Community Organizing Intern ($15/hr)

[Ella Smith]

Position Title: Community Organizing Intern 

Position Hours: Part-time, temporary position. 15-20 hours/week for 20-24 weeks

Work Location: Missoula, MT

Salary: $15 per hour

ORGANIZATION AND POSITION BACKGROUND:

Overview of Montana Women Vote: Montana Women Vote is dedicated to educating and mobilizing low-income women and their allies to participate in the democratic process as informed voters, policy advocates, and community leaders. Montana Women Vote helps women connect how policy affects their daily lives, provides the information they need to feel like informed voters or policy advocates, builds a community where women feel welcome to participate, and addresses the logistical challenges low-income women face in casting their ballot. Montana Women Vote registers, educates, and mobilizes unlikely women voters to support real progressive policy change. The organization values optimism for the future, the empowerment of low-income women and families, equity and fairness, accessibility, and community-driven problem solving.

Position Summary: Montana Women Vote is seeking a part-time Community Organizing Intern to work alongside the Program Director to implement civic engagement and leadership development programs reaching 10,000 low-income women and families across Montana. The Community Organizing Intern will also work alongside the Deputy Director to implement a grassroots fundraising program.

Supervision Received: The Community Organizing Intern will report directly to the Program Director, Ella Smith, while working collaboratively with other Montana Women Vote staff.

Primary Responsibilities and Duties 

• Community organizing and volunteer engagement (40%)
  • Identify, train, and support volunteers for phone banks, voter registration, census outreach and education, advocacy actions, etc.
  • Alongside volunteers, engage in voter registration at the Missoula Food Bank, Poverello Center, Walmart, etc. to register low-income voters.
  • Support program team in planning and implementing ongoing community building and political education events (Soup Series).
• Leadership Development Event Organizing (20%)
  • Assist in planning and implementing the Women’s Policy Leadership Institute, an annual state-wide leadership development conference for 150-200 attendees. Key roles will include outreach prior to the event and logistics during the Institute.
• Communications (20%)
  • Create social media content that raises awareness and educates MWV’s constituency about volunteer and leadership development opportunities.
  • Assist program team in creating civic education content.
• Fundraising (10%)
  • Support Deputy Director in working with Justice Funders to pilot a new project (Movement Commons Fundraising and Power) that aims to shift how social movements engage individual supporters.
• Administrative Tasks (10%)
  • Update volunteer/donor database regularly, work within the VAN to pull outreach and volunteer engagement lists.
  • Attend weekly staff meetings.

Qualifications and Skills 

• Passion for economic, gender, and racial justice, and curiosity for social justice analysis
• Interest in learning how social change is achieved through community organizing and policy change
• Interest in building an analysis of power, privilege, and oppression
• Ability to multitask, work collaboratively, be resilient, flexible, and appreciate and use humor appropriately 

Learning Objectives

1. If completing an internship for school, apply relevant classroom theory to the work of community organizing, leadership development, and grassroots fundraising (theory of community organizing, history of social movements, civics education, etc.)
2. Skill development:
   1. VAN and data entry, event organizing (including time management and organization), grassroots fundraising, digital media and marketing, one on one meetings and relationship building (including listening and processing skills, cultural competence and awareness), volunteer management (identifying people’s needs and potential)

Work Environment: This position requires some nights and weekends. On average, 50% of time is spend in office and 50% out of office at community events, working with volunteers, and participating in field activities. Little to no travel required.

To Apply: Submit resume and cover letter by email to Kylie Gursky: ky...@montanawomenvote.org. For questions or information, call (406) 317-1504. This position is open until filled. To be considered in this round of applicants, please submit your application by October 21, 2019.

MWV is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, sex, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, religious or political affiliation, disability, and any other classification considered discriminatory under applicable law. MWV is committed to diversity in our organization and encourage women, people of color, and members of the LGBTQ+ community to apply.