Education Intern
The Illinois Prison Project (IPP) is a young nonprofit organization in Chicago that seeks to reduce mass incarceration by providing legal services to individuals incarcerated in the Illinois Department of Corrections, shifting narratives around mass incarceration and incarcerated people, and advocating for new mechanisms for releasing people from prison. We focus on novel and creative approaches to prison reduction including mass commutation campaigns, sentence restructuring, public education, and advocacy.
The Illinois Prison Project seeks a dynamic, energetic Education/Outreach Intern Intern to join our team. The Education/Outreach Intern Intern will assist in the expansion of IPP’s public education and outreach endeavors that advocates for ending perpetual punishment and unlocking humanity for people who are incarcerated and formerly incarcerated. This intern will directly support IPP’s Education Director, Renaldo Hudson and will work alongside IPP’s Ambassadors.
Applicants must be primarily based in Chicago. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there will be opportunities to work remotely, however there will also be in person requirements. Interns are asked to work approximately 20 hours per week for the 2021-2022 academic year. Specific start and end dates are flexible. Currently, IPP internships are unpaid.
Responsibilities Include:
- Develop relationships with schools, offices, community members, and churches for potential virtual and in-person events and opportunities
- Communicate with and support IPP Ambassadors for events, including scheduling and technical set-up
- Assist in the planning and coordination of virtual and in-person outreach/education events and initiatives
- Assist in establishing outreach & education goals
Desired Qualifications:
- Able to work approximately 20 hours per week (start and end dates are flexible) during normal business hours (M-F, 9-5) with some flexibility for potential evening/weekend events
- Extraordinarily patient with teaching technology to people who are not technologically savvy
- Exceptionally detail and deadline oriented
- Ability to work with people of diverse backgrounds and lifestyles in a friendly, polite, and professional manner
- Excellent written communication skills in English; ability to compose, edit, and proofread materials
- Exhibit independence and self-initiative
- Motivated to learn more about Illinois' criminal justice system
- Passionate about supporting criminal justice reform
Illinois Prison Project is committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and teammates without regard to race, color, religion or belief, sex, pregnancy, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, marital or parental status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, military and veteran status, and any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Illinois Prison Project believes that diversity and inclusion among our teammates is critical to our success as an organization, and we seek to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool.
How to Apply:
- DO NOT APPLY ON HANDSHAKE.
- Write a one page reflection on what IPP Principles. Reflect on what the principles mean to you and why they are important for this type of work. You can access our principles the “About” page on our website: https://www.illinoisprisonproject.org/about
- Submit a resume, cover letter, and Principles reflections via email to kaitlyn@illinoisprisonproject.org with “Education/Outreach Intern” in the subject line.
- Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
- Please note: applications that do not include all the required materials will not be considered.