Various (poverty)

COMMUNITY PARTNER

WHEAT

ABOUT THE INTERNSHIP

Duties

The internship positions with WHEAT are designed to reflect an intern's interests in conjunction with WHEAT's needs and the current legislative climate. WHEAT Internships are particularly helpful for students in Women Studies, Education, Political Science and Social Work.  Each internship is tailored to each student and parts and pieces of each area may be integrated for a total direct and indirect service experience.  All service learning experiences will include time within the WHEAT organizational structure, the Fair Trade store and Clothing Boutique.  Below are some general descriptions of the varied internships available.

Internships Available: 

Fair Trade - WHEAT's Hand to Hand Project in Central Phoenix Builds Economic Justice around the Globe 
Fair Trade makes a difference in people's lives! Volunteer with WHEAT's Hand to Hand Project and help us share the quality handicrafts from artisans in over 42 countries, including the US. This empowerment project supports a sustainable lifestyle for the families, providing food, shelter and education! Share their stories with customers throughout the community and learn how fair trade is the positive way to change.

Women's Empowerment Project -
WHEAT's Clothes Silo provides free, professional clothing to women in need and is also open to the public so that women may find gently used, affordable quality clothing for the workplace. Interns will work directly with the clients picking out just the right outfit for their interview or new job; meet new people as you work with our other volunteers; greeting donors as they support this important project.  

Communications -
The communications internship seeks to inform the community about state and federal food security policy debates by disseminating WHEAT reports and analyses to the news media. Framing research into a clear message for public consumption is a complex process. The communications intern will assist in all stages of this process, including establishing and maintaining relationships with print, broadcast, and electronic media. Specific duties will include pasting clips that cite WHEAT, tracking media coverage, maintaining mailing lists, distributing WHEAT brochures, newsletters, reports and analyses, occasionally drafting press advisories, and helping to maintain WHEAT's Internet presence and updating power point presentations. The intern also helps develop an E-mail and fax list of parties interested in WHEAT's work. Attention to detail, ability to work well in a team or alone, and excellent verbal and written communication skills are required.

State Policy Watch (health, housing, nutrition, food security) -
WHEAT works closely with food security/social welfare lobbyists and legislators at the State level. This legislative intern provides support to the Executive Director and WHEAT constituents by following the process of legislative proposals, responding to requests for information on WHEAT projects, monitoring state house and senate hearings, researching state legislative staff, and other tasks. During the fall special emphasis will be placed on the appropriations and reconciliation processes as they relate to funding and other changes in low-income programs.

Local & Global Food Security Issues -
WHEAT is actively involved in policy debates over food security, minimum wage, healthcare and all issues and solutions that affect low- and moderate-income families. The Local & Global Food Security Issues intern assists in researching, preparing, and distributing analyses on how various legislative proposals would affect families, the federal budget, and states and third world countries. This position requires some background in federal or state policy and quantitative analytic skills. Helpful skills for this intern would include strong Internet and World Wide Web skills, familiarity with tax and budget concepts, fluency in a foreign language, and/or demonstrated interest in international development.

Nonprofit Fundraising -
The nonprofit fundraising intern identifies potential contributors, prepares reports and proposals to funders, and maintains information on all grants to WHEAT.. The intern conducts research on foundations and new funding sources, helps prepare proposals and reports, and assists in communications and outreach activities designed to keep current funders and potential donors informed of WHEAT's work on a regular basis.  This may include presentations and meetings with current and potential donors.

Nonprofit Management -
The field of nonprofit management includes several widely varying areas of work. An intern can expect to assist with the volunteer staff recruitment process, preparing for and presenting orientations, and overseeing some volunteer staff. Also, an intern will have exposure to programmatic aspects of our nonprofit through retail nonprofit management by maintaining selected inventory, ordering supplies and coding invoices, and arranging for visual merchandising and display; scheduling and providing educational tours and promoting current advocacy campaigns. Additionally, an intern will have the opportunity to work on projects related to strategic planning, visioning and implementation. This internship serves to provide a comprehensive overview of the daily workings of a sustainable, nonprofit.  Finally, the non-profit management intern will learn to establish and use effective internal control procedures for financial records and transactions to assure compliance with legal and audit requirements. 

Outreach Campaigns -
WHEAT conducts outreach campaigns aimed at educational institutions interested in assisting low-income working families and individuals. WHEAT provides information, training and technical assistance on conducting effective outreach activities to thousands of state and community-based organizations, human services providers, state and local government agencies, businesses and others across the state. The outreach intern helps maintain communication with these partner groups and with others that would like to become involved in the campaigns. He or she will track the use of creative outreach strategies, help develop new materials, and help research state and local policies and procedures that affect the ability of individuals to obtain economic security.

Nonprofit Marketing & Promotion -
WHEAT's Nonprofit Marketing & Promotion Intern will develop materials for use in press kits, corporate information packets including newsletters, brochures and fact sheets, with a particular focus on current status of low-income families and individuals. The Nonprofit Marketing & Promotion intern will research specific subjects, assist the executive director and staff in preparation of materials for presentations, and collect and analyze data from a range of sources to track state economies and finances. The intern is likely also to help maintain contacts with state organizations that perform fiscal analysis and to assist the Nonprofit Event Planning Intern in preparing for an annual conference and ongoing workshops and seminars.

Nonprofit Event Planning -
WHEAT's Nonprofit Event Planning Intern will develop be actively involved in the scheduling, set up and content of various events, including seminars and workshops at local, state and national conferences.  Working closely with the Nonprofit marketing & Promotion intern, the Event Planning Intern determines and gathers appropriate materials for use as handouts, presentation and general information including newsletters, brochures and fact sheets. The intern will help maintain contacts with state civic, religious and community action organizations that require speakers on a regular basis. The Nonprofit Event Planning Intern will help in preparing for an annual conference, ongoing workshops and seminars, fundraising events and hunger related activities within the community.

Population served

Those people living with poverty, as well as those in authority who can make positive policy change.

Community need/impact

The intern will be involved in service to women in need, working with local and international artisans through fair trade initiatives, advocacy training, issues statements, educational training, legislative communication, media work, campaigns of a statewide and international capacity to end poverty and hunger that will provide the tools of awareness on hunger and its related issues, as well as working with and for those living with poverty in helping them to become self sustaining members of the community.

The change that happens to an individual, as well as for the community, when policy changes or circumstances change are huge.  WHEAT interns are part of a "think globally, act locally" team that not only works on an individual basis, but makes positive policy change possible - like the change in Pay Day Loan services that must cease business in Arizona in July 2010, thanks to advocacy efforts in the 2008 election year.