Policy Intern
About the Active Minds Internship Program
Active Minds is the nation’s leading nonprofit organization changing the culture around mental health. Through our presence at more than 1,000 high school and college campuses, in corporate settings, and with a wide-reaching public audience, Active Minds is creating communities of support and saving lives. Founded in 2003 by Alison Malmon after the tragic suicide of her brother Brian, Active Minds is dedicated to supporting a new generation in ending the silence, helping to make mental health as highly valued as physical health. Through our many programs – including the emotionally gripping Send Silence Packing® traveling exhibit and our compelling Active Minds Speakers – we are changing culture and behaviors related to mental health across the country.
Our internships are geared towards current college students and recent college graduates. As a small nonprofit, Active Minds relies on the help of our interns tremendously as they work directly on important initiatives and projects as well as assist staff on a variety of administrative tasks. Interns have the opportunity to do substantive work, gain experience in the nonprofit sector, and help change the culture around mental health.
All Summer 2023 internships will be remote with an anticipated start date of June 5, 2023 and end date of August 4, 2023. We expect interns to work a minimum of 20 hours a week, set a consistent work schedule between 9:00am and 5:00pm EST Monday - Thursday, and commit to staying on board for the entire semester.
Active Minds pays interns a stipend of $1,250 per month.
Policy Intern Key Responsibilities
As part of the Policy and Advocacy team, interns will support Active Minds' policy and advocacy initiatives aimed at improving mental health.
The Policy Intern will work directly with the Policy Manager on Active Minds' developing policy and advocacy initiatives. Some key responsibilities include:
- Conduct research and track/analyze legislation on youth mental health policy topics such as access to mental health services, funding for mental health programs, and state legislation related to youth mental health,
- Support the drafting of memoranda, policy briefs, fact sheets, blog articles, social media posts, and regular updates on issues related to youth mental health policy
- Attend meetings, congressional hearings, and other events related to youth mental health policy and subsequently brief Active Minds staff
- Monitor both the legislative priorities of the youth mental health program during the 2023 legislative session and floor sessions/committee hearings related to policy agenda
- Track legislative champions and advocacy meetings
- Attend Zoom meeting and prepare a report to be shared with the National Youth-Led Mental Health Coalition
- Support planning and preparation for annual Virtual Hill Day and Conference
Policy interns are valued members of the team who support the mission and vision of our work through a variety of projects in ways both big and small.
Qualifications:
- Interest in youth mental health policy
- Strong writing and communications skills
- Familiarity with the legislative process
- Strong time and project management skills
- Team player with a willingness to learn and meet deadlines
- Ability to react with appropriate levels of urgency to situations and events that require quick response or turnaround
- Knowledge of Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, Zoom, and Dropbox
Application Process
The application cycle for the Summer 2023 Internship Program will be open from February 6, 2023 – February 24, 2023. The application process will consist of a written application and two video interviews. When completing the application, please answer each question in full sentences and provide thoughtful responses that illustrate your interest and experience.
Applicants selected for an interview will be contacted by March 22, 2023. We value the time that applicants put into completing their application, but due to the high volume of applications we receive, we are unable to provide responses to phone calls or emails regarding application status.