As the days get longer and warmer, the inevitable summer job search looms ever closer. This summer, instead of serving up hot dogs or painting houses, why not consider working somewhere that really inspires you?
Photo by lornagrl
Idealist's databases are filled with opportunities for
internships and
volunteer positions around the world, with the lists growing even longer as summer break gets near. You can narrow your search for opportunities by filling in your geographic location, area of interest, and skills needed.
We know many students depend on those summer paychecks, so try using our features to limit your search to paid internships. You can also talk to your school about opportunities for credit. Although many organizations may not be able to pay much or at all, most are very willing to talk to your college or university to arrange for you to receive school credit or recognition for your time.
Students Against Violence Everywhere, or SAVE, is a national organization with over 1,600 chapters on college campuses and at elementary, middle, and high schools across the United States. The group's guiding vision is "that all students will be able to attend a school that is safe, secure, free of fear, and conducive to learning."
SAVE's 2007-2008 Youth Advisory Board
According to
their website, each year the National Association of Students Against Violence Everywhere hosts an annual Summit for students, advisors, and community members to celebrate the success of SAVE chapters for the year. Chapter members lead workshop sessions, display accomplishments in Exhibit Alley, and have the opportunity to network with students from across the country.
This year's summit will include a workshop and testimony by anti-gang, anti-drug representatives of the
Campaign 4 Change.
Are you involved with a local chapter of SAVE? You can register for the conference
here. You might also want to consider registering your group as an
Idealist Group to recruit new members, stay in touch and strengthen your community.
For a lot of you, it's probably time to buy textbooks. But maybe this semester you're ready to find a less stressful, expensive, and wasteful way to get your hands on the required readings.
Photo by Subspace on Flickr
One option is
iChapters.com, which is becoming a popular alternative to the campus bookstore for several reasons: The prices are significantly lower; many books and single chapters are available in electronic format; and a tree gets planted for each book purchased!
The
Plant a Tree campaign represents a three-way partnership among iChapters, Paso Pacifico (the nonprofit that is committing to planting the trees), and Changing The Present, that makes it easy for students to contribute to reforestation to help offset the environmental costs of the products they are expected to buy. About 24,000 trees have already been planted through the program, which lasts until February 15.
If you know of any other socially-conscious or environmentally-friendly ways to buy textbooks, be sure to leave a comment here.
One of the barriers to graduates considering nonprofit work is the reality of ever-increasing student debt. There are many efforts to address this problem, and one that is attracting national attention is a grassroots state-wide campaign called
Tuition Relief Now! This California-based initiative has students, parents, and community members working together to pass a statewide ballot initiative to make the University of California and California State University more affordable. By mobilizing thousands of students across 30 public university campuses, the organization aims to qualify for November 2008 ballot. A corollary effect of this effort will likely be massive youth voter registration and turnout.
Photo by Monica's Dad on Flickr
As with many higher education institutions, the UC and CSU tuition rates have almost doubled in the past six years. While this issue undoubtedly affects students, it also has repercussions for the housing market, nonprofit workforce, and state economy.
Tuition Relief Now has four specific goals to help the state’s higher education systems continue to make college affordable, including a five-year tuition freeze for instate students and establishing a tuition rate-increase limit.
There are plenty of ways you can get involved. Here are just a few:
1. Become a volunteer or paid campus organizer to help get signatures before the April 17th deadline
2. Recruit volunteers to help with the canvassing and outreach
3. Start your own chapter of Tuition Relief Now!
4. Host an event or discussion group to help raise awareness
For more information on ways you can connect with, volunteer for, or find out more about this campaign, visit their website:
www.tuitionreliefnow.org
Want to apply for the Institute on Philanthropy and Voluntary Service, held each summer at Georgetown University in Washington, DC? The priority deadline is fast approaching!
Photo by Poldavo (Alex) on Flickr
According to a press release, "the Institute is ideal for undergraduate student leaders who are engaged in service programs on and off their campuses. All majors and fields of study are welcome. As part of the Institute experience, students will attend exclusive events and participate in hands-on activities including developing a mission statement, planning service projects and organizing fundraising activities."
Substantial scholarship funding is available.
Click here to view the application. The priority deadline is January 25; after that, applications will be accepted on a rolling basis through February 25.
Well-known organizations like
Ashoka and
Echoing Green have done a lot to support and raise the profile of social entrepreneurship around the globe. But for young, budding social innovators with big ideas for addressing today’s social problems but limited cache when it comes to experience and resources, it can still be quite difficult to find organizations willing to invest help them get started.
