Internships

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General Info

HIPS accepts interns throughout the year in to work in various capacities supporting a wide range of projects and services. We have opportunities for college and graduate-level interns whose studies are focusing on fundraising and development, public administration or non-profit management, as well as social media, public relations, social justice, public health, gender and women studies, marketing and communications. Each position has unique requirements, and is also tailored to fit the skills, interests, and qualifications of the individual.

What is an internship? Who interns at HIPS?

Internships are structured, educational  volunteer positions that have the following component:

• A set start and end date: most internships last between 2-6 months
• An agreed-upon regular schedule: interns create a schedule with their supervisor and are expected to work on specific days and times each week (at least 16 hours of work per week). Occasional evening work may be required for some positions.
• Regular supervision by a HIPS staff member
• Internships can be for credit or non-credit as determined by you and your school. HIPS will gladly cooperate with you and your school to sign any necessary forms so that you will receive credit for your work.
• Internships are unpaid.
• COVID19 VACCINE REQUIRED​

How to apply:

Direct Service, Hotline, Community Engagement, and Advocacy Internship applications for Fall 2023 semester are currently open. The date for orientation and the schedule for the 40-hour training is still TBA. We will reach out to all applicants in mid-August with more information. Thank you for your patience.

Internship Positions:

 The internship descriptions are based on successful past internship positions as well as current needs at HIPS. They can be used as a guide for folks who are interested in an internship at HIPS, but are flexible, and certainly not exhaustive. Do you have specific skills that might be utilized, or an idea for a project that is not represented in the descriptions? Let us know! We’re happy to speak to you about creating a new internship outline. 

Hotine Intern

Hotline Interns are a critical member of our Outreach Department. By supporting our 24-hour crisis hotline, interns will gain valuable counseling and harm reduction skills.

Primary Responsibilities

• Interns will be asked to staff shifts on our 24-hour hotline, which provides micro-counseling, crisis support, information on safer sex and safer substance use practices, information on HIV/HCV/STI prevention and management, and non-judgmental, trauma informed support for all callers.
• Interns will be trained to provide harm reduction counseling, schedule deliveries of supplies, make referrals, and offer holistic support to our diverse client population.  
• May also assist in community education events around sex work, safer sex education, HIV/HCV prevention, substance use, and overdose reversal.

Skills & experience:

• Applicants with direct service experience are greatly preferred, although we do consider folks who are new to this work. Oral communication skills, the ability to connect to people from lots of different backgrounds, and a positive, compassionate outlook are helpful. Organizational skills and emotional maturity are a must!
• Must be willing and able to attend all training sessions (dates and times TBD based on the availability of all participants).

Supervisor: Alexander/a Bradley, Outreach and Community Engagement Manager

 

Direct Services Intern

The Direct Service Intern is a critical member of our Health and Supportive Services Department.  By supporting our mobile outreach programs and  our supportive services in our Drop-in Center, the intern will gain valuable counseling and harm reduction skills.

Primary Responsibilities

• Most interns will work on our mobile outreach van, doing street-based outreach, needle exchange, and harm reduction counseling around D.C. The day time van operates Monday-Thursday from 10am-5pm and does a combination of deliveries and rolling outreach at drug use hot spots around the city.
• Direct Service Interns often assist on-site staff during walk-in hours in the office from 10:00am-4pm Monday – Thursday and 1pm-4:00pm on Fridays each week. Tasks include data entry, supply packing, scheduling shifts and deliveries, researching & creating health literature, inventory, outreach preparation, and assisting clients in the drop-in center (e.g., building resumes, searching for housing, etc.). 
• Interns are trained to provide harm reduction counseling, distribute prevention supplies, make referrals, and offer holistic support to our diverse client population.  
• Assist in community education around HIV/HCV prevention and overdose reversal.

Skills & experience:

• Applicants with direct service experience are greatly preferred, although we do consider folks who are new to this work. Oral communication skills, the ability to connect to people from lots of different backgrounds, and a positive, compassionate outlook are helpful. Organizational skills and emotional maturity are a must! Thursday night availability is a bonus.

Supervisor: Alexander/a Bradley, Outreach and Community Engagement Manager

Community Engagement Intern

The Community Engagement Intern will work to enhance external messaging and communications for HIPS. They will work on building communications documents, social media campaigns, and improving relations with community partners.

