Active Community Engagement (ACE) Intensive - FY Only
This position is part of a PKG program called PKG ACE Intensive. It builds off of the PKG Center’s annual ACE FPOP program, and takes a deeper dive into the social, political, economic, and other contextual factors that contribute to complex social challenges that impact communities and organizations in Boston and Cambridge. This particular program will occur remotely.
Tasks and responsibilities of the position:
· Participate in weekly PKG Center led workshops and training on a variety of public interest topics ranging from:
- Environmental Justice
- Social Determinants of Health
- Power, Privilege, and Positionality in Community Work
- Food Insecurity
- Housing Insecurity and Homelessness
- Climate Change
- Technology for Good
- +More
- * Workshops may include review of related materials (articles+media), introductions to staff at local nonprofits and organizations, remote public service activities, group activities and reflection exercises to encourage civic dialogue and group conversation
· Work with a small team of students (3-5) to develop a project for the end of the semester. Teams will identify projects and create their timeline to accomplish their project goal. Projects might be:
- Public interest or social justice themed workshops that can be delivered by PKG Center staff and students to future student participants
- Civic Engagement resources (voter resources, civic dialogue, etc)
- Community Engagement Toolkits and resources (advocacy, philanthropy, community organizing, outreach, etc)
· Present project at end-of-semester showcase to other student participants and staff
· Coordination including arranging virtual meetings and trainings
· Support the initiative partners in gathering and reporting data; provide timely communication to all stakeholders
· Participate in designated meetings with staff and stakeholders
· Communicate consistently and frequently with supervisor to provide updates on progress and challenges; meet deadlines as defined by the organization within the appropriate ET timezone.
· Effectively communicate with identified stakeholders in a timely manner, as determined with supervisor and PKG Center team
· Participate in assigned outreach to community organizations and members
· Follow all onboarding policies and procedures
· Other role-related activities as assigned
· *This position is a remote position. Connection to internet and a functioning computer are needed in order to perform the remote tasks.
All participants in this program are required to participate in group orientation and reflection activities throughout the fall. The requirements of this program include:
· Prompt completion of all required onboarding paperwork and clearances (as specified by the PKG Center and any community partner organizations if applicable)
· Participation in a weekly group reflection meeting to learn about different contextual factors influencing the Cambridge and Boston communities, and process the project-based learning experience. These meetings will occasionally require participants to read an article or 2 prior to the meeting, possibly write a short paragraph reflection piece, or watch a short video
· Participation in a weekly half-hour check-in call with PKG Center staff
· Weekly work with your assigned team to develop your project by the end of the semester
· Completion of a weekly supervision check-in document, required by 3pm ET each Friday of the program, and submit this to designated PKG Center and partner staff
· Complete 1 blogpost for the PKG Center website to share your work and experience (with review from onsite supervisor)
· Complete end-of-program survey(s)
· Participate in end-of-program showcase and reflection meeting (date TBD)
Any skills, qualifications and other requirements:
· Interest in learning about the social factors influencing complex community challenges in Boston and Cambridge
· Willingness to work as part of a student team toward a student-identified project that enhances public interest learning on campus and beyond
· Strong organization and management skills
· Preferred experience with design or creation of tookits/pamphlets/workshop materials
· Ability to respectfully collaborate across difference
· Ability to demonstrate self-reflection
· Willingness to participate in group and individual discussions around social determinants of health and power, privilege, and positionality
· Demonstrates careful attention to detail
· Effective and efficient communicator: able and ready to professionally respond to supervisor and stakeholders promptly
Hourly wage/range:
A stipend up to $1350 for 10 weeks will be paid to each student as a means of offsetting the cost of participation (food, transportation, lodging, living expenses, etc.). The stipend will be determined based on your time committed to the position (# of weeks). International students seeking to apply should check with the International Students Office to verify eligibility.
This paid opportunity was created for actively enrolled MIT undergraduate students in partnership with the PKG Center. This opportunity meets the criteria for the Institute’s Experiential Learning Opportunities guarantee for MIT undergraduates. Please reach out to sarahbou@mit.edu with any questions or concerns.
Apply:
In order to apply, please upload your cover letter and resume to the MIT Handshake platform. The deadline to apply is Friday, September 25th, however applications will be received on a rolling basis. If you have questions, please contact ace-intensive@mit.edu.