Paid Internships with Believe in a Healthy Newark

This is a paid internship program with Believe in a Healthy Newark (BHN) for RU-N undergraduate students interested in public health for Fall 2021 semester. Below are the internship descriptions, qualifications, and instructions to apply.

Students will work on average 10 hours per week in their internship with BHN impact teams, be paid 500$ for their work and receive three academic credits via an internship for academic credit course, and will partake in training and career readiness programing, including articulating the experience for career planning.

·        This intern will work with Emma Lavin (BHN Program Coordinator) to expand BHN social media presence. The intern will help develop and disseminate information and social media content related to monthly health themes in Newark, in addition to develop public information campaigns to prevent housing evictions, and to related legal education campaigns on housing rights and evictions.

·        The Food and Fitness (FF) impact team focuses on addressing food insecurity, healthy food options for Newarkers, as well as aiming to reduce obesity rates within the city. Given the pandemic’s impact on various forms of inequality and expansion of poverty, part of FF’s work is to mitigate increases in food insecurity. This intern will help to develop and conduct a survey concerning the impact of the pandemic on food insecurity and the propensity of residents to use food pantries and assistance programs at the GNHCC community events.

·       The ACES impact team focuses on improving trauma-informed care within systems of education, justice and health. The intern will primarily conduct research to create an environmental scan of mental health services and supports available to youth who reside in Newark. The intern will also engage in various related tasks to further program reach.

·        Summary: The Healthy Homes (HH) impact team seeks assistance with developing the first draft of a user-friendly best practices guide for municipal employees working to implement City and State laws regarding lead inspection certifications. The guide will synthesize and summarize previous legal research on similar laws in other cities around the US. (Some additional research may be needed to augment existing files.)

·        Desired qualifications: Strong interest in public health and racial justice. Skill with desktop research, curiosity and persistence, comfort with legal language is helpful but not essential. 

·        Expected results: Rough draft of a document that can be polished by supervisor and handed off to City staff

·        The Healthy Homes (HH) impact team identifies and interrupts features within the disinvested housing stock of Newark that create or contribute to ill-health in children. Given the pandemic’s severe strain on housing evictions and homelessness, HH has an immediate focus on reducing housing evictions. The intern for this position will support existing local efforts to ensure tenants are aware of their rights under new state law. This may include assisting with developing Know Your Rights material, participation in community outreach events, and promotion of awareness of legal protections via social media.

·        Desired qualifications: Strong interest in public health and racial justice. Willingness to dive deep on understanding tenant protections from eviction under current NJ law. Ability to present legal information in user-friendly language and formats. Graphic design and social media skills a plus.

·        Expected outcomes: Additional capacity for existing anti-eviction efforts. Several new pieces of collateral material associated with anti-eviction campaign.

1.      Students must be in good academic standing (preferably with a GPA of 3.0 or above)

2.      Preference will be given to students who are sociology or anthropology majors or minors, or Health and Society minors (to be established in Spring ‘22, but this Fall ’21 internship will count as academic credit towards the Health and Society minor). If you are not a sociology or anthropology major or minor then you can declare here (it takes less than five minutes to declare): https://sasn.rutgers.edu/declaring-your-major-and-minor (note: if you are planning to minor in Health and Society then just indicate this on your cover letter)

Apply on Handshake with a cover letter and resume. ​To be considered for this opportunity you must prepare and submit a cover letter that addresses the following:

·        Describe or explain how you meet the preferred qualifications

·        Rank your preferred positions for your internship in order from first to last

·        Did you grow up in Newark? Which part?

·        Describe your interest and/or commitment to public health in Newark, and why you are a good fit for your preferred positions

Contact professor Jesse Liss: Jesse.Liss@Rutgers.Edu

Funding for this program is generously provided by Rutgers Global Health Institute and Rutgers Global