BCLA Summer Internship - Youth and Family Initiatives Fellow

City of Santa Monica - Human Services Division Fellow 

Job description 

(Must be currently enrolled in BCLA in summer 2026 to apply) 

The BCLA Summer Internship Program aims to secure 50 meaningful internship placements for students across a variety of sectors, including small businesses, nonprofit organizations, and entrepreneurial ventures.  

The internship below is offered in partnership with a supporting organization that is excited to invest in and support an LMU student like you. If this opportunity aligns with your career interests and goals, we encourage you to take advantage of it and apply. 

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• Job Title: Youth and Family Initiatives Summer Fellow 
• Organization: City of Santa Monica 
  Location: Hybrid, Santa Monica 
• Job Type: BCLA Summer Internship 
• Number of Positions: 1 Intern  
  Academic Level: Incoming Junior, Senior, Master's (in Fall 2026)   
  College: Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts  
• Hours: Approximately 30-hours per week for 8 weeks  
• Duration: Summer 2026  
• Compensation: [$4000 stipend, and/or course credit, as applicable] 

Youth & Family Initiatives 

The City of Santa Monica Human Services Division invites one LMU Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts student to serve as a Summer Fellow supporting Youth and Family Initiatives. This is a hands-on opportunity to contribute to community-centered strategies that strengthen outcomes for children, youth, and families across Santa Monica. 

Position Overview 

• The Fellow will support cross-sector initiatives focused on: 
• Early childhood education access and quality 
• Prevention and early intervention strategies 
• School-based mental health coordination 
• Immigration support and family stabilization 
• Cradle-to-career systems alignment 

This role offers exposure to municipal government operations, nonprofit partnerships, and education systems collaboration. The Fellow will engage in both research and community-facing work, contributing meaningfully to policy-informed practice. 

Key Responsibilities 

• Conduct research on youth development and prevention best practices 
• Support coordination of school-based mental health initiatives 
• Assist with outreach efforts to immigrant and multilingual families 
• Track program data and prepare outcome summaries and briefing materials 
• Participate in partner and stakeholder meetings across sectors 
• Contribute to internal planning discussions and collaborative strategy sessions 

Preferred Interests & Skills 

• Strong written and verbal communication 
• Community engagement and facilitation skills 
• Cultural humility and trauma-informed perspective 
• Research, policy analysis, and synthesis abilities 
• Systems thinking and collaborative mindset 
• Ability to work independently while contributing to team initiatives 

Relevant Liberal Arts Backgrounds 

• This opportunity is well suited for students majoring in: 
• Sociology 
• Psychology 
• Community Studies 
• Urban Studies 
• Chicana/o & Latina/o Studies 
• African American Studies 
• Political Science 
• Education Studies 

Learning Outcomes 

The Fellow will gain: 

• Practical experience in local government and community systems work 
• Exposure to cross-sector collaboration and public policy implementation 
• Applied research and evaluation skills 
• Insight into youth development, equity-focused programming, and community engagement strategies 

This fellowship is ideal for students interested in public service, education equity, community development, or social impact careers. It offers meaningful responsibility and the opportunity to contribute to initiatives that directly support youth and families in Santa Monica.