Primary Responsibilities

• Develop social media posts
• Research, curate, and schedule social media posts on Facebook and Twitter
• Write and develop communications materials for HIPS stakeholders including clients, donors, and volunteers
• Create internal and external messaging protocols in conjunction with the advocacy department
• Work with Direct Service Interns on other capacity building tasks
• Assist with event planning, including coordinating with our Volunteer Fundraising Board

Required Qualifications

• Outstanding administrative and support skills, with exceptional phone etiquette, empathy, and listening skills
• Excellent written, oral and interpersonal communication skills; strong time management skills; ability to multi-task under a deadline, and manage tasks proactively, with great productivity and attention to detail
• Strong operational orientation, project management skills, and a focus on high quality customer service
• Solid organizational skills, creativity, and flexibility; comfortable building and maintaining systems
• Advanced Microsoft office experience preferred:  Excel, Word, and PowerPoint
• Experience using Google Apps strongly preferred: Gmail, Sheets, Forms, Sites, and Drive
• Sense of humor, creativity, and commitment to the HIPS mission!

Supervisor: Johnny Bailey, Community Outreach Coordinator

Advocacy Intern

The Advocacy Interns work with our Policy and Advocacy team to advocate for a safer, healthier, and more dignified DC for sex workers and drug users.

Primary Responsibilities

• Track and synthesize current legislation related to sex work and drug use in DC
• Coordinate remote and on site meetings with community stake holders about issues related to drug use and sex work
• Collaborate with clients on integrating client stories and experiences into DC policies
• Create communications materials to share HIPS advocacy work with donors and community partners
• Work with the Outreach and Community Engagement team on other capacity building tasks

Required Qualifications

• Outstanding administrative and support skills, with exceptional phone etiquette, empathy, and listening skills
• Excellent written, oral and interpersonal communication skills; strong time management skills; ability to multi-task under a deadline, and manage tasks proactively, with great productivity and attention to detail
• Strong operational orientation, project management skills, and a focus on high quality customer service
• Solid organizational skills, creativity, and flexibility; comfortable building and maintaining systems
• Advanced Microsoft office experience preferred:  Excel, Word, and PowerPoint
• Experience using Google Apps strongly preferred: Gmail, Sheets, Forms, Sites, and Drive
• Sense of humor and commitment to the HIPS mission!

Supervisor: Tamika Spellman, Policy and Advocacy Associate

MAT Community Health Worker (CHW) Intern

The goal of the MAT Community Health Worker Intern is to contribute to the implementation and execution of the HIPS MAT Program. The MAT CHW will work with the MAT Clinic Coordinator, Peers, and Medical Volunteers to identify and carry out the day-to-day functions of the HIPS MAT Program, including identifying individuals who are interested and eligible in MAT treatment at HIPS. They will build trust and inform clients about Opioid Use Disorder as well as MAT use while providing personalized assistance to help them enter medical care at HIPS. They will offer clients support throughout the course of their treatment up until they are fully involved and can independently navigate the system for themselves. The MAT CHW will engage in rapid HIV and Hep C testing on and off-site as a part of the HIPS targeted testing campaign while providing support in the drop-in center when needed.

Supervisor: Dana McCullough, MAT Clinic Manager

The Chosen Few Intern

Primary Responsibilities

• Assist in creating, marketing and advertising promotional activities (social media platforms, direct mail, web, flyers, postcards etc.)
• Create emails for The Chosen Few listserv
• Enter data from events, and community outreach into Apricot
• Identify grants, research funding opportunities, and draft grant proposals
  
• Assist with event planning and scheduling
• Assist with follow up calls to interested persons or stakeholders regarding The Chosen Few
  
• Create an in-kind donation request and thank you letter
  
• Identify, research, and draft letter to organizations with a similar mission for collaboration opportunities
  
• Identify and research fundraising opportunities
  

Required Qualifications

• Preferred knowledge of Google applications (Gmail, Docs, Forms and Drive)
• Sense of humor, creativity, and commitment to The Chosen Few mission
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Excellent time management and organizational skills
• Ability to multitask to meet deadlines
• Ability to connect with people from all walks of life

Supervisor: Nkeiru Braxton, Community Organizer - The Chosen Few​

Apply Now