A semester of rewarding experience to gain grassroots organizing skills while working to get out the youth vote in the upcoming elections.

The Arizona PIRG Students Internship program is designed for college students who are passionate about civic engagement and looking to increase their experience in organizing and strategy. This semester long program provides interns with opportunities to build their leadership skills and increase the youth vote. Interns will work remotely. Given the remote nature of the internship, students taking part in digital learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic can still apply and be considered for the position.

Internship Program Details

Our approach requires each intern not only to develop expertise in campaign strategy, but also to become skilled in organizing. As an intern you will work with professional staff.

The Campaign:

• Interns will work on the Arizona PIRG Students’ priority campaign to help students register and get out and vote (GOTV) in the upcoming election. On Election Day, young people will be the largest and most diverse group of potential voters, with distinct values and ideas. Arizona PIRG Students are running a non-partisan voter registration effort across our state.

Responsibilities will include:

• Organizing support. Interns with Arizona PIRG Students will help to broaden the constituency for our campaign, assist in building, organizing, and managing a coalition of groups that are interested in increasing the youth vote.
• Devising an effective strategy to implement civic engagement plans on college campuses. Interns will work to craft effective tactics for the campus to use to increase voter participation.
• Media outreach. Interns with Arizona PIRG Students will work to get the importance of the youth vote in traditional and social media.
• Attending a weekly skills workshop taught and led by Arizona PIRG Campus Organizers.

Examples of potential skills workshops:

• Digital campaigning- How to mobilize student voters in the time of COVID-19
• Working with the media –Generating media coverage on the youth vote
• Running a meeting-From getting the right people in the “room/zoom” to facilitating a productive meeting
• Building diverse and effective coalitions and mobilizing student leaders
• Developing winning campaign strategies and tactics
• Public Speaking in forums varying from virtual classrooms to town halls and news conferences
• Using social media to educate and mobilize

Requirements:

• 10 hours per week
• A commitment to making a difference
• Strong organizational abilities
• The ability to engage others, whether one-on-one or in a group
• The ability to think strategically
• Strong writing and communication skills

Internships are available for undergraduate and graduate students from any major. Previous campaign and/or advocacy experience is a plus.

By providing my contact information, I am consenting to have the Student PIRGs, and their affiliates contact me with information about this and future campaigns.