Community Engagement Intern



Community Engagement Intern

Salary

$17.00 - $22.00 Hourly

Location

Boston, MA

Job Type

Internship

Job Number

CE-NOV22-CEI

Department

Community Engagement

Opening Date

11/09/2022

Description

The Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) is excited to announce a new winter/spring internship program for students enrolled in programs in urban planning, community engagement, communications, public administration and related fields at Massachusetts state colleges and universities. The program, open to all qualified applicants, seeks to develop a pipeline of talented individuals from underrepresented backgrounds into the urban and regional planning fields. We encourage students from a broad spectrum of backgrounds who reflect the diversity of the 101 communities we serve.    
  
This January we are seeking a student intern to assist with developing and maintaining a database of regional stakeholdersThis database will help us better manage our relationships with important individuals and organizations in our region and will streamline our engagement work when we begin new projects.  The intern will also participate in the weekly outreach and engagement activities of the community engagement division as well as virtual event support as needed. This intern will also support our work to  develop innovative frameworks for cities and towns in the hybrid engagement space, including advocacy with state decision-makers (more about our hybrid work here)This opportunity offers the chance to gain practical skills in a specific discipline as well as insight into current engagement practices and what a regional planning agency does.   
 

About MAPC: 

MAPC is the Regional Planning Agency (RPA) serving the people who live and work in metropolitan Boston. Our strategic priorities are sustainable development, regional collaboration, and fostering an equitable and resilient region.  We are guided by our regional plan, MetroCommon2050: Shaping the Region Together. MAPC’s staff includes approximately 100 full-time employees located in downtown Boston in a transit-accessible and bike-friendly office. 

Interns will be working remotely and will not be expected to come into the office regularly.  Candidates must reside in Massachusetts while they are working remotely.  

MAPC strongly supports the professional development of each staff person, believing their growth to be consistent with the best interests of MAPC and the region. We encourage all our staff to develop new ideas to make MAPC’s planning and policy work more relevant and impactful, and to adapt to changing times. 

This is an opportunity to work in a dynamic, interdisciplinary, and innovative environment with professionals who are committed to building a more sustainable and equitable future for everyone who lives and works in Greater Boston. For more information about MAPC or MetroCommon2050, please visit www.mapc.org  


About the Department:  

MAPC’s Community Engagement Department includes five full-time staff: our Community Engagement Director, the Community Engagement Manager, the Event Planner and Special Projects Specialist, and two Community Engagement Specialists.  The Intern will be reporting to the Community Engagement Manager.  The Department leads the agency’s community engagement work by supporting MAPC projects with strategic community engagement design, qualitative research, and facilitation.  In addition the Department also develops resources to help expand and develop MAPC and external partner engagement knowledge and capacity.  More about our team can be found here: www.mapc.org/communityengagement  

Responsibilities (including but not limited to)

  • Conduct a region-wide stakeholder analysis and develop and maintain a database of regional stakeholders; 

  • Research and draft memoranda on relevant hybrid meeting and engagement technologies, policy issues, and municipal programs;   

  • Help to organize and staff stakeholder meetings as well as provide note-taking and administrative support;   

  • Engage residents around regional planning and local planning processes;   

  • Enter and analyze data;  

  • Occasional evening, early morning, and weekend virtual meetings may be required.  

Qualifications

Applicants must be an undergrad or graduate student studying the following: regional or urban planning, community engagement, communications, public policy or public administration, or another related field.   

The successful applicant will demonstrate all or most of the following skills:  

  • Interest in community engagement and public participation   

  • Strong writing skills, data analysis & research capabilities  

  • M/S Office suite proficiency   

  • Exposure to regional planning or policy theory and practices through coursework, internships or other means  

  • Experience with software platforms such as Adobe, Illustrator, Photoshop as well as skills in graphic and web design, and social media tools preferred   

  • Experience with data management using Airtable or Excel 

Only candidates currently enrolled in an academic program will be considered for this position.  

Per MAPC COVID-19 Vaccine Policy, all employees, including remote employees, must be fully vaccinated. This position will require the selected candidate to show proof of full vaccination against COVID-19, including the Bivalent booster. MAPC is an equal opportunity employer and will consider reasonable accommodation to those individuals who are unable to be vaccinated consistent with federal, state, and local law. 

  
 
 

Compensation and Benefits:  

This is a paid internship with an hourly rate of $17 to $22 per hour, depending on qualifications. This is a paid, part-time (up to 30 hours per week) internship with flexibility. The position is for the winter/spring of 2023 and will last 16 -20 weeks January through May.  To qualify as an intern, individuals must be enrolled in an academic program, provide written verification of their status, and agree to a scheduled end date upon hire. The intern will provide their own laptop or computer for purposes of completing the above work. Work will be conducted remotely. To qualify as an intern, individuals must be enrolled in an academic program, provide written verification of their status, and agree to a scheduled end date upon hire.    


How to Apply:  

Apply online at www.mapc.org/jobs. The position is open until filled, and applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Interested candidates should submit a cover letter and resume. Candidates selected to interview will be asked to submit three (3) references plus a sample of relevant writing or work product. 

PLEASE SUBMIT: A one-page cover letter outlining your interest in working in the Community Engagement division and the intern role. Current resume, writing sample that contains a narrative and supporting visual information such as quantitative analysis, original charts, drawings, or graphics is preferred, but not required. 

Candidates must have legal authorization to work in the USA and a valid driver's license and/or the ability to arrange transportation to meetings in different parts of the region. MAPC participates in E-Verify, which is a federal program that helps us to determine work eligibility in the United States.  
 
MAPC is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer. We believe that a staff with a range of perspectives, experiences, and skillsets strengthens our work. We are committed to building a more equitable workplace that allows staff with diverse backgrounds and identities to thrive, grow, and lead. For more information on MAPC’s culture of equity, see our Equity at MAPC page.
  

No included benefits.

Agency
Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC)
Address
60 Temple Place

Boston, Massachusetts, 02111
Phone
(617) 451-2770