Knowledge Management Infrastructure;
Interested candidates should possess strong analytical, writing and communications skills, and have an interest in technology and streamlining business processes.
Experience with or willingness to investigate new web 2.0 technologies to further the KM mission would be beneficial; prior coursework in KM is strongly preferred.

Content Strategy Interns

Requirements:

Will be responsible for visioning and clearly communicating information presentation and approach for various full cycle projects, and will work with all disciplines, collaborating closely with a User Experience Architect, and other members of our team.

Current student or graduate with a study or background in Technical writing, writing or journalism background;

Strong communication skills, including:

Client interview facilitation and information capture
Responsive listening
Good understanding of Taxonomy and other related subject matter
Clear, concise, and professional written communication
Attention to detail
Ability to organize and structure disparate information
Ability to prioritize based upon multiple variables
Perform well under deadlines

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

The Content Strategist Intern creates and owns the following, and collaborates with other disciplines to ensure accuracy:

Content Assessment - provides a qualitative and quantitative analysis of existing content assets which may be used to deliver upon a solution, identifies content gaps with regard to the solution, and provides recommendations for filling gaps;
Content Definition and Structuring - consists of gathering, organizing, and analyzing information to produce the detailed content matrix in support of the solution;
Content Owner Assessment - The purpose of a content owner assessment is to gain a better understanding of the client team with which we will be working, and/or to understand the group who will maintain content upon solution delivery;
Content Mapping - consists of visually representing content elements in terms of structure and layout, in the form of content wireframes. Depending upon project requirements, technical, functional, and content information may be combined in the form of production wireframes;
Content Staging and Migration Planning - consists of the plan to implement staging and migration, and the tools and templates used to stage and to migrate content;
Content Conversion - the process of taking content in its existing state and converting it into the solution state. Tools and macros may be used to facilitate conversion;
Strategy Recommendations - Based upon solution understanding and content strategy expertise, vision and communicate strategic business recommendations related to content;

Interested parties should reply by email with a letter of interest and text resume to IAPC President Michael Burns, at info@illinoisparentsandchildren.org

User Interface Architect Intern

This key opportunity will help us build our evolving Web site and a dynamic Web portal. We are seeking a person to take our current concept to the next level and design interfaces that simplify complicated processes and concepts.

Requirements:

Develop HTML/CSS/Javascript code from designs;
Work closely with our development team on understanding limitations in various open source programs like Ajax and PHP;
Ensuring Brand consistency and usability throughout all sites;
Develop icons and images for Mock ups.

Required skills:

Current or recent graduate with a 3.0 GPA or higher;
2 to 5 years Graphic and Page design study for corporate or consumer facing web applications, or relevant and compatible work experience;
Expertise in Photoshop, Illustrator, Visio and other related design tools;
Expertise in HTML, CSS, and Javascript;
Expertise or working knowledge of Ajax and PHP;
Excellent communication skills; ability to work under a fast paced schedule; ability to document all requirements;
Work well with both business and technical teams to develop strategies, establish business objectives, and improve processes;
Design the user model and user interface for functionality and features;
Gauge the usability of new and existing features, and making suggestions for change;
Common project deliverables: workflow diagrams, phasing plans, site maps, wireframes, digital prototypes, user research, and information design recommendations;
Should have direct experience or working knowledge of a variety of usability and testing methods (including collecting, analyzing, and interpreting qualitative and quantitative data);
Should be instrumental in detail-oriented design reviews and the design documentation process;
Should possess excellent time management and analytical/problem solving skills under tight deadlines;
Possess solid oral and written communication skills and be able to participate in internal presentations;
Have a firm background in human-computer interaction or similar field;
Have a BA/BS in Human Factors, Psychology, Design, user interface design, or related field with some years of professional experience;

Lead Social App Developer Intern

In this role, you'll help lead IAPC public sector media development efforts on an IAPC Web site gear toward public sector collaboration.
You'll need to have or be ready to develop a deep understanding of various social platforms and be able to rapidly build new features and apps working primarily in PHP. You'll also put a variety of metrics in place to help track app virality and to allow us to make informed development decisions.