Photo by toastycakes on Flickr
Conscious Lifestyle is an organization that has recently emerged to offer support for such young entrepreneurs. Joining the ranks of organizations like
Starting Bloc with a strong reputation for fostering fledgling change agents, Conscious Lifestyle in partnership with
Youth Venture offers seed grants of up to $1000 as well as ongoing training and technical assistance for its fellows.
Last year the organization funded ventures such as the
Eco-Representatives project out of Barnard College and the
Peace in the Holy Land project out of the University of Michigan-Dearborn and they’re always on the lookout for similarly innovative ventures to fund. Those interested in applying can
click here. They’re also accepting applications for Conscious Lifestyle Liaisons to serve as mentors for these social innovators.
If you’d like to know more about Conscious Lifestyle and the bright young minds behind the organizations, visit
www.consciouslifestyle.org.
Every day, tens of thousands of college students and campus staff across the US make a difference in the lives of those around them by serving, advocating for and organizing in their communities. The
IMPACT: National Student Conference on Service, Advocacy, and Social Action serves as a rare opportunity for these dedicated individuals to pause, reflect on their work, and share best practices with hundreds of others engaged in similar work. This Monday, January 14th marks the early registration deadline for the IMPACT Conference. If you're interested, visit the conference registration page before then to take advantage of the best rates.
At the 2007 Idealist Campus Conference
Need further incentive to look into the conference? The IMPACT Conference actually builds on the incredible 23-year history legacy set forth by the
COOL Conference and the Idealist Campus Conference and is historically the largest convening in the country of campus community members involved in service, activism, politics, advocacy, and other socially responsible work across philosophical and ideological lines. Students and staff leave the conference not only inspired and re-energized from the numerous opportunities for reflection and learning, but also aware that they are part of a strong network of people actively engaged in the work of building a better world.
You can experience the power of this student-led movement yourself by learning more about the IMPACT Conference or registering today at
www.CampusConference.org.
If you're one of the many students or young alumni who have taken out loans to cover the rising costs of tuition, you may want to check out the
Student Loan Borrower Assistance website, which bills itself as a "comprehensive, independent source of practical consumer and legal information for borrowers, their families, and advocates. The site features straightforward information about getting out of default, dealing with collection agencies, finding an affordable repayment plan, and other important issues. It also has valuable resources not found elsewhere on the web, like policy briefs and legal case studies."
You can also visit the
Project on Student Debt, whose
initiatives include financial aid pledges to reduce student debt; policy agendas related to private loans and student debt; a college opportunity incentive fund; and loads more.
If you've ever competed in
trivia contests or
pub quizzes then you're familiar with the thrill of exercising your useless knowledge and the agony of being defeated by those whose geekiness surpasses your own. But have you considered that a trivia competition can be a great event for your student group?
Eyes on the prize: a team at our NYC Trivia Night
A trivia night can serve your organization in different ways: if you charge an admission fee, it's a fundraiser; if you gather a friendly crowd you'll have a captive audience for recruiting volunteers. You can tailor the trivia questions to relate to your group's work for an educational/promotional twist; team people up for the friendly competition and you'll build community among your members.
We've noticed a growing trend in trivia nights "for a cause" and we decided to organize our own Idealist Trivia Nights earlier this fall in New York and Washington, DC. The questions focused on nonprofit knowledge and local history, culture, and current events.
Interested in hosting a Trivia Night of your own? We've added a step by step organizers guide to our Community Action Center that should give you all the information you need to get started.
Click here for details, and be sure to let us know if you have any feedback or questions!
Do you have an idea for a human rights campaign that would create substantive change on your campus? Would the credibility and financial support of
Americans for Informed Democracy (AID) help you get started?
AID has launched a project called
Rights, Camera, Action!. This spring, they'll provide up to 10 contest winners with $500 to launch a campus campaign; a video camera; and a free trip to Washington, DC to meet with human rights experts, congressional staff and filmmakers.
The application deadline is January 10, 2008, so if you're interested, visit the
proposals page and apply soon.
The podcast team just posted an episode called "Interns Outside the Box," which features interviews with three people who interned at NYC-based nonprofit organizations this past summer.
Click here to download the episode.
If you're interested in podcasting and will be in New York this spring, consider applying for the
Podcast Internship with our Community Outreach Team. And if podcasting isn't an area of interest but you'd like to research other internship opportunities, you can browse through nearly 1,500 other internship postings -- including several more at Idealist's DC and NYC offices --
here.
From December 29-31,
Mobilize.org will bring together 435 young people (1 from each Congressional District of the U.S.) in Hollywood, CA for a Party for the Presidency.
The aim of the party is to focus on "upgrading our current democracy to include more voices (specifically young ones) in the process of identifying local problems, proposing solutions, and being part of the implementation process."
If you're between 16 and 30 years of age and want to apply to be one of those attendees,
visit this page to learn more.
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