Jobs and Internships
WORK AT MPA
You can make an impact working with the Maine People's Alliance!
MPA Internship Program
MPA is committed to an internship program that develops our organization and brings in new people who are committed to social change and are interested in learning a variety of skills in the work. The program is open to seniors in high school, community college students, students enrolled in 4-year colleges or graduate school, recent graduates, and people interested in social justice careers.
About the internship program
All organizing interns will work in targeted regions to recruit, train, and develop the leadership of community members and engage them in current campaigns. Organizing interns will work closely with a local organizer.
The spring organizing program coincides with the Maine legislative session and will involve organizing grassroots activists to engage in state and federal policy work. Fall organizing interns will get hands-on experience during election season. Activities will include: door-to-door canvassing, phone calls, meetings, trainings, writing, planning, lobbying, and more.
Interning with MPA is an unpaid volunteer position. Students are expected to spend anywhere from 5–20 hours a week in this position. People can intern for school credit or for the experience depending on what their school requires or allows. Some applicants may be able to get funding for an internship through their school, but students are responsible for coordinating such an arrangement with their respective schools.
To apply for an internship or fellowship with the organizing program, please complete this form.
Ideal candidates should meet the following criteria:
- Must have a passion for social justice and be able to demonstrate how you’ve participated in social justice activities and want to learn solid skills in the field of organizing.
- Knowledge of current events and comfortable with social media
- Highly organized, with an ability to prioritize time-sensitive assignments
- Fearlessness – not afraid to be a bold and outside-the-box thinker
- Honesty and integrity in fulfilling your commitments
- Ready to work hard and take on new challenges and responsibilities
- Fluency in Spanish, Somali, Arabic, and French or other languages relevant to recent immigrants is a plus.
- Ability to commit 5–20 hours per week, depending on position
MPA strongly encourages women, people of color, and members of the LGBTQIA+ community to apply.
Important Dates:
Fall Semester (September — December)
Application deadline: July 30th
Spring Semester (January — May)
Application deadline: November 30th
Summer Semester (May — August)
Application deadline: March 30th
School Year Internship (fall and spring semesters)
Application deadline: May 15th
Applications will be reviewed and responded to after the above deadline has passed. That being said, if you are working with a school that is on a different timeline than what we have above (ex: BSW/MSW internships, other school internships), please apply anyways.
Please note, even if you have missed the application deadline, we encourage you to still apply, as we may still have positions available.
Process:
The internship and fellowship programs begin with participants attending a mandatory orientation and onboarding. During the training, participants learn about building power, the campaigns MPA is currently engaged in, the skill of holding one-on-one meetings, recruiting leaders, and more.
Following the training, participants will be assigned an MPA staff person as their supervisor, who will work to help them develop individual work plans and goals for their time in the program. Participants will receive day-to-day supervision, ongoing training, and mentoring from an assigned staff member. They will also be expected to fill out weekly reports and meet regularly for reflection.