PAID INTERNSHIP
Work on housing and shelter relief mitigating regional wildfire impacts
Check out this awesome 10-week internship opportunity (October thru Dec 2020) for students with the Local Innovation Lab (a project of Ashland Works a 501c3 not-for-profit). There is space for five to ten PAID INTERNS.
In response to the recent wildfires, the interns will be supporting housing and shelter relief efforts as well as developing community asset maps that will inform city planners and local agencies on the strengths of the fire impacted communities as they rebuild on a sustainable path.
There will be an informational meeting on MONDAY, Sept. 28 at 12:30pm via zoom.
Link to join Info meeting via Zoom: https://sou.zoom.us/j/99985828191
contact: Professor Bret Anderson, Dept. of Economics, SOU
What skills and experiences will the Local Innovation Lab internship provide me?
- This internship will provide real world experience in project management and community asset mapping
- This internship will operate in parallel with a 10-week workshop in values-based leadership training offered by the Humane Leadership Institute.
- Interns will develop solutions that respond to immediate and long-term community needs.
Tell me more about the Local Innovation Lab.
The Local Innovation Lab came about in response to the Covid disruption in the spring of 2020. The original vision was to be a student supported local business accelerator. That original vision of being a support institutions for local entrepreneurs is still valid, but the recent wildfires have deepened the need and expanded the scope of the Local Innovation Lab. Since the wildfires, the Local Innovation Lab has been asked for student support to a wide range of organizations (city/county planners, not-for-profit orgs, local businesses, and displaced communities) with efforts related to rebuilding our communities, strengthening and coordinating assets to build upon, and immediate housing and shelter needs.
Tell me more about the Values-Based Leadership workshop.
The humane leadership institute has been specializing in leadership training for business and community leaders for several years. HLI is based out of Ashland, Ore and has partnered with Ashland Works and SOU to bring their values-based approach to students that are supporting the Local Innovation Lab. You can check out their website (linked above) to get better sense of the orientation of the leadership training. Interns will be brdge on-the-ground experience with values-based leadership training. This bridge is what makes the work of the Local Innovation lab serve both immediate needs and foster sustainable solutions for the long term. The participating interns will be prepared to be the values-based leaders of tomorrow!
I heard a radio ad that said SOU is starting to offer microcredentials and digital badges. Is this opportunity related to that?
Yes. There is a proposal under review that would create a microcredential in Values-Based Leadership. The proposed requirements for that microcredential has three parts: 1) Internship experience in partnership with the local innovation lab (4cr) , 2) Values-based leadership workshop in partnership with the Humane Leadership Institute (4cr) , and 3) an SOU elective course on systems of influence that center on the wider- social context in which entrepreneurship takes place (4cr). This internship and workshop opportunity would potentially satisfy the first two components.
What kind of time commitment is needed and how might I register for SOU credits? What about the pay?
The initial proposal (and the donor support thus far) is for approximately 10 hrs/week for 10 weeks. This is in conjunction with a $1000 stipend for the ten weeks. The available funding and the number of interns to be hired depends largely on conversations with donors that are happening right now. We have secured funding for five interns and are hopeful we can secure funding for five more.
The registration for courses to get credit is also in process. More details on that will be put forward as they are available. For now, Professor Anderson in the Economics program is the person to contact regarding those issues.
Is it limited to any particular major?
No. A student from any major can apply. The informational meeting will speak more directly to the project needs and which student skill sets might be the best fit for various projects.
How do I apply to participate?
First, contact Professor Anderson to express your interest and attend the information session on Monday, Sept 28 at 12:30pm. (It will be recorded in case you are unable to attend.) During the informational session we will share a link to an fillable form for applying.
When is the deadline to apply? and When would I start?
This is all happening fast as the need for the interns is quite high given the wildfires recently. We hope to have applications received by October 1st, so that we can make selections on October 2nd. Interns would ideally start the week of October 5th and have the projects completed in mid-December.
Do I need to physically be in the Rogue Valley to participate?
No. There will be a variety of projects and it is very possible you could be matched with a project that could easily be done remotely. Familiarity with the Rogue Valley may be helpful, if not required, for some of the projects.
More questions?
Attend the informational session on Monday, Sept. 28th at 12:30 pm. We anticipate our partners having more detail on proposed projects. Contact Professor Bret Anderson in economics (andersob6@sou.edu) for more information.
