Step Up Suncoast: Regional Community Needs Assessment Intern (PAID Fall 2021 SMAH Internship)
Step Up Suncoast:
Fall 2021 SMAH Regional Community Needs Assessment Intern
PLEASE READ CAREFULLY AND THOROUGHLY: This paid internship position is a part of the Fall 2021 Sarasota-Manatee Arts & Humanities (SMAH) Internship Program, funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation grant and private donors to New College of Florida. Thus, this internship has certain expectations per the funding and program requirements.
- The SMAH internships are for CURRENT New College students and will be expected to be completed for academic credit. The student selected for this internship must find a faculty sponsor and create/add a full-term tutorial (select "internship" as the objective) to their Fall 2021 academic contract. Go to the internship website for step-by-step instructions: https://www.ncf.edu/ceo/internships/
- Students selected for SMAH internships must review and complete a Student Intern Agreement Form, which details program expectations. Fall 2021 interns will receive an updated electronic fillable agreement form once they have been offered an internship. Please review the attachment as a past example, so that you are aware of the expectations.
Organization's Mission:
Empowers individuals and families to achieve long-term economic stability through education, support services, and community partnerships.
Internship Description:
Every three years, Step Up Suncoast is required to conduct a Community Needs Assessment. The goal is to gain a better understanding of our community; what is going well, and what needs to improve. This information will inform Step Up Suncoast’s programming for the next three years. Ultimately, the information will also shed light on how our region can work together to make the lives of those we serve- and are yet to serve- better. This assessment uses a multimethod approach that includes focus groups, surveys, and 1:1 key informant interviews with residents, community leaders, and political figures who value and utilize health and human services in our region.
The interns’ primary duties relate to the needs assessment study, yet the overall experience will also provide access to, and hands on experience to learn about, the broader scope of our agency programs and services. The internship roles may include:
- Gather existing data of the geographical area and demographic characteristics;
- Assist with improvements of research tools, such as question development;
- Implementation of surveys, focus groups, and interview through in person field work,
- Data entry;
- Analysis of results; and
- Contribute to writing parts of the final report.
Bilingual (Spanish & English) interns will also use their Spanish speaking skills throughout the research process. The interns will be part of the research team; therefore, they will develop hands on experience of how a needs assessment study is carried out. This is a skill that will benefit the interns in future career goals.
Outside of the needs assessment project, the intern will have the ability to:
- Shadow each department manager or director learning about the full scope of the Step Up Suncoast services
- Be a weekly classroom helper in a prekindergarten class
- Assist with First Time Home Buyer classes
- Register families and conduct onsite recruitment services for various programs
- Help plan and execute the annual fundraising event
- Attend and present agency at outreach events
- Mentor with the CEO
Learning Outcomes:
- Gain first-hand experience with, and understanding of, needs assessment research (from the improvement of previous survey tool, to implementation, analysis, and writing of final report).
- Get first-hand experience regarding how a community action agency operates.
- Meet members of the community they would not otherwise have access to.
- Present data findings to the Step Up Suncoast board of directors.
- Help change the lives of residents in need.
Qualifications:
- Must have demonstrated sensitivity to the needs of low-income people.
- Must have excellent oral, written and organizational skills.
- Ability to read and write reports and other correspondence.
- Able to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written or oral form.
- Ability to deal with problems involving variety of situations.
- Ability to speak and write in Spanish is preferred, but not required.
Internship Location:
Hybrid (in-person and remote)/Flexible options: The internship will be a combination of onsite at our main office 6428 Parkland Drive, Sarasota 34243 and virtually or remotely. Transportation will not be provided.