Requirements:

Compatible study in IT Project Management, leadership or comparable background;
High level of personal and professional necessity; ability to prioritize and plan accordingly;
Current or recent grad with at least a 3.0 GPA, or volunteer with substantial training and on-the-job experience; - 1-3+ years PHP / MySQL experience would be ideal. Knowledge of CakePHP a big plus.
Passionate and knowledgeable about things related to social media
Detail oriented. Willing and able to QA your own apps.
Analytical personality. Able to test new app features and analyze effectiveness.

Social App Developer Intern

In this role, you'll help lead IAPC public sector media development efforts on an IAPC Web site gear toward public sector collaboration. You'll need to have or be ready to develop a deep understanding of various social platforms and be able to rapidly build new features and apps working primarily in PHP. You'll also put a variety of metrics in place to help track app virality and to allow us to make informed development decisions.

Requirements:

Current or recent grad with at least a 3.0 GPA, or volunteer with substantial training and on-the-job experience; - 1-3+ years PHP / MySQL experience would be ideal. Knowledge of CakePHP a big plus;
Passionate and knowledgeable about things related to social media;
Detail oriented. Willing and able to QA your own apps;
Analytical personality. Able to test new app features and analyze effectiveness;

Information Architect Intern

The Information Architect internship is a unique opportunity to work within a creative paradigm, evaluating the needs of internal and external stakeholders,
and develop customized user experience solutions that increase their efficiency.

As an Information Architect Intern, you will be a member of the IAPC User Experience Team, and work collaboratively with internal stakeholders.

IA’s evaluate usability and quality, and actively support a diverse range of consultative engagements. As an IA intern, you will engage in comprehensive user research, concept testing, and usability testing to gain a thorough understanding of our goals, mission and needs, along with the needs of our various audiences. With the support of our team, you will then use this information to complete user-centered design documents including site maps, wire frames, personas, and functional specifications.

Requirements:

The Information Architect Intern requires a variety of skills which are outlined below. In addition, we encourage candidates who are interested in working in the areas of social policy within the non profit sectors to apply.

Strong understanding of dynamic, data-driven web sites;
Broad understanding of the Web and associated technologies and proficiency with a range of appropriate software tools (Visio, OmniGraffle, Photoshop, and HTML); you will need to be able to utilize your own computer and software;
Ability to handle multiple projects in a flexible, fast-paced environment with a high level of service orientation;
Strong oral and written communication skills including documentation and collaboration abilities;
Detail-oriented with excellent organization, analytical, and problem-solving skills;
Must be able to work independently and as a member of a larger team;
Bachelors Degree with 3.5 GPA or higher

Marketing/Social Media Strategist Intern

The Marketing/Social Media Strategist will have a particular academic or professional emphasis in communications; generally, we're looking for an Intern who knows the difference between Web 1.0 and Web 2.0.

IAPC Social Media Objectives are focused on creating conversations online, not just building destinations.

Requirements:

Academic experience or interest in developing digital solutions for internal and external clients; you will have proven strength in creating and executing strategy, understanding research, managing complex interactive programs that leverage social media and word of mouth;
You understand aspects of development – what it actually takes to build Web 2.0 solutions. Hopefully you have worked all the way through making a project a success via online marketing, visibility and outreach. You’ve obsessed about creating client value. You believe in our ability to make things better for parents and children: better creative, more client value, and even our ability to create a great workplace experience. You know that social media is far more than blogs and have huge interest in designing innovative strategies.
You have a passion for the changes in digital and communications. You get things done. You are supremely organized. You are always learning. You hate when things are not done as well as they could be. You are enthusiastic and love team work. You are curious about everything.

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