Global Justice Summer Internships for Young Adults

By Ted Resnikoff

Opportunities from the College of Social Justice

With its partner organizations UUCSJ offers summer field placements for UU young adults to deepen their engagement with social justice and discover new ways to put faith into action.

UUCSJ summer internships require some individual study time before placement, to provide orientation to the political history of the internship site and the justice work of the partner there. The core curriculum, currently in development, will help interns to better understand the impact of colonialism and neocolonialism on today’s social justice struggles and to explore their own place in relation to race, class, privilege, and power. Interns will delve into the role of the UU faith tradition in human rights struggles, both past and present, and engage contemplative practices as a way to incorporate the boundary-crossing experiences of the field placement.

Summer internship placements generally last from six to ten weeks, depending on the location. Following the placement, interns will be asked to write a brief reflection paper on their experience, provide a thorough evaluation for UUCSJ’s program development, and be available as mentors to 2014 interns as needed.

UUCSJ shares costs for each placement and in some cases offers stipends. Partner organizations support the volunteers through full or partial subsidy of room and board and the provision of supervision and guidance during the placement. Volunteers must cover the cost of travel to and from the site and in some cases must share in the cost of room and board. Volunteers are encouraged to engage their faith communities in supporting these expenses. Many universities offer grants for summer internship placements; contact your college’s field placement or career office to find out if a UUCSJ internship would qualify for this support.

Learn more about this opportunity for Young Adults and view a list of available internships here.