CULTURAL SERVICE INTERNSHIPS
The Cultural Service Internship Program is a five-year initiative of the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville in partnership with Jacksonville arts and cultural organizations, Duval County Public Schools, and Jacksonville Youth Employment, formerly the Mayor's Summer Jobs Program. The program offers paid internships to students from Jacksonville's Northwest-side. Student interns are paired with local, nonprofits in the arts and cultural sector.
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This program is part of a multi-prong approach by the Cultural Council to increase:
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At a national level, people of color are too often underrepresented at Board and senior staff levels. The Cultural Service Internship Program is designed to impact local statistics by providing young men and women of color with inside perspective to Jacksonville's nonprofit and civic sector. Students are introduced to leaders in City departments and arts and cultural organizations while learning about career and volunteer opportunities and the roles and responsibilities of a Board of Directors.
In the 2016-2017 academic year, the initiative featured an ambitious goal of 25 paid internship positions at arts and cultural organizations. That goal was exceeded when the Cultural Council was successful in raising funds to support 40 paid internship positions, thanks in part to funding from Florida Blue. The initiative grew as a result of a partnership between the Mayor's Summer Jobs Program, CareerSource, Duval County Public Schools, local corporations, and nonprofit and small businesses.
Sixteen arts and culture organizations that receive funding through the Cultural Service Grant Program hosted and worked with one or more interns for a period of two months. Job descriptions varied according to the artistic or cultural discipline represented by the organization and their summer programming.
In the 2016-2017 academic year, the initiative featured an ambitious goal of 25 paid internship positions at arts and cultural organizations. That goal was exceeded when the Cultural Council was successful in raising funds to support 40 paid internship positions, thanks in part to funding from Florida Blue. The initiative grew as a result of a partnership between the Mayor's Summer Jobs Program, CareerSource, Duval County Public Schools, local corporations, and nonprofit and small businesses.
Sixteen arts and culture organizations that receive funding through the Cultural Service Grant Program hosted and worked with one or more interns for a period of two months. Job descriptions varied according to the artistic or cultural discipline represented by the organization and their summer programming.
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The first round of interns were students from Young Men’s Leadership Academy (YMLA) and Young Women's Leadership Academy (YWLA), leadership magnet schools within the Duval County Public Schools system located in the New Town neighborhood, a predominantly African American neighborhood. These schools offer students a single-gender classroom experience designed to help them discover their strengths and overcome adversities. Leadership, training, and outreach are part of the mission of YMLA and YWLA.
The internships raise student awareness of the potential for careers in the nonprofit sector, specifically with arts and cultural organizations, by providing them with practical work experience at a developmental age. Students work hard and dedicate themselves to their academic achievements. |
“Field Learning Experiences have become a major element in our effort to promote learning outside the classroom and enable students to see how the skills they are being taught will be applied once they are in the workforce. The Cultural Service Internship Program is now an extension of that plan; allowing students to gain personal experience in the workforce while applying what they have learned to accomplish real tasks. “ - James Smith, YMLA/YWLA Leadership Teacher,
The Cultural Council is expanding upon their partnership with YMLA and YWLA during the 2017-2018 academic year.
The Cultural Council is expanding upon their partnership with YMLA and YWLA during the 2017-2018 academic year.
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
- Year-long Arts and Culture curriculum foscused on career development
- 100% completion rate
- Job and college recommendations written by direct supervisors, senior staff members, or City leadership
- 97% of organizations "would recommend" their intern(s) for future work
- Daily communication between Cultural Council and job sites assessing the day's events
- Multi-family member interactive contact with student and family members
- Multi-dimensional transportation tools with an emphasis on public transit through partnership with JTA/ Mayor's Summer Jobs Program
- Baseline, anecdotal, and exit surveys
- Video and photographic documentation
- Written feedback from students
- Ongoing communications, measurements, and anecdotes with students through high school and graduation
SPONSORS
